Phoenix

Truth Hurts

This nightmare was different, I was back in Jefferson. Limping away from the children's home I had been thrown into yesterday. I was clutching my rib cage and I could feel the pain every time I would take a step, I had no idea where I was going I just needed to get out. My ankle was swollen from either a fracture or a break, I couldn't tell it was extremely painful to walk on. I eventually made it to the main road out of town to be met with the silence of the dark and I kept walking and walking. Everything around me seemed much bigger than the day I left. The cold was biting at my skin which in some way was helping the pain practically numbing my skin from the bruises. The wind whipping at my hair, only made it harder to keep walking until I saw someone or reached a new town. The darkness made me feel more venerable the long open road I was walking along was only lit up by the moonlight, I was scared of my own shadow any noise made me flinch and the fear of being dragged back to that death trap of a town was keeping me moving. I heard a car engine first so turned to look back on where I had stumbled from to see bright blue flashing lights of the Police they were driving slow looking for something or someone. Shit. I did the only thing I could think of a jump into a ditch lower than the road biting my lip until it split open the now dried scab wound. Tears falling silent from my eyes as I bit down on my lip in the dirt I heard the Police car carry on past and I stayed still I knew they had to head back to the station and wouldn't believe I had got that far. I remembered falling asleep in the ditch before being dragged out by two firm hands of the two police officers. "Jade Smith. You are coming with us" I couldn't respond before they threw me in the cop car and slammed the door. "Jade. You know that you can't run away. You have nowhere to go" The second's Police officer spoke as he got in the passenger seat. "Please don't call me that" I croaked out of my throat, the bruising on my neck probably purple by now. "Jade smith. 8 years of age. Missing person. Now found" The first officer spoke into the radio neither of them responding nor looking at me. "Jade your social worker Mr James will pick you up from the station I hope that this never happens again, Miss. You are a young girl and bad things can happen to you Jade" The second officer spoke again. "Stop calling me Jade!" I slammed my feet against his chair I knew it was a bad idea but it happened anyway. Before I had a chance the second beating of the night came from officers who were sworn to protect others, along with them raping me and showing me how I am a girl and always will be. "Stop!" "It hurts" "Never!" "Just Kill Me" Were the last words I could scream out before my body caved under the pain and I blacked out which caused me to shoot awake on the quite blacked-out train, Natasha now sat next to me holding my body close to hers and playing with my hair to calm my rapid heart rate.

"You okay it's just me. Just Tasha, take a deep breath." Her soothing voice whispered into my ear I felt my body relax I'm not 8 years old stuck there anymore. I sunk into her and embraced her in the safety of her I knew it would be short-lived but I need it right now.

"Tommy, what was that? you were screaming" Her voice coming back soft and calm I rubbed my eyes which were mixed with sleep and tears. "Don't worry about it Nat, Thank you tho." I pushed myself off her and headed into the small train bathroom.

Shutting the door behind me and locking it I turned to see my distraught face in the mirror, puffy eyes and my lashes stuck together with my eyes were a different colour no longer blue but now orange with flickers of yellow burning through. I rubbed my eyes again and was met back with the ocean blue. I'm seeing things. Washing my face and using the toilet before heading back to Natasha to be met with her green eyes staring into my soul, filled with worry, anger and another emotion I couldn't read.

"Please can you tell me what's going on because, in the whole time I have been with you, you haven't slept for more than an hour without screaming, sweating or startling yourself awake? I have nightmares but never have I screamed for someone to kill me."