Escaping Ethan's Clutches (Ruining Innocence Vol 1)

Chapter 8

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She was surrounded by thorny bushes from everywhere, pricking at her from her sides, wrapping themselves around her like a whip, yapping at her skin, and luring her into the darkness unknown. She hated it, the darkness. She was terrified of it. She was being consumed by it.

Empty.

That's all she felt.

Broken.

That's all she was.

Death.

That's all she yearned for.

To Die.

She wasn't unconscious anymore. As a matter of fact, she has been awake and feeling the presence of the people around her for some time now. Maybe an hour, or two. She couldn't tell. But she had decided against alerting her mum and the other figure in the room. She had decided against opening her eyes to the world.

"You need to get a grip, Faria." The bed dipped where her mother sat, by Maryam's legs. "I know what happened is not easy to bear for any mother."

Maryam recognized the voice, it was her mother's colleague and friend, Rhea. Rhea was not only sympathetic to their circumstances but entirely accommodating whenever they needed her. In the entire city, she was the sole person that was forthcoming. Although hesitant at first, afraid like all the people that resided in the city had been, she soon became a part of the family. Even then, her mother had decided to keep her away from many matters, fearing for her safety, today was something they couldn't face alone though.

In a place where they were always made to feel like strangers, she has been with them, even if not often, even if not entirely.

"You will need to stay strong for her because after last night, she won't have any strength left of her own."

Maryam allowed a silent breath to escape from her nostrils, slowly and gently, feeling the pain in her body hold her hostage. She wanted to say something, anything, but the pain in her body left her numb. She was drained. She was physically, emotionally, and mentally drained. Nothing of her remained her. The figure lying on her bed, wasn't her anymore. Like a rag doll or a puppet, she was waiting to be moved around by the strings in the hands of the puppeteer. How long, before her suffering ends...? How long before she gives up...?

Peace.

All she wanted was peace.

She was silently suffering in pain, but her mind was anything but. It was screaming, weeping, and deceiving her. Her mind was supposed to be her source of comfort, her source of strength, if not always, if not fully, then at least somewhat. There was always that voice in her mind that rose above other noises that told her to not give up, to fight, to look forward to a beautiful future.

She couldn't find that voice in her head right now. Or maybe she wasn't looking for it hard enough. How could she when all the other voices in her mind roared at her rendezvously, surrounded her like big indestructible walls, encroaching closer and closer at her every effort of finding her source of strength.

And they all told her only one thing... the only way out of her suffering. That it was okay to be selfish... that they didn't want to weep anymore...

They threatened her that she didn't have a choice. That if she didn't fulfill their demands, they were going to avenge her... destroy her, just like he did. They were terrified of him and insisted that she needed to give up...