All Chapters of Lay Me Down: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Trigger warnings: abuse, death, murder, suicide, drugs, cutting, depressionKylee leaned against her bedroom door, her heart beating erratically. Even from here, she heard Bill swearing and yelling in the living room. She squeezed her eyes shut. Why was he still going on? He should have forgotten about her by now.“Please stay in the other room. Please stay in the other room,” she chanted to herself. She glanced down at her throbbing arm, noting the small rivulet of blood collecting in the corner of her elbow.Her mom’s shouting mingled with Bill’s, and something large crashed into a wall. The single-story house rattled as Bill’s thundering footsteps approached.“Kylee!” he roared, the full extent of his fury echoing in the one word.She whimpered. Her eyes landed on the chair scooted against the wooden desk next to the closet. She lunged for it, intent on propping it under the doorknob like she had so many times in the past.Barely had she vacated her spot by the door before it bange

Saturday. Kylee flung the covers off and grabbed up a change of clothes. She streaked into the bathroom to shower and change before Bill could notice her. The worst part about the weekend was knowing he would be here, all day for two whole days.She ended her shower before the running water could attract his attention. She stepped into her room and found a pair of jeans and gray hoodie to put on.The kitchen was empty. Kylee began working on the dough that would be part of their dinner later. Pausing, she listened for Bill. Nothing yet. Last night’s fight must’ve really done a number on him. She needed to check on her mother, but she didn’t want to bump into him. She tiptoed into her mom’s bedroom. Only her mother lay on top of the covers.“Mom? Do you ever leave this room?” Kylee placed a mug of coffee on the nightstand. The only response was a soft groan.“You need to get out of the house.” Kylee took a sip of the coffee. “We could go meet the neighbors. Take them some fresh bread.”

Kylee ate her chicken and potatoes quickly, blocking out Bill’s complaints about the meat being overcooked and the potatoes too salty. Her mom murmured apologies and nodded along with his words.“I’m done.” Kylee pushed back her chair, anxious to escape.“Where do you think you’re going?” Bill dropped his fork, letting it clatter against the wood table. He leaned back in his chair and glared at her. “We all work in this household, little girl. I’m not breaking my back for nothing.”Kylee blinked at him, not bothering to contradict or point out the housework she’d done that day. She knew from experience the best thing to do was play submissive. She tried to think of the easiest task she could do that would make her look busy. “You’re right. I’ll go get the mail.”She stepped

 He paused. Kylee held her breath for countless seconds while he stood there, his back to her, not saying a word. Then he turned, squinting at her against the sunlight.“Why are you talking to me?”Kylee shrugged.“Why not? It’s the nice thing to do. We’re nice around here, you know.”He gestured at her head.“And why are you wearing a hat? It’s like a hundred degrees out here.”“Oh, that.” She felt her face redden. “I, uh, got a bad haircut.”“Really?”“I know, right?” Kylee kept talking, hoping he wouldn’t notice how embarrassed she was. “I mean, what kind of person cuts their own hair?” Stupid, stupid. She shouldn’t have revealed that.“Yeah.” H

“What? No, no, of course not!” Price exclaimed. “You think I’m rich, huh? Because my dad drives a hot car and our house is bigger than yours. So?”“Then what is your problem with me?” Kylee pressed her lips together, not about to let him off easy.“I don’t know.” He gestured toward her house. There were no windows in the back, and it wasn’t visible from here in the forest. “I guess I was afraid.”“Of my stepfather? Because of the fighting?”“Everything, I guess. You. Your house.”Kylee pictured her old rundown house. Ugly, unkempt, yes, but not scary. “What do people say about us?”He avoided her eyes. “Nothing.”“You’re lying.”