Silent Heartbeats - 12. Chapter 12: Jeremy is losing it and Carter doesn't remember what he did to cause his rage.

The tranquility of Jeremy's house was suddenly shattered by the unmistakable sound of glass breaking from upstairs. The crash echoed through the quiet hallways, startling everyone present. Instantly, the household was thrown into chaos.

Laura was the first to react, her heart leaping into her throat as she instinctively rushed toward the stairs, her feet moving faster than her mind could process. Jeff, who had been sitting silently in the living room, shot up from his seat, his face draining of color as he followed his mother. Elena, who had just walked through the front door, heard the commotion and immediately sprinted after them, her heels clicking frantically on the hardwood floor.

Reaching Jeremy's room, they found the door tightly locked from the inside. The worried group exchanged frantic glances as they began banging on the door, their voices rising in a chorus of desperate calls.

“Jeremy!” Laura shouted, her voice trembling with fear. “Please, open the door! What's happening?”

But there was no response, only the terrifying sound of another crash from within, followed by the sickening shatter of glass breaking. Laura’s breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, she felt as though she might collapse. The fear that something was terribly wrong with her son clawed at her insides, squeezing her heart in a vice grip.

“What’s happening to him?” she cried, tears spilling down her cheeks as she leaned against the door, her voice breaking. “What’s happening to my son?”

Jeff, equally worried, placed his hands on the doorknob, twisting it forcefully, but the door wouldn't budge.

“Jeremy!” he shouted, his voice a mix of anger and fear. “Open the door, damn it!”

The only answer was a heavy thud from inside, something large falling over. Jeff's eyes widened in alarm, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios. Without a moment’s hesitation, he turned to the others.

“Move!” Jeff ordered, his voice tight with determination as he stepped back from the door.

He braced himself and then threw his shoulder against the wood, trying to force it open. The first attempt yielded nothing but pain shooting through his arm. The door groaned but held firm. He tried again, and again, each time with more desperation, his muscles straining until, with one final push, the door gave way.

The sight that greeted them froze everyone in the doorway. The room was a complete wreck. Ethan's things, which Jeremy had always kept meticulously arranged, were scattered across the floor. Picture frames lay shattered, their glass shards glinting ominously in the light. Portraits of Ethan, once hung with care, were now strewn about, some torn from their frames. Books and other mementos were flung across the room in a chaotic heap. The destruction was so thorough, so violent, that it took everyone's breath away.

Jeremy stood in the far corner of the room, near a large broken mirror. He was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling like a man who had just come out of a fierce battle. Sweat poured down his face, his hair disheveled, and his eyes wild and unfocused. He stared blankly at his reflection in the fractured mirror, his face contorted with an expression that was a mix of anguish and confusion.

His hands were trembling, clutching his sides as if trying to hold himself together. The raw pain in his eyes reflected the jagged pieces of the mirror, showing a man on the verge of a breakdown, lost in a turmoil of emotions too deep for words.

“Jeremy,” Laura whispered, her voice trembling as she took a cautious step forward, her heart breaking at the sight of her son in such a state. “Jeremy, what have you done?”

But Jeremy didn’t respond. His eyes were locked onto the broken mirror, his breathing ragged and uneven. Laura took a deep, steadying breath as she cautiously moved closer to her son, her eyes darting around the chaotic mess that Jeremy had caused. Her heart ached at the sight of the shattered remnants of Ethan’s memories, strewn across the floor like broken dreams. She tried to piece together what could have pushed Jeremy to such a state, but nothing made sense. The anguish on his face, the wildness in his eyes—it was unlike anything she had ever seen in him.

Jeremy’s breaths were harsh and ragged, each one seeming to tear through him with a ferocity that matched the destruction around him. Suddenly, he gripped the already broken mirror with both hands and, with a violent thrust, dropped it to the floor. It shattered into countless shards, the sound piercing through the silence like a scream.

Everyone flinched at the sudden, violent act. Jeff’s eyes widened in horror, and Elena gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. The fear in the room was palpable, and Laura felt her own heartbeat quicken, a mix of panic and maternal concern coursing through her veins.

“Jeremy,” Laura called softly, her voice trembling as she carefully stepped over the broken glass, trying to reach him.

Her hands trembled as she extended them toward him, desperate to make contact, to soothe whatever storm was raging inside of him. She finally reached his side and gently touched his shoulder, her touch as light as a whisper. “Jeremy, please, what’s going on?”

But Jeremy jerked away from her touch, his eyes snapping to hers with a look that made her blood run cold. His eyes were bloodshot, the whites consumed by an angry red, and veins stood out starkly against his pale skin. His entire body was shaking uncontrollably, like a taut wire about to snap.

