Pain

Help Came

        He barely leaves now. I'm pretty sure that he's punishing me, for not doing what he wanted. I don't care though. I will fight for as long as I can. I just don't know how much longer that will be. Whenever I do sink into oblivion, he wakes me up with pain. My body is always broken now. My back feels shredded, I can barely breathe, my stomach feels like mush, my throat is raw, I'm always lightheaded, my fingers feel like they're on fire, and my ankle feels like it's about to snap.

        Right now I have a brief break, but I'm not completely sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I don't know if getting used to the sting makes it better or worse when he starts in again. I can hear footsteps on the floor above me, and I cringe. I try to steel myself as I hear the footsteps get closer. It's like he wants to torture me with just the thought of torture. Now they're clomping down the stairs. The door creaking open.

        My eyebrows furrow as I hear a gasp. That's not right. He already knows what he's done to me. How is he shocked? I raise my head, and as soon as I make eye contact with the person across the room I hear a string of profanities. I could care less though. Tears start to form in the backs of my eyes as I stare at the one person I wanted to see. The one person I knew would find me. He's here. Jace!

        My lips tilt up into the tiniest of smiles, and I whisper his name.

        "Jace," my voice is strong on that one word and I'm thankful. That one word was all he needed to hear to get him moving again. He runs across the distance separating us, and reaches up to undo the rope. He holds me for a second, and then sets me in the chair next to us. He starts working on untying the knots around my wrists, that kept me tied to the ceiling hanging like a piece of meat. All I can do as he works on my wrists is stare at him. He came.

        "You came for me," I can barely hear my own voice so how he hears me I don't have a clue. He looks up at me and whispers in a voice as soft as mine,

        "Of course I did."

        Once he has the knots around my wrists undone, he practically growls. I look down, and see that there's a raw and blistered ring around both my wrists. I look back up, and whisper

        "Get me out of here. Please," his eyes soften and he nods his head.

        He puts his arm around my shoulders, and I hold in my hiss of pain. I need to protect him now. He may have seen the videos, but he hasn't seen my back in the flesh yet. I need to keep it that way until we're out of this place. He moves his arm to around my waist, and propels us forward. I can barely hold myself up, and I can feel myself limping as we make our way to the door. Every step feels like agony, and I can't help but whimper as we go. He flashes me looks of concern, but I can't hold in everything or I'll explode. He pushes the door open with his foot, and we start up the two flights of stairs. By the time we get to the top I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it any farther.

        I want to stop and question Jace, but I know that now is definitely not the time so I bite my tongue. We're halfway across the room, the front door so close. Freedom so close. Thank goodness, I just want to leave. I want to-

        Next thing I know I'm sprawled on the floor, Jace lying next to me. I try to push myself up, but it's no use. My arms are like jello. I can't believe how weak I've become. I lift my head, and look into his face. He's glaring at Jace, and as he takes a step toward him I croak out,

        "Leave him alone."

        It doesn't have the force I meant it to, but it comes out nonetheless. He freezes, and looks at me with an amused look on his face.

        "Funny how you still have the 'strength' to stand up for yourself and others. Yet you can't even lift your own weight."

        Glaring at him I try to think of a way to get his attention solely on me.

        "You're sick you know that? I've been wondering why you even want me. Why that night wasn't enough for you. And I've figured it out. You're just a sick piece of nothing. You need attention. You crave it. But see you don't have it, because no one cares about you. And no one ever will," I look into his cold eyes as I tell him this and I can see the pain I've caused him. I've struck a nerve.

        He changes direction and comes towards me instead, and I praise whatever force is on my side. He grabs my hair, and yanks up. I yelp as I'm pulled to my feet. He flings me away from him, but I don't go very far. He's stalking back to me before I even hit the ground. He grabs my throat, lifts me, and slams me against the wall. My head flings back, and I can hear the sickening crack as it meets the wall. My eyes swim, and my head is ringing. I try to gasp in air, but nothing comes. My throat is getting sore, and I need to breathe. I desperately claw at his hands, arms, and face. He doesn't let go though. My legs cartwheel in the air, and I try to aim for his sweet spot.

        I know I've made contact when he suddenly lets go leaving me to drop to the floor. Falling like a sack of potato's. I can feel the reverberation in every bone of my body. I start army crawling towards Jace. We need to get out of here, like NOW. Something or someone grabs my ankles, and I reach out to Jace. I'm so close! I scream as he starts pulling me back, back to that room. I claw at the floor, and try to grab anything to slow his progress.

        "JACE! Jace help me! Please! JACE!"

        I cling to the doorway, the last thing I can hold before he inevitably drags me back. I stare at Jace willing him to wake up, to help me, to finish saving me. I know it's a lost cause, and I drop my head. A second before I'm pulled from the doorway I hear the front door bust open and light comes pouring in. Tumbling down the stairs I barely feel it my mind revolving around the thought that Jace will be saved. That I will be saved. And Lewis will be put in jail: finally getting what he deserves. With those three blissful thoughts I sink into an oblivion, I'm not sure I can come out of.