Revive (Book Two)

Chapter 33: Pigs

Every single hair on my body stood upright when I not only heard her voice but her very memorable name. It was as though time had done nothing to diminish the innocence that radiated from her, regardless of what she had endured. She had become a distant memory, a complete stranger I had crossed paths with, yet someone I was forever bound to. She was the person who haunted my thoughts on lonely nights, and I completely forgot that I was awaiting her phone call.

"Hello?" Her voice trembled with uncertainty, carrying the weight of the past. "It's-it's me..."

I couldn't find the words to respond, my cigarette burning away without my noticing. I was frozen in place.

My heart pounded relentlessly in my chest, and I finally took a seat in the worn-out chair, my mind racing with a chaotic whirlwind of emotions and memories. "Hey," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. "Avery, hey."

Her voice remained hesitant as she broke the lingering silence. "Do you-"

"-I remember you," I interrupted, my voice filled with a mix of astonishment and disbelief. Fuck, how could I ever forget?

"Is, is it really you?" She questioned, her voice quivering with uncertainty. "I've been calling you for months, I was starting to lose all hope."

I mentally berated myself for my negligence. All this time, that anonymous caller had been her. I should've known. I had two phone for a reason; the burner phone for her, and Vivian. And my other phone for Aria and Tyler.

Memories flooded my mind, each one more vivid and painful than the last.

The memory that hit me like a speeding train was when I walked in on her, trapped under that vile man.

I let out a heavy sigh. "It's me," I confessed quietly, the weight of the memory wearing me down. "Are you safe?"

A trembling, relieved laugh escaped her lips. "Thanks to you," she whispered. "I did everything you told me. My-my-my parents thought I was... They thought I was dead," her voice trembled even more. "Thanks to you, I'm alive. I'm safe." The trauma she had endured was evident in her words.

"I'm glad you kept trying to call," I admitted, my voice cracking with emotion. "Fuck," I muttered, taking a long drag from my cigarette. "I'm relieved."

"Listen," she began hesitantly. "I filed a police report."

I nodded to myself and rubbed my tired eyes. "Good," I replied, my mind racing with the inevitable consequences that lay ahead.

"Is this going to hurt you?" She asked, her voice filled with concern. "They, they gave me a medical examination and, and I didn't get into everything, but they took samples of your sweater, and... Well, just know, I held back a lot of details..."

I tapped my fingers nervously on my cigarette, the implications of her actions sinking in. Ah yes, I had anticipated this moment for some time now. I vividly remembered that particular detail. Fortunately, I had a contingency plan in place. Vivian Grace had warned me about the complications of my DNA being all over the hotel, including the very girl who had been captured. She was a shrewd woman, and I knew she had prepared for every possible outcome.

That, and I would choose Avery's safety over my own, even if it meant facing trouble in the future.

"That's okay," I finally responded, a sense of resolve in my voice. "How are you?"

"I have nightmares everyday that they'll find me..." She admitted.

My eyes closed automatically, taking in the heartbreaking confession she told me. It gave me remorse to know that she was struggling so hard. Two years of her life were taken from her, things have happened to her that I myself will never know about.