Salvation

Salvation #1

Screams rise through the air like thick poison, gradually suffocating me. It's acidic sound leaks through my body.

Frustration rises inside my chest. It feels solid against the rabid beating of my heart, crushing down on my lungs. It boils through my vanes and heats my blood in an intense rush.

The sound of glass shattering cries over my mother's hysteric shouting. "Wonderful Roy! Now what the hell do you intend to do when we're forty thousand dollars in debt?!"

"We're not going to end up in debt Joan! I know what I'm doing! For crying out loud will you trust me for once?" Dad yells.

Tears are thick in the back of my throat and sting my eyes. Tightening my jaw I slam the bedroom door shut. It shudders against the thick frame before locking into place.

They're muffled voices race over the walls, crawling over me. "Shut up!" I whirl around and cry at the door. "Christ," I choke, running my fingers through a tangle of my auburn hair.

Pain claws at my chest, ripping my heart into thin, frail ribbons. It tears a gaping hole in my chest, leaving me empty and hollow. Inky darkness crawls out of the hole and searches through my body like a disease.

Music swirls inside the confinements of the bedroom. My glassy eyes flicker over my cluttered desk, searching for my phone. Scurrying across the room I shove sheets of paper aside, crunching them against the pale blue wall.

My hands sweep over my black phone. 'Jacquie' is written over the caller display in bold, white letters. Tipping my hair over my shoulder I bring the phone to my ear.

"Hello?"

"I've been trying to call for like an hour," Jacquie scolds.

"Sorry. I've been...busy," my eyes flash over the door. The thin shield between me and the harsh fighting.

"Meet me at the end of the street by nine," Jacquie says quickly.

"What? Why?" a frown creases my forehead.

"There's a party at Scott's. It's going to be amazing. Like a hundred people are going," Jacquie explains. Her exaggerations leak through the receiver, buzzing inside my ear. "I don't know if my parents will let me go," doubt oozes into my voice.

"Come on," Jacquie whines. Her pleading winds around my mind, tugging on temptation.

"Damn it Joan!" Dad shouts. Chewing my lower lip I fall into the chair standing before my desk. "You don't listen do you?" Mom screeches. Her voice is cold and raw with anger.

"I'll be there," I sigh.

"Meet me at the corner at nine," Jacquie squeals.

"OK."

The line dies, leaving behind a monotonous monument wrapped in the low dial tone. I toss my phone down on the desk and drag myself to my feet.

I haul my cupboard door open and stand before the full length mirror hung on the back. Tears coat my eyes in a thin, glossy shine. Spidery blood vessels stretch like bony fingers across my eyes. My auburn hair is knotted over my shoulders and my features read signs of sleep deprival.

Tearing my dark eyes away I change into the most attention crying clothes I can rip out of the small wardrobe.

***

The thick cloak of darkness sweeps over my body, concealing the huge amounts of my exposed skin. The cold scratches at my flesh, burying it's claws into me.

The stilettos slap against the cracked concrete path and the tiny denim shorts cling to my hips, hugging low around my waist.

Jacquie's dark silhouette huddles against the night. "Took you long enough. I've been here for like forever," she groans. The dim light of the streetlamp reveals heavy make-up lining her sharp green eyes.