Comatose

Who You Know

Chapter 24

"I'm sorry. I should have made sure you had been set free before I left that night. You've had to suffer because of me and that wasn't fair to you. I never meant to cause you pain you know. I was only trying to save you from Him. I watched my own mother suffer at the hands of similar men throughout my childhood. I was too young. Too weak to do anything. The night that she took her own life I was scared. I cried as she lay dying in front of me. I was heartbroken. I wanted to call an ambulance to save her but her grip on my arm wouldn't allow me to get the phone. I thought she was being selfish at first. When she looked at me sobbing over her she smiled. Not just any smile either but one of pure joy. I had never seen her so happy. As she was taking her last breaths she whispered to me that she was finally free. It all made sense to me at that moment. The only way for her to get away from men like that was to leave to a better place. I'll admit I still miss her terribly. Not enough to watch her go through that again though. I knew she was giving me my mission that night. To find other women who were chained to men who mistreated them and set them free too.

I was selfish with you though. I wanted so badly to keep you that I allowed the mistreatment to prolong. I knew better but I couldn't help it. Maybe that was why I made the mistake that night. Perhaps somewhere deep down I still couldn't let you go. Forgive me for my weakness. I can't stand the thought of you being angry with me for leaving you like this. I'm going to fix it. I'm going to make things right now mom."

Angelica was certain after hearing his confession that she wasn't having a panic attack. No, he was trying to finish her off by chocking her. She felt hurt and betrayed. She would have never thought him capable of such an act. There was no mistaking his intentions no matter how much she wished it weren't him.

The past began to play again as her attention skittered over dozens of memories of interactions. Could she have overlooked some clue that would have prevented this travesty if she had only seen it sooner? She was drawn back into the moment of the scene playing out inside her mind as she once again came face to face with her attacker that night. The lights caught his features allowing her to see the person she already knew was under the hood. Even though there were still dark shadows cast across his face there was no way to deny what she saw that night. Perhaps it was because of who it was that her mind had hidden it from her the first time she had been back there. A painful reminder that sometimes you never really knew a person until it was too late.

At the moment she saw his face Angelica found a new well of strength inside her. She intensified her efforts to separate herself from the visage of the woman that had been attacked that night. That wasn't her anymore and she refused to be inside the mockery of the person she had been for too long. She wasn't sure how to go about separating herself as she had been unable to do so the first time she had relived the memory. She was stronger now, more determined now, and most importantly she had a newfound purpose. Angelica wasn't fighting a past that had already happened anymore. She was battling to be free of the parts of herself that had made her a victim.

She managed to begin finding purchase within the form that held her. Though it was more like grasping tar. Her fingers sunk slowly inside a goo that was half solid half softening beneath her touch. The initial contact caused a shiver to run through her at the sensation, but she ignored it in lieu of setting herself free. It was slow going as the substance seemed to suck at her incorporeal body as much as it offered a place for her to grip. The more she worked against it the more painful it became. Like pulling a freshly made scab from an infected wound. She ignored it determined to break free from herself. This wasn't how it was going to end for her. She refused to cease to exist here of all places. He wasn't going to win. Not this time.

There was no way to know how long the struggle took as time had not purpose within the constructs of her mind. She could feel the exhaustion settling over her as she worked. Whether from her lack of full breaths or the energy she was exerting Angelica wasn't sure. Doubt was trying to take over her resolve and threaten her will to live. With a final surge of strength, she found herself divided from the woman who lay prone on the pavement next to her. She watched in disbelief as she had an observer's view to the attack she had once been a part of. Blinking slowly her brain churned sluggishly as it processed what she had managed to accomplish. Turning from the scene Angelica closed her eyes to it calming her mind in the wake of the storm. It wasn't over yet.

Opening her heavy lids dark spots danced across her vision as the world went in and out of focus. She was certain she didn't have long now. She needed to get back to the white world to her subconscious. Stumbling to her feet Angelica pushed her body into motion. She ran into the night leaving the parking lot and the struggling pair behind her. She blindly picked a course and ran not knowing if her choice would take her where she needed to go.

A glaring light pierced the darkness giving her hope for the first time since she had stepped into the black hole inside her mind. Picking up speed the white ray seemed to reach out to her urging her on with insistence. It beckoned her forward until her thoughts were consumed by the illumination that seared it. Angelica had a passing worry that she was rushing to the afterlife. She brushed the negative idea away knowing it would do her no good to entertain it. Taking the last steps before breaching the unknown her heart leapt with trepidation as she entered.

Her eyes blinked painfully as she fought to close them against the light that shone down on her. Tears blurred her vision creating a watery pane to view through. It was unclear to her at first where she had ended up exactly. The erratic beeping beside her mixed with the stringent odor of disinfectant made her want to cry out with joy. It was a feeling that was short lived as the incessant pressure to her neck reminded her of the danger she was still in. Blinking in quick succession the water trickled from her eyes. The hands around her neck loosened momentarily as the owner of them noticed she was now awake. Angelica's gaze locked on to the wide-eyed young man above her. His surprise was brief as a new determination set his features into a hard unfeeling mask. He no longer resembled the kid she had welcomed into her home and eventually as a part of the family.

Adrenaline gave her the strength to reach up with arms laden with misuse to grasp hold of his hands. Angelica clawed trying to work her fingers beneath his own. Gasping for air she thrashed her head upwards straining her neck against his hold. Jacob made a sound of anguish as she fought to live. His grip faltered with his indecision as sorrow filled his eyes. Just as quickly he increased his efforts making her attempts to save herself futile. Small squeaks of pain left her dry lips as she fought with everything she had left in her. Her legs thrashed uselessly at the end of the bed. She was too weak in her current state. Her unused muscles cramped with the exertion she asked of them. Angelica's valiant effort was fruitless. She was losing the battle.

Her lids began to droop too heavy to keep open any longer. Her brain fired as quickly as it could trying to find a solution. She couldn't form words to talk him down with her voice. Her throat too damaged from Jacob's aggression to allow such an action. She couldn't physically fight him off although she had tried. If she waited for someone to find them it could be too late, and he would get away with yet another murder. If she was going to die then Angelica was going to bring him down. With her last bit of strength, she changed tactics moving her hands down to his forearms. Jacob didn't seem to notice as he was too intent on his task. Stiffening her fingers, she struck. Racking her nails down his arms she gouged as deep as she could manage making sure to take as much of his flesh and blood as possible.

He cried out in pain but held fast to her neck. Her duty to his other victims done her arms fell limply to the bed. She was so very tired now having spent all her energy. Her eyelids began drifting lower as she no longer fought to keep them open. She had many regrets in her life that she wished for the time to change. She found peace in the simple fact that letting Jacob go would not be one of them.

Just as Angelica gave up the last of her resistance the door to her hospital room slammed open. Jacob's weight had been removed from her as vicious growls and screams of pain rang through the air of her hospital room. Chaos was breaking out around her as more and more people entered. There was no making sense of the mess of voices which left it unclear to her who was there. She tried to pry her eyes open for one last glimpse to no avail. The only thing she was able to do was gasp and cough as her weak body tried to take in air. She was failing to even do that for herself. Just before the darkness took her Angelica swore she felt her limp bloody hand being held in a firm embrace.