Be My Little Earthquake.
Chapter 8: Safety Net
River rose up from her bed after a few hours of restless sleeping. Something was bothering her, it wasn't the fact that she was home alone, or that her slut of a mother was probably out doing things she shouldn't... But the fact that she hasn't heard from or seen Joel made her worried. She hoped nothing was wrong.
Feeling her heart sink she turned to the window, watching as Joel's dads rusty old truck rolled out of the driveway, meaning Joel was in there alone. Pulling her sweatshirt on over her tank-top that almost completely covered her favorite pair of nike shorts, but she could honestly care less. So she shoved her hands in her pockets and ran down the stairs, out of her house until she reached Joels house, her bare feet being chilled by the pavement.
The garage door was still wide open, so she took this oppuritunity to slip inside, opening the door to be greeted to Joels kitchen. She was only here one other time and nothing changed. The air was still filled with the scent of alchohol and cigarette smoke and the counter had an abundance of crumbs and filth. How did Joel even live here?
"Joel?" She called. "Joel its River, is everything okay?!"
No answer.
Shoving the feeling of hurt and confusion aside River continued her "journey", walking around and admiring the house .She could hear small sobs sound, similar to the ones she heard before. And since Joel was the only one in the house, it had to be him, without a doubt.
Climbing the steps, the sobs grew louder, then stopped abruptly. River walked up into the only room that was there, which was more than likely Joels room, as she stepped in she could tell almost immediatly that it was. The room held nothing more than a t.v, bed and a dresser with one door for his closet and one for his bathroom. The room was deathly silent, and held a different scent than the rest of the house, captivated in the small dingy space. It smelt like Joel, holding the sweet, deep scent that he wore so well, that River always digs herself into with every hug they share, with every time she nustled her head into his shoulder. It made her happy, gave her relief, and now that it was on her mind, every memory, every aspect of the two River couldn't help but think that... She liked him.
But it wasn't the time to battle feelings, right now she had to find Joel.
She opened the closet, looking insde to see nothing more but a few familiar t-shirts and some jeans. As she stepped out carefully, the whimpering and crying started again, it pained her, it made her want to drop to her knees and sob like a child that got her favorite toy taken away, or a teenage girl who got cheated on by her boyfriend. It made her feel things that she never thought she could feel about anyone else.
"...R-River?" A voice cried. "River i'm in here." She coud hear the soft words come from the other side of the bathroom door.
"River... I hurt myself again. I just, I couldn't handle it anymore. I'm sorry." A tear fell from her eye, pressing against the door, she could feel it nudge as Joel did the same. Her heart felt as it was about to explode, she couldn't handle the fact that Joel did this again. "Please say something. Please don't be mad."
Opening up the door her eyes met Joels, which were barely showing through the ratty mess of hair covering his face, the blood was caked to his skin and his face was purple from the bruises and stained with tears. He looked horrible, he didn't look like himself, not the least bit.
Kneeling down to his level, she gathered Joel in her arms, holding his beaten and bruised body as he continued to cry, as the blood poured from his wrists, as the feeling of sorrow overtook him more by the second.
"It'll be okay Joel."
"A-Are you mad?"
"Of course i'm not." Holding him tighter, Joel began to calm down, feeling safe. Like he was being wrapped tight in a net, like a safety net.
She was his safety net.
Feeling her heart sink she turned to the window, watching as Joel's dads rusty old truck rolled out of the driveway, meaning Joel was in there alone. Pulling her sweatshirt on over her tank-top that almost completely covered her favorite pair of nike shorts, but she could honestly care less. So she shoved her hands in her pockets and ran down the stairs, out of her house until she reached Joels house, her bare feet being chilled by the pavement.
The garage door was still wide open, so she took this oppuritunity to slip inside, opening the door to be greeted to Joels kitchen. She was only here one other time and nothing changed. The air was still filled with the scent of alchohol and cigarette smoke and the counter had an abundance of crumbs and filth. How did Joel even live here?
"Joel?" She called. "Joel its River, is everything okay?!"
No answer.
Shoving the feeling of hurt and confusion aside River continued her "journey", walking around and admiring the house .She could hear small sobs sound, similar to the ones she heard before. And since Joel was the only one in the house, it had to be him, without a doubt.
Climbing the steps, the sobs grew louder, then stopped abruptly. River walked up into the only room that was there, which was more than likely Joels room, as she stepped in she could tell almost immediatly that it was. The room held nothing more than a t.v, bed and a dresser with one door for his closet and one for his bathroom. The room was deathly silent, and held a different scent than the rest of the house, captivated in the small dingy space. It smelt like Joel, holding the sweet, deep scent that he wore so well, that River always digs herself into with every hug they share, with every time she nustled her head into his shoulder. It made her happy, gave her relief, and now that it was on her mind, every memory, every aspect of the two River couldn't help but think that... She liked him.
But it wasn't the time to battle feelings, right now she had to find Joel.
She opened the closet, looking insde to see nothing more but a few familiar t-shirts and some jeans. As she stepped out carefully, the whimpering and crying started again, it pained her, it made her want to drop to her knees and sob like a child that got her favorite toy taken away, or a teenage girl who got cheated on by her boyfriend. It made her feel things that she never thought she could feel about anyone else.
"...R-River?" A voice cried. "River i'm in here." She coud hear the soft words come from the other side of the bathroom door.
"River... I hurt myself again. I just, I couldn't handle it anymore. I'm sorry." A tear fell from her eye, pressing against the door, she could feel it nudge as Joel did the same. Her heart felt as it was about to explode, she couldn't handle the fact that Joel did this again. "Please say something. Please don't be mad."
Opening up the door her eyes met Joels, which were barely showing through the ratty mess of hair covering his face, the blood was caked to his skin and his face was purple from the bruises and stained with tears. He looked horrible, he didn't look like himself, not the least bit.
Kneeling down to his level, she gathered Joel in her arms, holding his beaten and bruised body as he continued to cry, as the blood poured from his wrists, as the feeling of sorrow overtook him more by the second.
"It'll be okay Joel."
"A-Are you mad?"
"Of course i'm not." Holding him tighter, Joel began to calm down, feeling safe. Like he was being wrapped tight in a net, like a safety net.
She was his safety net.