I wasn’t particularly excited when I found out that Carter was going to be my lab partner for the next ten months. He looked like the type of guy who could just snap one day and beat the shit out of me. I imagined myself accidentally elbowing him and him pushing me out of my chair, straddling me on the floor, and beating me to a bloody pulp.
He was tall and muscular, and I’d never seen him talk to anyone. He walked like a butler, his left hand always extended over his stomach at a right angle, holding an invisible cloth rag as if he was warning everyone not to get too close to him.
I couldn’t help but run my fingers across the bruises under my shirt as I sat down next to him. He took a quick glance at me, but I could’ve sworn there was a knowing in his eyes. I shivered and paid my attention to Mr. Tran.
On that first day, we had a worksheet that we had to fill out together using the book. Carter however, wrote down all the answers without once even glancing at the text. When he was finished, he slid his paper over so I could copy.
“Thanks,” I said.
He didn’t respond, but a soft smile formed on his face. Although the slight movement in his eyes and lips was almost unnoticeable, for a second he was glowing. I hadn’t noticed how dark the rest of the room was until then. It was angelic, and from that moment on I found myself always looking forward to fourth period biology.
When I was done, he grabbed both of our papers and turned them in.
That was how much of the rest of the year went, him doing all the work, me taking half the credit. I always thanked him, and I tried to help whenever possible, but he never let me. He never even said a word to me, and I never pushed him to talk. I guess that’s why we became friends.
One day I asked for his number in case I needed help on the homework, and he slid his phone over and let me save myself as a contact.
Carter was a completely different person over text. Right there in class he texted me:
I’m sorry I don’t talk much. How are you?
I’m good, I texted back. How about you?
I’m okay. Being your lab partner is fun.
How come you don’t talk much? You’re really nice.
I’m embarrassed. I guess.
With that, he put his phone back in his pocket and laid his head down to sleep.
“It’s okay,” I said aloud.
After that, we texted during class a lot, and I even started to sit with him during lunch. We got some weird looks, but, for the most part, people left us alone. I think they were scared of Carter. You’d think he would’ve been bullied, but, I think everyone knew there was something different about him. Unknown and possibly dangerous, as if he wasn’t from our world. But we were each other’s only friend, and I was happy to sit with him and trade texts back and forth, mostly complaining about school food and talking about our classes.
One night I was laying in bed when my mom and dad’s nightly screaming match woke me up.
“You are an alcoholic!” My mom screamed. “You can’t go one day, not one!” What happened to all of your promises? What happened to being a better man? We have a kid to raise. I can’t do this alone.”
“Fuck you!” He shouted back. “You filthy bitch. You don’t want me to be happy?” You just sit around here and do nothing all day while I put food on the table. You don’t have this house without me. The clothes you’re wearing are mine!”
There was a sound like a clap, and a dish shattering on the floor.
I put in my headphones, turned on some music, and texted Carter.
Hey
What’s up?
My mom and dad are arguing. He hit her. He hits her a lot. I’ve never told anyone that but it’s true. He’s gonna kill her one day. I know I should do something but… I don’t know what. I’m a coward.
You aren’t a coward. He texted back. That sounds scary. Does he ever hit you too?
I felt the bruises on my stomach and chest. He always made sure to hit me where no one would see.
Yes.
Text me your address. I’ll come pick you up.
I gave it to him, and fifteen minutes later he texted me that he was outside and we were going to see a movie.
I walked downstairs. My mom was crying quietly on the couch, and my dad was passed out in the recliner, empty beer bottles strewn all around him. I snuck out the front door without either of them noticing me.
Carter drove a beautiful green jeep. When he saw me he jumped out and opened the passenger side door for me.
We went to the movie theater and saw The Bye Bye Man. It was terrible, but that made the night so much better. We texted throughout the movie, laughing at the clumsiness it was put together with.
Carter texted me, I bet the script looks like someone had a bot read one thousand horror scripts and then forced it to write its own. This is an embarrassment to cinema.
We shared a large popcorn and each had a diet coke and some M&M’s. It was such a simple night, but I remember it as quite possibly the best I ever had.
I got home at around midnight, and as I walked toward my front door, Carter texted me.
Things will get better soon.
I smiled, but as I walked inside and closed the door behind me, that smile was ripped from my face with a slap so powerful that I spun around in a complete 180, falling to the floor on my hands and knees as I bit my tongue and blood and spit flew from my mouth.
My dad stood over me, and although his words were slurred every ounce of him radiated strength and power.
“Sneaking out of my house?!” He screamed. “And here I thought you were such a well behaved girl.”
“No,” I said.“I wasn’t sneaking out, I just went to see a movie with my friend. You were asleep. I thought it would be fine! Please dad, I’m sorry.”
I tried to get up, but he pushed me down again, then kicked me in the ribs so hard I could feel them break. I tried to scream, but inhaling caused a sharp pain in my chest, and suddenly I could barely breathe.
“Please…” I whispered.
“Marcus, leave her alone!” My mom screamed as she entered the room from the kitchen. “Julia, just go to your room. We can all talk in the morning.”
“Don’t tell me how to run MY house,” my father yelled. He walked up to her and put his hands around her throat, squeezing so hard that she squeaked like a mouse.
I forced myself up and used every ounce of strength I had to run and tackle him.
We hit the floor with a thud, but the pain was too much for me. My chest and side felt like they were being stabbed over and over. My hands instinctively went to my ribs, and then he was using me as support to stand back up.
First he punched my mom so hard that her head slammed against the corner of the wall and she fell limply to the ground. Then as I screamed he began to kick me in the head over and over. He was wearing his boots. I felt bones breaking, teeth being forced loose, my face was being caved in to my mouth. The room started to spin, and the pain became distant. That’s when I realized he was killing me.
I passed out. The malicious lullaby of his shoes against my head coaxing me into an eternal sleep.
I don’t know how long I was out for, but I awoke to a different kind of song.
It was ethereal. Angelic. At first I could see only see black, and breathing was difficult, but the beauty of the song took me out of the darkness, relieved my pain. The words were of a language I’d never heard before, and as the darkness left me, I saw who was singing.
It was Carter. But the voice was not one that a human should have been able to have. It switched from high to low, hitting every note with a perfection that no singer has ever come close to.
The dark room began to light up as he continued, as if he were the sun finally rising after a night that was much too long. My wounds began to heal. The pain faded away. Finally I was able to stand and I saw my mother do the same.
I walked towards her and my footsteps were silent. The only sound that existed was the song. When I was halfway to her I saw what Carter was standing above.
My dad. He was completely naked, his clothes ripped to shreds around him. I watched as bruises were imprinted all over him, the same bruises that had been put on me and my mom, I watched as his face, ribs, and chest were imprinted with the phantom blows of a boot.
Though he lashed around and tried to scream, no sound came from his mouth. There was only the song. The beautiful song.
My mom pulled me into a hug and I closed my eyes as I gripped her tightly. Soundless tears ran down my face as Carter continued.
When I opened my eyes, every trace of both Carter and my dad was gone. I never saw either of them again.
It turns out that my quiet best friend had the voice of an angel, and he used it to save my life.