I ran through the hospital. There had to be a way to save her. She was dying on the surgery table. My mother was the only one I had and I needed to keep her alive. I ran fast but the hall just grew longer. I screamed as I saw her cut open body walking. She was bloody, battered and bruised and walking. Half her face was peeled off. I let out a loud scream and began walking the other way.
"Ebony?! Ebony wake up! Ebony," Landon yelled. I opened my eyes and looked at him. He was crouched in front of me with his hands on my knees. My throat was closed over and tears were creating wet tracks down my face. I wiped them away with the back of my hand and gave him a soft smile.
"I'm okay Landon."
He gave me a disbelieving look and remained crouched in front of me. I sighed and looked at the clock across the room. We had been here three hours. When I looked to my left my father was asleep and to my right was Lindy. She watched me carefully before taking my hands in hers.
"Nightmare?" she asked calmly. I nodded and didn't meet her eyes. I was ashamed that I wasn't strong enough to handle this by myself. I had been dealing with it for years alone and as soon as they showed up I became a blubbering mess.
"What happened?" Landon asked as he rubbed my knees soothingly.
"My mother had a peeling face and her body was cut and bruised like the ones she's given to me over the years."
"It'll be okay honey. I want you to keep living at my place with us. I can help you," Lindy said. I looked over at my father who was snoring lightly. His dark hair fell into his eyes. He looked about ten years older than he already was and his suit was wrinkled. I couldn't leave him alone.
"He needs me," I said while looking at my father. His eyelids fluttered and he slowly stretched before looking at me.
"Hey kiddo," he greeted gruffly.
"Hi daddy," I replied before turning to look at Lindy who had released my hands and was thinking carefully.
"I'm going to buy you your own apartment," she declared.
"I got a job Lindy. I could pay rent by myself."
"You're only sixteen. You need an adult to sign off on the lease for you and your father can't without your mother finding out where you are."
"Are you sure?" I asked her excitedly. If I was on my own my mother wouldn't have much of a hold over me.
"Honey it's the chance of a lifetime," Dad said while pulling my hand to him. "You need to get away from her and this may be the only chance you have for a few years."
"Will you be okay?" I asked him.
"Yes. I'll send you a note a few times a week but you need to go now before she realizes you're here. Trust Lindy baby girl, she will keep you safe."
"Promise me you'll come see me?" I asked while my eyes watered slightly. I really loved my father and it would suck to be without him. He was right though. I needed to do this for me.
"I promise. Go now," he whispered with tears of his own. He kissed my cheek before shoving me up. Lindy and Landon quickly pulled me to Landon's Jeep where the three of us got in and drove back to Lindy's. Once we got inside I raced up to my room and got changed into a pink long sweater and a pair of patterned leggings.
"What about this one?" I asked Lindy. It was a simple two bedroom, one bath with a living area which included a full kitchen. Lindy nodded in approval and went to go call the building agent.
"Want to go see a movie?" Landon asked.
"Netflix," I countered. He sighed and rolled his eyes at me.
"How am I supposed to take you on a date with Netflix?"
"Why would you want to date me?" I asked with panic. He began laughing and it made me more than tense.
"I was kidding Ebony. Calm down."
I chuckled with him and relaxed before we went to sit in front of the T.V. and watched some lame Netflix movie. It was honestly terrible but I was enjoying spending time with Landon.
"Where were you born?" I asked Landon after the movie was over. He turned to face me on the couch and crossed his legs under him.
"Sydney, Australia. What about you?"
"I was born right here. Right on this very couch," I said creepily while wiggling my eyebrows. He laughed at my antics. "Seriously though, I was born here. I've only left town twice in my life."
"Well let's change that."
"Right now?" I asked.
"Yes." He looked excited as he raced to the door and began pulling on his boots and jacket. I ran after him and was helped into my coat.
"It's nearly midnight!" I exclaimed as he grabbed my leg and slipped my boot on my foot while I was still standing. Tension filled the small hall as the door opened and Daxton came in while Landon was holding my other leg in the air. My hands were on Landon's shoulders to stay balanced.
"Well this is awkward," Landon said as he shoved my boot on. He took my hand in his and pulled me out of the door to the Jeep. Daxton was glaring at us as we pulled out of the driveway and sped towards town limits. Snow was at least a foot high on either side of the road so he drove carefully. Once we reached the town limits I got out of the Jeep and raced into the snow. The moon shone brightly overhead as we laughed and played in the snow.
