Beating me down.
Beating me, beating me down.
Down, into the ground.
Screaming so sound.
Beating me beating me down.
Down. Into the ground.


Korn-- Falling Away From Me



"I had a lot of fun at the movie's Matt." Mimi said smiling at him.

"Me too." he said. "You wanna come in?" he asked, as he open the front door to his apartment.

"Sure." she said happily, as she took a step in. At once, Matt turned on the lights, and threw his keys on the small table near the door. "Nice place you have here." she said amazed at how two men could keep their apartment so neat.

"You want something to drink?" he asked her, leaning on the door frame.

"Anything you have will be great." she said looking at him.

"Coming right up beautiful." he said winking, as he made his way to the kitchen.

Mimi couldn't help but giggle. She sat down on his plush leather couch, and inhaled deeply.

Things couldn't be going more perfect for them. They had been dating for five months now, and as far as she was concerned, their relationship was perfect.

She yawned, without really thinking, as Matt came back with two large cups of tea.

"You tired?" he asked concerned, as he took as seat next to her.

"Kinda. It's midnight after all." she smiled.

"You wanna crash here tonight? Your house is pretty far away."

"Since when are three blocks, a long way?" she said laughing.

"Since I said it was." he said leaning in and kissing her. "I don't want you ever leaving me." he muttered in between kisses.

"I'm not going anywhere." she said reassuringly. "Except maybe bed."

"You know what, just take my bed. I'll sleep on the couch."

"Really?" she said.

"Really." he replied, kissing her cheek. He took her hand, and guided her through the maze of an apartment he had. "I don't know why we had to move." he said sighing.

"This place is a lot bigger than your old one." she said marveling at the misty blue walls. "It's beautiful though." she said as she passed an antique candle holder on the wall.

Mahogany clocks littered each wall she passed. There were large oak chests at the end of every hallway, and beautiful woven carpets lay across the cherry red, hardwood floors.

"Finally." Matt said, as they came across a wooden door. He pushed it open to reveal a bright room. Like the rest of the house, his walls were blue, and his floor was the same, red color.

He had a large bed leaning on one of his walls, with a pale green comforter. His guitar and a bunch of music sheets, were spilled across the floor. His garbage can was filled to the brim with small, crumpled balls of failed songs.

"Sorry it's kind of a mess." he said scooping up the sheets of music.

"Messy? Have you seen my room?" she said passing her hand over the large bureaux, with a large mirror. Picture of herself and Matt were posted onto it, forming a border around it. She admired his whole room throughly, before she took a seat on his bed.

She screamed in surprise, as she sank right into it. "You have a water bed?" she said, as her heart still raced.

"Yep." he said proudly.

"I'm surprised it hasn't popped on one of your spikes." she said giggling,

"Hey." he said offended.

"Well it's true! With all the hair-spray and gel you use.....ah!" she said, as he

rushed over to her, and tackled her lightly, into a huge hug.

The impact caused both of them to fall back, laughing. Matt looked intently into Mimi's massive amber eyes, taking in their awesome beauty.

"You are the most beautiful person I know." he said as he passed his fingers through her hair. "Inside and out."

"Matt." Mimi said. "You're the most wonderful boyfriend in the entire world." she said kissing him lightly.

Matt wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "I love you." he whispered in her ear.

Mimi pulled away from his kiss. "What?" she said shaking.

"I said I love you." Matt repeated again. She could tell he was putting his heart and soul on his sleeve, braving the silence with his head up. Inside, he must have been dying.

She smiled at him, as she reached out and stroked his cheek. "I love you to Matt."

Matt's whole body began to breathe again. He smiled, and laughed at the same time, not knowing wether to be happy or start breaking down into tears. He pulled her close to him, hugging her tightly. "My life couldn't get any better." he told her.

Just then, the door slammed shut, and Matt winced. "Oh man...." he muttered, as he grabbed a bunch of sheets, and walked out of the room. "No matter what happens, don't come out of this room." he warned her.

"Matt," she said fearfully. "What's going on?"