Laura gasped in shock, her hand flying to her chest as she took a step back.

“Jeremy, please,” she pleaded, her voice breaking with fear and worry. “What’s happening? Why are you doing this?”

Jeremy just stared at her, his gaze unfocused and wild, as if he were seeing something that wasn’t there. His silence was more terrifying than any words could have been, a deep void of pain and anger that threatened to pull him under.

“Jeremy, you’re scaring everyone,” Laura said softly, reaching out again to touch his arm. “Please, talk to us. Tell us what’s wrong.”

Suddenly, Jeremy’s voice burst out, raw and harsh, echoing through the room like a clap of thunder. “Get out!” he screamed, his voice cracking with the force of his emotion. “All of you, get out!”

Jeff stepped forward, his face pale but resolute. “We can’t leave you like this, Jeremy,” he said, his voice steady but firm. “We just want to help—”

“I said get out!” Jeremy roared, his voice filled with such fury that it made everyone flinch.

He began to lose control, grabbing things from the dresser and throwing them to the floor with reckless abandon. The sound of objects crashing filled the room, and Laura felt her heart constrict with fear.

Jeff quickly moved to his mother’s side, wrapping a protective arm around her.

“Mom, we need to leave him alone for now,” he urged, his voice low and urgent. “It’s not safe to stay here.”

“No,” Laura protested, shaking her head fiercely, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I can’t leave him like this, Jeff. He’s my son!”

“We have to,” Jeff insisted, his grip tightening on her arm as Jeremy threw another picture frame against the wall, shattering it into pieces. “He needs some time to calm down.”

After a few agonizing moments, Laura nodded reluctantly, her heart breaking as she let Jeff guide her out of the room. Elena followed close behind, her face pale and drawn. Jeff closed the door behind them, the sound of Jeremy’s anguished screams and the crash of breaking objects still echoing from inside.

Laura leaned heavily against Jeff, her body shaking with silent sobs as they walked away from the room. She could still hear Jeremy’s screams, each one tearing at her heart, and she knew that whatever had driven her son to this point, it was something that had cut him deeply, something that none of them could reach or heal.

Jeff let go of his mother, his face tight with worry. "I need to go check on the twins," he said, glancing toward the stairs. "They shouldn't be anywhere near this. Elena, could you stay with Mom?"

Elena nodded, her eyes filled with concern. "Of course, Jeff. Go take care of the boys."

With a quick, determined nod, Jeff hurried off, his footsteps echoing down the hallway. The moment he disappeared from view, Elena moved closer to Laura, who was still in tears, her body shaking with silent sobs. Gently, Elena placed a comforting hand on Laura’s back, rubbing it in slow, soothing circles.

“It’s going to be alright, Laura,” Elena said softly, her voice calm and reassuring. “Jeremy is a strong man. He’s been through so much, but he’ll overcome this. I know he will.”

Laura suddenly turned to look at Elena, her eyes blazing with a mixture of grief and anger.

“How can you say that?” she snapped, her voice sharp as she furiously rubbed her tears away with the back of her hand. “You’re the one to blame for all of this!”

Elena recoiled slightly, her hand dropping from Laura’s back as she stared at her in shock. “Blame? For what?” she asked, her voice a mixture of confusion and disbelief. “How am I at fault, Laura?”

“You know exactly how!” Laura’s voice trembled with anger as she pointed a finger at Elena. “I’ve been quiet for too long, but I can’t hold it in anymore. You’re the one who gave birth to Ethan. You’re the one who moved so close to us when we were living peacefully, and now look at what’s happened!”

Elena’s face drained of color as she took a step back, her eyes widening. “Laura, I don’t understand. How is that my fault? I had no idea…”

“If you hadn’t moved near us,” Laura interrupted, her voice rising in pitch, “Jeremy wouldn’t have met Ethan. He wouldn’t have fallen in love with him, and they wouldn’t have gotten married. If they hadn’t gotten married, none of this would be happening! My son wouldn’t be suffering like this, hopelessly in love with someone who left him. He would have found someone more worthy, someone who would have made him happy. But no, now my son is suffering all because of you!”

Elena’s mouth opened in stunned silence, her eyes brimming with hurt. She had never seen Laura this angry before, never imagined that she harbored such resentment. “Laura, I... I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I didn’t know Ethan would…”

“You didn’t know?” Laura’s voice cracked, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “That’s just it, Elena. You never knew. You never cared about what would happen to Jeremy or any of us. My son is suffering because of your son. How do you expect me to forgive that?”

