The Midnight Series: Darkness Comes to Light

19. Only Warning

**TRIGGER WARNING**

The doorbell rang, pulling me out of my tired daze. I got up slowly and walked to the front door. I could see three blurry figures standing side-by-side on the other side of the door. I unlocked the door and opened it. I waved them in and greeted them with a faint smile, trying to act as normal as I could despite being overly exhausted. Kali walked in with Selene and Sophia following right behind her. They both stood in the entrance as I closed the door shut.

“Make yourself at home,” I told them, trying to act less tired than my face made me look. I had bags under my eyes and my eyes felt strained from have to force them to stay open.

“Emma, you look horrible,” Kali stated, obviously speaking the obvious fact that I looked presentable with my clothing, but horrid due to the lack of sleep.

“Thanks for the compliment,” I said, trying to sound sarcastic, but truth be told she was right. I was so tired that my head felt like I was having deja vu, like I was walking around out of my body as I stood in front of them. My body was utterly exhausted and felt like I was going to fall to the ground at any moment. I would have just lying on the floor and fallen asleep if Kali and Sophia were not here.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Emma?” Sophia asked, looking at me, before glancing at her sister, then back to me. “You do look like hell, no offense.”

“I’m fine, honest,” I told them, trying to sound confident in what I was saying, but I was not even convincing myself with what I was saying. “Go sit, I’ll be right back,” I said, gesturing to the couch in the living room.

They all went to the living room, while I went to the kitchen. I needed a drink. My throat felt dry and my whole body was a bit warm. I went to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water. I unscrewed the cap and took a couple of sips. I swallowed and screwed the cap back on the bottle.

I was about to head to the living room where the girls were waiting for me, when my phone rang. I stopped in the middle of the kitchen and pulled out of my back pocket and looked at the screen. I received a voicemail. A voicemail from my mother. Why did she call me? My mother never calls me unless she is trying to insult me or threaten me.

I opened the voicemail, mentally cursing the universe for how awful my day was going so far as I pressed the play button and put the phone to my ear. F**k my life! I was downright annoyed. The last thing I wanted to deal with was listening to my mother’s voice, but having her call me did not make things any better. I was already scared to sleep because of the nightmares and now my body was hot and bothered. I listened to my voicemail, knowing I would regret it.

“You are the last person I want to be calling you little twit,” her tone was harsh and every word she said was slurred a bit. She must have taken a couple shots just before calling me. “Your worthless father called me. He told me you are doing GREAT,” she sneered in disgust. I could feel her dagger eyes glaring at me through the phone. I swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the lump that was starting to form in the back of my throat. “I obviously could not give a CRAP! You are nothing! YOU BELONG TO ME! Just remember if you tell him or anyone about our little secret, I will make the threat into reality. This is your ONLY warning, B***H. KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT YOU WORTHLESS B***H!” she screamed and then the voicemail ended.

I stood there, bringing the phone down slowly away from my ear. I was in shock. I did not know how to express how I was feeling. All my emotions were breaking to the surface. I was ready to explode. I wanted to scream, to cuss, to throw something, to break something, anything, but my body wouldn’t move. Every word I heard on the voicemail was being engraved into my heart and mind. I was slowly breaking internally.

The fact Dan had contacted Katherine was not a good thing. My father had called her! If there is anything mother hates more, it is when she has to listen to my father talk about us kids and how proud he is of us.

I might as well get to work on digging my own grave. The only reason Katherine called me was to give me my one-time warning to uphold my end of the secret. If I kept my end of the agreement up, which is to keep my mouth shut about her daily “lessons”, she would not touch or harm Jared or Lucy. That was the deal. The threat of her punishing my siblings was still something she could hang over me. That is the only reason I am scared of telling anyone.