I threw a snowball at Landon's head and giggled as it landed in his hair. He shook it out before lunging at me. We fell into the snow and he rubbed it through my hair. I yelled as some of the icy snow slid down my shirt when we stood up. He laughed as I jumped around squealing at the cold wet trail that slunk down my stomach.
Once we got back to the house Lindy was arguing with Daxton. I flinched at the yelling and stayed in the Jeep while curling up into a ball. Landon looked at me before loudly slamming his door and storming into the house. Minutes later it was quiet and Landon had come back to get me. He gripped my hand in his. I clung to it as if my life depended on it.
"Where were you?" Daxton asked angrily. "You took off with a boy a year older than you without telling anyone where you're going or when you'll be back. It's almost three in the morning!"
I backed into Landon when he began yelling again. Yelling had made me skittish. When there was yelling I thought of my mother before she hit me. It scared me but I wasn't about to let myself be yelled at for nothing.
"One, I was with your best friend. Two, he didn't hurt me. Three, you're being a hypocrite," I hissed as Landon rubbed circles on the back of my hand with his thumb. I squeezed his hand as a thank you and glared at Daxton.
"How am I a hypocrite?!" he yelled. I flinched again but straightened my back. Lindy sighed and Landon began to speak but I pinched his arm to silence him.
"If it had been you I was with this wouldn't be happening right now, would it?" I asked calmly. I was thankful for my steady voice.
"That's not the point." He looked away from me to where my hand had finally dropped Landon's and he smiled in triumph.
"Then what is?" I asked. "I can spend time with whoever I want to."
"You don't even know him," he complained. My arms crossed over my chest and my eyebrow raised.
"I barely know you," I countered. His face turned red before he turned and punched a hole in the wall. I yelped and fell backwards when I tried to get away. Lindy caught me quickly and helped me to my feet. I scrambled away and out of the house. Lindy and Landon yelled after me as I ran down the street while avoiding the ice patches on the sidewalk.
I quickly made my way up the fire escape and into the studio before plugging my phone into the sound system. Grow Up by Paramore. After slipping off my boots and socks I began to dance. I danced over to the lights and turned them on low before dancing along with the music. I lost myself in the music with tight precise movements. As I spun I caught glimpses of faces in the mirror. First Landon's, then Daxton's, then Lindy's and finally my father's. The faster I spun the more the faces in my mind blurred and became the horrifying face of my mother I had seen in my dream. On another turn I twisted my ankle and fell to the ground while swearing. I glanced at my wrists and thought about the life threatening habit I used to have. Risking my own life wasn't worth it. I had only decided that after a year though.
"Are you okay?" a familiar voice asked from behind me. Iliana was standing in the doorway with a package in her hands. I opened my arms and she flew into them to hug me.
"You weren't supposed to be back for three more weeks!" I exclaimed once I pulled away from the hug.
"A guy named Landon called me and got me on a flight here this morning. What's going on Ebby?" she asked while sitting with her legs crossed across from me. She lit a vanilla cupcake candle and placed it between us.
"Well I'm moving into my own apartment and hiding from Mother. I thought Daxton wasn't using me but he went on a date with Sherri and Landon is my new friend."
"Now tell me the rest of the story," she commanded. I chuckled and began to spill my guts to her. I told her about the notes, Lindy's ex, Landon making me laugh and smile, the hospital and Daxton yelling at me.
"That's it," I said as I finished. She stood up with a wicked smile and began walking to the door. "Where are you going?"
"To test my castration skills," she replied innocently. I laughed and took off after her once I had scooped up my boots, socks and coat. My phone was now safely in my pocket. We walked down to the parking lot where Landon was waiting in his Jeep. I climbed into the front beside Landon while Iliana sat in the back.
"Where to?" Landon asked. I gave him Iliana's address and he dropped us off there before going home. Iliana and I went to her room where we camped on the floor and caught up with each other. She handed me a present and I opened it to see a beautiful silver bracelet. I pulled out a small present from my pocket and handed it to her. She was shocked when she opened her present to see tickets to a Paramore concert.
"How did you afford these?" she squealed in delight. I laughed and glanced at the four tickets I had given her.
"Dog walking. Lots and lots of dog walking. I expect you to take me."
"Who else would I take?" she said with a laugh. She knew I had been joking about expecting her to take me.
"Well I am your only friend," I teased.
"We both know I'm not the antisocial one here."
"I'm going to bed. Do I need to hide the sharp objects?" she asked gently.
"It's been a year Iliana and I have no desire to do that so I should be fine."
"Night Eb."
"Night Ili."
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A/N: So what did you guys think? Did you like it? How do you feel about Ebony? Do you think Ebony will go back to her old ways? Tell me what you guys think.