Saving Leah

chapter 8

Noone came.

I sobbed in the silence between my punishments. I cried for the pain of the burns but also for my pitiful situation. I was and would always be his playtoy.

Soon the sobbing stopped and was replaced with a cold blankness.

By the end of the day, I was my old self. Feeling nothing. Being nothing. I was tamed.

"I own you. Remember that. So no matter how many times you leave. I WILL find you. So don't try a stupid stunt like that again." My uncle said, swiping the last tear away from my cheek roughly.

"Yes Uncle." I responded in monotone.

"I missed you." He leered, kissing my forehead. "Infact I brought you a treat! A friend. He was a real fighter this one. Just like his brother. Shame he didn't stay with his serpents."

At the clap of his hands, the door was opened. I stared in shock as a bruised and beaten up Aidan was dragged in. His green eyes were swollen and red. His lip was bledding badly and his body was covered in cuts.

"No!" I cried,"you monster!" I screamed turning to my uncle.

"As well as company he's leverage. Disobey and he gets it. Chain him up." His mindless numbskulls hoisted Aidan up, securing the chains. He was so weak he couldn't fight anymore.

A deep venom stirred within me. This ingrate could hurt me- but not Aidan. Not my Aidan.

In a rush of anger I leapt up at my uncle. His eyes widened as I struck him. I punched and continued to till I was pulled off him by his henchmen.

"Let go of me!"

My Uncle rose up slowly. I gulped as he approached me. "Now you're getting it." He said grabbing his pocket knife from his back pocket.

By the time he was finished with me, I had been beaten black and blue.

I thought I saw one of Aidans eyes open. But I must've been hallucinating.

I was left alone with him for days. No food. No water.

Finally food was brought in a scrappy paper bag.

I dove for the bag and bit on a chip ravenously. Then I eyed Aidan. He was propped up against the wall, still chained, watching me. 

"Can you pass me one?" He said quietly. I could hear the exhaustion in his voice, but I was still mad at him for not saving me from my Uncle. If he was there this wouldn't have happened. It was all his fault.

"No." I said, furiously stuffing a chip in my mouth.

Aidan tried to snatch it from me then grunted in pain. He fell back, perspiration set on his forehand, darkening his brown locks.

His eyes met mine for a second, then filled with tears.

Why was he crying?

"I don't deserve food anyway. I let you down Leah. I should've been there for you- i shouldn't have left over that stupid argument. I might as well have handed you over."

"Aidan..."

"No, Leah. When I came back those.. those men caught me. And they made me-" His voice choked with tears.

"They made me listen to that- that pathetic excuse of a human being rape you. And I couldn't do a damn thing! I couldn't stop it Leah! I couldn't save you."

He dissolved into tears, not bothering to hide his vulnerability.

A wave of guilt flooded me. How could I blame Aidan for that monsters actions. Aidan wasn't like them in the slightest.

A realisation dawned on me : Aidan was one of the good guys. I couldn't compare him to any of the other men in my life because he wasn't them. He was- he is Aidan. Just Aidan.

My lips curved into a small smile. I drew to his side and cupped his face in my hands.

"Don't you dare blame yourself for what he did to me, Aidan! Ever, okay? It wasn't your fault. It was their decision to assault me. Not yours. And anyway..." I began shyly

Aidans forest green eyes met mine, slowly. "I've realised something I didn't before."

I took a deep breath.

"Aidan, I l-"

"L, l, l, l, l" My words slurred into a sludge of letters as my body convulsed uncontrollably.

Not again...

"LEAH!"

Sharp pains flooded my entire body. My vision flooded with black as the drugs entered my system.

The chips...