#30 - Maia

A thunder of footsteps were heard overhead, causing the many children to huddle together in raw terror. Angered shouting and talking of people rang out, muffled by the planks of wood that separated them. It was much too dark to see; the only comfort in the small space was the warmth generated from their clustered, sweating bodies.

“Maia,” came a voice to the girl's ear in a tone barely above being heard, “Please, do it again.”

Fresh tears stained the girl's eyes at the statement. How could any of them expect her to do anything like that again?

A small whimper suddenly shot from the mouth of one of the smaller children. The noises above instantly halted. The loud beats of heavy steps were now growing steadily closer. Fear was an almost tangible thing amongst them; she could practically smell it wafting from their grimy bodies.

“Ah! Here we are now!”

The small space was bathed in intense light as a square patch of wooden floor lifted upward directly in front of them. The face of an older, balding and ugly man whipped into view above them. His face turned up in a yellowed smile.

“Hello, my lovelies!” he said with a mixture of malice and satisfaction, “That's where you've been hiding!”

Maia felt the fear paralyze her. She could only watch as a grubby, dry hand reached out and grappled at one of the children she placed her body in front of. Self-loathing filled her like an empty glass at her inaction.

“Wonder what kind of sound you'll make,” he said while wrapping his large hand around the little girl's middle.

With one, swift movement, he tore at the frayed clothing still clinging to her body. She started to cry as her nakedness was shown to the man.

“Do something, Maia!” one of them called out from behind her, “Please!”

She could only shake her head. The man took note of her identity and released his hold upon the child.

“You,” he said while snatching at her thin arm, “You're a bit older. Bit more experienced, I imagine.”

“Leave me alone!” Maia shouted back in retaliation.

This seemed to spur the man's actions on further. He grabbed at her one shoulder and removed the dirty dress upon her. She felt his calloused hands begin to run along her body.

“A bit more developed, I see,” he said, his eyes darting all about her naked skin, “You'll be more fun.”

She struggled weakly as she felt him begin to attempt to drag her from the space. Her hands clung to the ground.

“Maia, you can do it!”

“Just do what you did before!”

“Please!”

Each of them were screaming words of encouragement. She felt utterly useless, even as she heard the sounds of the man removing his own clothing.

“If you're going to struggle, I can just take you here,” came his sickeningly sweet tone.

Her mind screamed with panic. Adrenaline pumped through her body, causing her limbs to go heavy with blood. Her eyes burned, as did her fingertips.

“No!”

The word came out in a long, droning scream. With impossible strength, she lifted herself from the man's grip. She shoved at his chest, causing him to instantly fly backward several feet and crash into the side wall. Her actions were not her own; she was running toward him. She watched as her own hands grabbed at his fingers and twisted each one at a sickening angle. She watched as her knee went careening into the man's jaw. He spat blood, his eyes were wide. Her fist slammed into his nose again and again, causing blood and other matter to ooze from him.

She felt her control return to her. The others were cheering in relief and excitement. Maia stepped back from the now dead man, stumbled to her knee, and cried.

#29 - Between the Beats

Nowhere else to go. No enemy to fight. What was I doing? Was I really going to do this? A blur of things surrounded me. I watched them without seeing, sensed things upon my fingertips without feeling them. Faces filled my mind; some happy, many sad or angry. I was a disappointment to all of them. I had hurt each of them in some way. They were better off without me. Better off to live their lives and be happy and have fun and be full, untouched people.

My chest heaved several times to catch breath that would never come. My back pressed against something cool. I shivered while focusing upon my environment, seeing for the first time. Where was it? Why couldn't I find it? I looked upon the table, over counter tops and anywhere else it might be. My hand trailed against something heavy and cold. Ah, there it was. It felt powerful as I raised it, reassuring. My hand was steady and calm.

Too steady. It scared me. I didn't want to be this calm. I tried thinking about the faces once again, to elicit some emotion from myself. Nothing; they would be happy that I was this way. Happy that I didn't feel a single thing, even though I wanted to.

I brought it closer toward me. My hand's grip tightened around it. It was much better this way. They shouldn't have to suffer. I would do that for them.

