Chapter 12: TWELVE

I needed to get out of there. And fast, very fast.

Benjamin though refused to let go. His grip on me was tight, solid. I vaguely remember him tagging me under his arm. I continued to struggle against his hold. I felt numb.

My eyes caught movement to my right. Bradley was pulling me away from Benjamin. When Benjamin’s hold loosened, my knees gave up on me. Bradley cradled me against the defined muscles of his chest, away from the entrance. I didn’t know where he was taking me and I didn’t care.

I was trembling as he cradled me firmly against his broad chest... A door opened and closed. I could hear everything, I could feel everything but I couldn’t see. I didn’t want to see the terrifying lightening illuminating the room the way it had when it had stolen my father’s life. It took me a moment to realise that I’d closed my eyes so tight that they hurt.

I could barely hear the frantic voices around me, couldn’t distinguish them.

“Beth? Beth can you hear me?” Bradley’s horrified voice was impossible to miss. I couldn’t mistake it for anything. But it sounded so far away as though it was coming from a dark pit.

“What happened?” the voice that asked was hard, whiskey like.

“Dad, we need to get her in your study.”

“Son!”

“Dad!” his voice was frantic now, but angelic. “It’s sound proof, she’s terrified of the thunder.”

A second later Christopher’s hesitant answer boomed across the room. “You have twenty minutes.”

I couldn’t feel my legs. I was trembling, scared. It seemed like everyone knew how my father had died. I didn't want their pity. They probably saw this broken girl that witnessed her father die and she had to stay with him until morning when people started arriving at the scene. Janice only called for help at dawn when she'd woken up from her drunken state. If she hadn't been drinking help would've arrived sooner, she would've noticed we'd been gone for an unreasonable amount of time.

A couple of seconds later a door seemed to have opened and then closed Bradley was moving again, something slid against the floor and then everything was suddenly eerier. It was too quiet and I knew then that I was dead.

“Beth?”

I tried to move. That voice. It was calling to me.

“You have to open your eyes.”

I tried but I couldn’t.

“Beth, please.” His intoxicating breath was fanning my face, hot against my nose. “Come on.”

When my eyes fully opened he sighed in relief and I noticed two things. One, I was still trembling as he rocked us in a comforting rhythm and his other hand was drawing circles on the small of my back. Two, I was in an unfamiliar room with dark furnisher. It was mainly posted with pictures of strange tall creatures I didn’t recognise. But their eyes. Those golden eyes. I’d seen them before.

I thought I heard him ask if I was okay. But I couldn’t be sure.

“Huh?”

“You fainted.” His voice surprisingly, sounded sympatric.

“Ow,” Surprised, I blinked. I’ve never fainted before. Not even when I witnessed the lightening hit my father. I guess I was too shocked back then.

“Shh,” He cooed. I realised I was crying. “You’re safe now. I won’t let anything happen to you.” The truth in his words was unnerving.

“Listen to me.” He kept rocking me awkwardly, always a foot between us as though he didn't actually want to be close to me. “Err, you’re safe now.” And then he was singing to me, in a low voice, I couldn’t catch the words but he was moving in tune with the harmony, soon I found myself relaxing against his hold as the terror left my body.

“Can you move your left leg?”

He stared down at me and I was dazzled for a second. It was surreal; I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. I was disorientated by his beauty just as always when I looked at his face. What was he asking me again?

“Your leg?”

It was only then that I became aware of the throbbing on my left leg. I was certain that I had cracked it. “Ouch.” I winced.

“I'll get you some ice.”

I clung to him as though my life depended on him. I didn’t trust the storm not to break through the walls once I was away from the comfort of his iron grip. Strangely his arms felt familiar around me, as though he’d held me before.

“No no, please don’t leave me.” I was trembling as I said this, frightened.

The concern in his eyes threw me back. “I'm here.”

I was about to ask what he meant but he silenced me by pressing a gloved finger on my lips.

“Sleep,” It was a command and my body obeyed without struggle.

Janice’s sharp voice was the first thing I heard when I woke up. But I was comfortable, too comfortable. I didn’t want to open my eyes, not ready to face the world yet.

“… and I’m telling you, I want to see my child now.” Janice was saying.

“Ma’am please calm down.” Christopher’s gruff voice came as a reply. It sounded as though he was trying hard to hold on to his serenity.

