THE CODE THAT LINKS US ©

Chapter Forty

DYLAN

"Look it's rolling!" Alison shouts when she finally gets the puppy to roll over. Her hair is full of wet grass from demonstrating to the puppy.

It has been two weeks since they released her and she has changed a lot. She doesn't live in this big house anymore. After the trial, Gina was literally expelled from her own house for the sake of the child. She agreed with that and settled with a small, old apartment not too far from here.

They come back every day to visit Madison. Gina has tried everything. She made every type of medicine that existed, and even got Wen to help. Nothing worked, of course, but she kept going at it. It has come to the point where I think the only reason Gina is doing it is for the sake of trying.

Regarding me... I haven't speak with Madison since the last time I saw her at the prom. I have only seen her from behind the crystal of the lab and she seems devastated. She's losing about twenty pounds per week. She can't eat anything and doesn't want to see anyone but the child that according to Gina, "gives her the energy she needs to keep fighting". I don't blame her and neither do I make pressure. She feels bad and it's totally understandable. But just as I promised to her when we arrived here, I am not going anywhere till she's safe.

"Daddy!" Alison shouts running to Wen's arms who suddenly joins us in the garden.

Watching them together is really confusing. She loves him the way any child would love any of her parents but considering everything he did to her it's unbelievable that she stills acts that way. A part of me believes that Wen loves her in a strange way, but Gina states that he fakes it to make her feel safe and truly believes that he has been doing that since she was born.

"Look, I fell down," she says showing her the wound of her knee when he kneels to reach her. He looks at her and makes a grimace that makes the girl giggle.

"What were you doing?" asks Wen.

"I was playing with Snicker" she says talking about the dog that she named on her own, in honor of her new favorite chocolate. "Look at what it can do," she runs again towards the dog who quickly runs away from her.

"Maybe you should help the girls in the lab," Wen says sitting down next to me on the grass while Alison chases Snicker.

"Is Madison okay?" I reply immediately.

"She was trying to walk," he says shrugging and that makes me open my eyes widely. "I will watch Alison, you can go."

I am not sure at all of leaving the child with him but I ignore my doubts and stand up quickly to open the door. I run upstairs and before I reach the landing, I can tell that Madison and Gina are having a heated argument.

"I would never be able to help you if you don't help yourself first!" I hear Gina right when I enter the lab. She startles when she sees me there but then sighs in relief. "Try talking to her, see if there's something you can do," she says tiredly and leaves.

I get closer to the crystal door which opens fast letting me find Madison on the floor in one of the corners of the room, leaning against the mirrors and crying, frustrated. She's very thin and her skin has a yellow tinge. She raises her eyes as soon as she hears my shoes against the bright and shiny white floor. The green in her eyes seems unsettlingly off. She looks confused and her eyes water as soon as she realizes it's me.

"You're still here," is all she says in a low voice and I nod forcing her a smile.

"I am not planning to go anywhere," I reply sitting down next to her against the mirror and hug her carefully with no reply of her. Her legs and arms are full of bruises.