Elena’s face tightened with a mixture of pain and sorrow.

“Laura, I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the tension in the room. “I love Jeremy too. He is like my son, and I never wanted any of this for him. But you can’t blame me for the choices they made, for the love they shared. Seeing him suffer hurts me just as much as it hurts you. I would do anything to take away his pain, to help him heal…”

But Laura cut her off, her voice sharp and filled with a bitterness that pierced through Elena's words.

“He isn't your son, Elena! Your son is dead, and now you're just trying to make Jeremy's life miserable too!”

Elena flinched as if struck, tears welling up in her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. She opened her mouth to speak, but Laura's fury silenced her.

“Do you have any idea how it feels, seeing my son—my only son—turn to you for comfort instead of me?” Laura's voice shook with a mix of anger and deep-seated pain. “You’ve taken my place in his life. Every time he has a problem, every time he feels lost, he runs to you. You’re more of a mother to him than I am, and it breaks my heart! All I want is to embrace him, to be there for him, but I always feel like an outsider in my own son’s life!”

Elena's tears flowed freely now, each word from Laura cutting deeper than the last. She felt a lump in her throat, the pain of being caught between her own grief and the agony of a mother who felt replaced. Elena had no words, her mouth opening and closing in silence, the tension between them so thick it was almost suffocating.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway, breaking the heavy silence. Laura turned her head quickly, her eyes widening as she saw Dexter walking toward them, his face etched with fatigue and worry.

“Dexter,” Laura called out, her voice a mix of relief and urgency. She rushed towards him, her steps quick and desperate.

Dexter looked at her, concern evident in his tired eyes. “What’s going on, Mom?” he asked, his voice low but filled with worry as he glanced between her and Elena.

Laura gripped Dexter's hands tightly, her eyes brimming with fresh tears.

“It’s Jeremy,” she said, her voice trembling. “Something’s terribly wrong. He locked himself in his room, and when we finally got in, he was in such a state... destroying everything... It’s like he’s losing his mind. Do you know what happened? You were with him at the event, right? Did something happen there that upset him?”

Dexter's face clouded with confusion as he tried to recall the events of the previous night. “I... I haven't seen Jeremy since last night,” he muttered, looking lost. “He left, and I didn't see him again. But...” His voice trailed off as if he was piecing together a puzzle in his mind.

Suddenly, a flash of realization crossed his features, and he looked up at Laura with a mixture of anger and disbelief. “That stupid boy who's always hovering around him... Carter. He was there last night. And come to think of it, he disappeared around the same time Jeremy did.”

Laura's face turned pale, her heart sinking at Dexter's words. “When Jeremy arrived,” she murmured, “he said that Carter had betrayed him.”

Dexter groaned in anger, his fists clenching at his sides. “That boy... He must have done something to upset Jeremy,” he growled, his voice thick with rage. “I'm not letting him get away with this. Not this time.”

Without a second thought, Dexter turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, his steps heavy with determination. Laura quickly followed behind him, her face pale with worry but her mind set on finding out what had happened.

Elena watched them go, her own heart heavy with worry and confusion. She rubbed her tears away, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of the chaos unfolding before her. She felt a pang of fear for both Jeremy and Carter, wondering what could have happened between them to cause such a rift. The tension in the house was palpable, and she could only hope that whatever had transpired could be resolved before it was too late.

***

Carter entered his small apartment, his feet dragging heavily across the floor. His body ached with exhaustion, his head feeling light and throbbing slightly from the aftermath of the previous night's drinking. He let out a weary sigh as he dropped his bag onto the floor and collapsed onto the couch, taking a deep breath as he sank into the cushions. His body felt as if it had been battered, every muscle sore and stiff. His mind was hazy, and there were large gaps in his memory of the night before, a foggy blur of laughter, drinking, and pain.

He raised a hand to his temple, rubbing it gently in an attempt to ease the headache that was starting to pound behind his eyes. Just as he began to relax, a harsh knock shattered the silence of the room, the sound so forceful it felt as if someone was trying to break the door down. Carter's head jerked up, his heart skipping a beat as he stared at the door, wondering who could possibly be pounding like that.

With a mix of curiosity and dread, he forced himself to his feet and trudged over to the door. As soon as he unlocked it and pulled it open, Dexter barged in, his face contorted in fury.

“What the hell did you do to Jeremy?” Dexter demanded, his voice sharp and accusatory.

Carter blinked, taken aback by the sudden intrusion. “What are you talking about?” he asked, confusion written all over his face. “I haven't seen Jeremy since last night.”