Holding up the ‘I am a tough girl’ act was getting harder to hide. I wish I could just find a way to escape my mother. My life is partly in her hands. I only get the freedom, because I had to move out here. I still think my mother had me move out here to test my loyalty and to punish me. God knows she likes to punish me. Finding a way to escape my mother was going to be a challenge all within itself. I swear my life’s path runs towards danger, not away from it. Nothing was going to set me free from her invisible prison. Not even if I blamed everything or everyone around me for my troubles, it would not make my problems disappear. Although, I still think that would be better than the huge weight that weighs on my shoulders. Nothing was going to help me find relief or some sort of peace of mind.

I looked at my phone in my hand. My thoughts were all over the place. My head was pounding and my thoughts all over the place, spinning like a carousel round and round without stopping. My heart was beating loudly. I could hear it in my ears.

I wanted to be mad at my father for calling my mother. He never used to call her. Why start now? They can’t even talk like normal people. All they do is argue and throw insults at each other. Talk about unhealthy relationships. Dan only called Danny and would only occasionally send text messages to Jared and I, mainly only on holiday’s, but it’s the thought that counts, right.

I felt myself wanting to receive comfort from Valicia, which made my heart ache more because she was not here with me. I, however, was grateful to have Jason’s sister’s here, but I was not too comfortable feeling like a complete emotional disaster in front of them. I know I let them come over, but I thought I could handle a couple hours. I was so wrong.

As soon as I saw who sent the voicemail, I knew I was going to regret pressing play. Listening to it changed my whole concept of this day getting a little better. Instead of finding some sort of joy in having company over, I was now an absolute wreck, because

Katherine had given me the last and only warning. I was surprised she was even giving me a warning. I honestly thought either Dan or I would just receive a call one day from the police about Katherine being in jail for assault.

I considered Jason’s sisters my best friends, despite not really knowing Sophia and Selene that well yet.

Although Kali and I have connected very well, I am not sure if I could bother her or Selene and Sophia with my deepest and darkest secret. I needed to tell someone about it eventually. I was holding onto this heavy burden and the countless pain for so many years. I need to share everything: the recent nightmares, the secret and the threat that came with telling, and I needed to actually admit to what my mother has done to me. It is abuse; verbal, mental, and physical. I also had to proof; the pictures I had taken after every beating I endured.

I had been taking pictures of all the bruises and injuries my mother gave me. I took them on my phone and put them in a private, password-protected album. I knew the secret would eventually be brought to light. The pictures were just proof in case she denied the allegations when someone found out. I would need the pictures of the bruises and all the numerous injuries I had endured to get my mother off my back. Blackmailing her with the photos I had was never an option, especially with her threatening Lucy and Jared. I had to protect my siblings. I was waiting for karma to catch up with my mother, but she was very sleek with deceiving people.

Whether Kali, Selene, and Sophia believed what I was telling them, I just needed to tell them. I know I can trust them. I wanted to have the weight of the secret lifted off my shoulders. I also wanted to feel safe and not walk on eggshells everyday of my life, like I am currently doing. Once I tell the girls though, I then have to tell Jason. I hope none of them think I am lying. I do not want to lose any friends, who I am still getting to know and love spending time with. I knew if they did not believe me my future was long gone anyways. I loved living here. I like Jason. He was the best part of being here. I also like the relaxing and breathtaking beautiful scenery. You can do this! You got this! You can tell them when you’re ready.

The worst thing they would see is how broken I really am on the inside. I think I will just play the voicemail my mother just sent me. If they have questions after listening to the voicemail, then I will answer them. The safe option, I liked it.

I was deep in thought realizing, I was still standing in the middle of the kitchen spaced out. I shook my head, clearing the panic and hurtful thoughts that were running a muck in my brain. I exited the kitchen, standing in the doorway of the entryway. I could see the girl’s sitting on the couch waiting for me. I was holding my phone in a death grip in my right hand and a bottle of water in my left arm. I took a step, and a wave of dizziness. I tried to control my center of gravity, but I dropped the items in my hands. I didn’t even register my phone and the bottle crashed to the ground.

I heard Kali say my name. My body was flushed, I felt like I was standing in front of the heater for way too long. I heard the girl’s yell my name, as I just fell to the ground unconscious, collapsed.