I pressed it hard against my skull. My finger tightened. I listened for my own beating heart.

Between the beats...it's easiest if it is between the beats...

I faltered. For the first time, my hand shook. I heard it ring within my ears; my one companion that was along for this journey. He drummed through it all in his steady, rhythmic tone. He was not scared as I had been. His tone was not meek or pathetic as the large layer of sweat that hung upon my brow. He was strong. I hated him for that.

My lungs drew air. I willed them not to. My entire body was defying me; I felt betrayed by it's action. A second time I jabbed the thing at my brain. A second time I took it away. Tears stung at my eyes and rolled down my cheeks in a fiery path. My shoulders slumped, causing my back to warm from being taken from the cold wall. My hand gripped ever tighter around the object held within my grasp. I struck at my thigh with a shout. Again and again, each time bringing pain. I watched as the skin slowly bruised. I watched the thing for several, long moments.

She came into view. I watched as she turned toward me, her face decorated in the most lovely of smiles. She watched me for several moments, that glowing expression fading slowly, agonizingly, into a bitter scowl. Her back then faced me, followed by footsteps. She was gone from me.

I never meant any of it!

My mind screamed the words. I slammed the object down upon the ground and collapsed into a heap of tears, sweat-soaked flesh and clothing. I felt the emotion drain from me and pool into the room. Blackness filled my vision as my face lay buried into my sleeve. My shoulders heaved with fresh, jerky sobs. My breath was ragged, uneven and burned within my lungs.

It's time to go...

The words filled my head with slow, even tempo. They gave me peace. The truth was right there, in my grasp. It wasn't their problem to have to hurt for anymore. It was too much for any one person to bear.

I picked the object from the floor, my tear-streaked vision blurring the detail of the thing that would end the pain. I jerked it upward, my tongue tingling with held breath.

Ba-dum....Ba-dum....

Between the beats....

#28 - Jenny (Part 4)

“Jenny, wait!”

I ran after her while steadying myself against the walls. My leg screamed with aching pain, but I forced back the discomfort. I watched her poise herself and leap over the broken door to our bedroom. I snapped on the light switch in the hallway, seeing the initial damage done to our home for the first time. Deep, deliberate scratches were present upon the inside of the broken door. Splintered, sharpened wood littered the ground. I winced as splinters lanced at my bare feet. I stepped past the door and into the bedroom.

“Jenny? Where are you?”

My voice sounded hollow and pathetic. My whole body was trembling. The faintest of noises sounded, causing the tips of my ears to tingle. I stepped past the large bed that sat in the middle of the room. A lump of torn clothing and matted hair was slumped against the side of the mattress.

“I'm sorry that this is happening to you, baby,” I managed to squeak out, the mixture of sorrow and paralyzing fear within me causing tears to blur my vision, “We can get you help, I promise.”

A tangled mess of hair was facing me, her attention focused downward. The faint sound continued, followed by a slow, yet deliberate movement from her arm.

She was singing our song. The realization causing a tendril of shock to rake down my back.

“I know it's still you, baby,” I said with fresh tears, “We can get through this. You're strong, I know that-”

I grabbed at her arm, subsequently ignoring the burning sensation. A thick shard of wood was cradled within her one hand. As she continued to sing, she drove the tip in and out of her arm.

She stopped singing. She stabbed herself once more before her eyes shot up to mine.

“You never loved me,” she muttered in a tone barely audible.

“Baby, what-”

“You never!”

She was screaming the words in a deep, unfamiliar tone. It droned out to a massive bellow of noise as she rose, the stake held within her hand. Blood seemed to drain from her entire body. I rubbed my stinging fingers against my side. My legs were in shock and refused to move.

“You never! You never!”

She collided with me, causing my back to slam into the side of the bed. I grunted as I felt the spike thrust into my belly. My skin burned as I felt her hands bite down upon me. The second thrust came to my chest. I coughed as blinding pain sliced through my body and hot blood trickled into my mouth.

“Why are you-”

I couldn't breathe. The wood was protruding from my neck, causing my lungs to spasm in futile attempts to receive oxygen. I felt the makeshift blade rip from me for the final time, my back settling into the mattress behind me. My head lulled to the side as my vision became blurry and dark. A voice was heard over the deafening ring in my ears.

