[i][/i][center][img]https://i.ibb.co/z4BmwFH/KJ-this.jpg[/img][/center]

Even now her lower lip trembled. Dark eyebrows knit tightly over an everdeepening scowl. Beads of sweat continued to form on her forehead and upper lip. Teeth clenched even tighter than her fists, attempting to will herself to stop crying. [color=fff200][i]Just Freeeeekin' stop it!! STOP!![/i][/color]

But even more tears streamed down her brown cheeks. The floodgates opened and the lower lip ceased its tremblings. The wail she held in check for so long escaped her like a dam broken wide open. One hand gripped the edge of the white porcelain, knuckles just as white. The other pulled back at shoulder height, then the muscles of her tattooed arm bulged as her fist sprang forward like a wild beast, the mirror cracking from the force of her strike.

A howl of anguish the young woman let out. She knew she was awake but... but she saw that face in the mirror-- no not a face. [i]A mask[/i]. 

[i]'His'[/i] mask. 

It wasn't so much the visions of victims and violence he forced upon her that wounded her so. KJ knew it was of his doing but what was worse was that contract. She signed it. She felt powerless, so worthless and inept, spineless and broken. And of course she signed it in blood.

That bastard made her sign that contract and not with her own blood. It was the cold blood of her mother; it was all on hands. It was always there wasn't it--

The mirror shattered as she struck it again, screeching in pain and anguish. Another crushing blow, another screech as red sprayed angry patterns across sterile pale tiles. Again she punched. And again. And Again. The mirror exploded and in its wake was a blackened mouth. It grew in size, opening up like revelations buried deep within those locked boxes of guilt, trauma and pain. KJ screamed a terrible scream as it swallowed her whole. 

...

[color=a2d39c][b][i]"KiKi!! [/i][/b]It's okay! It's me...! It's Micah-- [i]Dad! [/i]Yeah, that's[i] me[/i]; Dad. It's okay... shhhh you're just dreaming... relax... there you go... there you go... relaaaaax... oh, KiKii you scared the [i]bejeezus[/i] outta me? You okay now...?"[/color]

The echoes of her screams still sounded alien in her ears but it really was hers. She had nightmares before... But a nightmare inside a nightmare...? She shook her head and her stretchy cap finally fell free, her pink and blue braids spraying across her face like a demoralized octopus. [color=fff200]"M-Micah...? I-I mean; [i]Dad[/i]...? Oh my gosh! [i]Dad! [/i]I just had the wooooooorrrrst dream! Bruh! It was awful... [i]mamma.[/i].. she... [i]it was her-[/i]-"[/color]

[color=a2d39c]"[i]Blood...![/i] Oh no! KiKi, you're bleeding...! Wait here. I'mma get a towel. Back in 2 shakes of a lamb's patootie..." [/color]he leaned over, squeezed an arm around a shoulder then fled to the bathroom.

[color=fff200]"Oh! Oh, Dad... Dad, it's not that bad. Just my hand. It stopped..." [/color]her voice had regained some of that familiar bubbliness to it but then her voice trailed off the moment she saw what she had done to her hand.

She had balled her fists in her sleep so tightly her nails dug so deep into her palms they drew blood. One even broke off (she had just got them done too!)

Maybe it was that bad.

[color=fff200][i]Dang, what a woooooonderful way to start the day... [/i][/color]