Hide (Sequel to RUN)

Chapter 2

Carly found my hand and squeezed it tightly as Macy zoomed out again and resumed the video. The boy, so obviously Aaron that Macy didn't even have to zoom in on his face, shed his boxers and crawled into the bed. I watched, unable to look away as the screen Aaron began to rape screen me. Macy turned the volume on the video up.

"I just wanted to be the one," the screen Aaron echoed the phrase that had been running through my head.

"Stop. Get off!" the screen me struggled against Aaron, trying to kick him off. Aaron just laughed, "I love it when you get feisty." I lashed out again. Aaron grunted, getting off of me at last.

"Well then, are we going to have to drug you?" he asked, his finger trailing down my side.

"No... I want you to be lucid when I do this. I want it to be real as possible."

A weight was constricting my lungs, making it hard to breathe. I had never known that their were cameras. Lansing's warning finally made sense.

"Oh my goodness," I whispered, horrified. "Why didn't you ever tell me there were cameras?"

Lansing shifted in his seat before answering, "Your therapist recommended that we didn't tell you."

"News flash. The therapist isn't always right," I whispered back fiercely. Macy paused the video and brought another one up.

"As for the hypnotism," Macy pushed another button, bringing up another video, "we have that too. There wasn't actually a camera in the bathroom, but there was one set up outside of it most likely to track customers. When the door is open, you can see right into the bathroom." The video began with some goons hustling the girls out of the bathroom. Then there was just Aaron, Cody, and I left in the bathroom. The video matched my story exactly.

I took a deep breath, keeping all my emotions in check. Carly reached over and took my hand, squeezing it gently as they stopped kicking me on screen.

Aaron leaned down and whispered something in my ear. When they resumed their fun, my screams pierced through the speakers.

My fingers tightened around Carly's, my back straightening and my chin rising. The toil of all the emotions inside me felt like a typhoon that was waiting to be unleashed into the realm of reality. The waves beat up against the walls of my heart, demanding to be let through.

The wall was too strong. It would not succumb to the typhoon.

I could practically feel everyone's eyes find me as the video finally ended.

"Is that enough proof for you, Mr. James?" Macy spat at Devon, whose face was now beat red from frustration.

"Why wasn't this evidence presented at the beginning of the trial?" he demanded. Macy took a deep breath, making a thinly veiled attempt to control her own frustration.

"Ms. Born was not aware of the fact that Mr. Lakuan had recorded her rape and beatings, Mr. James. We thought it best not to put her through any more reminders of what had happened due to the fact that the evidence that was presented gave all the proof one would need."

Macy had a wonderful, God-given gift. And that was to make people see how incredibly idjit-like they were being.

"Do you take pride in rattling a young girl's cage?" Macy leaned closer to Devon, putting enough force behind each word to derail a semi.

"Objection!" Devon protested obnoxiously. Punching him right then would've made my day a whole lot better.

"Sustained," the judge agreed grudgingly. It probably wasn't obvious to anyone but me, though. I wasn't the only one in the room practiced at hiding emotions.