Meet me in the woods

Part 2

I don't know what I dreamed about, but there was warmth. I felt as though I was being held by someone or they were laying with me caressing my face and hands. I could smell the grass, and tall oak trees. A memory of Thomas reading to me under a Black Oak tree while I lean on him yawning and playing with leaves between my fingers. Maybe.

"she's waking!" my eyes shut tightly at the sound of someone screaming. A thumping in my head caused me to curl up. I could feel my own hands tightening on my skull. 

"Has she gone bad", "Brain damage", "Thank goodness her mother has more children", I felt a deep urge to throw something at the voice. 

"For the love of GOD shut up", I screamed the three women sitting beside my bed were my mother dressed in a blue, Coraline in Lavender, and my Aunt Mrs. William in light yellow. My mother burst out crying thanking god, I was in a white robe ignoring the thumping in my head I tied the robe as I sat up. Carolina smiled jumping to the bed. I don't recognize this place the room was mostly dark beside the window behind the 3 women. 

"We thought you might die the doctor said such terrible things, oh my sweet friend you've been through hell", she hugged me. I just let myself lay on her having no strength for anything. 

"I fell, I didn't die. I am fine", that was a lie but I hated this sort of attention. Carolina separated from me her eyes teary and sad. It shocked me I had never considered myself so important to her lively hood. My mother burst out with another sob. 

"she doesn't remember", my aunt said nodding her head in disapproval. Carolina covered her mouth as the cries poured out she returned to my mother's side.

"Remember what?", I looked at each one my aunt stood and took the space Carolina had occupied. 

"3 days ago Marget in Aubrey hall you were violated", I wanted to scream back but I had been slapped before by my aunt William "on your way to the dining hall Armando a cousin of Nickolas you'd just met you. Stalked you out in the halls as you went down the stairs he threw you, ripped open your dress. We don't know how much was done and an examination seemed unethical while you still breathe. If you died, he'd be hanged, and now that you're awake, we can proceed with a sort of compensation. Due to the injuries, you sustained it was clear you fought back and refused his advances. Bruising from his grip on your arms, a scratch on your chest, and your head rendering you unable to fight back. He was found over your body  removing his clothes", she went silent, never once did her eyes acknowledge me all time she spoke she looked down at her cup of tea. My mother sniffed, "she'll never marry, Nickolas will surely end the engagement soon"

"I fell", this time they all darted to my eyes.

"fell?" my mother repeated. 

"I fell, the dress ripped from his trying to catch me ", the realization in my mother's eyes played out in horror. 

"oh dear", my aunt said. 

"uh, are you sure you didn't forget or create a false memory?" Carolina asked. 

"no, It was an accident he never touched me", that was a lie he had but to keep quiet would risk my own reputation. They all looked nervously at each other knowing something I didn't. 

"Did he confess?", If they had backed him into a corner he might have just lied.

"No", Carolina let go of my mother's hands returning to my bed beside me. "He on the gallows"

"YOU HUNG HIM", I am responsible for the death of a man.

"no", my aunt replied annoyingly. "he's far too rich to just be hung, but he is sitting on the gallows waiting for you to wake or die. It was your father's idea Aubrey hall is a safe place to send the young folk they mean to set an example about this behavior. However, Nickolas has been advocating on his behalf",