Big Brother

2004
"Jules," his voice came through the door, all soft and sing-songy. It made me want to throw up. "Jules, I know you're in there. Open the door." I looked all around my room, praying that I could somehow find an escape from this nightmare. However, luck wasn't on my side. My bedroom's window was too far up for me to jump, and too far away from the tree for me to reach it. I bit my lip, sliding down against the wall under the window. I placed my palms together and meshed my fingers , lowering my lips to my hands.

"Please, someone, please. Come now. Help me." I cried, jumping when the pounding on my door began to get violent. I got to my feet, crossing the room with new found energy. I wasn't going to go through with this one more time. Grabbing the bottle of pills off my desk, I quickly emptied it onto my mattress. Then, one by one, I washed the pills down with the glass of water I had kept on my bedside table. Letting a weak sob find itself out of my lips, I turned to look at the door as it busted open.

I let out a shriek, curling my knees tighter up to my chest. I was so scared; Scareder than I'd ever been before. My lips moved faster than lightening as I silently begged for someone to rescue me from this torture.

"Jules, you locked me out. Why'd you lock me out?" John's soft, eery voice echoed throughout the bedroom like poisonous waves.

"Go away John. Go away." I mumbled. If only he were a ghost next door. This would all be so much easier.

Next door.

John began his walk towards me, stumbling this way and that. I rolled off the bed, finding a place to stand by the window again. I bit my lip. scraping my teeth across the flesh as he reached me.

"Leave me alone, John!" I said, trying to find strength to put out, but finding nothing. John's cold palm made a seemingly deafening noise as it met the skin of my cheek.

"Shut up." He hissed, grabbing onto my shoulders. He shoved me violently into the wall. The window frame shook in a terrifying way. My head smacked into the glass painfully, making me emit a cry of pain. "You've been a bad girl." John continued. He slid his hands to my jeans, hooking his fingers in the belt loops as he pulled roughly downwards.

"NO! STOP IT!" I shrieked, finally finding my voice. I shoved the man backwards. He stumbled and fell, giving me enough time to bolt from the room. Mother and Addie were away shopping, so I had no one to find for help.

Next door.
The thought hit me again, and I took off running.

"TATE!" I screamed, tripping over the door's threshold. I crawled forward until I could get to my feet, stumbling on.

"JULES!" Shouted John. I swiveled around, facing my tormentor. I hadn't thought he'd be so close behind me. Sobs wracked my chest as tears cascaded down my cheeks.

"No, please. TATE!" I sobbed, turning back around and running. I took the stairs two at a time, sprinting the way to Tate's room. My hand was on the handle when John caught up to me, slamming my body forwards before pulling me back by my blonde curls. I screamed out in pain, but no one came to my aid. And no one would.

I lost hope. John ripped the cloth of my shirt so easily. I kept fighting, but I didn't think anyone would come to my aid. I tried to stop the sobs, but I couldn't. My body shook so violently that I thought John would give up, but he didn't and he wouldn't. I'd been around long enough to know.

"HEY!" The angry shout that usually chilled my bones made me feel hope again. As John pulled away from me I saw the form of my older brother.

"Tate!" I sobbed, closing my eyes. I was relieved to say the very least.

There was a wave of air. I opened my eyes to see that Tate had come a lot closer.

"You'd better back off of her." He hissed towards John.

"Who are you," John snapped back "to tell me who I can and can't have in-"

John stopped talking when Tate's fist met his jaw.

"I SAID DON'T TOUCH HER!" Tate yelled, furious. He hit John again and again, smashing his face to a bloody pulp. He kicked and punched John's body all over, and I was beginning to worry that he might kill him. Not that I didn't want John dead, but I DID NOT want him dying here.

"Tate, you're gonna kill him." I whimpered.

"Good!" Shouted Tate. "YOU DESERVE TO DIE YOU SHIT!" With another kick to the side, John closed his eyes.

"TATE! I don't want him coming back!" I cried urgently. Tate moved his eyes to me. His face contorted into one of sorrow and distress.

"I'll be right back. You hear me? Don't move." I nodded slowly as Tate grabbed John's arms and began dragging him down the steps.

"He's off the property." Tate announced when he came back. He was dusting off his hands when he knelt down next to me.

"You're not lookin' so good, sis." He murmured.

"I don't feel good, Tate." I whispered. Tate wiped the tears from my face. He then scooped me into his arms and carried me to his bed.

Tucking me in like a fine big brother, Tate kissed my forehead.

"Jules," He sighed, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear before sending a soft smile my way. "You're gonna be okay. He's not gonna get you ever again. You're gonna be fine." He whispered. I bit my lip, holding out my arms. Tate moved forward, hugging me.

"Can you stay with me?" I murmured softly.

"Yeah, of course." He agreed, leaning back against the wall. He pulled me close to his side, rubbing my arm up and down. "You're safe. I'm not gonna let anyone get you." He promised, soothing me to sleep.

When Tate put me to bed that night, he had no idea I had taken those pills. He had no clue that he was soothing me to the last sleep I'd ever have as a living being. When I woke up, he didn't quite know how to tell me I was dead. I figured out I couldn't leave the house, and I just knew.

