Breaking Eden - (rough draft)

7 - The Past That Haunts (not edited)

Video: I told You I Was Mean by Elle King

Just a reminder: The following chapter has not been edited yet by myself. This is a first raw rough draft. Please keep that in mind while reading. The writing might not be as fleshed out as past chapters. I'm taking a break from this book but have 6 or so chapters written that I want to post for all my readers. I'll be back to this book after NANO is over. In the mean time check out By Winter's End. If you enjoyed Breaking Eden then you WILL enjoy that book as well. Trust me. : 0 ) In the mean time here is what I have written the past few weeks just haven't had the time or energy to do self edits.

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6 - The Past That Haunts

                  Eden leaned against the wall and tried like hell to steady her steps. The throbbing in her side radiated up into her chest, tightening it, making it difficult to breath as she staggered on. Every now and then she had to take a break to catch her breath. It seemed like an eternity before she reached the end of the main hallway.

She headed right and found Matilda pacing in front of Eden's door. When the maid caught sight of Eden her hand flew to her mouth.

                  "I was afraid you would fight him." Matilda rushed forward and Eden collapsed into her arms.  Without pause, she ushered Eden into the room and over towards her bed. "You've taken an awful beating haven't you, Dearie?"

                  Eden remained emotionless and silent. Her thought swarmed with everything Declan had told her. How ugly and weak she was to him. But what hurt the most was his lack of affection in those last cold moments.

                  "Am I ugly?" Eden's eyes flitted up towards Matilda as she took her seat next to her.

                  "Why on earth would you think such a thing?"

                  "Because I'm starting to think it's true." The tears brimming in Eden's eye overflowed and all she could do was cry. "I don't want to be here anymore." She cried and winched as her caked lip cracked back open.

                  Matilda drew her into her arms. "You didn't sign the contract did you?" Her voice was feather light against Eden's hair.

                  Eden pulled away. "But I did sign them."

                  "Then why-"

                  "I can't sign my life away." Eden brought her fingers to her bleeding lip and saw the blood. "Is this what I have to look forward to, threats of beatings and rape if I don't obey his every word? I'd rather die."

                  "Don't you ever say such a thing like that again." Matilda was quick to answer. "You will learn to listen to him. When you do things will be different."

                  "I don't know if I'm strong enough to handle anymore." 

                  "How about I draw you a bath, Love? Get your mind off of things." Matilda cupped Eden's unharmed cheek. "Would you like that? The warmth will sooth your wounds and what it doesn't, my oils can fix." She didn't wait for Eden to answer. Instead, she abruptly stood and disappeared into the bathroom. Moments later the light pattering of water filling tub echoed out of the small space.

                  Eden stood and stumbled towards the vanity on shaky legs. She wanted to see herself in its mirror, more importantly; she wanted to see the damage Declan had caused. The person staring back at her was a stranger.

                   Her swollen lip was caked with drying blood. Streaks of drying blood smeared over her mouth. As for her cheek, it burned beneath her fingertips. Her gaze lowered to her darkening side. I'm lucky to be standing.

Probing lightly against her ribs, she inspected the damage and came to the same conclusion as Declan. They weren't broken but were heavily bruised. She could only imagine the pain she'd feel in the morning.   

                  Matilda existed the bathroom, catching Eden at the mirror and rushed forward. "You mustn't stand in your condition." She ushered Eden toward the tub and help her into the water.

                  She returned to the tub holding a glass of water and a little orange bottle of pills. "I've brought you something for the pain." Uncapping the bottle, she shook two pills into the palm of her hand and passed them to Eden.

                  Eden chased the pills with the water, draining the glass in a few short gulps.  

                  Matilda did her best to keep up the conversation but Eden remained silence, trapped in her own self-loathing as the other woman bathed her.

She had no desire to talk anymore than she had wanted to sit in the tub. 

What Declan said about her body, how her ass could be firmer, her breasts bigger, was a major blow to her ego. And, for the life of her, Eden couldn't understand why his option bothered her so much. The fact that he didn't want her and didn't find her attractive was driving her mad. It was as though the more Declan pushed her away and denied her praise the more she sought his affection out. 

Before she knew it the pain pills kicked in, dulling her aches and numbing her body. She allowed Matilda to dab at her cut lip with her concoctions of oils and tuck her into bed.

When Matilda turned the light out and shut the door, Eden rolled to her side and tried to get some sleep.

****Into the past****

                  A fourteen-year-old Eden lay on a stretcher. The paramedics above her were offering words of encouragement. "You're one of the lucky ones." The man near her head spoke as he pushed the stretcher past the master bedroom door. Beyond that threshold lay the mutilated corpuses of her parents.

                  They rushed to load Eden into the back of an ambulance. The gauze pressed to her abdomen was drenched in red. Before they could get the doors closed an altercation broke out near the front door.

Keelan was drug, kicking and screaming, from the house by two burly cops. Covered in blood and shrieking like a banshee, he cried out for his sister. "You tell them! You tell them God dammit, I ain't do shit!"

He slipped free and sprinted towards her. The manic depravity in his gaze made Eden scream for them to shut the doors.

One of the cops drew his gun. An order for him to stop was ordered. Then a shot rang out. Keelan pitched forward into the dirt, dropping face first into the dirt and lay still.

Eden began to scream.   

****Eden wakes up****

                  Eden jerked awake and winched at the pain in her body. I don't want to remember that day.

                  She threw off the cover and went to the bedroom door only to find it locked. Sleep was the last thing she wanted right now. Her stride carried her toward the windows. I think some fresh air will do me good.

                  Her fingers worked at one of the latches and she cranked open the window, welcoming the cool midnight breeze. Fall was just around the corner. She inhaled the crisp air and wished she could go outside and surround herself in it.

                  The moons light bathed the mansion grounds below in a glowing sliver. The sky twinkled with millions of tiny lights. It's beautiful. She leaned further outside the window and closed her eyes to the soothing sound of crickets.   

There came the quick flick of a lighter, the hiss of flame meeting paper.

"Go to sleep, Eden." Declan stood beneath her window, smoking a fresh cigarette. "I can come-" 

Eden shut the window before Declan could finish his sentence. She crawled back into bed and buried herself beneath the covers.