7

He sat on the couch. Uncle was crouching over, hands out in front of him. His fingers touched as if he was praying. Uncle's hair was soaked and covering his face. Drops of water fell to the wood floor from his hair. His clothes were covered in dirt. There were also black stains on his pants. His skin was oily and boils covered his neck.

Some had popped or looked as if they were scratched for hours. His skin flakes sat all over his shirt.

I stood waiting for an answer. Inside I felt sick. I could not move.

I am so calm. It is Uncle, why can't I move? You KNOW this person. Move legs MOVE!

I did not blink once. My hands stood as still as my legs. My heartbeat stayed silent, only my breathing made noise.

Uncle is so quiet even though I asked him a question. Is he even breathing?

He was not, his chest sat completely still and not a single sound came from his body.

All I wanted was you to be here. Why is it the only thing I wish for now is for you to leave?

His head tilted up. His black hair covered his eyes. Drool had dripped from the dry, blistered lips of Uncle Pete. I moved backward a step. It was a reaction, an instinct that kicked in. Uncle's head twitched up, his hair waved and whipped.

"Why are you scared of me son?" His voice was so dry and harsh it was almost unrecognizable. My heart was beating harder than before, the noise broke the silence that was my shield. Uncle's arm moved down to his leg.

"After your mother died, I took you in as my own blood. Do you remember that?" My heartbeat thumped so loud I could barely understand the man in front of me. The room had sat silent for an uncomfortable amount of time. "Do you REMEMBER THAT BOY?!" His voice echoed from his harsh scream. I had to answer. "I don't, that was so long ago. Where have you been-"

"I TOOK YOU IN!" He interrupted me, now shifting his body in my direction.

"That woman couldn't have raised you right. She was crazy, SHE WAS A CRAZY BITCH! YOU WOULDN'T KNOW A FUCKING THING ABOUT CRAZY!"

I could not see his eyes, only here they once were. He had scratched them out. His face was covered in dirty, infected scratches. Boils bulged from his forehead, sparkling from sweat and oil. He had twitched his feet facing me. His hair waved passed his face back and forth.

His voice had gone quiet and light. "The light was so beautiful. It talked to me Jr. Do you know what those angels told me boy?" I took another step back. I had to leave. This cannot be real; this CAN'T BE HAPPENING!

"THE ANGELS TOLD ME TO DRAG YOU TO HELL WITH ME JR!"

I turned and ran toward the stairs. Loud, house shaking thumps followed behind me. I turned straight into the stairs.

Skipping two steps, skipping two steps. I threw my body up to the second set of stairs with a harsh turn. A loud snarl crawled down my spine as my face was slammed into the ground. Uncle's hand gripped the back of my head. Pain shot up my cheeks as my nose snapped onto the carpeted step corner. My head was whipped up then right back into the carpet harder than the first thrust.

I gripped onto what felt to be a face with my left hand. I returned with a snarl as the grip was loosened on my head. My ears rang and my heart beat did not make comprehensible beats anymore. I got up to my knees and pressed my bloody hands into the monster's chest. I pushed as hard as I could.

His body flew down the stairs. I did not take a spare second to look as I tried to get up to my room.

I cannot die! I cannot die!

My door slammed so quickly. It had all gone by in a blur. I sat and pushed as a banging came from outside. One slam and the door flew a few inches open and I threw my body back into it. "LET ME IN AND LET ME RIP YOUR EYES OUT!" I squinted my eyes for the next slam. My body flew across the floor as the door fell to the ground. Wood shards crackled in every direction. The monster was on top of me. His hands squeezed onto my neck. I could only see his disgusting face.

His lips moved open and closed but I could not hear what was being yelled.

Ringing and silence filled my drums. My neck was numb and I could not feel my face. The only pain was that of a wall in my chest.

I cannot breathe! I cannot breathe!

My vision was blurring. My hands scrambled into the carpet. There was nothing to grip to. My vision was going black.

I am going to black out. I cannot accept this. There is no way this is happening. No way. No way. NO WAY! NO! NO!