Chapter 5

“T-two days?” I ask in soft disbelief.

“Yes, dear. You...suffered from a severe head injury. A gunshot wound that grazed your head almost fatally, and a concussion from collapsing and hitting your head on the edge of a desk.” She explained.

I closed my eyes and let out a shaky breath and whimpered softly reaching up and touching my eyelids softly.

“Will my eyes heal?” I ask.

“It may take some time and we can’t say how long the symptoms will last since it’s different for every individual.” She replied honestly.

I nod.

“When can she be released?” The second person asks.

I am too confused that I can’t place the voice. It sounds like someone I know but my head was too much of a mess.

“That is another matter we need to discuss. She has significant scaring and bruising over most of her body. We had to contact the authorities and report possible abuse. They want to interview her guardian about this and may recommend she stay with a friend until it can be investigated.” The doctor said and I shook my head frantically and reach around to grab her hand.

“No please don’t! Please. They can’t ask questions. Please!” I begged.

She placed her hand on top of mine and rubbed them gently. “Dear someone has been hurting you and it’s our responsibility to make sure you are safe at home. We can’t send you back in this condition if there is someone who can hurt you further.”

I let go of her and fell back on my pillow letting my tears fall. How had I messed up so much that now my whole world was falling apart? It was easy, shoot the gun and it would be done. What happened?

“I can let her stay with me for a while.” The man said.

“She will need to be monitored for any further pain due to her injuries. If she sent home with her eyes still in this condition she will need a lot of help.” The doctor explained to the man.

Who is this guy? How could I go anywhere with someone I don't know well enough to recognize their voice? Why would the hospital even let him?

“I’ll let you rest for now and come check on you in a little while. Call the nurse if you need anything. Okay?” The doctor said handing me some kind of remote.

“Thank you, doctor.” The man said.

There is silence in the room for a moment before the man let out a sigh.

“W-who are you?” I asked nervously.

“You don’t recognize my voice, Emma?” He asked.

“It sounds familiar, but I don’t remember it,” I said shyly.

“Maybe it’s best that way. I don’t want to upset you.” The man said taking hold of my hand and I flinched. “I-I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”

“N-no it’s ok,” I said before relaxing. “Please tell me who you are.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to upset you.” He said

“Please not knowing is scaring me more,” I replied nervously.

He sighed and tightened his hold on my hand a bit. “It’s Asher.”

I gasped and quickly try to pull my hand away from him.

“No...no no!” I said moving further up my bed and making myself smaller.

“Emma please it’s ok. I won’t hurt you I swear.” He said, his voice soft.

No wonder I didn’t recognize his voice. He hardly ever spoke to me and when he did his voice taunting and cold. His voice was now soft and kind, something I had never heard from him.

“What are you doing here? Why? To hurt me?” I asked pulling my legs closer to me, making myself as small as possible.

“No of course not! I wouldn’t hurt you.” He said, his voice sounded wounded.

“But you have hurt me before. You let others hurt me...” I said a hint of anger in my voice.

He sighed yet again. “I know. I know Emma. I’m so sorry. I had no idea everything that was going on with you...all the scars...you have been in so much pain and we hurt you even more. I can never make up for what’s been done to you, but I will try if you let me.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “How could I ever trust any of you? After everything, I can never trust you.”

His blurry figure moved closer to me and he reached his hand out to cup my face. I whimpered and readied myself for pain, but it didn't come.

“I will never hurt you again, and I won’t let anyone else hurt you again either. I will not let you go back to that house, Emma. Your father has been hurting you…they said…that you had trauma…that you had been sexually abused as well.” His voice grows soft at those last words.

I swallowed hard and tears fell with ease. “Y-yes.”

He already knew so there was no point in lying now. “How could they tell?” I asked him.

“They said there was external scaring that concerned them, so they did an internal exam and found scaring there as well.” He replied with a cautious tone.

“Why did they tell you all this?” I asked him, tightening my arms around my legs.

“They tried reaching your father at first, but he couldn’t be reached, then when they examined you further, they didn’t want him anywhere near you. Leo asked if we could be temporarily responsible for you until the investigation against your father is complete. Since you have no other family, and since my father is well known and trusted they agreed." He said.

I scoffed. “Of course. Your family name was all that was needed to take me from one hell to another with no say from me.”

I think he was taken aback by words as much as I was because he fell silent for a while. I had no idea where that fierceness came from, but this whole situation was insane. I was mad now. My chance to get out of this messed up situation had been ruined and now I was trapped in the clutches of the very people who had tormented me for the last three years. No matter how genuine Asher sounded, I didn’t believe a word of it. There was a reason why they did this, and I wouldn’t let my guard down not even for one second. I may be mostly blind, but I would fight shadows any day then become a victim again.

I may be weak, but I needed to get away somehow. There had to be a way to break free.