Everything hurt, there wasn't a place on my body that wasn't in pain.
All the events came back, they've probably found out. They're going to leave me, they'll send me back.
Tears formed in my eyes, I looked around seeing my family.
"Dad" I whispered voice cracking.
"Hey principessa, what's wrong? Don't cry, baby"
"Don't leave me, please. I'm sorry, don't send me back please I-" I panicked
He cut me of saying "-hey hey principessa, breathe together. In....and out good. Now we're not going to send you back. We love you more than anything okay. You can't get rid of me that easily. I'm not going to leave you. Okay"
"Okay" I whispered back.
"Are you in any pain?"
"Yes, but it's okay I'm used to it." I gave him a small smile while some hurt fell in his eyes.
"Oh baby, you're okay now. I'm going to call a nurse okay."
I just nod my head in response.
——
"Hey miss. Hernandez, I'm going to check your vitals okay."
"Okay and you can call me Valentina"
"Okay dear, now on a scale of 1 to 10, how much pain are you in?"
"Probably 6 or something but that's because I'm always in pain so I'm used to it but if you would feel what I'm now feeling probably around 8 or 9" I answered truthfully, I'm tired of lying.
She gave me a small smile and started to write that down then gave me some pain medicine in the thingy with a needle in my hand for fluids, I don't know what that's called.
After checking some other things she was going to leave but I called after her.
"Yes?"
"Do you know when I can go back home?"
"That's going to take a while dear, unless there will be a doctor for you at home who can attend your injuries then you could get home tomorrow." She answered before leaving.
I looked back at dad, "I want to go home, I don't want to stay here. I wanne go with you guys." I whispered tears filling my eyes.
I don't want to be in a scary big hospital, with strangers and stuff.
"I know baby, I don't want you to stay here alone either, I'll see what I can do hun."
I tried to sit up but pain shot up my body making me cry out, waking to boys in the room.
"Oh piccola, be careful." Allesandro scolded giving me a hug.
"Sorry Sandro"
I didn't know what to do or say so I started picking at my bandages.
I looked up to see them all looking at me, I looked back down.
I know I'll have to tell them sooner or later but it's scary .
"You wanne know what happened" I whispered. It wasn't a question it was a statement.
"Yes, can you please tell us what happened?"
"Promise, that you won't look at me with pity or handle me any differently. And when you find out you won't send me away or back."
"Promise" everyone said, me being a child made everyone pinky swear with the kiss on the thumb and everything.
"Okay, well euhm. How do I start?....
Well so sir and ma'am aka John and Maria aka kidnappers aka the people I thought birthed me.
Weren't very nice people. I had rules and needed to follow them from a young age, the older the more rules. If I did a mistake or anything I got punished. Sometimes their friends helped with the punishments. Punishments were euhm,....everything you can imagine hitting, carving in skin, burning, throwing down the stairs, punching, whip slashes, chocking, drowning..... a lot more.
I didn't get to eat or drink. If I wanted to eat, I had to sneak out in the night to go to the neighbour's trash, hoping to find some food that I could eat. I ate about every few weeks and drank some water in school.
When I was younger I did get more food and stuff but over the years it got less and less to then nothing at all. The abusing and punishments only started from when I was around 8 years old. It started with just a slap or kick but then it escalated. I had a lot of friends when I was younger, but because of the abuse I had to distance myself so nobody would find out. I'm lucky I didn't get bullied.
They tried to bully me though, but I was having a bad day so I just maybe punched her and stuff so nobody bothered me after that. I did keep my 2 best friends, but eventually one moved away we were too young so non of us had a phone, we also didn't get an address. So then it was just Amy and I. Than something happened, euhm Amy and I needed to do a project for school but I sneaked out for it, sir and ma'am found out, came for me knocked me out before I could see what happened. They said they killed Amy and her parents. I still don't believe them though, she isn't dead I know it. After that everything got worse.
I tried to get help often, but nobody believed and I became the freak of town. I fell into depression and euhm...self harm. Just something to make me feel happy. So much power in a tiny silver blade, how dragging it across your skin can make you feel so good and happy.-" I started getting sidetracked, when I noticed I quickly cleared my throat before continuing. "-I never tried to kill myself or something, but just how many times I've wanted to do it. Just begging at night to whoever is up there to just take me, to end it. I needed to get straight A's if I didn't I don't think I would've survived. I escaped the world by doing art, self harm or playing the piano in school. But it all got worse and worse, I almost didn't make it but then you guys came, right on time if you guys didn't come when you did I don't think I would've made it for another week.
But the nightmares and flashbacks, I can't do it. And now that you guys found out I'm scared I'm really scared. I don't want you guys to leave me please don't leave me" I cried tears falling the whole time.