Fractured Family

Ashley snatched her phone from Sevian's hand, her eyes flashing with anger. "It's none of your business," she said, her voice firm but shaking with emotion. Sevian's face reddened, and he took a step back, his eyes welling up with tears. "Ash, I'm just trying to help," he said, his voice cracking. Ashley's expression softened, but she quickly hardened it again. "You don't need to help me, Sevian. I can take care of myself," she said, trying to sound braver than she felt. Sevian's eyes narrowed, and he took a deep breath. "You're not taking care of yourself, Ash. You're getting worse. And Mom and Dad... they're not exactly... functioning right now." Ashley's gaze dropped, and she felt a surge of defensiveness. "That's not your problem, Sevian. And it's definitely not Mom and Dad's problem. They have enough to worry about," she said, her voice laced with sarcasm. Sevian's face twisted in frustration. "You're a kid too, Ashley. You're not some adult who can handle everything on her own," he yelled, his voice echoing through the hallway. Just then, Chris stormed into the room, his face red with rage. He grabbed Ashley by her hair, yanking her back, and Sevian by his t-shirt, pulling him forward. "Let him go!" Ashley yelled, trying to wriggle free. But Chris didn't listen. He hit her, his fist connecting with her cheekbone, and Ashley felt a searing pain. She stumbled back, her vision blurring, and felt a warm trickle of blood on her face. Sevian struggled against Chris's grip, his eyes wide with fear. "Dad, stop! You're hurting her!" he cried. But Chris just pulled him closer, his eyes blazing with anger. "You're not going to talk to your sister like that, Sevian. You're not going to disrespect me like that," he growled. Ashley stumbled forward, her eyes streaming with tears. She tried to grab Chris's arm, to pull him away from Sevian, but he shoved her back. "Get out of here, both of you!" Chris yelled, his voice echoing through the house. Ashley stumbled out of the room, Sevian's frightened eyes following her. She felt a sense of despair wash over her, a feeling that she was trapped in a nightmare from which she couldn't wake up. As she stumbled down the hallway, Ashley caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her face was streaked with blood, her eyes red and puffy. She looked like a broken, battered thing. And in that moment, Ashley knew that she had to get out. She had to escape this toxic, suffocating world and find a way to heal. But for now, she was trapped, stuck in a cycle of violence and abuse, with no clear way out.