I was dead at sixteen. Stuck in the murder house.

I kept finding myself thinking 'At least I have my brother', but even that couldn't stop the longing to go out and see my friends. Now that I was dead, I wanted to be alive again. I wanted to go to school-- even if everyone looked at me like I was gonna be the next... well Tate Langdon. I wanted to go to parties, and date, and have fun outside of the house. Now that that wasn't a possibility I was so sad and drained.

"Don't worry, Jules." Tate came up behind me, putting his hand on my shoulder. "Everything will get easier. I promise."

Present time

"Violet! Who's your friend?" I glanced up from the kitchen table where Violet and I were doing homework-- or rather, she was doing homework. I was coloring.

"Hey mom. This is Jules." I smiled at the woman, making sure I put my best foot forward with this family. I always tried to be nice to new families, but Tate didn't usually do the same.

"Hi Mrs. Harmon." I greeted.

"Hi Jules. Please call me Vivien. It's so nice to meet you. It's great to know Violet has a friend." Vivien and I both laughed at the horrified look on Violet's face.

"My mom will probably say the same thing." I giggled, trying to make Violet feel better. Hopefully it worked.

At that moment, Dr. Harmon walked in, along with Tate. This was gonna be totes awks, because I had an appointment with him too.

"Hey Violet." Tate grinned over me as he walked over and ruffled my hair. "Get on in there you little fuck. Time to get your screwy head all fixed up like new."

"Psh, I hope you know that I don't have an actual problem, and I'm only here to make you and mom feel better."

"Yeah, yeah. Dr. Harmon, this is my sister Jules." I stood up and smiled. Tate had his hand on my upper back, seemingly urging me towards the man's office. I smiled at the man.

"Hello."

"Hi, Jules. Tate, I'd feel a lot better if you'd wait in the other room."

"Why? Cuz of the stuff I said?" He asked, getting defensive.

"No, cuz I want you to be closer if I need you." I said, thinking on my feet. Dr. Harmon nodded in agreement. Tate sighed, nodding his head.

"Yeah, fine. For you Jules." I smiled up at my big brother, happy he was doing what I wanted. It wasn't something I needed, but as a girl I was smarter than Tate, and I knew that in order for Ben Harmon to start feeling better about Tate, he had to see that Tate had a soft bone somewhere in his body.

"Good morning Jules."

"Good morning Dr. Harmon." I greeted.

"Can you start off by telling me about the age difference between you and Tate?"

"Tate's a year older than me." I lied. Seeing us now, no one would ever know that there was an 11 year age difference between us.

"So you had the same upbringing? Abandoned by your father, living with your mother?"

"Basically."

"How is your relationship with your brother?" He asked.

"Dr. Harmon, I know you can't release information about another patient-- but you're trying to get more information about Tate to see if he's a cold blooded killer, aren't you?" I questioned.

Dr. Harmon saw that I knew what he was doing, so instead of hiding the fact, he just nodded.

"Tate has always been my best friend and my savior when I need him. He saved me from boys, from our mother, from her boyfriends. Dr. Harmon, Tate has these dreams, but he's always been the best brother to me." I informed the doctor, who wrote something down on his pad.

"I understand. But now we have to switch direction and dive into your problems. Your mother said you suffered from a traumatic experience with someone you trusted? Can you tell me a little more about that?"

I let out a huff of ironic laughter. "Someone I trusted. BS. I didn't trust him at all. I hated him. Mother knew. I told her what he was doing, and she didn't even listen. She got mad at me because she thought I was telling her lies. She let him do it over and over again. If it weren't for Tate, I wouldn't even be here anymore. I didn't want to do it anymore. I didn't want to keep going. I took some pills. Tate made me throw them up." I said this so casually that I'm sure the man listening thought I must be insane.

"Who was this person?"

"It was her boyfriend. John. I hate him. I hate him so much. But not as much as I hate my mom. God, I hate that bitch." I scowled, but the doctor continued on.

"For how long did John abuse you like this?"

"Around a year. From the time I was fifteen to a couple of months ago." I explained.

"Have you had any violent thoughts?"

"Not towards anyone else. I'm burned out Mr. H. I'm tired and I don't know what to do anymore." I murmured. Dr. Harmon sighed.

"Listen, Jules. I think I can help you, but you're gonna need to go all out. You can't hold in any feelings, okay?" I looked up at the doctor, and nodded. "Good. Now, our time's up for today. Why don't we set your appointment for the same day as Tate's, okay?" Again I nodded. "I'll see you soon Jules." He smiled softly.

"See ya Doc." I smiled back, standing and exiting the room. Tate was standing by, and turned when he heard the door open.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Yeah. Lemme just go get my stuff."

I walked into the kitchen, smiling at Vivien, who walked by me as I entered the room.

Going very close to Violet, I grabbed my bag.

"Tate says everything's ready for later. Get Leah here, and we'll take care of the rest."

Without another word, I raced after Tate.

Pretending to leave this property is such a hassle.