He didn't even give me a chance to finish my food before the onslaught of questions came my way. Thankfully I was beginning to feel full anyway so it wasn't too much of a loss.
"Let's start simple, where are you from?" He asks directly, stepping back from his bowl of food to lean against the bench behind him and crossing his arms. He studied my face while I grow confused. He must know where I'm from if he knows Alex, surely. Deciding to humour him either way, I clear my throat quietly in preparation to reply.
"I-" I start, the words getting stuck. I clear my throat again more violently. Feeling my hands start to shake, I turn my head away and remove him from my vision in hopes it would help.
"Wellston" I whisper out, only barely loud enough for him to be able to hear it. He hums lightly in reply. A small feeling of relief washed through me at this not being a test and him allowing me to speak in his presence without lashing out.
"Age?" He asks again dragging me back from my thoughts. I stop to think for a moment, mulling over the last time I knew the date. Coming up with a complete blank.
"W-what year is it now?" I ask, confidence growing slightly in my voice.
"2023" He replies stoically. His reply makes me suck a breath in. Has it really been that long?
"I'd be 22 or 23 then" Figuring out the very basic maths that my age is. I look towards his face, almost proud of myself until I see the frown etched on his face. He stares deeply at me, his eyes screaming that he's unimpressed. It causes my eyes to glance back to where they were looking originally. Losing the little buzz of excitement I had over my age.
"What about the other night, if you're from Wellston then what the fuck were you doing miles away from it in the forest?" He pushed off the counter as he asks. His question throws me off guard, I try to recollect whatever he was talking about.
"I don't understand, what forest?" I ask with growing confusion. Looking back his way I see him moving in closer to me.
"I found you practically dead in the middle of the forest. I want to make sure you have absolutely nothing to do with Charlotte, so what were you doing in the forest?" He pushed out more stern this time. His words bring an onslaught of memories. From the beating, shooting my godfather and being chased through the forest. I remember it all.
I jump out of the chair in shock, letting out a cry as I cover my mouth with my hand. I shake my head in pure disbelief, I can't believe I'm actually alive. This is real.
My legs feel weak below me, making me drop down into a squat beside the island bench. The man lets out a noise, he hops around to my side of the bench and appears before me.
I look up at him with tears streaming down my face. I laugh out in sheer joy, despite knowing that he'd still be out there looking for me. It makes me flip between delight and dread. I feel like I'm spiralling between the two.
"You good?" He reached a tattooed arm out as he squats before me. I flinch in pure instinct, throwing myself backwards to get away from his oncoming hand. I knock myself into the bench behind me, hitting my head. I cry out again, grabbing the back of my head.
"Jesus Christ, dude. Calm the fuck down." He says, eyes wide as he takes in my hunched form before him. I shake my head again, still crying. He stays silent for a while, I can only assume he's watching me. I don't look up to meet his eyes, instead putting my head on my knees in front of me.
"Why don't we get you cleaned up or something. We can talk about this another time" He says gently, making my tear-streaked face turn up and look at him. He's got a small reassuring smile on his face. His tough exterior slowly melts away the longer it's there.
I nod my head hesitantly, the sobs turning into hiccups. He holds a hand out for me to grab again. He moves slowly this time while I watch, expecting the worst to happen. When nothing comes, I let out a breath I was holding in and tentatively reach out a shaky hand. Grasping his huge rough hand, he helps me out of my fetal position.
Standing beside him, I finally grasp just how tall he really is. His frame completely towering over me. It makes me take a step back to put some kind of distance between us. He doesn't take much notice though, instead, he holds a hand out towards the stairs. Hinting at me to take the lead.
We make our way up the stairs and to the bathroom, my nerves going haywire the whole way knowing he's behind me. I stop my feet in front of the counter in the bathroom, the man is close behind me. He goes straight to the shower however and turns it on.
My eyes however are once again caught on my trembling figure in the mirror. My eyes hold a deep sadness in them and tears threaten to exit their confines at any moment. I'm devastated that this is who I've turned into, a weak, miserable girl standing in the middle of a stranger's house.
