GONE

09

TOMMY

Pain.

That was the first thought that entered my mind as soon as my eyes began twitching open, causing me to grunt in response from the luminescent light that filtered brightly above me.

I grunt in response as my eyes finally adjust as I stare down at my body before me, expecting to find cuts and bruises everywhere but instead, there was just gauze wrapped around my torso. Confusion, I finally look up, ignoring the aching pain as I glance around.

We were no longer in that barred cage anymore but a small room. There was no windows, just a small door hidden in the corner. There was another door on the opposite corner which was slightly ajar to reveal a dirty pot which I imagined was the toilet, a small sink and a rusty looking shower beside it.

My eyes continued to roam around to find another mattress on the floor beside me and a small silhouette was huddled in the corner, my ears finally picking up on the faintest cries.

It was Grace.

Her small frame was huddled into almost a small ball as her thinly long arms were wrapped around her. Her blonde hair was matted and rugged as it lay lifeless behind her.

I took a deep breath as I close my eyes.

Every single ache that burned from my body began to burn in my heart as my thoughts go back to what had just happened a few hours ago. I remember seeing her face, in between the punches. She was naked, on all fours as he had attached a collar around her neck. She was crying, her eyes locked with mine.

But I couldn't look at her. Seeing her, being degraded and humiliated, her dignity barely hanging alive, I felt like an intruder watching her. My stomach churns at the memory as I try to block it out.

She reminded me so much of my Anna.

The girl I fell in love with. Shy, quiet but was the type to die for you, I was in love with her. She captured my heart in every single way but being the d*ckhead I was, I pretended like she didn't exist. I was rude to her, I pretended to even hate her just so I could hide my feelings.

But that all changed when she died. During all the time I was mean to her, ignoring her advances in public but being with her in private, she hadn't once managed to mention to me that she was dying. Cancer it was. She had been battling with it since she was 13.

And just like that, she was gone.

Why did grace remind me so much of her? They weren't anything alike. Grace was although a few years younger than me, she was one of the most popular girls at school. She was breathtakingly stunning but she had a group of friends, a boyfriend.

Anna was shy, quiet, kept to herself and only a small group of friends. There was no resemblance to them at all. Why did she remind me so much of her?

And why did it feel like I needed to protect her?

I hadn't realised I had been tightly balling my fist in anger as I tried to keep a steady thought.

He would pay.

For everything.

For kidnapping Grace, for kidnapping me. For almost killing me to humiliating the life out of her, anger boiled through my veins.

How I wished to rip his head from his body but not even that would suffice enough for the anger that raged through me.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I glance back at Grace to see her. She had turned over so now she was facing towards me, her puffy red eyes watching me in the distance.