Unforgiven

Part 4

By Heather


Think I, Think I'm unforgiven to this world
Think I, Think I'm unforgiven to this world
Think I'm Unforgiven*

Michelle 

I wake up from one of the deepest sleeps I think I have ever had.  I had been having a beautiful dream…Danny and I were at our new home at Laurel Falls.  He was pulling me down on our new bed, our new, beautiful comforter, and had begun kissing me…so deeply…so sweetly…his words of love murmuring my ear.  He had slowly removed my clothes, then his, bring his body closer to mine, almost uniting, but staying far enough away, just enough, to drive me crazy.  His caresses had been making me hotter and hotter, his words seducing me deeper and deeper. 

It was a dream I had not wanted to wake up from.  I think of trying to go back to sleep, to finish my lovely dream, but I know sleep will not come again.

I push back the dark gray covers and start to roll over, reaching for Danny.  I feel myself toppling and I glance around…and all I see are bars.  All I see are tows and rows of gray, condemning bars that keep screaming my crimes at me.  Over and over again, they scream the same things at me.

You killed Mick…you killed Ben…you killed Mick…Mick…Ben…you killed them both!

The voices close in on me; the bars get larger and larger, looming over my head, threatening to crush my frail body.  I pull the dark, gray covers closer to my chin, in a childish attempt to ward off the demon bars.  But the won’t go away, they won’t stop screaming! 

You killed Mick…you killed Ben…you killed Mick…Mick…Ben…you killed them both!!!

Terror consumes my body.  I feel my spine grow weaker, my stomach loops into a million knots.  I feel the bile rise in my throat as I hoarsely scream out.

Noooo!!  I didn’t kill Ben!  I didn’t mean to kill Mick!!  Noooo!

I awake sobbing, crying out for my mother, my father, for Danny, for anyone who will take the bad voices away.  I keep having this dream, almost every night since I was granted bail…all those weeks ago.  It’s always the same.   But Danny was always here to comfort me and love me.

I can tell he’s not here now.  I wipe my eyes in a vain attempt to push the bad dreams, the demons, the tears, the fears, away.  I push to hard and see stars.  My head throbs.  The saltiness of myself bothers me and I rise to go to the bathroom to wash my face. 

I glance at the clock as I pass…1:15 am.  It’s been almost 9 hours since Danny ran out of here. 

I flick on the bathroom light and look in the mirror.  My haggard, tired face stares back at me, almost scaring me because for the briefest moment I had not recognized myself.

I grab a towel and soak it in cold water.  I bring the dripping cloth to my eyes and just press it close, holding it against my hot flesh.  The coolness soothes me, for just a moment, then my fears and worries crash down on me again.

I lay the towel down on the sink and walk back into our room.  Picking up the phone, I call the only person I know to call.

Ray

Step inside the light and see the fear of God burn inside of me
The gold was put to flame to kill to burn to mold it's purity*
 

As a man of God and the cloth, I’m supposed to know how to deal with these kinds of things.  I’ve been trained, hour after endless hour, on how to council people on a wide range of problems.  I’ve dealt with troubled teens, troubled couples, troubled men and women.  I’ve dealt with lies, deceit, adultery, drugs…you name it, I’ve been confronted with it. 

As a Santos, I have always known how to deal with these kinds of things.  You deal with it “The Santos Way”.  It’s the way most familiar to me, the way I was raised to be, the way I was trained…I think I even know better than Danny…what we should do. 

But this is different somehow…it’s too close to home.  It’s too personal.  I see the pain Danny is in and just like I always am, I’m torn.  I’m torn between the life I know now…and the old life, the life I remember.  The one that is always waiting…at the edge of my dreams. 

I want to reach out and help him, but I don’t know how.  I just don’t know how.

When Michelle called…the only thing I knew to tell her was that Danny was safe and with me.  I couldn’t tell her the rest.  That her life is possibly about to crumble into her lap, shattered into a million tiny pieces.  That she’s powerless to stop it. 

At least I hope I put her mind to rest, at least for tonight.

God help us all.

Danny

Took a chance at deceiving myself
To share in the consequence of lies
Childish with my reasoning and pride
Godless to the extent that I died*


Michelle called.  I felt kinda guilty for not calling her myself, to let her know I was okay.  Hell, it would have been a lie, but who hasn’t done that before?

My whole life seems like a lie. 

I guess I just don’t know what to say to her. 

I just feel so damn confused.  Everything I believed, everything I held dear, was a lie?  Was my love for her real?  Was her love real?  Is anything in this damn world for real?

Ray looks over at me, his eyes are sad.  His hands are clasped together.  I guess he’s praying.  He says that we really should go talk to Michelle about this, she was there, she knows, she has a right to know about this.

Ray still stubbornly hopes that the letter is a lie.  I wish I could share his optimism.  I know it’s not a lie, somehow I think I’ve always known.

My head is starting to throb.  All this thinking…and yeah, drinking, but only a little, is starting to do me in. 

I stand and agree, pushing my hands to my temples, hoping to squeeze out all the dark, sadistic thoughts.  I agree to go, even though I don’t want to go over there, I don’t want to see her, not yet…I don’t think I’m ready.  I’m not prepared for the emotions that are raging thru me right now.  I’m afraid of how I will react to her.

*Unforgiven, by Creed, on the album My Own Prison


Part 5

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