Cold Heart

Chapter 10: Now what?

RAE'S POV

As soon as he closes the door, I crumble to the ground. What do I do now? I'm sitting here in a strangers house on the run from a gang of Russians. I don't think many people can say they've been in this position before...

I get up. The room is huge. Five times bigger than the one at home. I walk into the ensuite with some difficulty and see a ginormous shower. Its filled with shampoos and creams, all foreign. I limp into the shower and turn the hot water on. Straight away I feel relaxed, although the thought of water makes me feel sick. I can feel my muscles untighten. At first, my cuts and wounds scream in pain and my breathing increases from the fear of the water, but I start to relax. I sort of try and keep my wounded leg out of the water as best as I can as it hurts too bad. I take my time to wash my hair twice with one arm and scrub the dirt and blood from the rest of my body. I finally feel the ache in my legs from the hours of running. I shudder thinking about it. When I'm finally done, I dry and towel dry my hair as best as I can and force a brush through. Already it looks lighter again, my complexion is slightly red from the warmth but my face looks so messed up. It's the first time I've seen it. My bruises are still extremely purple, my left eye is swollen and the other is bruised and there are scabs around my face. I look so different it's hard to recognise myself, it's hard to see that girl that I once was. I limp back into my room and see that he has put the pyjamas on my bed and a glass of water and a sandwich on the table. My throat dries and my stomach growls with hunger. I haven't been looked after in a very long time. With great difficulty, I manage to put them on. I turn the light off and climb into the bed. It feels like heaven in the corner of hell...

"AAHHHHHHH!" I scream. I wake suddenly, gasping for air. I check the clock of my night stand and it tells me it's 2am. I had a nightmare. I hope I didn't wake anyone. I turn my lamp on and make sure there's no one watching me in the dark. I feel exposed, I feel scared. I start to shiver uncontrollably, even though it's not cold. I think I'm going to be sick. I get up and straight away feel the pain rush through my body. I rush to my bathroom and vomit in the toilet. I can't go back to sleep. I just don't feel safe here. I don't even know where here is. I'm literally in a strangers house. I pull my cover off the bed and open the huge walk in closet. I get my pillow and make a bed in there. I know it sounds stupid, but if anyone comes looking for me, at least they won't think I'm here and I feel more secure and hidden.

What feels like only a couple of minutes later, I hear a knock at the door. I sit up, my body still aching and stand. I limp over to the door and open it. It's the man.

"How are you feeling?" He says.

ASHTON'S POV

"I feel better" she replies, in a quiet voice. Well, she looks better, as in cleaner. Her hair looks lighter, her cheeks are slightly coloured. Her lips are full of colour again and her eyes look shinier, however, her eye is still swollen and there's a big cut on her lip. I can't believe the amount of bruises she also has on her face.  I feel myself staring into her eyes. She looks away, awkwardly. I turn my attention to something in the corner of my eye. I notice her pillow and blanket is in the closet, and I realise, with sadness,  she must of slept there.

"Right. Good." I say. "This is Lucy." I introduce them to each other. Lucy is a bit older than me but she's worked with us almost all her life. Her dad worked with my dad so we grew up together. She's like a sister to me and Ron. She's a better sister than the one we had anyways...

"Hi!" Lucy says. Lucy has always been a bit, well, over the top, eccentric. The girl gives her a faint smile.

"Well, I'll leave yous two to it then" I say. I leave the room and shut the door behind me.  I walk back downstairs and pass Ron on the way. He gives me a dirty look. He's not speaking to me, he doesn't agree with what I'm doing. Oh well.