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  • Writer's pictureAshley Chamblee

SHADOWS BLEED a SUMMER LAKE TALE



Love is red; it pours from your lifeless body and pools onto the floor.


Blossom stood beside me drying the dishes as I washed them. It was a quiet night since daddy had went out with his friends. He either wasn’t coming home today or would be passed out on the couch in the morning.


Mommy was here though, she had been locked away in her study since Blossom and I came home from school. She hadn’t even ate dinner with us, yelling when we knocked on the door to let her know it was ready.


Since daddy had a hard time holding down a job it was the work that mommy did that put food on the table. That was a sore spot for daddy and mommy never let him forget it.


“You think mommy is working hard today?” Blossom asked me and my eyes shifted to the door that I knew my mom was behind. I shivered as I thought about the work mommy did.


“Maybe,” I answered. The last thing I wanted to do was talk about it. I didn’t want to think about what it was that mommy was doing behind the locked door.


That wasn’t quite true. The last thing I wanted was for Blossom to find out the kind of work that mommy actually does. I didn’t want my younger sister to ever enter the world our mom kept locked away.


Blossom and I finished with our chores. I was letting hope rise in my chest. If I could get Blossom tucked away in her bed I could run to my own. That would mean I had escaped both of my parents for a whole day. It was rare but it happened every now and then.


“Summer,” the sound of my name sent shivers down my spine. Turning mommy was standing outside of her office door. Leaning down I kissed Blossom’s head and she continued down the hallway.


“Yes mommy,” I spoke after hearing Blossom’s door close behind her.


“Go change and come into my office.” She demanded stepping back inside and closing the door. Walking to my room I blinked back the tears. Trying my best to stay strong, to be brave. Closing my eyes I allowed myself to slip away.




The door to Summer’s bedroom was yanked violently open. Summer’s mom stormed into the room. She was all huffy and annoyed like every time I encountered her.


“Damn girl, don’t you know how to knock.” I grumbled kicking my feet up on the desk. My voice was a lot deeper than Summer’s it was more raspy and as soon as Mrs. Lake heard me she frowned. I grabbed at the crotch of my pants pulling at it to make myself more comfortable.


“I told you to change and come to my office. That was thirty minutes ago.” Mrs. Lake yelled and I shrugged my shoulders.


“You ain’t tell me shit,” I countered.


“Summer we aren’t doing this again,” I could hear the frustration that had entered Mrs. Lake voice.


“My name ain’t Summer. How many times I gotta tell yo ass to call me Bruce. Or Big Bruce in your case. I tell you women these days.” I shook my head even as Mrs. Lake slapped me. It was a slight sting across my cheek but nothing I wasn’t use to. The trick was always trying to hit me. Always nagging until I went into her little office.


“Get up right now,” Mrs. Lake yelled and I sighed standing up. Flashing her my pearly whites I stepped closer to Mrs. Lake.


“You don’t have to get all moody, dollface. If dude ain’t taking care of business you know I’ll throw it down for ya. Just call me Big Bruce.” I smiled even as she slapped me again. A small bubble of laughter came forward as Mrs. Lake turned on her heels leaving the room. I was expected to follow her so after a few minutes I left Summer’s room.


Outside of Mrs. Lake office door all the others would have knocked. I turned the knob letting myself in. The room smells heavily of smoke and air freshener. There was lots of odd things, adult things. There was a bed in this room, a camera, a computer, a big screen on the back wall.


Mrs. Lake was on the bed. She was undressing in front of the camera. In a small corner on the screen on the back wall you could see what the camera was capturing. How many people were out there watching. It was something I never allowed myself to think about. Something that Summer didn’t need to know.


I was born in this room. After the first time Mrs. Lake enlisted Summer’s help. She put the girl in front of the camera and I was created. The only way Summer could handle this room was to never enter. So I protected her. I made sure she never had to come inside of this den of sin again.


“Come here,” Mrs. Lake patted the bed beside herself. “We have a special guest,” she was talking to the camera.


“You pedos came to see Big Bruce,” I yelled walking over.


“I don’t want this,” Summer soft voice sobbed from within.


The screen on the back wall was filling with comments. The number of visitors Mrs. Lake site had was raising and falling as people came and left the site.


“Look at these sick freaks. They want to see my little Bruce.” I grabbed at the front of myself watching the screen on the back wall and not at the camaras.


My lips twitched when someone’s comment caught my eye.


NOT BRUCE!


I loved seeing comments like that. Loved knowing these perverts didn’t want me here. They wanted Summer. Sweet innocent tearful Summer. They would never get her again. They would never get Blossom either. Because she was important to Summer. And my job is to protect them both.


Another message came on the screen and made me remember the kind of people I’m dealing with.


I LIKE WHEN BRUCE COMES.


The truth in all of this was at the end of the days this was Mrs. Lake show and in order to protect Summer I played my part.


“I’m sorry,” Summer whispered.


“Don’t you ever be sorry. Not for anything.” I told her before getting on with it.




Standing in the bathroom tears rolled down my cheeks. Bruce had helped me the same way Marjare helps me. But who do I ever help. So many people hurt and suffer but I just hide.

I held the knife in my hand to my arm as my fingers shook. I wanted it all to end. I would much rather it all be over. I wish that it was that easy. Or maybe it was. Maybe I could end it now.


Then what would happen? What would happen to my sister? How could I leave her alone with these people. They would hurt her worst then what they’ve already done. If I abandoned her she would suffer worse than me.


I couldn’t though. I couldn’t keep going like this. I couldn’t survive much longer. Hissing the blade pressed into my flesh. An angry red line started to form on my skin.


Cold black inky fingers wrapped around my wrist. It squeezed until I released the knife letting it clank into the sink. My head shifted to look at the person who the fingers belonged to.


There was only darkness and I smiled.


Because the darkness will always be there.

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