"Home" by JeC

Competition 6 Winner

Warning: This story contains strong language. Reader discretion is advised.

"Are you excited to go home?" My sister's voice comes from the driver seat. No response. Call me a dick but what's the point in answering? She already knows what I'll say.

Eva is the only one who I could even fathom picking me up. The only one who still gives a damn about my well-being. When I got arrested, my life ended, right then and there. My parents disowned me, my friends completely abandoned me and to top it all off I got fired from my job. As much as it'd kill me to admit it, she's the only one I have left.

"Are you just going to ignore me?" she says. "Come on, say something."

"What do you want me to say, Evangeline?" I respond bitterly. I hate how I'm acting towards her but God let me be angry. Who in the right mind would hire someone with a criminal record? Who the hell would love someone who went to prison for assault? Who would want to even be my friend?

It's all because of her, I-

"You're really lucky you know. Maggie still wants to be with you," Eva interrupts. "Even after you hurt her, she's waited for you for four years. She insisted on taking care of your house while you were gone."

WHAT?!

Her name echoes in my ears. No... it can't be…

My hands start to tremble. My vision blurs, as bright red spots appear, growing larger and larger by every minute. I'm suddenly made aware of every noise on the planet; the loud thumping of my heart, the ringing in my ears, the sounds of cars whizzing by, even the radio turns into a fuzzy white noise. With every second that passes, I feel my chest growing tighter and my lungs growing smaller with every breath I took. I cough, forcing myself to speak:

"W-wonderful," I squawk.

Memories of that night flash back to me.

The beating, the screaming, the throwing. I was nothing but a punching bag to her. I did everything that she ever asked of me, but it was never enough. Every time I tried to leave she would drag my back, kicking and screaming, but at the end of the day I was back in her arms, listening to false promises. I was just a dog on a leash to her.

No one believed me.

They always told me I was being over-dramatic, that I was just too weak and sensitive. They told me that I just wasn't a man enough to deal with my own girlfriend. She just cares a lot. Mags would never hurt a fly. I believed them for a bit, I told myself that Maggie would never try to hurt me for real...

Right…?

"Helloooo?? Earth to David, we're here!" Eva says, grinning from ear to ear. The car door is open for me, waiting for me to leave.

I don't move from my seat.

"Let me help you, I know you're nervous!" Eva says, unbuckling my seat belt

The word "home" mocks me; they say there is no place like home but for me there is. Prison, but no one would ever understand that.

I hit her

Just once, but that was enough for the cops as they busted through the door.

"She hurt me first!" I cried to deaf ears.

She put up a good show in court. Crying about how I had beat her, flashing the bruise on her face like a badge of honour. Twisting the story to make everyone pity the poor, defenseless woman. I was the villain in this story, and she was the brave young heroine locking him away so he could no longer do any harm. She told everyone who bothered to give my scars a second glance that it was "self defense", and it silenced them all. They ate up her story like a five-course meal and before I could even blink I was behind bars.

My shoes fill with lead in every step I take as I slowly walk to the front door. 23 Tanvus street. I told myself I'd never be back in this situation and yet I am the one ringing the doorbell.

Maggie opens the door up wide. She smiles eerily, the same one she would give me when she said she would never hurt me again.

"Welcome home," she whispers. "You're never leaving again."

The door creaks closed behind me.