The Loudest Silence

Isabella

Every bone in my body ached. It wasn't like this was Rick's first time beating me senselessly, yet this time it felt like my body knew it was on it's last straw. My endurance for his abuse had dimmed, and my body knew it.

My head felt groggy as I forced myself to wake up. I had felt my consciousness regaining earlier, and had prayed to myself that the events in the last 24 hours were a mere nightmare. As my eyes adjusted to the dark empty room around me, I was torn back into my sick reality.

Nothing was a dream. It had all really happened.

Roman and I were going to escape Rick. 

Rick had discovered everything.

And I stood up to Rick for the first time in my life. 

It hadn't ended the way I wanted to, but a piece of me was content with myself. I had done the one thing that I had been wanting to do for nearly a decade. I did it for myself. For the years stolen from me. For the pain and suffering he inflicted on me. And for the little girl whose life he had poisoned.

My head felt heavy, but I fought against the throbbing sensation in my temple, and lifted my head. I attempted to pull the stray hairs from my face, but failed, not realizing that I was no longer lying on the floor.

I was seated upright in an old wooden chair. My arms and hands were bound to the armrests of the chair, along with my ankles. I felt the panic begin to settle in, as my breathing grew more labored. My eyes flew across every corner in the dark room, where the only source of light came from outside where a street lamp illuminated the dark street. 

I attempted to pull my arms upward, in hopes that maybe a small portion of the rope was loosely tied, but failed as the rigid ends of the rope grazed against my exposed skin. I attempted once again, trying to keep myself from making any noise that would alert anyone.

I held back a hiss of pain as my bruised skin once again scraped against the rope, as I put all my force into breaking myself free. I felt defeat wash over me, as I slumped back into my chair. Rick had beaten me to unsocnciousness before, but he always left me in the same place. I had never been tied to anything, and a part of me knew it was because of his discovery about Roman and I.

Before I could brace myself to try and break free once again, I felt loud footsteps approaching the room I was in. Not wanting to face Rick or his men, I dropped my head downward, and shut my eyes. I forced myself to control my breathing as the door creaked open. Slow footsteps approached from behind me, and I held my breath as they rounded my chair before settling in front of me. 

The anonymous person didn't make a sound as they stood silently over me. I remained still as I listened to their footsteps walking somewhere else in the room before returning and setting something down. 

Something deep down told me that this person wasn't Rick. It had to be one of his men, but I was curious as to who he would send into the room, and for what?

I heard the person let out a loud sigh as they settled down into what I'm assuming was a chair. 

"You can stop pretending now." The deep voice resonated in the room as my stomach dropped. I felt my heartbeat accelerate at his words, but forced myself to remain still. He couldn't possibly know that I was awake. I had barely made a sound earlier, unless he had been watching from the doorway the entire time.