7th Son of Hell

Scared

Savina 

I make my way to my locker, taking out the books I need for class. Nobody talks to me, they all know what Troy does to me, they do not try to help me. They never liked me, I've always been a loner. Everyone knows who my father is and where we live, I am what they call w*********h. I see him coming towards me from down the hallway. 

“Savy!” He calls for me to come to him, I slowly walk over to him

“Hey” I whisper, he reaches out to touch my face. I flinch back.

“Are you still mad?” He asks, his voice stern. I quickly shake my head. 

“I know you didn’t mean to..” I stare at the ground, not daring to look him in the eyes. 

“You’re right.. I didn’t mean to” He pulls me closer to him, his fingers digging into my jaw as he pulls me in for a sloppy kiss. 

“Let’s get to class” I say as he pulls away. I walk a few steps behind him, as he talks with his friends. We sit down in our seats and I stare out the window. 

When will I ever get out of here… go some place better? 

Will I be stuck with Troy for my whole life? I hoped not. Just thinking about it all makes me physically sick. I run out of the room and down the hallway to the girls bathroom. I throw up, flushing the toilet. 

As I walk back to class I take my time, I see Vanya, one of the popular girls walking towards me with my book bag. 

“Here, Mr Dracus said to tell you not to come back.” She practically throws my bag at me, turning away from me. She stops and looks back at me “You know Troy is just using you right. He doesn’t actually like you. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was only with you for a bet or something.” She scoffs at me and heads back to class. I just stand there staring after her. It makes sense.. We’ve been together for two months, it was sudden. I am a loner so I never would have thought someone like Troy would even ask me out, but there he was.  

I take a deep breath and walk to the back exit of the building. I like  to walk through the forest on my way home, there’s something calming about it. The walk takes about thirty minutes until I’m back on the main road, then another fifteen minutes till I see my house. My father’s truck is in the driveway. It’s already noon now, why is he home already..? He must have gotten fired again. 

I sneak into the back yard, climbing the side of the house to get to my room. I throw my bag inside my window gently. My bag makes a small thud as it hits the floor. I pray to God my father didn’t hear it. I hoist my body inside, getting to my feet. I make my way over to my bed, laying down I put on my headphones, switching through songs before settling down on ‘Cut’ by Plumb’ It’s one of the songs that I listen to on repeat, it’s my depression song. I crank the volume to full blast, putting it on repeat. 

I close my eyes and lean back in my bed, letting the music enter my soul. My eyes fly open suddenly to me being hit in the head. My headphones fly off, my father is standing before me.

“Why did the school just call and say you skipped out in the first period?” He snaps at me.

“I was sick, I was sent home. I didn’t skip” I say as I swallow a wad of saliva. 

“Sick? You sure look sick to me.. I’ll show you sick. I’ll make sure you are bed ridden for a month!” He says as he starts to wail on me with his fists. He makes contact with my face first, sending a shock through my body. He hits me again, this time on my chest, knocking the wind out of me. He keeps pounding down on my body, without hesitation, he doesn’t pay any attention to me begging him to stop. After a while he stops and walks out of my room, leaving me in a heaping crying mess on the bed. I lay there for a while before I get up, very slowly I grab a sweater and make my way out of my window once more. I walk to the bus stop, waiting only a few minutes. I sit near the back of the bus with my hood pulled up over my head. I get off at the pier, walking down the docks. There is a breeze in the air, it’s around 5 PM I can feel my stomach starting to cramp from hunger. 

I walk past a hot dog vendor, wishing I’d brought more money. I sit down on the sand watching the beach. I place my head on my knees and close my eyes. I get tired and roll onto my side, laying on the sand, falling asleep. 

“Savina? Is that you?” A familiar voice wakes me from my slumber. I lift my head, which had been in the sand, I can feel each grain embedded in my face. I wipe at it as I look up to see who woke me. 

“Hayden?” I squint at him as the sun blares behind him, making him look almost Angelic.  

“I thought that was you, what are you doing here? It’s like 4 AM” 

“I uh… wait.. What are you doing here?” I counter him 

“I was going for a run. I live across the street” He points to a high-rise across the road. 

“Oh” I say awkwardly. 

“So what about you?” He asks again

“It’s a long story.. I don’t want to bore you” I sigh looking to the ocean. 

“Try me” He sits down beside me on the sand

We sit in silence for a while before I speak, “Things at home are just really…uncomfortable..” I finally say

“Do you not have somewhere you can go? Grandparents or any friends?” 

I shake my head sadly “It’s just me and my dad” I feel tears falling down my face. I close my eyes once more. I am so embarrassed. 

Hayden reaches over and gently wipes my tears off my face. 

“I know this is going to sound crazy, but, would you like to come to my place.. Maybe have a shower and get some rest before you decide what you're going to do?” He offers 

“No, I couldn’t do that. If my dad found out he…” I trail off, not wanting to tell him how angry my dad would get. He would actually kill me if he found out I stayed at a man’s house, a man I just met the day before.

“Thank you though..” 

“Well at least let me take you for coffee.. You look hungry” He stands up, holding his hand out for me to take. I study him for a moment before nodding in agreement. 

“I don’t have any money..” I say 

“Don’t worry, my treat” 

We walk to the only cafe that is open at 4 AM. 

Hayden orders me a tea and a muffin while I go to the washroom to try and clean myself up a bit. I can clearly see a black eyes forming and bruising on my jaw as well. Great. Just what I needed. I pull my hood up over my head, hoping it will cast a shadow on my face so it wasn’t so noticeable.