Don'ts Of An Arranged Marriage

19. Don't Shy Away

A/N Mild trigger warning.

SHIN

The drying wounds weren't the ones to scar me. If I were to escape today, I would heal in no time. For an eleven-year-old girl,  I was stronger than how I was seen by the others. Isn't it why I had shoved my five-year-old brother to the concreate when I was abducted after school? It was my responsibility to pick Hwan from his elementary class- but wasn't trading myself to save him a bigger one? I did good, didn't I?

But why was I regretting it into the night? I've stopped crying out for help, I wasn't losing hope. I was finally giving in to my fears. I yearn It was all I had to go through. The blows and starvation. But when the drunken man stumbled in with wobbly legs and a crooked smile, I realized that I hadn't known the real fear at all.

The curdling stench of cheap beer hits me when he crouched in front. I scrambled into the wall, curling into a small mass, praying that he couldn't see me if I did so. But when he touched my arm, it wasn't the contact with cuts that burns me. It was something else. I shiver, I was afraid- I hated every breath that I took within the moment his dirty hand reached my neck. He wasn't trying to kill me-

I wish he did at the minute.

I was young, but I knew it was a bad touch. I froze when he leaned in, his nails digs by my collar bone. My world became blurry mess, I couldn't speak, breathe or think until there was a loud scream. When I was yanked to my feet by the woman- I glance at the shards of glass scattered by the unconscious man. Half of the bottle with which the woman who had whacked him with was still in her clutch. For a second I think she was going to stab me with it.

But she drags me out, she dips a towel into a bowl of lukewarm water, and runs it across my face and arms. But I still feel his touch on me- I squirm. I don't cry or plead. She saved me before I he could do anything to me- but did she save me from what a maze my life will become after this?

She could've been late, even a few minutes would have been enough. She was aware of that because her eyes were afraid, sad and regrets flooded them when she cleaned my wounds. They don't matter now did they,

The bowl of water turns scarlet as she squeezed the towel into them. she took me to my home, outside the gates, she heeds me a warning. It sounds like a request.

"You don't utter a thing. Understand"

I don't reply, she doesn't stay back to make sure I'll keep my lips sealed. She runs off, I walk to the front gate- my battered body winced with each step I took. I think I rang the bell- I think it's what I do before I passed out.

I woke up in my room, IVs taped in, monitors beeping off, Mom holding my hand with tears streaming down her cheeks,  Dad next to her holding his in to stay strong for me. Despite my hazy vision I smile for them- I was happy to see them. I cried while I smiled.

In few days, as I recovered I had officials dressed in informal clothes with a wrapped teddy bear come visit me. They were here for interrogation, they kept it short- subtle, threading on a thin line to not trigger any wrong memories since my Mom was right beside me.

It was short because I lie-

"I don't remember much"

They don't believe me.

"They did it for ransom I guess, I heard them discussing about money few times" it was quizzical how small my voice was, the sooner these men entered the room, my stomach churned with anxiety that I wasn't familiar with. My palms began to sweat. My heart hammered. I didn't feel like myself anymore.