Rising Shadows

Percy barely noticed Emily hurry out the door. He was too busy feeling sick over a twisting feeling in his gut from the moment he got to the top of the stairs. He groaned slightly and sat down on the edge of the bed until the twisting stopped. When it did, however, he felt different. He couldn’t sort his thoughts. There were other very, very dark thoughts in his head. Whispers in the back of his mind spoke to him in harsh, raspy voices.

End it.
Kill her.
Kill everyone.
Kill yourself.

He pushed the thoughts from his mind, squeezing his eyes shut and going back down the stairs, back outside. Being away from the house helped, but he still couldn’t get the whispers out of his head. He wasn’t sure where he was going. He was just walking. He kept his head down, slinking along walls and alleys to avoid people. He didn’t stop until he bumped into someone, glancing up in surprise and glaring at the man when he realized who it was.

Gregory Harrington backed up with his hands held up in surrender, eyes wide. Percy curled his hands into fists, the whispering in his head getting louder when his knuckles cracked.

His fault.
It’s his fault.
He ruined your life.

“You ruined my life.”

Gregory shook his head furiously. “Look, I surrender. I won’t mess with you two anymore. It’s proven to end horribly for me. I just want to get home. I’m sorry.”

Sorry won’t save your marriage.
Sorry won’t change the time you spent in prison.
Sorry didn’t save Atticus from the noose.

“Sorry won’t change what you did to me,” Percy growled.

He wasn’t sure what he was doing, but his fists sure did. He didn’t even think about it as he pinned Gregory against the wall and gave him one punch after another, throwing him to the ground and beating him until he couldn’t stay up anymore. He collapsed at Percy’s feet, and Percy wiped his blood off his hands. He paused, the fact that he’d beaten Gregory Harrington to a bloody pulp and broken his bones. Gregory wasn’t moving. Percy suddenly felt a slight bit of concern, kneeling down next to him and checking for a pulse. In that bloody, broken mess, Gregory was still alive.

Finish the job.

Percy’s hand twitched to a blade he kept inside his coat, but he pulled his hand away. He wasn’t sure where these voices were coming from, but they were controlling him. He stood up and stepped away from Gregory. He hurried away from Gregory and hurried back home, before anyone saw him or reported him. He didn’t need to be behind bars for it. Emily wouldn’t save him again.

When he got home, the first thing he did was attack the liquor cabinet, drinking until he couldn’t see straight anymore and the voices in his head stopped talking. He passed out asleep, expecting more nightmares, but saw something else instead. He saw his mother.

”Oh, Percy. How did you hurt yourself this time?”

Malina Everett laughed lightly and picked her young son up, wiping tears off Percy’s cheek and giving him a big kiss in its place.

“Shh, my little lamb,” she said softly. “It’s just a scrape. This too will pass.”

But still, Percy couldn’t stop sniffling. He buried his face into his mother’s shoulder as she moved to sit beside Colt, who was angrily sitting by the window and staring outside with his face twisted into a glare. Malina ran her fingers through his hair, trying to turn him around.

“Colt, would you like to explain why you pushed your brother down?” she asked softly.

“He was being a big baby,” Colt grumbled. “I can’t wait for him to catch up my whole life.”

“He’s only three years old, my love,” Malina reminded him. “You’re his big brother. You need to watch out for him. He looks up to you, you know. And if you push people, what is he going to do when he gets big and strong?”

“Push people,” Colt muttered sheepishly.

“That’s right,” Malina nodded. “Now, are you going to be a better role model?”

Colt sighed and nodded, making Malina smile and kiss his forehead before wiping Percy’s tears and setting him down next to his brother. At that moment, their father came home, sighing deeply as he took off his work boots and plopped down in a chair. His wife went to the kitchen right away, fetching a meal for him. Nathaniel’s gaze shifted to Percy and Colt, eyeing them.

“You’ve been crying again, Percy?” he asked tiredly.

Percy shook his head, but his swollen eyes gave him away. Nathaniel stood up and started towards him, but Malina blocked his path.

“I’ve already punished him for you, darling,” she lied. “Colt promised to take him out and toughen him up. Please, sit down. You’re so tired. You work so hard.”

Nathaniel eyed Percy again, but nodded and went back to his seat. Colt grabbed Percy’s hand and dragged him out the door before Nathaniel changed his mind.

Percy woke up with a start, taking a few heavy breaths and rubbing his eyes. It was dark out, and he wondered what time it was. He rolled out of bed and grabbed the bottle of liquor by the neck and trudging down the stairs. He could hear some noises in the kitchen, and assumed Emily must’ve come home while he was asleep. When he entered the room, she stiffened, standing in front of what she was making. She gestured to a small table she’d set, with the nice plates and silverware.

“What’s all this?” Percy asked.

“Well, I was thinking about what you said,” Emily said softly, sitting him down in the chair and rubbing his shoulders, “And I’ve decided you were absolutely right. About everything. I deserved that slap, because I didn’t know my place.”

“Really?” Percy muttered, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, really,” Emily nodded. “I’d like to be a good wife to you, Percy. I’m here for you, and only you. I came home from the lab to make you dinner.”

“Dinner…”

“Yes,” she said, moving back to the pot, peeking inside. “You sit tight, it’ll be ready in just a moment.”

Percy stared at her for a moment, then smirked and relaxed in his chair, pouring his scotch into the empty wine glass.

“It’s good that you finally learned your place,” he told her, closing his eyes and tilting his chair back. “A woman doesn’t belong where you were. You were lucky I was there to help you at the lab, or you would never have gotten anywhere yourself.”

Emily set her knife down on the counter a little too hard, startling Percy, but she just giggled softly.

“Sorry… Didn’t mean to do that… Clumsy me….”

Percy shook his head as she finished the meal, setting the bowl of soup in front of him with a smile.

“Enjoy.”