“What happened to her?” my mother was worried now, her voice frantic. “Oh no, don’t tell me she’s hurt.”

“Beth.” His voice was soft, as quiet as the sea breeze. It was impossible to mistake Bradley’s voice. “You need to get up.”

“But it hurts.” I half lied. The shocking truth made my stomach flutter. I wasn’t ready to admit that I liked being in his arms more than I should. And then the reality of the situation struck me, I shot up. I shouldn’t be feeling like this.

“Wait.” His hand shot out to hold me by my wrist. “Not so fast, you’re hurt.”

“I want to go to class.” I said. I really didn’t.

He rolled his eyes. His face open, playful. “Nerd,” It surprised me when he laughed. The sound was hard with an edge to it.

And then I remembered something, “The pictures.”

His laughter died. “What pictures?"

I looked around the room. They were gone; in their place were royal paintings. I knew what I saw and as my eyes narrowed he shifted uncomfortably. “Where are they?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His tone was serious. Void of any emotion

I knew he was lying and I was determined to prove I was right. I hoped he didn’t think so little of me to believe that I’d give up so easily.

“I saw them; they were pictures of men…” I shook my head. But those things couldn’t be human, those eyes. I knew what I saw. I’ve seen those eyes before… in my backyard watching me.

He laughed but it didn’t touch his eyes. “You must’ve hit your head pretty bad.” He was trying to convince me but I simply held my ground with my jaw set.

“My head is fine.” I said. “And I would remember falling. I didn’t.”

“Can’t you be grateful?”

“No!” I groaned. “Thank you… but no I won’t let this go.”

He was angry again. Back to the Bradley I was used to. His face took on that familiar unwelcoming feature. "Do yourself a favour and forget about today?"

I refused to back down, even with his eyes glaring daggers at me. “Why?”

He shook his head. “I think you’re fine now. You can go back to class.”

“What are those things?”

He sat up and opened the sliding door. “I’ll see you in class.” His voice was cold.

The force of his words hurt and I cringed as he turned his back on me.

“Elizabeth.” I frowned. Janice was holding Zack’s hand. She was clad in her work uniform. Everyone would know my mother was a domestic worker. I still wanted to run after Bradley, to interrogate him.

“I’m fine mom.” My voice was hard.

She had her first aid with her and she pushed me back against the couch and checked my face for any injuries. I groaned. I didn’t need this.

I looked at Cynthia with pleading eyes. She shrugged and took Zack with her and disappeared around the door. Were they going home? Why would she leave me?

“Can I take her home?” she was saying to Christopher.

This was frustrating, embarrassing. “No, I’m fine I promise.”

“I think she hit her head too.” Bradley’s amused voice said. He was enjoying this, I couldn’t see him though. I only saw a crowd of students peering into the small office pointing at my mother, looking at me with unreadable eyes – I wished I could disappear. Bradley was Christopher’s son. Janice worked for Mr Carter and his family. I was living in their guesthouse – they certainly didn’t like me being here. Rebecca though was looking out of the window as she always did.

The whole school watched as Janice made a fool out of me. Tears were hanging low on my lashes. How could she do this to me? Why would she embarrass me like this?

It was hard to hear my own thoughts over the chaos going on around me. The seconds seemed to still as we made our way to the hospital.

“You’re probably in shock.” She’d said when I’d assured her for the hundredth time I was fine.

At the hospital I was given too much attention, way more than it was patiently acceptable. Weren’t there people who needed this attention more than me?

I was in a private emergency room and ten minutes later, a nurse came to me with the hospitals menu, I declined politely. I refused to eat hospital food, they always taste and smelled like pills and dead people. I hated being in hospital. Janice knew it

“We can’t afford this.” I said looking around the room. We were at Net-care Margate's most prestigious hospitals with the best international doctors. It was too expensive.

Janice frowned. “Bradley paid you for doing his homework, assignment... whatever.” She glared at me. “If he owed you thousands you must be writing his tests for him.”

It was my turn to frown. Bradley was smarter than me. I now placed second. I had to wonder why he’d paid for my medical bill. Didn’t he hate me?

When they had given me enough pills to last me a lifetime and x-rayed my leg I was allowed visitors. And the person who walked through the door as Janice was explaining all that still needed to be done to me before the end of the day, was the last person I wanted to see.

“I came as fast as I could.” Benjamin said as he strode in. “Are you okay?”