A/N: As usual, I would recommend putting the video on loop.
Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, (f/n) looked over the wound, which she was cleaning. She had already disinfected the wound, and there were several paper towels on the ground to prove it. Nathan's shirt was ruined, but at least now she had an excuse to change into something else. Besides, Drem had only asked her to change out of her pajamas. So, it didn't extend to her other clothes, but he could have her change if he forced her to.
She didn't know if she could take another injury for the day. Her body was trying to recover from yesterday, but it seemed that Drem had other plans if she refused to go along with his demands. Regardless, she began to wrap the area around her upper right chest with bandages.
Upon completing this task, she picked up the paper towels and ruined shirt. After she tossed the items in the trash, she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her form. She exited the bathroom and nearly jumped back in. Drem was sitting a few feet from the front of the bathroom door. Just an extension of her foot, and she could kick him into the wall across from the door.
Restraining herself, she walked around him and headed towards her room. She didn't glance back at him; she maintained her gaze in front of her. Soon enough, she was in her room again. (F/n) shut the bedroom door behind her and grabbed some new clothes afterwards.
While she changed, the bedroom door never opened. Grateful for this, she adjusted the baggy dark blue pullover, so it wouldn't be resting on the bandages too much. Her pale purple shorts were a welcome relief, since she would no longer have to be worried about Drem getting a certain view.
Having changed, she went over to her old book, which was still on the floor of her room. She picked it up and set it on her bed. Perhaps, she would finally be able to read more of it. (F/n) doubted it, but she could hope.
Besides, she intended to just stay in her room as much as possible. Putting the bathroom towel, which was resting on her bed, back could wait. As she went to relax on her bed, she heard a sound that brought her both ideas of freedom and fear.
It caught her off guard, and she stood frozen in place for a moment. In some respects the sound seemed unreal. Could she really get out of the mess, which she was in, so soon? Excitement steadily started to course through her veins, as the sound came again. This feeling didn't last long, for her terror, which grew alongside the elation, overtook it.
Suddenly, her limbs seemed to burst forward, as her mind only filled with one thought: Get to the door before Drem.She threw her bedroom door open and raced down the hallway. Already, Drem was heading towards it. Out of the two of them, though, she had longer legs.
Running faster and beating the small monkey to the door, she stood in front of it and faced him. (F/n) peered down at him and locked her gaze onto him. She had no idea who was on the other side of the door, but she didn't want Drem to hurt them. In fact she would make a bargain with him to prevent that. No one else needed to get involved with the twisted male.
In truth, though, she really just didn't want it to be one of her parents or both on the other side. She could check out the living room window, but Drem could open the door in that time and attack whoever was outside. "Look, Drem, I'll get them to go away, but you can't harm them," she stated, as she kept her right hand secured around the doorknob tightly.
Receiving a silent response, she watched him raise up his arms towards her. "Is that a yes, then? You won't hurt them? Nod if it's a yes," she answered, while she didn't move her hand from the doorknob. Soon enough, he nodded his head. Could she trust him, however? She didn't know, but another ring of the doorbell prompted her to make a quick decision.
Assuming that he wished to be picked up, she grabbed him and lifted him up into her arms. She had him face away from her, while she adjusted her pullover to cover the bandages now. Once the bandages were concealed, she shifted Drem to rest on her left arm, as she unlocked and opened the door with her right hand.
When the door was fully opened, her chest tightened in terror. Her mother stood there with a concerned expression on her face. This wasn't good in the slightest. Drem knew that the woman in front of them was her mother. He could use her mother against her, and she wouldn't be able to fight back for fear of her mother getting hurt.
"May I come in?" her mother asked, the look of worry never leaving her countenance.
(F/n) didn't answer at first. Her words stayed in her mouth, and she couldn't speak for a few seconds. Regaining her ability to talk, she hurriedly answered, "Of c-course." It was all she could muster up currently, and she could feel her heart racing. Drem could probably hear it. He could most likely tell how scared she was for her mother.
Honestly, it would have been better if she were able to disguise her fright in some fashion and pretend that everything was alright. Sadly, she found that she couldn't. Her mother was in danger, and she had just welcomed her further into it. Still, she couldn't just refuse her mother entrance into the home. Knowing her mother, she would just get more suspicious.
Closing the door, (f/n) turned around and forced a smile onto her face. It was probably easy for her mother to see through it, though. "So, mom, what brings you over?" she questioned, glad that she had prevented any stuttering from occurring.
"I came to check up on you. You didn't answer the calls that I made yesterday. I wanted to know what had happened to Otis and to see if you were okay," she responded, facing (f/n) now. When she did this, though, her attention went right to (f/n)'s upper left cheek. "(F/n), what happened to your face?! Whose Drem?!" she exclaimed, now inches away from her daughter, as she inspected her daughter's face.
Backing up a few steps, (f/n) tightened her hold on Drem in case he tried anything. He had agreed that he wouldn't hurt the person on the other side of the front door, but her mother was getting suspicious. "It's just a temporary tattoo. It's supposed to look like a cut."
"A tattoo? I didn't know that you bought temporary tattoos," she remarked, skepticism clear in her voice. "Did Otis actually hurt you, (f/n)? Are you trying to cover up for him? You're covered in bruises just like him. What happened?"
"What, no, Otis didn't harm me," (f/n) reassured, even though technically his body had. "Like I said, this is just a tattoo. Drem stands for the first letters of my favorite singers' first names. I had the tattoo customized. Whatever, it doesn't matter. What did Otis tell you?"
Despite her mother's gaze being filled with doubt, the older woman narrated, "Well, I was outside the house yesterday and was watering the plants on the front lawn. Otis pulled up and tried to put the mail in our mailbox hurriedly. I found it strange that he wasn't handing me the mail or greeting me. That's when I saw the cut on his right cheek and the bruises. His lower lip looked to be damaged as well.
"When I questioned him about it, he looked absolutely terrified and yelled that this house was haunted. I reassured him that it wasn't and asked who had injured him. He merely replied that he couldn't remember anything after entering this house and that he woke up in front of his truck to find himself in that condition. I tried to call you, and after no answer I decided to come over. I would have come sooner, but I received a call, after Otis left, that your father was in the hospital and that he asked for me to head over.
"Since I didn't know what to make of Otis's explanations, and I was worried for your father, I headed over to the hospital. It turns out that he was merely helping someone who had been in a car accident. Their right leg was broken, and he drove them to the hospital. Your father had the person call me, and they forgot to mention that they were the one in need of care and not your father. Anyway, your father is fine, but I came here as soon as I woke up this morning. And, now, I find you in a similar condition to Otis."
"Look, mom, I don't know what Otis is talking about. I just ended up this way because I tripped too many times. I've been quite clumsy of late. I also fell from one of the apple trees in the back. Getting an apple from the top isn't easy," (f/n) clarified to her mother, despite the fact that Otis hadn't lied.
Truthfully, she wished to tell her mother what had really occurred yesterday, but she had a feeling that Drem would kill her mother if she did so. At the moment he seemed to still be in the monkey, since the atmosphere hadn't changed, but that could change within seconds. Despite her desiring to escape the house, her mother's safety came first.
"Are you sure?" her mother inquired, a frown on her lips. "You're not lying to me, are you? You don't need to cover for him if he hurt you. I know that he looked legitimately scared, but your word is more important to me than his."
"I'm sure. I'm fine, mom, really," she answered, hoping that her mother wouldn't press anymore.