Dexter's eyes narrowed, his frustration mounting. “Don't play dumb with me!” he shouted. “What did you do to him? He came home looking like he’d been through hell, and it’s all because of you!”

Before Carter could process Dexter’s words, an angry voice behind him sent a chill down his spine. He froze, slowly turning around to see Laura standing in the doorway, her eyes blazing with anger and hatred.

“I never liked you,” Laura spat, her voice laced with venom. “From the moment I set my eyes on you, I knew you were nothing but trouble. And I was right. You’ve turned my son into something I can’t even recognize anymore!”

Carter stared at her, bewildered and hurt. “What… what did I do?” he stammered, his mind struggling to grasp the situation.

Laura’s face twisted with rage. “That’s what I’m here to find out!” she yelled. “Jeremy left home happy, and he came back looking like a monster! The only thing he said was that you betrayed him.”

She stormed toward Carter, her finger pointed accusingly at his chest. “What did you do to my son, Carter? Tell me!” Her voice cracked with a mixture of anger and desperation, her emotions raw and exposed.

Carter stumbled back, his mind racing as he tried to piece together the fragments of his memory from the previous night. "I… I don’t know," he whispered, panic creeping into his voice. "I don’t remember…"

Laura’s eyes widened with disbelief, and she shook her head in frustration.

“You don’t remember?” she echoed, her voice dripping with contempt. “How convenient.”

Carter looked at Laura, his face pale and eyes wide with fear and confusion.

“I honestly don’t know what I did,” he pleaded, his voice trembling. “I didn’t interact with Jeremy that much at the event. I saw him leave, but he was in pain—like something triggered him during the event. And...”

He paused, squinting as hazy memories began to surface in his mind, fleeting and unclear. Images of Jeremy at the bar, his face flushed and his eyes glazed with alcohol, flitted through his thoughts.

Carter raised his face, his expression uncertain.

“I’m not sure, but I think I saw him drinking at the bar,” he said slowly, struggling to piece together the fragments of his recollection.

Before he could say more, Dexter grabbed his arm, yanking it painfully.

“You’re lying!” Dexter snarled, his face twisted with rage. “I saw you throwing yourself at Jeremy throughout the event, even when it was clear he didn’t want you there. Maybe that’s what set him off, what pushed him into this state!”

Carter winced, pain shooting up his arm. With a sudden burst of anger, he wrenched his arm free from Dexter’s grip.

“Let go of me!” he shouted, his voice fierce. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. “I wasn’t throwing myself at Jeremy,” he said firmly, his eyes locking onto Dexter's with a fiery intensity. “I had no reason to. I was there because of work, nothing more.”

Dexter’s eyes narrowed, his lip curling in contempt. “I can see right through your ugly, lying face,” he sneered. “Stop pretending and tell us what you did to Jeremy!”

Carter felt his patience snap. “You're barking up the wrong tree!” he shot back, his voice rising in frustration. T

he words seemed to hang in the air, leaving Dexter momentarily stunned. He gasped, his face a mix of shock and fury.

Laura snapped, her expression a blend of anguish and fury. “Whatever you did, I want you to reverse it!” she demanded, her voice shaking with emotion. “Jeremy is not himself, and it’s your fault!”

Before Carter could respond, Laura lunged forward, gripping his arm with surprising strength. “You’re coming with me,” she hissed, her grip tightening painfully. “And you’re going to fix this, one way or another.”

Carter barely had a moment to react before he was being dragged out of his apartment, Laura's iron grip on his arm guiding him forcefully toward the doorway. Dexter followed closely behind, his expression dark and threatening, leaving Carter with a sinking feeling of dread as he was pulled into the unknown.

***

Jeremy sat slumped in a chair, his eyes glazed over, staring blankly into space. The room around him felt like a distant blur, a foggy battlefield of broken memories and shattered glass. His head pounded with a relentless headache, each throb sending waves of pain through his temples, mingling with the torment of haunting memories that flashed before his eyes—fleeting images of Ethan, laughter that quickly turned to echoes of grief. His heart raced and bled simultaneously, a sensation so visceral it left him breathless. His fists were clenched tightly, knuckles white, as his entire body trembled with the overwhelming weight of his confusion and pain.

Jeremy’s eyes were bloodshot, the redness making him look haunted. His body was slick with sweat, and his muscles quivered uncontrollably. He felt trapped, unable to escape the turmoil that ravaged his mind and soul. His thoughts were a chaotic whirlwind, swirling with anger, regret, and a sense of profound loss that he didn’t know how to process.

