Divulgence ✹ Septicgab

Three

24 hours later

"Have you gotten ahold of anyone?" Evelien asked me in a panic.

"No, and I've tried everyone," I tried to catch my breath. "Amelia? Amelia!" I looked around for our daughter. "Fuck-"

"What happened?" Evelien asked, worried that she already knew the answer.

"Amelia's not in her bed."

~

I was forced to go back to work as soon as the building's foundation was complete. It was either comply with Reynolds's demands. I tried to refuse, but she was manipulative..... physically violent.... but not just me.

"You can't do this!" I screamed. "What do you want with us? Just let her go! Let me go! Leave us all alone!" She slapped me across the face, hard enough for my ears to start ringing.

"You think you can be me?" Her face was close enough to mine where we touched noses. "You think you're better than me?" As my hearing cleared up, I could hear whimpering in my surroundings... A little girl.. The same little girl I had heard before. "Quiet bitch!" Reynolds turned away from me, screaming at the girl.

"Don't speak to her like that!" I managed to regain my composure and stand, making my way toward the monster of a woman. "Fuck you!" I kicked at Reynolds, but it took all of my energy, causing me to be easily stopped. She intercepted the kick by grabbing my leg, throwing me backward. My head hit the ground hard enough I could smell blood.... I knew it had to have been me.

"I'm sorry," the little girl cried. "Mother, I tried! Okay?" Reynolds ignored her cries and repeatedly kicked and pummeled me into a bloody pulp. As I started to lose consciousness, I could see blurs of Reynolds untying a girl, throwing her down next to me, and she did the same before walking away from us both.

-

I woke up with a pounding headache, and the tinnitus came back stronger. Trying to stand up, I pushed myself up off the ground I had apparently spent the night on, and tried to balance myself on my feet. There was no sign of the little girl.... only memories of what I heard her say.

"Her mother?" I mumbled to myself. "That can't be true... Reynolds doesn't have family here..."

"Rae?" I heard a voice. "Rae, are you okay?" It was the little girl. "I don't have much time.." She started untying me, looking over her shoulder periodically. "Can you walk?" I nodded. "Run?"

"Who are you?" I asked. She looked familiar, but my memory had been extremely foggy since the hospital escape.

"I need you to do something for me," she said, dodging my question. "Take this, and run. Find help." She handed me a slip of paper. Written on the paper was a home address. "It's my mom's.."

"But... you said she was-"

"No," the girl stopped me. "Reynolds brainwashed me as well as everyone of you. Now, go!" She heard someone coming. "Now!" I got up and ran off. I felt sick to my stomach doing it, but she seemed to know what she was doing.

-

I knew I had made it far enough away when I found a payphone outside an old, rundown business. I remembered from working at St. Luke's that the man, a retired police chief, who ran the convenience store in the area was a friend of a cop. His friend always got his coffee there before heading to the station so he could talk with his old boss.

"Help!" I gasped for air as I saw the cop. "Hi!" I started to fall to my knees, weakened. "Officer... Holl-ins.."

"Ma'am? Are you okay?" He said, helping me stand back up. "Wait.. Rachell?" I nodded, in tears. "Come inside, now!"

-

Mr. Jacobs gave me a water and a chair to sit in when he saw Officer Hollins with me. As I faded in and out of consciousness, I could hear them talking about me, confused as to what I would've been doing that put me in this condition.

"Rae was an employee.... at that shit hospital, right?" Jacobs asked.

"You don't think she-" Hollins sounded concerned.

"Reynolds..." I mumbled. "She's.... she's there.."

"Reynolds?" Hollins asked, and I nodded. "She did this to you?" I nodded again, trying to keep conversation. "Was there anyone else?"

"A.. A gi- a girl..." I coughed. "She- she helped me get-- out.."

"Dispatch, I'm gonna need a couple squad cars heading to the construction site of St. Luke's hospital immediately. This could be a hostage situation. I repeat... possible hostage situation. One victim in police custody, said there was a small girl, about the age of twelve," Hollins called in through his radio. "Rae, you need to go to a hospital."

"No, I'm fine," I coughed.

"I'll find the girl," Hollins assured me. "But first, you need to go help yourself." Moments later, a couple more officers walked in to escort me to the hospital. Jacobs followed behind the ambulance to make sure I'd be okay and I had a friend nearby. Meanwhile, Hollins went down the block with a backup, storming the construction site.

~

Breaking news...

The construction of the new St. Luke's hospital is now on pause due to a newly ongoing investigation. Sophia Reynolds, the woman accused of kidnapping and assaulting at least a dozen social media influencers and formulating two phony deaths... is now back in the line of fire. Sources say a previous victim of the disappearances involving the social media influencers has come forward, claiming her attacker was none other than, Sophia Reynolds. Her name will not be released in order to keep her protected.

"Babe!" I yelled for Evelien. "Listen.."

Sources say the former psychologist of St. Luke's Hospital for the Criminally Insane, Sophia Reynolds, is suspected to be involved in yet another kidnapping. When surveying the site of the aforementioned attacking, our sources say there was the footprints of a much smaller shoe found at the scene. The prints are estimated to be from a child size shoe, between the sizes of a 5 and 6. Police are on the hunt for anyone with information on this child as this is a hostage situation.. We are unaware of whether or not Miss Reynolds is armed, but we have reason to believe she is dangerous, regardless of a weapon. More information will be aired as we receive it.

"Amelia..." Evelien cupped her hand over her mouth. "Oh my god..." I nodded.