𝒲𝒾𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝑜𝓃 𝓎𝑜𝓊

Chapter 4

I woke up, consumed by pain. I glanced at the door, listening intently, but there was only silence. Did I kill him? The thought sent a chill down my spine. He couldn't die; I'd go to jail. I had to check on him.

I recalled that he hadn't locked the door, but one of the rules was clear: no going upstairs. I knew he was wrong, but he shouldn't die. I decided to investigate.

As I sat up, a wave of lightheadedness washed over me. I gazed at the door, reassuring myself it was within reach. I'll be fine, I thought. I stood up, limping towards the door as my knee throbbed in protest. Maybe I broke it, or maybe I'm just being dramatic, my subconscious teased.

I made it up the stairs, my heart racing with anticipation. I began to explore the house, but there was no sign of David – only blood. The trail led to the other door, but I hesitated, fear gripping my heart. I'm not going out there, I thought

I approached a door, and my reflection stared back at me from the mirror. "Damm, you look bad, Harper," I muttered. My skin was pale, with dark circles under my eyes. My eyes were puffy and red from crying. I was skinny, but not in a good way. The black eye and busted lip were visible, but the rest of my injuries were hidden under my clothes.

I heard banging from the living room door. It was time to play hide-and-seek. I scanned my surroundings, searching for a place to conceal myself. More stairs led to the upper floor, but my knee throbbed in protest. I remembered a desk in one of the rooms and decided to investigate.

As I entered the room, I spotted a closet in the corner. I opened the door, finding a blanket inside. I grabbed it, closed the closet door, and lay down on the floor, wrapping myself in the blanket. I curled up into a ball, hiding in the corner of the closet, holding my breath, and hoping to remain undiscovered.

I held my breath as a loud bang echoed through the house, followed by footsteps. They were inside. The sound of boots thudding up the stairs made my heart sink. Muffled voices drifted through the walls, their words indistinguishable except for one: "Clear."

What did that even mean? How could anything be clear with blood everywhere? Footsteps entered the room, and I felt my body tense. They were getting closer.

My hands began to shake, and my heart raced I'm going to die, I thought, panic setting in. Omg, stop being so dramatic, Harper. But this wasn't dramatic – this was real.

The voice echoed through the room again, "Clear." A female voice responded, "What about the closet Officer Brown? Officer Brown didn't reply. The female voice snapped, "You're an idiot, Officer Brown."

The footsteps drew closer, and my entire body trembled with fear. I was trapped, hiding in a closet with no escape.

The closet door creaked open, and a gentle voice coaxed me. "Hey, it's okay. You can come out from under the blanket." The female voice was soothing, but I was hesitant. Was this a trick? Were they trying to lure me out, only to harm me?

"Listen, I promise you'll be safe," she reassured me. But how could I trust her? Nothing felt safe anymore. The world had become a terrifying place.

The female officer continued to speak calmly. "It's okay, I know you're scared, but you are safe. It may not feel like it right now, but you are." Her words were meant to comfort me, but I was beyond consolation.

Just then, Officer Brown expressed his doubts. "Are you sure there's someone under the blanket?" he asked, his voice laced with uncertainty.

The female officer's patience was wearing thin. "Officer Brown, you're getting on my nerves," she snapped. "But since you think I'm wrong, go ahead and take the blanket off."

Footsteps approached, and the blanket was gently lifted off me. I let out a blood-curdling scream, which startled Officer Brown, making him scream too. I wondered if there was something terrifying on my face. Was I really that ugly?

The female officer, quickly reassured me, "Hey, hey, you're okay, sweetie?" I looked up to meet two pairs of eyes. Officer Brown's eyes were wide with fear, while the female Officer eyes were soft and loving. I looked at her thing to see her name Officer Snow

Officer Snow asked gently, "What's your name?" I remained silent, unsure of how to respond. Officer Snow smiled warmly and introduced herself, "My name is Officer Snow. You can call me Blake."

I gazed at the wall, weighing my options. Did I trust them? The only way to escape this nightmare was to talk. I decided to take a chance.

"Harper," I croaked, my voice raspy from dehydration.

Blake's expression softened. "Well, Harper, can you come out of there? We can take you to the police station and find your family."

I hesitated, unsure. "But I'm with my family."

Officer Brown chimed in, "No one is in the house, but I know someone was, and that's why you have a black eye."

Blake shot him a withering look. "Dude, shut your pie hole."

I couldn't help but giggle at the exchange. Blake's smile broadened as she offered me her hand. I flinched, expecting her to hit me.

Blake's smile faltered. "Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you; I was going to help you up."

Help? Why did Blake want to help me? The word sounded foreign, almost mythical. I'd heard it before, but not in the way Blake said it. David's idea of "help" was twisted and sinister.

As I gazed at Blake, tears streamed down my cheeks. I didn't realize I was crying until my face was wet. The word "help" was too much to bear. It reminded me of all the times I'd been promised rescue, only to be let down.

Blake approached me cautiously, her voice soft. "Hey Harper, you're okay."

I felt a surge of frustration. Did she really think I was okay? Couldn't she see the shattered pieces of me? The bruises, the scars, the emotional wreckage? If only they saw the true extent of my damage, they'd know I was far from okay. I'd never be okay again. Safety was just an illusion, a luxury I'd never know.

Blake kept approaching, and I froze, unsure how to react. She wrapped her arms around me, and I felt a jolt of confusion. What was she doing? Was this...normal?

I didn't know what to do, or how to respond. I didn't even know what normal meant anymore. Blake's voice broke the silence, "You're freezing." She retrieved the blanket and wrapped it around me, rubbing my arms to warm me up.

I rested my head on her shoulder, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over me. My eyes grew heavy, and I fought to stay awake. When Blake shifted to move, I flinched, jerking my head up to look at her.

"It's okay, I'm just picking you up," Blake whispered softly. I rested my head on her shoulder as she carried me out of the room and into the bright sunlight. The glare was overwhelming, and I hid under the blanket.