IN LOVE'S EMBRACE

CHAPTER 17: MERCY IN DIFFERENT FORMS

"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."- Romans 9:15

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JOHN PEIRCE

My eyes flew open and I rose from the bed with a jolt. My heart raced as I observed my surroundings, I was in a bedroom - my bed room to be exact.

I tried recalling how I got here but my head was blank, all i could only remember was my traumatizing experience with Mandy and Sheila's miraculous timing. The room was empty but I could hear footsteps coming up the stairs, my breath hitched and my hand inched towards my drawer, I pulled it open and grabbed the small knife that was safely hidden there.

The door flung open to reveal Shadrach and I let go of the knife with a sigh of relief, I was jittery and on my guard after everything that had transpired. Shred walked in with a tray in hand, he noticed me and threw a small smile.

"Johnny boy, welcome back to the real world. We missed you" Shred voiced with amusement as he placed the tray on the drawer

"I have so many questions" I rubbed my eyes

"I could say the same but you go first"

"How did I get here?" I asked the most important one first

"Well after Sheila found you, she called Alaine and I. We came to get you and brought you home" He explained and I pursued my lips

"Where are they?" He knew immediately who I meant

"They should be in class by now, they both have tests today"

"And the guys?"

"Downstairs, asleep, In the a few hours from now probably be hungover. Jason drank till he passed out, I had to carry him to the car on my shoulders, dude weighs a ton" He voiced with small smile as he relived the event in his head.

"I didn't see you at the party last night" I stated

"I was there but I left immediately as I entered, the whole setting didn't feel right" He replied and I remembered the odd feeling the party brought

"It's my turn to ask a question and I've only got one, what happened?" He said and I shook my head, I really didn't want to remember how it went down but I sighed and began anyways

"I met a girl, she was really pretty and reminded me of Alaine. She said she's been seeing me around campus and wanted to have a drink with me so I agreed, I honestly didn't have any ulterior motive, I just wanted to know her. After few glasses of whatever I drank, I didn't feel well, I wasn't drunk just slightly tipsy but I knew something wasn't right. I soon lost my balance, I felt wobbly like I had no control over my body anymore then she took me to a car far from the sight of people and began assaulting me, she would have succeeded in her plan if Sheila never showed up"

"Yeah, you were drugged. We had a nurse over and she said you just needed to sleep it off, she also left some drugs for when you wake up"

"Yeah, I saw her tip the bartender...I think." I said unsurely

"Are you good now though?, I'll ask Jason and his group about her when they wake up, they personally invited most people at the party"

"Yeah I am. Just a little shaken, never once thought I'd be in such a situation"

"Yeah it was quite strange. Y'know you are a problem magnet, the main attraction for weirdo, criminals and creeps" He laughed at his own joke and I smiled

His laughter died down after a while and we remained in silence, equally lost in our different thoughts. Unspoken words hung heavily in the air, we were both keeping secrets that we were dying to spill.