When Dreams Meet Reality
Why Me?
It's been about a month after my bowling trip with the boys. I haven't seen them since. When they said they were going to be gone for a month and a half, my heart fell. It's not that bad, but I'm going to my boyfriend's house in a couple hours. And I might need support my mom can't give me.
* * *
"Hey, babe...." He slurs, giving me a sloppy kiss. "Want a drink?" He holds up a bottle of Jack Daniels. I shake my head. "You sure?"
Oh, no.... I shouldn't have come. I should have known this was going to happen. How could I be so stupid? To think that this time would be different? I need to get out of here....
"Yes, I'm sure, Miles." I say, refusing the drink. "What do you want to do? Do you have something special planned?"
"I wanted to watch a movie with my girl."
"What movie?" I ask nervously. He loves horror, and I hate it. I tug at my tank top and booty shorts out of habit when I'm with him.
"The Grudge." He says, pulling out the DVD. It's horror....
"Okay...." I sit on the couch. Miles settles next to me after putting in the movie.
During the opening credits a message comes up: "When someone dies in the grip of a powerful rage... a curse is born. The curse gathers in that place of death. Those who encounter it will be consumed by its fury."
Oh, God....
* * *
"Yes, he was shut in a closet! There was tape around the -- No they're not home yet. I don't know, Emma hasn't said a word to me -- He's still upstairs -- yes, I'm sure he's Japanese -- But -- Yes alright, Alex. Just please get here as soon as you can.."
I bury my face in Miles' chest.
* * *
Suzuki enters, looking at the tub: filled to the brim. After a moment, Suzuki kneels down next to the bathtub. He pulls the thin chain connected to the rubber stopper -- but the end of the chain comes out of the water. "Hmm."
It's not connected after all. Suzuki eyes the plug at the bottom of the tub. Then he takes off his jacket. Rolls up his shirt sleeve. And reaches into the water for the rubber stopper. It's just out of reach. He rolls up his sleeve a little more. Reaches deeper -- suddenly there's a burst of sound: a dull thumping, something thrashing in water, the screaming of a young boy, voice muffled by water -- Suzuki recoils as water splashes up around him -- he falls away from the tub in horror, landing on his butt. The bathtub: Filled to the brim. Still and silent. Not so much as a ripple on the surface. That couldn't have just been his imagination, could it? As he slowly stands, he sees something out of the corner of his eye -- a dead cat, bloody and torn, in the corner of the room.
I can't take this anymore. I untangle myself from Miles and stand up. I start to make my way toward the door when Miles stops me.
"Where are you going?" He stands, setting his beer on the coffee table, stepping over our blanket. I bite my lower lip.
"I'm going home, it's late and I really don't like the movie." I say, telling the complete truth. He hits me across the arm with his powerful hand.
I flinch when he punches me on the other arm. I beg for him to stop, but he only throws his beer bottle at me. I feel the glass cutting into my legs. I stumble backwards into the wall. This reminds me of the time when I accidentally broke a plate, he pinned me against the wall and started to punch my face.
I should have never come here....
I feel tears welling up in my eyes. I duck before he can make contact with my face, he embedded his hand into the wall. I take my opportunity, and rush out of his house. I'm in my car and driving away before he can get onto the boulevard. I sniffle, and vow that the first thing I do tomorrow is break up with Miles.
* * *
"Hey, babe...." He slurs, giving me a sloppy kiss. "Want a drink?" He holds up a bottle of Jack Daniels. I shake my head. "You sure?"
Oh, no.... I shouldn't have come. I should have known this was going to happen. How could I be so stupid? To think that this time would be different? I need to get out of here....
"Yes, I'm sure, Miles." I say, refusing the drink. "What do you want to do? Do you have something special planned?"
"I wanted to watch a movie with my girl."
"What movie?" I ask nervously. He loves horror, and I hate it. I tug at my tank top and booty shorts out of habit when I'm with him.
"The Grudge." He says, pulling out the DVD. It's horror....
"Okay...." I sit on the couch. Miles settles next to me after putting in the movie.
During the opening credits a message comes up: "When someone dies in the grip of a powerful rage... a curse is born. The curse gathers in that place of death. Those who encounter it will be consumed by its fury."
Oh, God....
* * *
"Yes, he was shut in a closet! There was tape around the -- No they're not home yet. I don't know, Emma hasn't said a word to me -- He's still upstairs -- yes, I'm sure he's Japanese -- But -- Yes alright, Alex. Just please get here as soon as you can.."
I bury my face in Miles' chest.
* * *
Suzuki enters, looking at the tub: filled to the brim. After a moment, Suzuki kneels down next to the bathtub. He pulls the thin chain connected to the rubber stopper -- but the end of the chain comes out of the water. "Hmm."
It's not connected after all. Suzuki eyes the plug at the bottom of the tub. Then he takes off his jacket. Rolls up his shirt sleeve. And reaches into the water for the rubber stopper. It's just out of reach. He rolls up his sleeve a little more. Reaches deeper -- suddenly there's a burst of sound: a dull thumping, something thrashing in water, the screaming of a young boy, voice muffled by water -- Suzuki recoils as water splashes up around him -- he falls away from the tub in horror, landing on his butt. The bathtub: Filled to the brim. Still and silent. Not so much as a ripple on the surface. That couldn't have just been his imagination, could it? As he slowly stands, he sees something out of the corner of his eye -- a dead cat, bloody and torn, in the corner of the room.
I can't take this anymore. I untangle myself from Miles and stand up. I start to make my way toward the door when Miles stops me.
"Where are you going?" He stands, setting his beer on the coffee table, stepping over our blanket. I bite my lower lip.
"I'm going home, it's late and I really don't like the movie." I say, telling the complete truth. He hits me across the arm with his powerful hand.
I flinch when he punches me on the other arm. I beg for him to stop, but he only throws his beer bottle at me. I feel the glass cutting into my legs. I stumble backwards into the wall. This reminds me of the time when I accidentally broke a plate, he pinned me against the wall and started to punch my face.
I should have never come here....
I feel tears welling up in my eyes. I duck before he can make contact with my face, he embedded his hand into the wall. I take my opportunity, and rush out of his house. I'm in my car and driving away before he can get onto the boulevard. I sniffle, and vow that the first thing I do tomorrow is break up with Miles.
11/30/13