Eat.

My breathing hitched as his hand wrapped around my neck. My eyes narrowed as I watched the bastard raise the gun to my forehead. I showed no fear to this asshole, like I said, I wasn’t afraid of a four foot motherfucker. Mario grinned at me as he spit in my face. I closed my eyes in disgust, if I lived through this, I would cut off his balls in a heartbeat.

“I warned you Haner, I told you that you were going to regret the shit you told me.”

“I don’t regret shit.” I grinned, the blood staining my teeth

“You are in a minute. Once I’m done with you, I’ll get Ellie, and I’ll make sure she’ll die nice and slow too. I’ll use a good ol’ rusty, dull knife so that it takes longer to penetrate through her fucking huge stomach.”

“I’ll fucking kill you!” I growled

He let out a menacing laugh before putting his finger on the trigger, “Not if I kill you first.”



My eyes flew open as I jolted upwards, my hand running through my wet, sweaty head. There’s no way in hell that I had nightmare about that asshole. He couldn’t throw a punch to save his life and I knew that from experience. I looked to my right and saw that it was five thirty in the morning, December twenty-sixth to be exact. I fell backwards on my bed as I ran my hand through my hair again and again. I yawned, there was no way I was going to back to sleep after that episode, no way no how. You couldn’t make me. I decided to get up and shower considering that there wasn’t anything else to do.

The shower was long and thought provoking. I kept wondering to myself if that fuckhead would actually do anything that cruel. I don’t think he would, I think he just picks on people who are vulnerable. But Ellie wasn’t vulnerable, she could kick my ass anyday, anywhere. Which leaves me to think, why did she let him do it in the first place? She couldn’t really love that guy, could she? I mean, he’s just...not...

Me.

I shook off the thought and jumped out of the shower, getting dressed and hearing crying coming out of McKenna’s room. I sighed, I might as well figure out what’s got her cranky. As I quietly walk into the room I see that she’s standing up in her crib, her face red and scrunched up from crying. I picked her up and sniffed her diaper. I flinched, what the hell do they feed her? I set her gently on the changing station and change her diaper carefully, making small chit chat with the infant.

“Can I ask you something, Mac?”

“Mac!” She replied happily

“Yeah, that’s you name.” I smiled, “Do you think Ellie will ever get rid of that guy Mario? He’s obviously no good for her.”

“No no no!”

“I know right?” I replied, pulling up her small sweat pants and sitting down with her on the rocking chair, “I mean. He’s a big meanie and your brother is kind of a sap for her, you know? What do you think about Ellie?”

“Huh?”

I laughed, “I don’t think you have any idea what I’m talking about, you’re just repeating any word you think is interesting, aren't you?”

“Don’t you?”

“I should take her out for breakfast, shouldn’t I?”

“No no no!”

“And why the hell not?”

“Me!”

“You want me to take you out for breakfast?”

She didn’t reply, instead she snuggled closer to me, resting her head on my chest as she took a deep breath and began to sleep.

“Gee, thanks for answering my question. Maybe I’ll stay here for awhile, maybe I’ll go to sleep with you. Does that sound good?” I asked

“Shh.” McKenna says quietly, drifting to sleep in my arms.

“Yeah yeah, whatever.” I yawned, leaning my head against the back of the chair and closing my eyes.



“Isn’t this a sight for sore eyes?”

My eyes open for the second time today and see that my dad is leaning against the frame of the door, a shit eating smirk on his face.

“What time is it?” I yawned, looking down and seeing that McKenna was still in my arms asleep

“About ten. So what made you finally change your sister’s diaper?”

“I always change her diaper.” I defended, standing up and placing her in her crib softly

“At five in the morning?”

“I have my days.”

“Seriously. What was it?”

“Just a nightmare. Nothing big.”

“So you cowered to your almost three year old sister for protection?”

“No. I didn’t, she was crying when I came out of the shower so I figured that I would help you and Suzy out for once.”

“How nice of you, son.” He smiled, patting my back as I left the room, “You gonna do it again?”

“Probably not.” I laughed as I walked into my room and shut the door.

I grabbed the phone and dialed Ellie’s number, hearing it ring and waiting for an answer.

“Hello?” She answered

My eyebrows furrowed together, her voice cracked, had she been crying? “Hey, are you okay?”

“No, yeah. I’m fine. What’s up?”

“I uh, just wanted to know if you wanted to go out for breakfast or something?”

“I’m sorry Brian, I already ate.”

My heart sank, “Oh.”

“But we can go out somewhere. I really don’t want to be in the house.”
“Why? Did Joe make you finally clean your room?” I joked lightly

She laughed, making my heart jump, “No it’s just. I’ll talk to you about it later.”

“I’m holding that against you, I hope you know.”

Ellie sighed, “Yeah I know.”

“Well, anyway, get ready, I’m picking you up in like, twenty minutes.”

“That’s a long time.”

“I’m bringing a guest and she needs to get ready.”

“She?”

“Don’t worry, she’s cool.” I smiled

“Oh okay, sure. Um, see you then.”

“Later.” I hung up the phone and walked to the bathroom to brush my teeth and to go to McKenna’s room again, only to see that she was jumping up and down in her crib.

“Weren’t you just sleeping five minutes ago?” I asked her, raising my eyebrow as I picked her up

“I’m hungry!”

“Alright, alright. Come on, you’re hanging out with your big brother and Ellie today. It’s gonna be fun.”

“Fun!” She squealed, slapping my face slightly and giggling

“Jesus, no need to get hostile!”