25

                                    

                                          
Warnings:
-Physical injuries   blood
-Mentions substance abuse 
Clay's POV
To ease the terrifying pain, I decided to get high again and injected more and more heroin. However, the rush wore off soon after injecting it because I started to get so used to it, but luckily, the slowness and relaxed feeling stayed for a longer time. 
After an hour, I finally managed to stand up. The carpet on my bedroom's floor was soaked with blood and when I glanced in the mirror, there wasn't a singular part of my face left untouched by the blood. 
My forehead had a massive bruise, that was swelling more than I thought it would. Slowly, I grabbed my phone and pointed my camera towards myself in the mirror. I took a picture and hopelessly decided to add a text.
"Help me, I need saving."
I gulped and saved the picture, feeling awfully dizzy and an intense headache coming up even though I was high as hell. I closed the screen and went to my texts with slow movements. Luckily, the fingers my father slammed between the door were on the same hand as my wrist, so I still had one hand left to do something with.
I clicked the group chat I had with Sapnap and George when I saw they texted me, my eyes slowly scanning the letters. Yet, reading was a lot more difficult while being high and having an insane headache...
The Dream Team
Sapnap
clay, we are worried about elliot and you. please know you can always talk to us when something is wrong or if you need help 
George
we came over today and I'm 99% sure I saw you behind the curtain while your dad said you're not at home. he lied about a sibling who was screaming and you lied about a nephew. we apologise for being so pushy with you and hope you know we are here for you
Sapnap
if it's not safe at home, our houses are always open for you to come to. you know I live with only my mother, that's because the situation at my house used to be unsafe as well. I've never liked to open up about this, but feel like I have to.
Sapnap
my father abused my mother from when I was really young. he mostly avoided my brother and me, but I've been hit more than a kid should have ever been. my mother asked for a divorce, but it left scars nonetheless.
George
sapnap and I talked about this a lot and you've had too many injuries the past few months. I know you may not want to open up about possible abuse at home, but you can be helped, clay. it's never too late to ask for help and saving, it's never too late to just be vulnerable for once.
Sapnap
we are both so sorry for not seeing this before and pushing you while you were suffering so much more than we can even imagine. I complained about an apartment while you likely wish to live in a safe but small house. I apologise for the rude things I've said and hope you can forgive us for them.
George
I apologise too. I shouldn't have pushed you and not knowing what was going on wasn't a reason to act this way. we still aren't sure what you're going through, but either way, we are here for you.
I barely realised that tears started to roll down my cheeks, my eyes rereading the one sentence that made me start crying. "It's never too late to ask for help and saving, it's never too late to just be vulnerable for once."
I scrolled back to my picture and stared at my beaten up face full of blood, the only wish to be saved. I knew I wouldn't be saved if I didn't ask for help, but I was terrified my father would figure out I told someone.
At first, I believed he truly loved me and that it was all my fault, but after he started to neglect me and take away all of my food, I realised it wasn't just on me. I read online about child abuse and recognised a lot the signs of it, also realising maybe it wasn't just my fault...
Clay
wouls you mabue want to cole to the lake whejr weve hing out some tomes before? 
My hand was shaky badly as I typed the message, but I still pressed enter to sent the message to them. I needed help and if I wouldn't ask for help today, I would be tempted to kill myself within days.
Clay
please takw some toweles and clean wayer 
~~~
With a lot of pain, but a stronger willpower, I climbed out of the window to sneak to the place I asked Sapnap and George to go to. However, because of the severe pain, I hadn't been able to clean myself. I couldn't move well and eventually ended up crawling towards the lake.
I curled up on the floor and closed my eyes, but seconds later, I heard someone run up to me. George threw anything he had on the floor and Sapnap opened a bottle of water he took as I asked to put on the towel he had.
'Clay, what has your father done to you?' Sapnap asked, but I shook my head to show him I didn't want to talk about it that specifically. 'Can you tell me where you're hurt? Is that better to ask?'
'You have to promise me you won't take me to the hospital,' I whispered, only now noticing the lisp I had. 'I'm sick of going there...'
'We promise, Clay. We are here for you and will do anything to make you feel safe,' George said.
I lifted my hand up, my fingers a dark shade of purple and my wrist slowly turning more into an S-shape...
'You can't keep-,' Sapnap started, but George shushed him.
'We promised we wouldn't take him to the hospital. I know it's hard to see him suffer, but it's his choice. I get the feeling you've been in the hospital quite a lot lately and I understand you don't want to go there anymore.'
'Don't tell anyone, I'm begging you,' I mumbled. 'I didn't see a way out anymore and... you said it's never too late to ask for help just after I took a picture with the text "save me". I can't wait for saving if no one knows I need saving...'
George wrapped an arm around me and smiled shortly. 'I believe God will also be there if you ever need someone to save you. We may be able to be here, but He can truly save you.'
'I don't believe in God anymore. He wouldn't let me suffer this much if He was real and loving, right?'
'God doesn't want you to suffer, but He can't help you either when you don't ask for help. He is there to jump in at any second, you just have to ask. It won't just be fixed within a second, but there will be a way for you to get out of this situation, just like you found a way to talk to us.'
'Can you... pray for me?' I asked as I curled up in George's arms. 'And the project?'
'I'll pray for you a million times if you want me to and that project can suck my ass. I don't care about it at all, you are way more important right now. I would rather redo this year to be with you than pass and ditch you.'
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