Against the Stars

Chapter 23

After visiting Rebecca, it was nearly a week before Ginny felt brave enough to venture outside. She knew wherever she would go; words of scandal would follow her.

Then she couldn't take her house anymore. Being coped up in her house with five siblings- four of them younger- was never easy nor fun. Soon, Ginny was ready to brave the scandal just to get out of her house.

Sure enough, when Ginny got to town, she could see the behind the hand whispers, she saw the finger pointing, and she heard the shushed voices. She went through all that, and still held her head high. She wasn't going to let something her sister did stand in her way.

Ginny didn't stop walking until she felt something sharp hit her in the back of her head. She spun around and found herself nearly face to face with Abiel Mason.

Abiel Mason was a tall boy who towered over Ginny, along with most of the town. He had eyes that would be the color of black magic and an attitude to match. His hair matched the shade of his eyes and stuck up at the top of his head. And even the people, who didn't know him, knew one think about him.

Abiel Mason was trouble.

Abiel had a wicked grin on his face and his eyes glowed with some kind of fire. Ginny didn't know what he had planned, but she knew she was in trouble. And when Abiel shoved her to the ground, her feelings were confirmed. She landed in a puddle, drenching her clothes.

By now a crowd had gathered, but they kept a respectful distance. Ginny knew what they wanted and she was going to give it to them.

"Help me up Abiel."

"What?"

"I said, help me up. You are gentlemen, are you not?"

Abiel’s face flushed the same color as a sunrise. "No, I'm not going to help a British loving sum."

So that's what this is about, Ginny thought. The other think everyone knew about Abiel Mason was that he was a fierce patriot and absolutely despised loyalists. Ginny fought the urge to stand up and yell that she was a patriot to.

Ginny pulled herself off the ground and went over to Abiel. "Who said I wasn't the British loving scrum, but you were? How do we know that you're not deep down inside a loyalist, but you're too afraid to show it?"

Abiel, unable to control his anger, reached out and slapped Ginny across the cheek. She tumbled to the ground, cheek flaring. Abiel then crushed his foot down on Ginny’s barely healed broken ankle. Ginny cried out as pain coursed through her body.

The crowd gasped, but not one person made a move to help her. They ask stared, transfixed, at the scene that was unfolding. No one was leaving now, like a good story, everyone wanted to see how it would end.

"You think you're all that Miller! Bet it was your idea for your sister to run away! Did you just tell her to leave? You probably wanted to get no good, worthless girl out of your life!"

"Leave Blithe out of this!" Ginny cried, struggling to get up.

"Why? The whole reason I'm doing this is it punish you for you what you did to her!" Abiel clamped his foot down on her chest, preventing Ginny from moving.

The crowd had gone silent, but still no one moved to help. Not when Abiel jammed his foot into Ginny’s side. Not when he spit in her face. Not ever.

"Please stop," Ginny begged. She had stopped trying to be strong. It had gone too far for Ginny to still act strong. She was wet, cold, and hurt everywhere. Her strength had long since fled.

"And why should I?"

"What did I do to you?"

"You brought back memories I've spent my whole life trying to erase."

Abiel reached over and helped Ginny up to everyone's surprise. But the moment Ginny was on her feet, Abiel had reached out and grabbed her throat.

Caught off guard, Ginny started to choke instantly. When Abiel saw this, he loosened his group, but not by much. He lifted her up, hand still on her throat.

He turned to the crowd and yelled, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't strangle her right now."

Ginny felt her lungs shrivel up. She needed air! Her sight and hearing slowly began to dim.

"I'll give you a reason," a voice from the crowd says. Abiel turned towards the noise, his grip loosening for a moment. That moment was all Ginny needed to catch a quick breath.

Ben Eby shoved his way through the crowd. He made his way over to Abiel, his face red with anger.

"Why?" Abiel snickered. "Is she your one true love?"

"It doesn't matter why I'm doing this; all that matters is that if you don't drop her, I'll tell everyone what really happened to Faith."

Abiel’s face turned white, nearly colorless. "You wouldn't."

"I would and I could if you don't drop Ginny."

Abiel let his fist go from Ginny’s throat, letting her fall to the pavement. Ginny landed hard and groaned.

Seeing the crowd stares, Abiel turned red again. "Move!" He cried shoving his way through the crowd.

Ben dropped next to Ginny side and grabbed her wrist. For a moment there was pure silence. Then Ben whispered, "Ginny?"

"Ben," Ginny said as everything went black.