“Babe? Oh my God!”

It was Jenny. I felt a force collide with me a second time, this one devoid of anger or force. I felt arms wrap around me.

“It's me, babe,” I heard her say, the voice sounding wavy and uneven, “Everything is going to me all right.”

Another sound washed over me. Some sort of loud blare.

“I'm glad-”

I forced the words out, but the rest wouldn't come. Strength was leaking out of me. I suddenly felt very tired. I opened my eyes lazily to see Jenny's face in front of mine. No more redness, just the same innocent, rounded eyes I had grown to love. A smile came to my face. Jenny's face disappeared from my vision. I was glad that she was better.

#27 - Jenny (Part 3)

“Sir?” the receiver suddenly made it's presence known in my hand, “Sir? Is everything all right?”

“Please hurry,” was all I could say before ending the call.

“Hurry! Hurry!” I heard Jenny shout amidst her loud screams and deep moans, each time accompanied with another heavy smash upon the wood.

The door suddenly tore apart, sending a heavy cloud of dust into the air. Jenny moved past the opening and into the hallway, her eyes now focused directly upon me once again. Her face and hands were covered in thick blood, a large chunk of painted wood jutting from her left breast. I took an involuntary step backward as she staggered down the hallway. Her movements were rigid and forced, as if pulled upon by invisible wire. That same singing groan returned to her throat.

“Jenny, what the hell is wrong with you?” I shouted as I took several steps back into the kitchen.

I watched as she grabbed at the piece of debris lodged in her body. She yanked it free and tossed it aside, a deep pool of red staining her nightshirt. She made the turn into the kitchen, reddened eyes forever focused upon me. I grabbed at one of the chairs placed around a center table and set it before me.

“I love you, baby,” I said while pushing the chair outward, “Why are you doing this?”

She was a mere ten feet from me. I pushed out the chair again in retaliation. She suddenly stopped.

“What can I do, Jenny?” I called out in a tone barely above a whimper, “What can I do to make you better?”

Her mouth closed for the first time. Several moments of silence followed, my own granting a lonely comfort. Then, she suddenly dropped to the floor and pushed her legs out from her in sideways formation. She moved toward me in a scuttling motion, her mouth open wider than before and letting forth another loud scream. I felt her hands grip at the chair legs and tear the furniture away from me with intense strength. I heard one of the legs snap, followed by a slicing pain that filled my right leg.

A large weight rested upon me, knocking what little air I still had bottled within my lungs. Raw terror sliced through me. Her blood-hued eyes stared directly into mine while her face hovered mere inches from my own. I cried out as I felt her hands grasp a hold of my arms while causing the flesh to burn. Her mouth was still agape. She slowly lowered her head toward me, her breath hot against my neck.

“I'm sorry baby,” I said while gathering strength in my legs, “I'm really sorry for this.”

With quick movement, I thrust my knees upward. The sudden blow seemed to catch Jenny by surprise; her body was instantly lifted from mine as she collided with the nearby wall. I clamored to my feet while gazing down at the throbbing area on my shin. A deep blue was present upon the skin, just above the ankle. I winced at what I saw, then turned my attention back to Jenny.

“Help is on the way baby,” I squeaked out, unprecedented tears filling my eyes, “They will be able to help you. Does that sound good?”

I continued to watch her as she lay slumped against the wall. Her head was facing away from me.

“Good,” I heard her say in slow, muffled tone.

A shock ran through my body as I continued to watch her. She suddenly shot her left arm toward the ceiling. It rested against the wall before her. She turned once again to face me.

“Good! Good!”

Her hand began running along the wall in a gentle, petting gesture. Blood was beginning to pool beneath her from her chest wound. I took a tentative step toward her.

“Yeah, it's-”

“Good!”

She finished my thought by applying her fingernails. Deep scraping noises filled my ears as I watched her in disbelief. Paint and wood chips created a cloud above her, followed by the deep red of blood that started to streak the gouged wall. Her face whipped toward me, her brow narrowed in thick anger. She stood suddenly, running from me and into the adjacent hallway with a pained wail.