Hurt Me Again

Nova

My heart is raising when I wake up. I heard something. I'm not sure what it was, it sounded like my door was opened, but when I look up, my door is still closed. Did I imagine it? I lay still, frozen in bed. Sweating of fear. Trying to get my heartbeat under control I tell myself: there is nothing going on. Just breath. Everything is fine. Then I hear something downstairs. Where my parents still awake? I look at my phone. It's 3 am. Why would they be awake at this point of night?

I close my eyes again. Breath in, breath out. Breath in, breath out. Then I hold my breath for a second. It helps sometimes. But when I do, I can still hear breathing. That is not me breathing. I knew it. I jump up, sitting on my bed I look around. There is someone in my room. I heard someone breathing. I can't see anyone. I grab my phone and turn on my flashlight. I shine in every corner, looking for the person I that I couldn't see. I shine at my chair, my desk, my closet door, my bathroom door. Nothing.

Did I imagine it? Was I going crazy? I didn't drink that much last night. My friends Claudia and Belle kept making shots, but I only took three. It was my eighteenth birthday party. I know what alcohol does to me. I wanted to remember my party, not getting drunk and forget everything. I've been there, done that. Not tonight. Tonight I got to dance with Dane. He didn't kiss me, like I hoped he would, but I know he will next time we will get together. I really wanted him to be my first boyfriend.

I slowly get control of my heartbeat and breathing. Thinking of Dane made me relaxed. I turn off my flashlight and lay down again. God, I am going crazy. I close my eyes and try to sleep again.

'Don't scream.'

I open my mouth to scream, but my sound is being muted by a large hand pressed on my mouth.

'I said don't scream, didn't I?' a man whispered in my ear.

My body is frozen again. I'm too scared to move. I can't see his face, because he is wearing a black mask. I whimper in fear. Why is this man here in my room?

'You are coming with me downstairs, Nova.' he whispers again. 'You are not going to scream. I don't think you want to wake up your little sister, otherwise I have to hurt her.' His hand moves from my mouth to my neck. He holds it tight but doesn't squeeze. 'Stand up.'

I do what he says. I get of my bed. His hand is still on my neck. I'm so sure he will squeeze it when I disobey him. He knew my name. Who the f is this guy? 'What do you want from me?' I whisper.

'For you to come downstairs.' He pushes me to the door, down the hall, downstairs and into the living room. I just let him take me. I don't want him to hurt my sister.

'Aaah!' I scream at the sight of my parents tied to a chair, heavily beaten by the looks of it. Before I know it, my knees hit the floor, when the person behind me pushes me. His hand is on my mouth again, pressing my head against his stomach with force.

'I told you not to scream. Now I have to hurt you.'

'No!' my mother screams. A man that I didn't see before hit her so hard in the face. Now she doesn't scream anymore but spit out a little bit of blood on the floor.

When I look with my eyes through the living room, I see five men with masks on. They have guns and one has a baseball bet.

'You are a coward, Brad. Why do you hide behind a mask? Why do you all hide behind those masks?' my mother asked.

Wait, did she call a man Brad? Did she know who the men were?

The man behind me takes off his masks. I look up. It's a man with black hair like mine. He smiles at me. I can see a golden tooth in his mouth. The man has dark angry eyes, he scares me to the bones, so I look away from him.

'Long time no see, Emma.' the man said. Emma, that is my mom.

'Brad.' Mother spits back at him. Yes, she knew the man.