"Nothing. Just promise me you won't leave the room, no matter what you hear. Okay?" he said, half nervous, half scared out of his mind.

"Matt," she started again.

"Promise me!" he said edgily. It was as if a time bomb was about to go off.

"Fine." she whispered. "I won't."

"Good." he said, as he eyed the door. "I'll be back. Don't worry." with that, he left her in his room, shutting the door behind him.



Matt passed by one of the giant clocks that was hung on the wall. 'How could I have been so stupid?' he said, mentally slapping himself. 'Mimi could get hurt! You know he comes home around this time!'

With one final step, he entered the living room. Sucking in all his courage, he walked over to the couch, and placed all his blankets on it.

"What are you doin' outta bed." his dad said drunk out of his mind. A large bottle of alcohol was in his left hand, while his briefcase was in his other.

"It's too hot in my room." he lied. "So I decided to sleep on the couch."

"Boy.... yer an idiot." he stuttered, as he walked over to him clumsily. "Outta all the no good, rotten, trouble-makin', mistakes in this world, I end up with their king." he said chuckling.

Matt turned away, in an attempt to block out all the negative, hurtful things he was saying. He tried to ignore him, and continued placing his sheets on the couch.

"Look at me when I talk to ya boy!" he said, as he squeezed Matt's arm tightly, and spun around.

Matt gasped in pain, as his dad tightened his grip on his arm. The pain was so immense, he fell down, not able to stand anymore.

"And yer weak to." he said kicking him in the stomach.

Matt chocked, as he doubled over, and held his stomach tightly. The crushing blow sent pangs of hot fire through his stomach.

"Ya like that!" he said kicking him again. This time, in the side. Matt heard a deafening cracking sound, as he fell flat on the ground.

He squeezed his eyes shut, as his dad keep ramming his foot, in and out of his stomach.

Matt chocked back tears. He wouldn't let him see tears. That would only aggravate him more.

"You like that boy?" he said winding his leg back for a final time, sending the most crushing kick into his ribs.

Matt heard two snaps, as a wave of anguish soared through is stomach. It was like there was a fire inside him, and he had no way of putting it out. He rolled over, groaning, bitting down on his lip so hard, he drew blood. The pain was just unimaginable!

"Get up!" his dad barked at him. Matt slowly pushed himself up, trying as little as possible to move a muscle, that connected to his mid drift. "Faster than that!" he barked, as he pulled him up by the hair.

"Ah!" Matt screamed, as he was pulled upward by his bangs. His dad slapped his face, causing a large slash across it, because of the ring he wore.

"Baby!" he hissed, as he threw him into the wall. Matt moaned as his face made contact with the hard wall, causing his to fall backward, landing with a dull thud on his back.

He painfully turned himself over, in an attempt to even out the hurt, but to no such luck, as he heard a sharp snap. "Please don't..." he begged, as the tears he had been holding in, flowed openly. "Not that."

"Speak up Matt." he dad said, laughing drunkenly. He raised his hand, and brought down his weapon with extreme force and accuracy.

Matt screamed as the belt made contact with his skin. A ripping was heard, as it cut through his shirt, and imprinted itself. Scaring his back horribly.

He continued to cry, as the belt lashed out more and more. Getting stronger with each devastating blow.

Blindly, through tears, Matt could see a small amount of blood slip lightly over his back, cascading over his shoulders, onto his face and the floor.

He balled his fists, as his father brought his whip back one last time. Once he was finished beating his son, he lazily through his belongings onto the floor, and shuffled off to bed, leaving Matt to care for himself.

Matt stayed on the ground, crying for a long time. Just waiting long enough for his dad to get into bed, and fall asleep.

Once he was sure he was gone, he dragged himself back to his room, where he open the door slightly. He saw Mimi resting peacefully, asleep, totally unaware to what just happened.

'At least you're somewhere happy.' he thought, as he limply took his battered

body into the bathroom, in his room.



Mimi opened her eyes. They were completely red from crying. She had kept true to her promise to stay in her room, but she was so worried about him, she peeked out the door.

