Page 48 of Ruptured
“I want to go home.”
Dad bowed his head. “Not now.”
Rule fell back against the pillows and closed his eyes. Rebel’s dead body appeared in his mind’s eye again and he screamed.
She’s dead.
You killed her.
She’s dead.
She’s dead.
“No!”
Memories seeped into his brain. Faces juxtaposed. Mom. Rebel. Rebel. Mom. One on top of the other. A rock and then an ice pick appeared in his hand. He held one of his hands up; it was coated with blood. Another image appeared. He was sitting on a pool step, holding his sister under the water.
“Rebel!”
“Rule—” Mom’s voice bounced through his head.
“I killed her!”
“No, boy. She’s alive,” Dad said.
“Your daddy’s right,” Mom said. “She’s alive, Rule.”
“I want Rebel,” he cried.
“She’s here, son. You have her. Reb and me are just two lazy bones today.” Mom’s laugh sounded forced. “We’re too tired to get up.”
Wildness crept into him and he tried to kick, but his ankles were still restrained, so he screamed at the top of his lungs.
Dad hugged him. “It’s okay, son. It’s okay. I got you.”
When CJ walked into the room and halted at the edge of Rule’s twin bed, Dad released him and stepped back.
“I want to go home, C.” Rule wailed worse than Gunner did when he was in a full tantrum. “Please. I want Mom.”
CJ sat on the edge of Rule’s bed and drew him into his arms, much like Dad. “It’s okay, Rule,” he promised.
“Christopher?” Mom called.
To Rule, her tone had changed from weak and tired to a sultry purr. He stiffened.
Slut.
Jezebel.
Whore.
Die! Die! Die!
“Slut!” he screamed, jerking away from CJ. “Whore! I want you to die!” Memories of Mom sucking Dad’s cock rose in his head. “Miserable fucking jezebels.” He swung; someone grunted. He swung again and laughed through his tears. “Cocksucking gutter slatterns. Good for nothing but garbage piles and death. Fuck Rebel and fuck you. I hate you two trashy cunts! Die! Die! Die!”
“Rule!” The call traveled to him like an echo in a tunnel. He couldn’t distinguish between his father and brother’s voices.
“Rule, stop! Please,” CJ begged, tears in his tone.
