Been busy lol. Since i'm perfectionist, I must know how long her hospital stay will be. (it's a few weeks.) but she's supposed to graduate in a few weeks. oh well :(
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Police are swarming the hospital, and the town—so I've heard. It's been two days since I woke up from surgery. Everyone comes and goes. Max is here most of the time—except when she has to work. The only person who I haven't seen is Eddie.
I've gotten DNA testing done. Since he raped me, it will be easier to frame him when his DNA matches the one found inside me. That's what they told me.
Robin is here today. She took off work. Steve has been working his ass off so that Robin could stay with me. I didn't know he cared that much about me and Robin.
"You broke 8 ribs." The doctor told me yesterday. "It's a miracle you didn't puncture any organs." There was a lot of things fucked up with me. But the thing that surprised everyone was that I survived.
"I just finished speaking with the police." Robin says as she comes in. "They said they need to speak with you and Max privately when Max gets off of work." She sits at the edge of my bed, slightly touching my ankles. "Wonder why." I say. My voice is still a little scratchy, but I can talk. I've never loved talking more! My doctor told me to try to keep talking to a minimal to help my vocal cords heal, but I'm so excited to talk.
"When will you tell me what happened?" I go silent. It's not that I don't want to tell her. I really want to tell her. But I want to tell her...and Max, even Eddie what happened. Together. Not cramped up in a hospital. When I fully have my voice. When I overcome all of the shock. "When I go home," I tell her. She never brought it up again.
"Do you mind if I go?" Max asks standing up, "I've really got to get back to work. You know, so I don't get fired." I smile softly, "go ahead." I wave my hand at her. "Are you sure you'll be fine?" "Go to work, Robin. I probably need a nap anyways." "Okay, good bye." She leans down and kisses my forehead before leaving the room. I am exhausted.
The room is dark. Small. No. NO. No no no...no. My breathing is shallow, like I just can't take in enough oxygen. All I can see is the bed. And the handcuffs. And the gag ball. And the whip. It smells like sex. I bang on the door. "HELP!" I scream, but nothing comes out of my throat. I touch my throat. I hear the keys jiggle as the door begins to unlock.
I feel tears streaming down my face. My eyes shoot open. My heart rate monitor is faster than usual, triggering a nurse to come check on me. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" She runs to the side of my bed, checking something on the wall. I press my hand to my heart to keep it in my chest. "Yes...sorry, had a nightmare." "That's the fourth one in the three days you've been here." "I'm..." I look around my room, "recovering." "You're positive you don't want any help?" "I just need to talk to my friends. I'm strong."
Max struts into the room, "god these police, everywhere! They gotta ask a million questions before you can do what you have to do." A police officer walks in, "Ma'am," he states, referring to the nurse, "we need you to leave." She leaves with no hesitation and a woman police officer comes in along with the man.
"Hello," the woman says shaking Max's hand, "We need to speak with the both of you." Quite repetitive. They sit down in the chairs across from my bed. "We have a lot of bad news." The man starts off. "The first one will break your friend, Mayfield." "We found your mother..." The woman interjects. Max's eyes widen, "really?" "Yes, however..." "She was found dead where Ellie was found." A hand flies over Max's mouth. "The cause of death was a gunshot. Execution style." "When?" I ask. "Almost three weeks ago." Max didn't say a word. "Does that mean- Oh my god I'm not the first." I shout. "Jason allegedly tried to take you, but mistakenly took Max's mom. She was trapped in his cabin for weeks. Same conditions as you. But she must've pissed him off." I see a tear slowly travel down Max's cheek. "We'll leave you two alone." The officer looks down as she motions for the guy to follow.
Max doesn't say anything. She looks at me. I grab her hand and pull her into my bed.
She cried. And cried. And cried.
~
Max had to go home, but I insisted Robin stay the night with her. Robin agreed after dropping off my schoolwork. The stack is more than an inch thick. School end in 5 and a half weeks. I will be in the hospital for most of that time.
I'm using a clipboard to do my schoolwork when I hear a knock on my door. "Come in!" I say, not looking up. Whoever came in didn't move from in front of the door. I look up and cover my mouth. I sit up and scoot towards the edge of the bed. "Oh Eddie! Are you okay?" "I knew you'd say that." Eddie's head hangs low. He has dark circles under his eyes. I reach up to touch them. "I'm sorry I wasn't here. I was helping the police catch Jason." "Did they?" "Not yet." "Come." I pat next to me. Eddie climbs into my hospital bed. "Watch the ribs." I intertwine my fingers with Eddie's. We sit in silence for a long time. "Can you kiss me?" I ask him softly. I want him back so badly. "I thought you'd never ask." Eddie leans his head closer to mine. Energy spirals around us. We want more. He thought I was dead. So did I. We could go more, but we're... just. So. Tired.
"Are you okay?" He asks again and again. "Yes, I hurt a little." "No, like mentally." "Yes, I hurt a little." "Are you going to tell me?" Eddie wants to know what happened to me. I know this. "When I go home." "Promise?" "Promise."
I fell asleep snuggled in his arms. But, when I woke up I wasn't in Eddie's arms anymore. I was in Jason's. I sit up.
"Go away!" I push away. He is butt ass naked.
"You bitch," he shoves me down.
"No!" I try to punch and scream. His hands press hard on my shoulders. I am pinned to the floor. He lowers one of his arms, flattening his elbow to my chest. His forearm threatening to choke me. I try to push and kick but he's so strong. Everything I try is useless. His free arm travels down. Down. And disappears between my legs.
I woke up thinking I was choking, gasping for air. Eddie, wide awake, puts his hand on my arm and shushes me. I flinch at first, but eventually hug him.
"It's okay," he holds my head in his hands. I slow my breathing. We don't say anything for a while.
"I woke up in the cabin," I whispered. Eddie looks at me, he looks so tired.
"Yeah?" He brushes his fingers through my hair.
"He tried-he tried t-t," I gasp, between tears, "to touch me." My face is wet with tears.
"I'll kill him," Eddie sits up, ready to go looking again.
"No, no. Please don't go. Don't go. Don't leave me." I grab his hand.
Eddie's expression shifted. He stares at me as he crawls closer. "I feel awful that you have to relive that every time you close your eyes. I'm so sorry, Ellie."
"It's not your fault."
"I could have prevented it."
"You couldn't have known."
"If I just looked out the window-" He looks away from me. He's so far away.
"Eddie stop," I pull his chin back to me, "he was going to take me whether you drove us to the gas station or not."
We didn't speak for a long time. Eddie stared at my bruises. I fiddled with one of his rings.
"He definitely would have killed me when he got back." I don't look at Eddie, spaced out. He runs his fingers up my arms.
"Go back to sleep, love."
I close my eyes for a minute, then open them again. Eddie is wide awake, watching me.
"Do you ever sleep?" I ask him, more as a laugh, but it hurts.
"I once had a nightmare, that I wasn't able to save you." He pause, looking away, "I haven't slept since."
I don't say anything for a while. I wrap my arms around his neck.
"I actually haven't slept since you've been gone. I tried, but the nightmares just got worse and worse." He sounds like he's on the verge of tears.
"I'm never going to leave you again. If my ribs weren't broken, I'd lay on your chest." I brush my fingers through his hair. "You can sleep now, Eds."