Hannah's Regrets
Living Nightmare
Chapter 5:
“You!!!”
…Eyes of a wild beast
“H-hi, Glen. Look…. Ah… She’s in the other room… S-so just uh…”
“I thought I told you to never come back here! This ismy house now!”
“I know. B-but… you see… uhh… I j-just…”
…Gripped at the throat like a chicken
“YOU LITTLE FUCKER! I TOLD YOU TO STAY THE FUCKING HELL AWAY FROM MY WHORE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME? GET OUT, NOW, OR IT’LL BE THE LAST THING YOU DO!”
…Breath reeking of alcohol
“SHE’S NOT A WHORE!!!”
“…What did you just fuckin’ say to me?”
…Body of a merciless fire
“N-no… no… that came out wrong. I d-didn’t mean it... no… p-please…”
…Fists like two great boulders
“NO!!! Wait! I didn’t mean it! Don’t! I’ll do anything!”
…Cornered like a slaughtered pig
“Ben… Ben… BEN! BEN!!!!! BEN!!!!!!”
I woke with a start.
There was my mother, standing over me, shaking my shoulders. I realized my face was hot and wet, and I was gasping loudly. Her eyes were filled with worry, and she was holding back tears.
“Was he in your dream again?” she whispered. I nodded slowly, still shaken up.
“Oh, baby… I’m so sorry. But… he’s good to us-“ I sat up in protest. She hushed me and pushed my shoulders back down. She wrapped her arms around me and rested her head on my chest.
“You have to realize… if it weren’t for him, we’d be out on the streets,” she continued, looking up at me with a weak smile. She patted and stroked my face. Her eyes strayed to the wall and glazed over as she ran her fingers through my hair. She was deep in thought.
I didn’t want to think about what she said. No, no, no. I shut my eyes and pretended it was me and her, safe, in our sunny little dream world. We were in a hammock together, not some crappy queen-sized mattress in the middle of a pint-sized studio in LA.
But eventually, her words wormed their way back into my thoughts.
“…If it weren’t for him, we’d be out on the streets.”
She was right. I didn’t want to admit it, but she was right. We needed him...
“Hon, did you fall asleep? Alright, get some rest.”
I opened my eyes. She smiled at me and kissed me on the head, then rolled over and pulled the comforter over her shoulders.
“All we need…” she mumbled, “is just a little more money. Then we can get out of this shit hole. Go somewhere nice, eh? How’s that sound, love?” she was already half asleep. She reached over to pat my leg, and left her hand there, deep in sleep. I stayed awake for a long time, staring at the ceiling.
“You!!!”
…Eyes of a wild beast
“H-hi, Glen. Look…. Ah… She’s in the other room… S-so just uh…”
“I thought I told you to never come back here! This ismy house now!”
“I know. B-but… you see… uhh… I j-just…”
…Gripped at the throat like a chicken
“YOU LITTLE FUCKER! I TOLD YOU TO STAY THE FUCKING HELL AWAY FROM MY WHORE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME? GET OUT, NOW, OR IT’LL BE THE LAST THING YOU DO!”
…Breath reeking of alcohol
“SHE’S NOT A WHORE!!!”
“…What did you just fuckin’ say to me?”
…Body of a merciless fire
“N-no… no… that came out wrong. I d-didn’t mean it... no… p-please…”
…Fists like two great boulders
“NO!!! Wait! I didn’t mean it! Don’t! I’ll do anything!”
…Cornered like a slaughtered pig
“Ben… Ben… BEN! BEN!!!!! BEN!!!!!!”
I woke with a start.
There was my mother, standing over me, shaking my shoulders. I realized my face was hot and wet, and I was gasping loudly. Her eyes were filled with worry, and she was holding back tears.
“Was he in your dream again?” she whispered. I nodded slowly, still shaken up.
“Oh, baby… I’m so sorry. But… he’s good to us-“ I sat up in protest. She hushed me and pushed my shoulders back down. She wrapped her arms around me and rested her head on my chest.
“You have to realize… if it weren’t for him, we’d be out on the streets,” she continued, looking up at me with a weak smile. She patted and stroked my face. Her eyes strayed to the wall and glazed over as she ran her fingers through my hair. She was deep in thought.
I didn’t want to think about what she said. No, no, no. I shut my eyes and pretended it was me and her, safe, in our sunny little dream world. We were in a hammock together, not some crappy queen-sized mattress in the middle of a pint-sized studio in LA.
But eventually, her words wormed their way back into my thoughts.
“…If it weren’t for him, we’d be out on the streets.”
She was right. I didn’t want to admit it, but she was right. We needed him...
“Hon, did you fall asleep? Alright, get some rest.”
I opened my eyes. She smiled at me and kissed me on the head, then rolled over and pulled the comforter over her shoulders.
“All we need…” she mumbled, “is just a little more money. Then we can get out of this shit hole. Go somewhere nice, eh? How’s that sound, love?” she was already half asleep. She reached over to pat my leg, and left her hand there, deep in sleep. I stayed awake for a long time, staring at the ceiling.
♠ ♠ ♠
Sorry, it's short. But this wasn't even the original chapter five. I came up with it spontaneously. Anyway, more updates will be coming soon.