There, she saw the pale shadows, bouncing off the walls, replaying everything to her. She gasped as she watched what happened to him.

A piece of her died. She had felt everything he had gone through in that horrific hour. She experienced the most unbelievable amount of suffering, just watching them, but was too paralyzed with fear to do anything.

She turned her attention over to the door where Matt was now. She heard the shower turn on, and his soft moans, as the water hit his battered skin.

Mimi sat up, watching the door intently, waiting for him to come out. "Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered softly, as she flicked a tear off her cheek.

After several minutes, Matt opened the door. His back was heavily bandaged, but was also bruising and swelling rapidly. Mimi pretended to be asleep again, but when she heard his cry lightly, her head shot up.

"Matt!" she said aghast.

Matt spun around, and whipped on a white shirt he had just pulled out of his drawer. "Oh, did I wake you?" he said as cheerfully as possible. 'There is no way I'm dragging you into this.' he thought, as he looked at her gorgeous face.

"Matt." she whimpered faintly, as she hopped off his bed, and hugged him. He stiffened as her arms wrapped around him, but clutched onto her like a life support.

"Mimi. What's wrong?" he asked solicitous.

"I saw everything." she confided. "Why didn't you tell me?" she said breaking down into tears.

"I told you not to come out." he said numbly.

"I didn't." she said softly. "You need to get help Matt. He could kill you."

"No, he won't." Matt said holding back the urge to scream. "He won't."

"Matt please." Mimi begged. "Come to the police station with me or something. I don't want you to get hurt." she said crying more.

Matt casually took his hand, and wiped away a tear that had just fallen down her cheek. "I'm gonna be all right." he said reassuringly. "This isn't exactly the first time he's done this to me." he said bitterly.

Mimi gazed into his soulful blue eyes, wondering where he got his courage from. He smiled at her, making her knees go weak. "Get some sleep. I'll worry about him in the morning." he began to walk away, breaking free of her grasp, but Mimi clutched onto his arm.

"Please don't go. What if he comes back?" she said pleading.

Matt looked at her. She was trembling with fear for his safety. He noticed her eyes began trailing off to his shirt shoulder, so he looked for himself.

One of the whipping marks he had gotten, began to bleed again, cause a bright red stain to spread over his shirt.

"Shit." he cursed as he pulled off his shirt, so the blood didn't go any farther. Mimi gasped at the sight of his bare stomach.

"Matt." she said rushing over. She lightly pressed her fingers over his crushed gut, and shook violently. There were long scars that covered his almost every inch of his skin, highlighted by red burns, and the new bruises and scrapes.

"He quickly put his shirt back on, and looked at her. "Just go to bed Mimi."

"No." she said stubbornly. "We're going to the police Matt! You have to tell on him!"

"Don't make me do that." he hissed. "Mimi. He's all I have." he sighed heavily. "When Tk killed himself, my mom moved far away. I don't even know if she's in Japan."

Mimi remembered that event all to well. Kari had been killed at school, and Tk hung himself months after. That was when Tai had broken up with her, because his family decided to move to Europe. To just start over. Not only because of Kari, but because shortly after, Tai became addicted to some dangerous drugs.

"Matt, something bad always happens, but something good always follows! I mean, look at what happened to me! Christ, I was raped! But after I told someone, it got better. He went to jail, like your dad will!"

Matt stiffened. As much as he hated his dad, he didn't want him in jail. He needed him, no matter how much he wanted to deny it.

"Tai helped me. And I want to help you." she said beseeching.

Matt felt a wave of hot pain flow through his body. This time, it was physical pain, but a deep emotional pain, that he knew he would one day have face. As much as he tried to place it out of his mind, he couldn't. "Mimi," he creaked, "do you still love Tai?"

Mimi looked at him with intense anger. "Stop changing the subject Matt!"

"You didn't answer me." he said acidly. "Do you, or do you not love Tai?"

"Tai will always be my first love, ad he will forever hold a special place in my heart." she said solemnly. "But I love you now."

