The Strength of Silence

SIXTY-FOUR

"GASP!"

      The eleven year old lurched forward in the hospital bed as she looked around frantically at the unfamiliar surroundings; panic consuming the little brunette at an overwhelming pace. This wasn't her home...

     This place reeked of chemicals and the walls were too plain. A beeping made her sensitive ears ring as she turned to see an odd machine on a pole. That's when she noticed the tubes and wires coming out of it and then attaching to the crystal eyed child; seemingly piercing into her body.  The little girl's eyes widened and her breathing started to quicken as fear was added into the little one's jumble of emotions.

    Where is she?

    Another thought entered Gemma's mind as she went to open her mouth to call out to the only person she felt safest with, "Ma- COUGH!"

    Searing pain surrounded her throat as a warm substance trickled down the corner of the oblivious child's lip. Bringing a finger to graze the warm liquid, the young brunette lowered her appendage to see the tips of her pointer and middle finger covered in blood. Then, she noticed something was odd with her eyesight; like an object is obstructing her ability to see out of her right eye. Bringing that same hand up to her face, Gemma hesitantly grazed it to feel a cotton like material wrapped around the right side of her head and eye. Then she brought her other hand to her throat and felt the same material.

    What's going on?

    Why is she hurt?

     Where is her mother?

     Until...

     It finally hit her...

     The intruders in black...

    A cold metal going across her throat and the pain that came with it.

    Her mother getting severely beaten in front of Gemma.

    The color red.

    Her hand embedded in her mother's chest...

    The little girl's chest heaved heavily as she started to have difficulty breathing. Eyes wide with tears pricking the corners as her complexion paled while Gemma's body shook violently caused the heart monitor to go off suddenly. Though, it didn't faze the halfbreed as she was swallowed in a deep pool of despair and guilt. Her shaky hands went to grip harshly at her messy brown locks as Gemma's body went on autopilot and did the only natural response it could do (despite the pain it would be causing):

     She screamed a blood curdling scream.

     ꧁☯︎︎꧂

     I knew it!

     They hate me!

     Jim...

     Toby...

     Blinky...

    Aaarrrgghh....

    Oh gods...

    The thought of him hating me and seeing me as a monster hurts as much as when I lost my mother.

     I continue to run through Trollmarket as I dodged meandering trolls going about their business and leapt over a group of scheming gnomes while tears cascaded heavily down my face. I don't know where my body was taking me but I hope it's anywhere far from here. Somewhere where I can suffer alone in piece...