Chapter Fifty-Six

A/N: I am finding it a bit of a challenge writing these types of scenes in the first person so hopefully it've done it justice. Hopefully help is on the way for Ellie as well!

I didn’t know how long I had been running for but I refused to slow down even if in reality I probably had slowed down. The adrenaline was blocking out the pain from my bloodied feet but my lungs still burnt like I had inhaled acid.

I ran.

I ran and ran and ran.

I focused only on the road, which I knew eventually would give way to another road and that road would lead to civilisation. With every step I kept thinking about Aiden and how I desperately wanted to see him again. How I wished I could just hide in his arms until the pain and fear all disappeared. I thought about Liam. I hadn’t seen him in so long and I didn’t want my last memory of him to be on a computer screen. We were supposed to be throwing him a welcome home party. He was going to be staying around for good. I needed to make it back there for him.

It was growing dark which was why I probably noticed the light growing behind me before I heard the racing engine of a speeding car.

I didn’t need to look to know who it was but I looked anyway, cold panic drenching me when I saw the pale beams of the car speeding towards me. For a moment I froze like a deer in the headlights, my terror gluing my feet to the ground as I saw the car coming closer and closer. How had he figured out I was out here?

My senses came back to me a second later and I burst into a sprint, following the road for a little longer before diving into the trees. I stumbled and tripped as I darted through the trees, the sound of the car screeching to a halt behind me just about audible over the pounding of my heart.

I still had a head start. I could still make it. I could still escape.

*I have to get out of this!*

Pain exploded through the back of my head. The force of something hard and heavy connected with my skull caused my teeth to bang together while also sending me stumbling into the wet undergrowth face first. Stars danced across my spinning vision while every nerve in me screamed at me to get up and run. I forced myself to my hands and knees, my whole body wobbling. Before I could push myself up, something smashed into my stomach, knocking the wind from me and sending me sprawling to the ground once more.

I was dazed. I was too slow to move out of the way or block Noah’s onslaught as his fists rained down on me. Everything was screaming in pain. His boot stamped on my hip, my ankle, my hand and all I could do was curl into a ball to try and protect myself. I could feel something wet on the back of my head, on my lip and chin. The coppery tang of blood filled my mouth, slipping into my lungs and making me cough.

“I was trying to go easy with you Ellie,” Noah finally spoke when his rage seemed to settle and he was no longer landing blows to me. “But I see now that was a mistake.”

I whimpered when he yanked on my hair, forcing me on to my knees. He twisted so my head was forced back, his eyes burning into mine with something so horribly cold and callous that I felt bile rise into my throat from the fear freezing my veins.

“You only have yourself to blame for what comes next.” He hissed before his free hand came hurtling towards me and everything went black.

When I came around everything hurt. I was fairly certain one of my hands was broken and my left leg throbbed from the hip down. But it was my head that hurt the most. The splitting pain in my skull coupled with the throbbing of my split lip and pounding in my right eyes was enough to make my stomach turn. I retched, my whole body heaving which only made the pain worse and yet nothing came up. I had nothing left to bring up. I had nothing left in me except pain, fear and anger.

It was then I realised my wrists were bound but instead of being in a chair, I was on my knees, my arms held up above me in a V shape. I was blindfolded again so I could see for myself what Noah had done to me or where he had dragged me to now. All I knew was I had failed to get away and now I was going to suffer the consequences.

The sound of metal scraping over concrete was what signalled Noah’s presence. Much like the man himself, the sound made me shudder and another wave of nausea swelled in my stomach as the sound assaulted my ears making them ring. I was trembling, something that I was embarrassed by because it meant Noah could see my terror and would be able to feed on it.

“Now this is much better.” Noah’s smug voice finally broke the thick silence. “You look right at home on your knees. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner.”

“Get fucked.” I croaked.

That earned me a backhand across the face that made my ears ring again.

“Still arguing back.” Noah growled. “Let’s see if you’re still arguing back after this.”

