Graveyard, Backyard

Chapter 9 - Broken Bones

"Die!" she shouted.

She pushed my shoulders with her long hands and I tumbled and rolled down the stairs with hard thumps. I ended down, near the front door. Every inch of my body was screaming with unbearable pain. It felt like someone threw me down from a mountain top.

My knees felt like they were snatched out of my legs. The pain in my elbows felt like someone banged them with a hammer. My spine felt like it split into two parts. I was screaming in pain. I couldn't bear it anymore. In that moment, I thought I'd choose death than pain.

I heard her laugh. She was enjoying, watching me slowing drowning in sleep. Tears poured down my eyes as I cried loudly. I was wavering in pain. I was lying there, teetering. I was dying a painful death.

Help me!!

I felt myself drifting off. I couldn't feel the pain anymore or the pain was beyond a human body can handle. I heard the back door slamming open.

"Dammit, Shit!" someone rushed towards me. It was too late. "Dang."

I could barely continue breathing. I was chocking out. That person sat beside me and patted my cheeks.

"You OK?"

I tried to say something but my voice sounded like a groan.

"Answer me!!" That person sounded full of fear.

Then, he rushed upstairs. I wanted to shout out and stop him from going to my room but I could barely make any movement. My skull felt so heavy. I thought it was cracked open.

He came back down. He bent down and put his one arm under my knees and one arm under my neck and effortlessly carried me. I shrieked in pain. I could feel my weight on the wounded parts. I wanted him to put me down. He pulled me towards his hard chest, securing me tightly.

We were on the road. I was in the back seat of a car.

"Stay with me, Hunter." he said with concern in his voice as if he was begging me.

"Hello, Juliet?" Juliet? My mom? He called my mom.

"Don't tell her.." I tried to tell him but no voice came out.

"...Yes, I'm taking her to the city hospital."

"Please, stay with me." his voice said so many things.

I blink my eyes few times. The lights were blurring my vision. I opened them and looked around. I was on a bed of an unfamiliar room. Hospital room! I was alive and well.. in one piece. My throat was completely dried up. I need water.

"Oh, thank god!" a woman's voice cried out. "Claire, honey? You're okay?"

Mom!

I nodded.

I was indeed feeling better now, just tired.

"Jake, call the doctor."

A few minutes later, a doctor examined me. He asked me some unnecessary questions. He asked me if I remembered my name, can I feel my legs, etc. He told me I didn't broke any bones, just some bruises and a bit deep wound on my forehead. He gave me painkillers but told me that once the effect gets off it'll hurt.

He asked my mom to do some paper work and then I was free to go home. I was free to go back to the place where a paranormal entity attacked me. I have to warn mom as soon as possible. That dramatic bride tried to kill me. Thanks to guy, I was saved otherwise she would have killed me. The guy?

Who was he? What would've happened if he didn't came to save me and bring me here?

"I heard her scream. I thought someone attacked her or something. So, I broke the back door and entered. I saw her lying near the staircase, crying in pain."

"So you called my mom?"

"I went upstairs and found a phone on the table near the bed. I called your mom on the way here."

"She fell from the stairs, didn't she?"

"Of course, she might have missed a step or two. It was dark when I went there."

I then realized I've heard that voice. It sounded much familiar to me. He was talking with my brother near the door. I couldn't see him, but I knew who he was. My freaking neighbor.

"You live around?"

"No, I live down the lake. We're new in neighborhood."

What? Why is he lying?

"Thanks dude, you.."

"I'm sorry, my mom would be worried. I gotta go. Hope she is doing OK."

And he peeked into my room. He looked at me with wide eyes. He got caught lying. He nodded and went away.

Of course he didn't believed in the paranormal thing. Otherwise he might have seen that drama queen out there or at least he would've have known that I was pushed off the stairs. In that case he would've tired to tell my brother or least tried to talk with me.

Instead he lied. Why did he do that?

I know he saved me. I shouldn't be a jerk. In fact, I have a due apology for being a total ignorant person and accuse him for making stories. His sister really died in that house and in fact I think she was killed, by someone who's well.. not so human. But who will believe me, what actually happened there.

I'm in a big, big trouble.

It was almost around six in the evening when we returned home. I had a white bandage around my head. I had some trouble while walking. My knees would wobble like a toddler. Other than that, I was fine. I hoped so!

Mom told me she won't hear anything, I needed some rest and I needed to be more careful, blah blah. The medicines were really drowsy. I needed to take rest for at least a few weeks. I needed to calm my crazy thoughts machine.

Mom made soup and brought upstairs. She sat near me while I finished it. Damn, I was hungry. After a heck of a drama, few harsh bruises and wounds, I finally got some yummy soup, yay *Happy Dance*. She gave me my medicines. She hesitated at first, but then she leaned towards me and kissed my forehead.

"Good Night, dear."

I spent the whole Wednesday in bed. Jake made me soup, gave me medicines and tried to make funny conversation. He really cared for me. He didn't let me step out of my room.

But I needed to get down. Somehow I didn't had any creepy feeling after that night. I was feeling safe and secured.

I went to kitchen and poured some milk. After I finished it I went to the back door and admired the scene outside. The sun was there, just above the horizon. The sky had beautiful orange purple tint.

No matter how life twists and tides and curls and crumbles, some things just remains the same. They remind me that it's alright at the end of the day. The sun sets and arises again the next day.

I remembered that I haven't called Aria in last few days. I turned around to go back to my room when suddenly a hand covered my mouth from behind while the other hand went around my waist and picked me up.

I tried to scream but the palm around my lips didn't let the sound come out. My hands were tucked under the person's arm. I was wavering while person dragged me out of my house.

"Shhh..." someone whispered in my ear.