Blood Bond
And All Hell Broke Loose
When I awoke I found myself lying in a huge bed all alone. It felt strange and the surreal silence didn't help. I threw off the sheets and when I touched the cold floor I was reminded of the coldness and stillness of my brother's body.
"Oh my god..." I wept. I put my forehead to the wall and let tears fall. I felt arms wrap around me and I leaned back.
"I love you," Daryl said, kissing my head. I nodded, not trusting myself to speak in a steady voice. "Please. I want to hear you say it." I sighed and tried to calm down. It didn't work.
"I love you, too," I forced out in a shaky voice. He sighed and turned me to face him.
"It's just me making you say that, isn't it?" he questioned sullenly.
"What are you talking about?" I asked and he tensed.
"You hate me. Remember? What happened?" he asked. That triggered it and the realization dawned on me.
"You were controlling me—making me love you!" I screamed, pulling away from him.
"Well, you sure as hell wouldn't have loved me any other way!" he reasoned, trying to pull me back into his arms.
"No! Then you should have gotten over it like any other crushed teen!"
"Well, I couldn't! You're perfect and I don't feel the same about anyone else!"
"What? So you're going to control me into loving you the rest of my life?"
"No. It takes too much concentration. Besides, go on and try getting away from this house. Plus, I already have your word that I get three children. Now, would you really make them have to go through life without having a father? Like you didn't have a mother?" he asked, hitting a nerve.
"How could you say that?" I asked, genuinely hurt.
"I'm sorry...but you have to understand: I love you. And, just so you know, the doctors here are examining your brother...to make sure he's really dead."
"What else would he be?" I yelled.
"Justin," Daryl said; a hidden message in his words. I sighed.
"Just go away," I sighed, leaning against the wall again.
"Okay." He left, no arguing. He closed the door behind him.
"God must hate me...maybe you should pray for me," I sang softly, falling onto the bed as I started to cry.
"Oh my god..." I wept. I put my forehead to the wall and let tears fall. I felt arms wrap around me and I leaned back.
"I love you," Daryl said, kissing my head. I nodded, not trusting myself to speak in a steady voice. "Please. I want to hear you say it." I sighed and tried to calm down. It didn't work.
"I love you, too," I forced out in a shaky voice. He sighed and turned me to face him.
"It's just me making you say that, isn't it?" he questioned sullenly.
"What are you talking about?" I asked and he tensed.
"You hate me. Remember? What happened?" he asked. That triggered it and the realization dawned on me.
"You were controlling me—making me love you!" I screamed, pulling away from him.
"Well, you sure as hell wouldn't have loved me any other way!" he reasoned, trying to pull me back into his arms.
"No! Then you should have gotten over it like any other crushed teen!"
"Well, I couldn't! You're perfect and I don't feel the same about anyone else!"
"What? So you're going to control me into loving you the rest of my life?"
"No. It takes too much concentration. Besides, go on and try getting away from this house. Plus, I already have your word that I get three children. Now, would you really make them have to go through life without having a father? Like you didn't have a mother?" he asked, hitting a nerve.
"How could you say that?" I asked, genuinely hurt.
"I'm sorry...but you have to understand: I love you. And, just so you know, the doctors here are examining your brother...to make sure he's really dead."
"What else would he be?" I yelled.
"Justin," Daryl said; a hidden message in his words. I sighed.
"Just go away," I sighed, leaning against the wall again.
"Okay." He left, no arguing. He closed the door behind him.
"God must hate me...maybe you should pray for me," I sang softly, falling onto the bed as I started to cry.