Suddenly, his tortured reverie was broken by a tiny, innocent voice.

“Daddy?”

Jeremy froze, his breath catching in his throat. Slowly, he raised his head, blinking as if coming out of a trance. In the doorway stood Andrew, his young son, looking both worried and scared. The boy’s eyes darted around the room, taking in the chaotic mess—the broken picture frames, the shattered glass, the remnants of a past that was sacred to his father. Andrew hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

“Daddy, can we go to the park? And get some ice cream?” Andrew’s voice was soft, tentative, a small plea for normalcy amid the chaos.

Jeremy closed his eyes tightly, pinching the bridge of his nose as if trying to block out the noise in his head.

“I can’t do it now, Andrew,” he replied, his voice strained, barely holding together. “Not now.”

Andrew’s face fell, his small shoulders slumping. “But I want to go now,” he insisted, his voice barely a whisper.

Jeremy’s eyes snapped open, narrowing in frustration. “I said I can’t, Andrew,” he repeated, his tone sharper this time, more forceful. “I’m not feeling well.”

“But, Daddy—” Andrew started, his voice tinged with a child’s persistence.

“Just listen to me!” Jeremy suddenly snapped, his voice booming. “I said I’m not in the mood! Just go!”

Andrew gasped, his eyes wide with fear. Tears welled up in his eyes, and without another word, he turned and ran, his small footsteps echoing down the hallway as he cried. Jeremy sat there, his chest heaving with harsh, ragged breaths. His anger bubbled over, and in a fit of frustration, he slammed his fist against the table, the impact sending a jolt through his body. He gripped his hair, pulling at it in a desperate attempt to ground himself, but it was no use. He was spiraling, and there was nothing to hold onto.

As Jeremy sat in his turmoil, the door creaked open, and Carter stepped inside, his movements cautious. His eyes widened in shock as he took in the scene before him. The room was a wreck, with broken pictures of Ethan scattered across the floor, along with other cherished belongings. It was a sight that Carter had never imagined he would see—Jeremy, who held Ethan’s memory so sacred, had never allowed anything to happen to his belongings. To see them now, destroyed in such a violent outburst, left Carter stunned and speechless.

Jeremy groaned in anger, his eyes squeezing shut as he tried to block out the world. But then a voice broke through his fury.

“What’s going on, Jeremy?” Carter asked, his voice hesitant but filled with concern.

Jeremy’s eyes snapped open, and his head whipped around. When his gaze landed on Carter, something inside him snapped. His vision went red, and he rose slowly from the chair, his body trembling with barely contained rage. His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked. Carter had never seen Jeremy so furious, so consumed by anger.

Carter’s mouth trembled as Jeremy took slow, deliberate steps toward him, his eyes blazing with a fire that made Carter’s blood run cold.

“How could you talk to your son like that?” Carter managed to ask, his voice barely above a whisper, fear making his heart race.

Jeremy’s response was a low, guttural growl.

“Get out of my room!” Jeremy roared, his voice echoing off the walls. “I don’t want to see you ever again!”

Carter frowned, his mind racing as he tried to understand what was happening. He took a deep breath, steeling himself.

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s wrong with you!” he shouted back, his own anger flaring. “This isn’t like you, Jeremy! You seemed fine yesterday and now you’ve turned into this person, even shouting at your own son? What happened?”

Jeremy’s face contorted with rage, and he took another step forward.

“Get out!” he bellowed again, but Carter held his ground.

“Not until you explain this!” Carter shouted, pointing at the broken picture frames and scattered belongings. “You loved Ethan more than anything, and now you’re destroying everything that reminded you of him? What’s going on?”

Jeremy’s eyes flashed with something dark and dangerous. “You want to know what's wrong?” he hissed, his voice a venomous whisper. “You did this. You caused all of this.”

Carter shook his head, his heart pounding in his chest. “What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything.”

Before Carter could react, Jeremy lunged forward, grabbing him by the collar and shoving him hard against the wall. Carter’s breath was knocked out of him, his back slamming against the wall with a painful thud. He gasped, his eyes wide with fear as he stared into Jeremy’s enraged face, a raised fist poised just inches from his face.

Carter’s body trembled, his eyes filling with tears as he looked into Jeremy’s lifeless, red, teary eyes. Who was this man standing before him, this stranger who looked like Jeremy but acted like a madman? He couldn’t recognize him, couldn’t understand the depth of the pain and anger he was seeing.

Jeremy’s fist hung in the air, trembling as he fought against the overwhelming urge to hit Carter. His whole body shook with the effort, his mind a battlefield of conflicting emotions.

To be continued…