The sound of something through the air was followed by a cracking sound before searing pain flashed across my back. I arched my back in pain, a cry bursting past my lips. My mind was frozen in bewilderment, unable to process what the hell just happened before the sound of another crack bounced off the walls like it was a pinball machine and more pain danced across my back wickedly.

Another blow hit my back and then another. Burning pain lashed across my shoulders, my spine and the small of my back finding new flesh to torture while aggrevating flesh already abused. I refused to scream or cry out in pain after the first time but the blindfold was soon wet from soaking up my tears.

More lashes rained down and I thought I could feel the skin splitting and yielding to Noah's weapon. The pain made me dizzy and I felt myself slipping, each blow tearing through me until the pain consumed me under its ugly hot waves.

Water hitting my back brought me back to reality as every nerve and muscle in my back screamed in agony. It took gritting my teeth until it felt like my jaw was going to break to stop me from crying or screaming, my limbs trembling under the strain.

"What's the matter, Ellie?" Noah's voice crooned in my ear. "Not feeling so cocky anymore?"

I shuddered when I felt his knuckle brush my cheek, his thumb of one of his fingers brushing over my lips as if we were sharing an intimate moment. I could hear the smirk in his voice as he loomed over me completely in control. He was enjoying this.

"Now are you going to be a good girl or do you need a little more reminding of where your place is?"

"Why don't you choke and die?" I hissed.

This time my stomach took the blow, the air rushing from my lungs and my knees gave out from under me. I knew it was coming but I took it without remorse like I had taken every hit, every lash, every moment in that walk in refrigerator and every time he forced my head under water until I passed out. I took all of it because it was the only way I could fight Noah. Sure I had nearly gotten away but not giving in meant Noah wasn't breaking me the way he wanted to break me and that infuriated him.

"I think some alone to contemplate your actions is in order." Noah finally said.

I could hear him moving around, each sound grating on my frayed nerves. I wanted him to remove the blindfold so he could see my simmering hatred for him, the iron resolve and stubbornness I had forged against him. But he didn't, because he was a coward. I knew it now. I had outsmarted him and he knew he had to keep me pinned down in order to control me otherwise I'd fight back and he didn't know how to handle that.

But I was still fighting back now. My body was battered and bruised. I'm sure I had several broken bones but I was fighting. I was defiant and I wouldn't stop being so until my last breath.

"I think this will be fun…" Noah's voice purred.

His hand gripped my jaw like a vice. I could feel his fingertips digging in as he wrenched my mouth open. I fought back but ultimately he was stronger. Something hard pressed my tongue to the floor of my mouth whilst also passed the corners of my mouth. Something was fastened behind my head pulling the strange gag into my mouth further until it hurt.

"Better," he sounded amused, as if he was having fun playing a game. "But something isn't right. Ah, I know…"

His fingers were like spiders scuttling over my skin as they gripped the band of the grey joggers he had given me days before. The feeling of those intrusive digits were far too familiar and flinched away, panic ripping through me.

*What was he doing? Why was he touching me? oh god, please don't...*

"Oh relax little bird. I'm not going to fuck you. You're not ready yet. I am going to keep your virginity intact for a little longer." Noah laughed as if he had read my mind.

I froze at that. He didn't know. He thought I was still a virgin. Something untouched for him to ruin.

I shuddered when my joggers were suddenly gone. My top went next with the help of either a knife or scissors. The winter air hit me cruelly and I shivered as an icy wind rolled in to attack my flesh.

"At least, you better still be a virgin." Noah murmured in my ear. "Because if you're not then there is no point of me keeping you. I don't want a used whore. You'd be better off dead. So Ellie, are you still a virgin?"

My heart was already pounding but now it was full on racing towards a heart attack. I could no longer tell the difference between my panic and my fear but every ounce of my survival kicked in then and nodded quickly.

There was no way I was telling Noah the truth. My survival hinged on me being a virgin.

So of course I was going to lie to stay alive.

“I thought so.” Were the last words I heard before headphones covered my ears and noise drowned out everything else.