Kyrans figure steps into my view of the mirror's reflection. I turn my gaze to look at him, catching his eyes already on mine. He sends me a small polite smile and it makes me grasp onto my t-shirt tighter.
"It's ready whenever you are. I'll put some fresh clothes in the bedroom, just take your time okay?" He says quietly. I'm still watching his eyes through the mirror so I simply nod my head. He turns to leave, giving me the whole bathroom to myself.
I don't take much time to rush over to the door behind him, double-checking it's locked. Feeling comfortable enough, I strip my clothes off and get under the steamy water.
A groan finds its way out of my mouth as the warm water rolls down my body. It's been so long since I've had the pleasure of using a warm shower.
I clean myself off, scrubbing my body red raw. I'm panting by the end of this, exhausted by such a small activity. I sit down on the shower floor to finish washing out my hair.
As much as I had wanted to, I didn't take my time as the man suggested. The moment I was done, I turned the water off. I'm worried that he may be upset with me if I use all the warm water.
Making quick work of drying my body, I tightly wrap the towel around myself. Making sure to avoid my reflection the whole time.
I open the door slightly and peek my head out to check that the coast is clear. Seeing that the man is nowhere to be seen, I rush my way out and run as fast as my battered body will let me. Shutting the door behind me quickly after I enter the room I woke up in. I lean against the door for a moment, panting like a bat out of hell from that workout.
I look around for the clothes he told me he'd leave, I catch sight of them on the dresser before me. I suck in a breath at this fact.
My mind flashes to all the tools pulled out of the dresser at my godparents. If it caused me pain, they kept it in there. I squeeze my eyes shut and breathe through the unpleasant memories of the beatings.
Taking slow deep breaths, I work up the courage and timidly approach the dresser with my mission in mind. I managed to make it an arm's length away before I hastily grab onto the clothes and run away from it. I feel like I'm going to throw up.
Feeling significantly more exposed standing in only a towel, I unfold the clothes and sloppily put them on. I'm swamped in what must be the man's clothes, a big t-shirt and pants that I have to roll up.
My hands still shake at the memories going through my mind, so I lay down on the bed I woke up in earlier. Relaxing into the sheets below me, I breathe out a sigh and watch the roof above me.
I can't believe I actually made it out.
I take this moment of silence to think back on how I escaped.
Guilt overcomes me for leaving my godsister Lucy behind. I desperately pleaded with her to leave with me but she got angry at me for suggesting it. She must've been the one to tell them my plan. I know exactly how she feels about her parents. Despite how terribly they treat her, she thinks they need her.
I feel like should be angry at her for snitching on me but I can't find it in me. She is my only friend in this world and now she has to face it on her own.
I'd been planning my escape for months, I wanted to finally put it in place that night. I never got the chance though, somehow Alex my godfather knew. He walked into my room with a gun hours before I planned on going through with it and beat me senseless, screaming how I could never leave them. That I'd die before that happens.
I just knew that if I didn't take the chance then, it would be the end for me. So I used the last of my strength to throw myself at him and knocked him over. It must've caught him by surprise because it gave me an opportunity to grab hold of his gun and turn it on him.
And I shot him.
I regret not ending him right there, I could be sleeping easy knowing he's no longer out there looking for me. But I didn't have the guts to do it. Instead, I shot him in the leg and took off. Running out of the house and through the small town, covered in blood, bruises and scars.
It wasn't until the highway at the edge of the forest that Alex managed to catch up with me. With a gun in hand he chased me down for hours, I didn't think I was going to survive.
To be honest, I probably wouldn't have had it not been for that man finding me in the forest like he did. He must've taken me in and cared for me. That explains why I woke up in bandages.
I suppose maybe he isn't as bad as I first thought, he's not associated with Alex at the very least. That's what matters.
My whizzing thoughts make me rub my eyes roughly, pushing away a headache that's forming. I squint my eyes back open, glancing around the room one last time before letting them close again. I'm enjoying this comfortable bed below me way too much. I feel sleep overcome me and I don't fight off, instead I embrace it and let myself finally drift off into a deep sleep.
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Authors note 💕
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Thank you! x