The Veil

We both walked into our separate bedrooms. I closed the door as quietly as I could and sat on my bed. Then I reached underneath my bed and grabbed my bottle of whiskey I had hidden there. I smiled to myself. At least I had this and I took a few swigs and then it happened. I heard someone outside the door of our room. I stood up with the bottle ready for anything, then there was a click and foot step walking away. I walked slowly over to the door and grabbed the handle. It was locked. It was locked! My heart started to race as I examined the handle. They had reversed the lock on the door knob. I went to the window and it was the same thing. I couldn’t stop to think logically I just sank to my knees and cried. My chest was hurting and I was panicking! There was no one there to help. All of a sudden I did not care about waking Ruby I just screamed. “Jason!” It was more of a shreak really. But I heard him calling my name. I thought he was outside of my door and then I was gone. This time I was I saw a man, with amazing green eyes and a smile that could kill. I looked up at him and then around the room that was now empty. He was kneeling next to me. My heart was still rapid and breathing too shallow. Was this really happening? I had no idea what was going on. “Lily,” he started, “Look at me baby girl.” I chest hurt and I looked around the room again. “Lily. I need you to focus on me. I need you to breathe.” He almost sounded exactly like Jason. Maybe I was dreaming and it really was Jason. Nevertheless I looked into those oddly familiar green eyes and began to breathe. Everything slowed down, everything! My breathing, my heart rate, even time seemed to be still. “Are you feeling a little better now?” He asked. I saw tears in his eyes. I nodded. “Lily, I am here. You are never alone baby girl.” He put his hand on my head. Why was he calling me that? No one but Jason called me that and was this even real? It felt real. Then I opened my eyes and all I heard was screaming. I sat up and looked around the room again. The screaming was coming from outside of the room. I spotted Ruby in the corner of the room on the floor curled up in a ball. “Are you ok honey?” I was trying to stay calm but my head felt like it was spinning. Was I hallucinating? That didn’t matter right now. I was trying to listen to who was yelling outside of the door. I thought it was the foster dad and mom, but it was Jason. He was screaming at the foster mother. I did not hear that man out there at all. “Please Jason.” She was pleading with him. “Do you know how sick she is?!” “I don’t have the key.” She sounded small and helpless. “Ruby is in there, don’t you think I want to get in there too?” “FINE!” Apparently they had been fighting about calling the police. I heard a huge bang and then crack. I looked up and there he was rushing to my side. That’s my boy. I smiled to myself. Ruby got up and ran out of the room to the foster mother. Jason grabbed me onto his lap. Our faces were touching but I was still crying. I felt safe now. I felt safe when I woke up from that dream? Something had happened, I mean I know I fainted but what the hell was that? Did I have a brain tumor now too? That’s all I needed to die just when I found my soul mate. The one person who I could be ME around. I was always safe and never judged. “Are you ok? Does your chest hurt?” He nuzzled me, “I am so sorry Lily!” I thought he was about to cry. Lily? He never called me Lily. He must have been extremely upset. Of course he was! This asshole had locked me and Ruby in a room. For what? Did he just want to keep Jason out? “Well, I am ok now.” I said in a monotone voice. Then he lifted me up and we walked past the foster mother who was hugging Ruby and out the front door. We got in his car and started driving. “WHAT happened?” I turned on him. He could smell the whiskey on my breathe. I could tell because he squinted at me. But no judgment, so nothing was said. he had “suggested” once that I stop drinking so much and I guess the look I gave him was enough to stop that. He was probably right but with everything going on, why could I not just not feel once in awhile. Jason could tell you, but won’t dare tell me anymore. “Apparently Mark decided that was going to lock you in a room from now on.” He was so angry I could almost feel the heat coming off of him. I didn’t ask why because I knew why. “Where was he then?” I asked just as angrily, “He locked me up so he could just….” I couldn’t say the words, “Then he just disappeared?” I was so confused. “No, he was there. I think it was my knife.” He smiled finally. He pulled out his prize pocket knife. It was small enough to fit in his pocket yet big enough to look scary. I started to laugh. Then we both laughed hysterically until we hurt. That felt good, we needed a laugh even if it was over something horrible. “You have a bat too you know.” I pointed at him and raised my eyebrow. “Yes baby girl I know.” He smiled at me. “Last resort.” Glaring playful at me. “And this was not a last resort?!” I folded my arms and looked out the window. “Can I ask where you are taking us?” “Where do you want to go?” Jason never held a grudge Well at least not with me. He bounced back so quickly that I wish I was more like him “Take me to the bridge.” That bridge had become OUR place and my hope. The hope that Jason would take me with him when he left. I could not imagine that Jason would ever leave me behind. When we arrived he parked the car right off the road and then we walked over to the bridge and sat side by side like we always did. The night air was cool and felt good in my lungs. I took deep breaths. “Are you feeling alright?” he asked when he saw me breathing. “No I am not alright."