Matt looked at her intensely. Over the years, he could always pick up on when she was lying. She wasn't now, which made him feel better, even thought he was in so much pain.

"Mimi, I'm sorry." he said apologetically. "I didn't mean to do that to you."

"I know you didn't." she said passing a hand through his damp hair, ruffling it lightly. "Just promise me that you'll consider the police, if this ever happens again."

"I will." he said kissing her cheek. "Now will you go to bed?"

"Okay." she said semi relieved. Matt let her hand go, and began walking out the door. He turned around, midway there.

He looked at her, and walked back. 'If he comes in here, I'm going to be here

to protect you.' he thought. "On second thought, I think I'll stay im here." he said trying not to alarm her. He remembered some times his dad would try to get another good crack at him when he wasn't expecting it.

"Okay." Mimi said pushing over. Matt sat down next to her, and smiled, as he lied down on his back, with much discomfort. Mimi took his hand in hers, as he wrapped his none bleeding arm around her, once again drawing her close to him.

That night, he fell asleep with her perfume dancing in his nostrils, sending him into the happiest sleep he had ever been in. That night, he didn't relive the awful experience, but dreamed of a joyful, love, filled dream, with only himself and Mimi.





Over the next few weeks, Matt had kept quiet about his nightly visits from his father. Mimi had asked him every day if he was all right, and he put on a fake smile, and lied through his teeth.

One night, his dad had walked into the house at 2 am, and dragged him out of bed, into his bathroom. He had held his head underwater until his face had turned blue, and he was begging for air. Another night he had gotten so drunk, he kept assaulting him with an empty champagne bottle.

"Matt, you don't look well." Mimi said one day, after they had come out of English.

"I was up late last night." he said sleepily. "But not on what you think." he said lying again.

"Oh." was all she said. "You still don't look well."

'How would you look if your dad continually burned you with a cigarette for three hours?' he though subconsciously, as they entered their next class. First Aide.

Matt liked that class the best, and it was one of the only ones he payed attention in, because he would always learn how to treat the injuries his father gave him.

As he entered, he saw a policeman standing next to the teacher, talking amongst themselves.

The bell rang, and all the students took their seats. "Good afternoon class.: the teacher hummed excitedly. "Today we have a special guest speaker. Officer."

"Hello ladies and gentlemen." he officer said professionally. "Today, for this class, I will talk to you about a topic, many of you will, hopefully, never have to go through." he said as he walked in between the aisles of students. "Child abuse."



Matt walked into his home, throwing down his books angrily. His whole afternoon, was spent, being taught how to defend himself against someone who was going to hurt him.

He was furious with the cop, because he had no idea what it was like to be beaten black and blue, every day for as long as he could remember. He had no clue what's going through a persons' mind, when they're being hit or whipped. The only thing matt could ever remember thinking was, 'please don't kill me.'

'I just can't fight back!' he told himself. 'That would only agitate him more, and make the pain worse for me.' he ran to his room, and barricaded the door, with a chair.

The phone rang, and Matt checked his caller ID. 'Mimi.' he though, as he picked up the receiver.

"Hello. Matt?" Mimi said ecstatically.

"Yeah." he mumbled.

"Well," she said coyly, "I just phoned to ask when you're coming out

shopping with me."

"Shopping?" he said bewildered.

"You forgot didn't you." she said disappointed.

"Yeah." he said blushing, even though she couldn't see him.

"The prom silly! We are going right?" Mimi said worried.

"Oh!" matt said slapping his forehead. "The prom. Hey, of corse we're going! Why wouldn't we?"

"I just thought you didn't want to go." she said letting out a huge sigh.

"Let's see. I get to dance with the most beautiful girl in all of Japan, and I get to dress up like a penguin! What could be better than that?" he said jokingly.

Mimi giggled. "Pick me up at 2 tomorrow."

"AM or PM?" he said alarmed. He knew how crazy his girlfriend could get when it comes to shopping.

"PM baka." she said giggling. "Oh, I gotta go now. Bye!" with that she hung up.



