Sleep normally eludes me for hours.
It dances between my fingertips, waiting for me to grab hold. Like the sand one so desperately tries to grasp, it evades me if I grab too soon. It leaves me in a flash and leaves frustration in its wake.
This night was different somehow. It might have been the fact I wrestled around with my younger brother, or I was arguing with the older one, Kyle. Probably both, they take so much energy out of me. Regardless, I was out cold not even the thunder and lightning could keep me awake. Nothing bothered me in my reverie. No dreams pestered my mind with worthless babble. I wish it could stay like that forever. Sadly, I had to face reality.
The storm still raged on as my eyes opened wide. The simple thunder could not have woken me. Panic set it. I knew something was wrong. I couldn’t place my finger on it but I knew for sure that something was terribly wrong. I sat up in my bed and looked around. The constant flashes reflected the way to my door. Another menacing bang rang through the air. It terrified me right out of my mind.
Did I hear a scream? Or was that just my imagination? Sometimes that gets the best of me. The steps leading downstairs were covered in clothes, as always. I attempted to climbed down them and I stubbed my toe. I swore under my breath and grabbed my bare foot. Another bang! This time I was for sure. There was a scream. It had to be Kyle’s scream.
Teenagers always get to that point where they think their whole family is being murdered in the other room and they are next. This was my moment. I couldn’t hear anything. This dreadful storm drowned every noise in this old godforsaken house. Just down these stairs is the living room, where my two brothers and parents sat happily not two hours ago. Now all I see is darkness. Once the lightning flashed, I see a figure standing in front of the window. Even if the thunder didn’t drown out my scream, there isn’t another house for miles.
A gruff voice whispered in my ear as the figure grabbed my hair and held me close, “You’re not going anywhere.”
A smelly and rough hand covered my mouth as I tried to escape the grip of my attacker. Another set of hands fumbled with something that bound my hands behind my back. I knew I wasn’t going anywhere. But a girl has to go down with a fight doesn’t she? That disgusting hand was still covering my mouth, so I bit down as hard as I could. Thankfully, I was too full of adrenaline to even taste what his hand was covered in. I honestly don’t want to know. The man cried out but also threw me to the floor with such force, my head cracked against the wooden floor I could barely think.
Once I had my senses back, I hear whispering in the corner but what really stood out in my mind was that the whole entire side of my face was slick and sticky. I couldn’t have bled that much! Hyperventilating, I looked around. I saw what I was feeling with my face. Three bodies broken were crumpled together in a pool of blood. Shock doesn’t even begin to describe what I was feeling. Not a single word or sound could escape my mouth. I tired to struggle one final time not even thinking logically. There was no hope in this room. Just death.
“Get her out of here,” The gruff man demanded. Last thing I heard was footsteps approaching my dim vision.
I was happy once. I was free. But now…. Now I am trapped like a bird in a cage. It’s silly, really. I sing about the times I was free, not because I am in a cage.
