Thread by @HZiauddeen

Home invasion:
(Fiction, CW: violence)

One of the strange things about having been homeless is just how long it takes for a home to start to feel like a truly safe place. I've been living with David for 2 years & I've only started sleeping better in the last few weeks.
1/12

Sleep is a helluva lot more restful when you aren't keeping an ear open at all times.
Then the bloody ear infection. Maybe something I picked up from the streets made it worse, the doc wasn't sure. Point is, it's buggered.
I'm totally deaf in my right ear.
2/12

And suddenly 2 years of recovery have just disappeared. The constant uneasiness is back, I can't sleep, all the vulnerability is back. It's different, but kinda the same.
I feel like wounded prey again but this time it's in my own home.
3/12

So here I am pacing the house at night. Maybe it's a bit like keeping patrol, just trying to make the house feel safe again. Or trying to make myself feel like I'm still ok, that I can still look after myself.
I notice I'm testing out my hearing again.
4/12

Without realising it, I've come to the foot of the stairs and have cocked my head, scanning the downstairs with my one functioning ear, checking to see that I can hear all the usual sounds. The hum of the refrigerator, the ticking of the clock, the scritching of-
5/12

The scritching of what? What on earth is making that sound. I run to the kitchen. I can't hear it anymore.
But the smell is unmistakable, I freeze. This is where he must have come in.
My stomach heaves, my legs wobble, I have to hide.
Then the scritching again.
6/12

Someone is in our house.
And he's upstairs! Me with this bloody deaf ear got it all wrong. The scritching was coming from upstairs.
"David! David! Wake up! there's someone in the house!"
But even I can barely hear myself. I'll have to go upstairs.
But I can't, I can't.
7/12

Oh no! Josh is staying over tonight. What if he hurts Josh?
I crash into the door but manage to stay on my feet. The scritching is louder and the smell makes me gag. I swallow & scramble up the stairs.
"David! David! Wake up!"
Fuck. How much had he had to drink?
8/12

He is there on the landing. Waiting.
The smell is overpowering but it is his size that staggers me. He is almost as big as me. And he stands there, an intruder in my house, insouciant in the violation he has inflicted on me.
For a moment he looks almost cowed, frozen.
9/12

Predator dressing up as prey.
Attack or be attacked. Street rules.
I am no longer thinking.
I lunge at him, he dodges. I slam into the wall.
I see him dash towards Josh's room.
I lunge again and knock him over. I have my weight on him now but bloody hell he's strong.
10/12

He's dragging me towards Josh's room. I can't seem to stop him.
He can't get in there.
I do the only thing I can think of. I bite his neck. Hard.
There seems to be blood everywhere. I don't let go.
Then he goes still.
"David! David! Oh god, I think I've killed him!"
11/12

The bedroom door opens.
"What the hell is going on here?"
"David! Oh thank god David, I've been screaming for-"
"What the hell?! Susan, you will not believe the fucking size of the rat the cat's brought in this time. It's almost as big as her!"
12/12