Rag doll

Chapter 24

To everyone else my pain was over, to me it had just rebegun. I felt so alone.

All the boys were in prison, awaiting their trial. No matter what I would never see them again. I had been reassured many time that they will probably all be locked away for life, which felt like the turn of a knife each time.

Except Luke. Luke was dead and his body returned to nature. I thought often of Luke resting peacefully for eternity although it didn't bring me any comfort.

I watched as my mother walked into the room followed by a police women, her face lit up when seeing me. She ran to my side pulling me into a heart felt hug before bursting into tears.

"Oh my baby girl, I didn't think I would ever see you again" she cried, into the crock of my neck as she stroked my hair trying to sooth me.

I slowly put my arms around her, trying to take in what was happening it was still all so surreal, I had accepted the fact I would never see her again, I had excepted my new life.

No matter how many times I tried to convince myself I had been given a second chance to live a normal life. I would think about that house, how much I loved the girls and Ashton and how I would never see any of them again.

I stared to cry softly onto my mother shoulder, she started to rock me from side to side. She pulled away slightly to kiss me on the fore head a few times before hugging me again.

"I love you" she whispered over and over "I tired to find you. I wanted to save you. I'm so sorry"

"It hurts mum" I sobbed, closing my eyes  "my heart hurts"

I wanted to block everything out of my exhausted mind. I had waited so desperately for this moment for so long that now it's my reality i don't want it anymore.

"I know baby, I know" she said softly before breaking out sobbing even harder "I know, I'm sorry" she repeated but she didn't know, she had no idea. No one did.

She stood back and looked at me like she was trying seeing how I had changed in my time away. Her eyes suddenly stopped in something. I followed her eyes to my broken wrist. I knew what she was thinking. "Mum I fell off a bed, they would never-"

I noticed for the first time my cast had been replaced. There was no longer blood stains reminding me of Lukes passing.

"I know you Ava, you protect people and that's a good thing but you can't protect these disgusting men, what they did to you was wrong" she said firmly her lip quivering "Just wrong"

I felt my broken heart break, not even my mother could understood. She didn't know me. Not anymore, I felt like I was like a stranger to her. I felt like a broken rag doll.

I opened my mouth to reply but I didn't have the strength to argue anymore, I just sat in silence and nodded.

"Hello madam" a deep voice came from the door. Mum and I both looked over at who was talking "I'm officer Charles Webb, It's nice to see you awake Ava, I see you are both very happy to see each other again. I have a few papers for you mum and we need to ask Ava a few questions"

"How long will this take ?" My mum asked, wanting to get me home as soon as she could "The hospital said I could take her home today"

"Not to long madam, I know you must want to go home as soon as possible" Officer Webb reassured.

"As one of the other officers will have explained on the phone, Ava was kidnapped by a group of four boys. Three of the boys are in prison awaiting trial, the other one has been confirmed to have passed away previously to the rescue of the girls" Officer Webb said softly to my mother.