Beauty in the Ashes

“Marcus?” I heard Caelan mutter behind me, trying to figure out how he knew that name.

“What are you doing here?” I forced the words out of my throat and held on to the doorframe for support. I felt like I was as light as a leaf and it would take nothing to knock me over. My breaths were loud and my chest constricted painfull. Was this what a heart attack felt like?

His smile was slow—the smile of a predator about to devour its poor, helpless prey. “I’ve come to take you home. Mom and dad miss you. I miss you. Everyone misses you. You shouldn’t have run away like that. We love you.” Peering around me into the apartment, he chuckled with distaste. “Aren’t you going to invite me inside, sis?” The word was said as a slur.

I couldn’t breathe and all I heard was the blood rushing through my body.

This couldn’t be happening.

How did he find me?

Oh God, I was going to throw up.

I couldn’t do this.

I couldn’t face this.

All the horrors of my past were rushing in rapid flashes through my mind. I’d worked so hard to block it all, but no matter how many walls I built it was still there only hidden.

“I think you should go.”

The new voice came from behind me.

Belatedly I realized that the new voice wasn’t indeed ‘new’ it was merely Caelan. His hand settled on my waist, offering silent comfort.

My world was crumbling around me, and even he couldn’t hold me together.

I’d put thousands of miles of distance between this bastard and myself, yet he still find me. How? Was he a fucking FBI agent in his spare time and had special gadgets for tracking people down?

“Who the hell are you?” Marcus glared at Caelan, looking him up and down as he sized him up.

“Who I am is none of your fucking business and you know it. You need to leave. If I have to ask you again, I won’t be nearly as nice.” His tone was icy, the threat of danger imminent.

Marcus was undeterred. He slammed the palm of his hand against the half-open door and pushed his way inside.

Caelan grabbed ahold of my wrist and shoved me behind him. He was more forceful than he meant to be and I fell to the ground, banging my elbow in the process.

“I know what you did to her!” Caelan screamed, his anger visible in his stance. “You’re not going anywhere near her!” He grabbed onto Marcus’ shirt, but Marcus pushed him away easily. With a roar Caelan charged forward and tackled him to the ground. Apparently there was still a little bit of football player present in him.

I crawled backwards, out of the way, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire of the arguing men.

Silent tears streamed down my cheeks.

I wasn’t scared of much.

Only one person.

And he was in this room.

I’d foolishly believed I’d never see him again, but here he was. I couldn’t escape him. He was always there. If not here, he haunted my memories.

Caelan punched him in the face repeatedly, shouting at the top of his lungs. Marcus got in a few good hits too. As they rolled around a floor lamp fell to the ground. It didn’t faze me.

Marcus looked towards me, his eyes connecting with mine, and it was like I was that scared little girl again and he had snuck into my room. His hands were on me, telling me to be quiet—that mom and dad would hate me if I told on him. I was so scared and I felt so alone. I wanted him off of me. I didn’t like it. I didn’t want it. Make him stop. Someone make him stop!

I screamed then as the memories assaulted me. I clapped my hands over my eyes, sobbing. I didn’t want to see. I didn’t want to relive it. I only wanted it to be over. I wanted to bury it six feet under and start fresh. That’s what I’d tried to do until he showed up. As long as he lived there would never be a safe place for me. The only hope I had of escaping Marcus was death.

“What’s going on?” Cyrus yelled over the noise of the two men fighting.