Night of the Prom



Matt looked lovingly into Mimi's smiling face. "You look like a goddess." he said kissing her.

"You don't look half bad yourself." she said kissing back. Matt looked down at his black tuxedo. His coat reached below his knees, and he had a lily tucked into the small pocket on the side.

He twirled Mimi around, as her floor length lavender gown spun around her. Her hair gently hit his face, as she spun back into his arms gracefully.

"You see." he said matter-of-factly. "You were meant to be in my arms. You fit in them so perfectly."

"And I like being in your arms." she said as she kissed him, drawing backward glances from other couples.

The whole night continued just like that. A fairy tale. They danced and kissed and had the most wonderful carefree time of their lives.

They were named best dressed couple, the couple most likely to get married, and were prom king and queen.

After their perfect night had ended, Matt told Mimi he had to make a quick stop off at his place, but would be back shortly.

"I'll be back soon my queen." he said lightly kissing her lips. He then dashed off, up the stairs to his place.

"Damn." Mimi said. "He forgot his keys." she quickly grabbed them, and darted off, as fast as she could in 6 inch heels, to deliver his keys.

When she finally made it to his apartment, she found the door open, and heard a loud groaning.

"Matt!" she cried as she barged into the room. She found Matt lying on the floor, holding his right cheek with his hand. His dad had his crown in his hand, and the tip had a red blood stain on it.

"Mimi get out of here!" he screamed, as his dad rushed over to her. "No! Let her go!" he yelled as he grabbed her.

"Mimi is it?" his dad said, smiling mischievously. His breath wreaked of alcohol and tobacco. "You're the one my stupid son's in love with."

Mimi looked at him in fear. He spun her around so he could bet a good look at her. "I'll give Matt credit for one thing." he said. "He can sure pick a hot one!"

"Let her go!" Matt screamed again, lunging at him. He didn't know why he did it. Every muscle in his body was telling him not to move. But his heart was screaming out to save her.

He wouldn't let his father harm her. Cause if he did, Matt would hurt him. Even thought it was almost physically impossible, he was going to save her.

"Idiot." he snarled, as he batted him away like a fly. He released Mimi temporarily, but it still wasn't enough time for her to run.

Matt shook off the dizziness, and went back for another attack. He managed to sucker punch him in the stomach, winding him.

His dad hit him hard across the face. "Now you've done it." he spat. He raised his hand back to smash it into his face.

"No!" Mimi cried, as she ran forward, to try and block the shot. All she did was run into his fist, as it was pulled back.

She staggered back clutching her face. Matt's eyes filled with anger. He suddenly got an invisible boost, as he tackled his father, sending themselves flying out the door, into the hall.

Both jumped to their feet, and began swinging wildly. Most of his fathers punches missed him, because he was so intoxicated, so Matt had the upper hand.

He waited till he had swung, before he took a shot at him. "You know what Matt." he growled. "As soon as I'm done killing you, I'm going after your pretty girlfriend." he said laughing.

"Never!" Matt screeched, as he darted toward the older man. He had no control over his body, as he violently hit him, sending him fumbling backward. "Watch out!" Matt screamed as his father hit the edge of the stairs. But by that time, it was too late.

Matt looked down at his father, who was lying in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. His neck area was swollen, and his eyes were opened wide.

Mimi came over to his side slowly. She looked down with him, turning her head away.

"A least this world has one less monster in it." he said spitefully. He looked over at Mimi. "If I leave for America tonight, would you come with me?"

Mimi looked at him unsure, but she knew her answer. "Yes." she said breathlessly.

"Then let's get going." he said grabbing her hand, and guiding her down the stairs.



EPILOGUE

Matt and Mimi disappeared that night. They took their life savings, and set off for a life together somewhere far away from all the memories that plagued them in their old home.

Mr. Ishida's body was found by the landlord the next morning. Because he was so drunk, it was ruled an accidental death, with no one even suspecting it was Matt.

Now, Mimi and Matt are happily married, living somewhere in Canada with their two children. They live perfectly normal lives, with a beautiful family.

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