Echoes of Resilience

3

Nine Months In Captivity

It's been nine months since that night in the bar and three months since she realized she had to escape, even if escaping kills her. Meredith isn't an idiot, she was top of her class in both college and medical school, she knows that escaping will take time. This cannot be something she does without thinking it through, it is very possible that escaping the shed will end her life but if she has any chance of surviving it'll take careful preparation and planning.

The past three months have included Derek not missing a day, sometimes even stopping by twice. She has been good for the most part but good behavior doesn't stop him from raping her, just from beating her. She can't do this anymore but she doesn't yet have a way out. She's considered taking her chances and just running past him when the door opens but she knows she barely makes it past the door before he snaps her neck if she tries something as reckless as that.

She has spent three months trying to find a way out but they all end with her body in the morgue. She's beginning to lose hope when everything changes.

Outside Of The Shed

The sky is overcast but the sun is peeking out against the darkest clouds, almost as if the weather is trying to decide between rain and sun. It's now spring in Seattle but the past week has consisted of a nasty cold front that seems to finally be breaking up. Addison hasn't been back to this house since deciding to end her marriage three months ago, now with the divorce finalized she made her way back to collect the last of what she left behind. Derek is at the hospital so she's hoping to just be in and out. Everytime she has approached him about collecting what she left in the shed placed at the back of their land he feeds her excuse after excuse and she's sick of it. It almost feels as if by holding onto her belongings he's holding onto her and all she wants is her freedom, if he's not willing to give that to her she'll just have to take it.

As she approaches the shed she feels a chill not caused by the weather, a heavy feeling overcoming her as her body uncontrollably shudders. Her eyes fall on the lock that her ex husband put on the shed nine months ago. He never gave her the code claiming that he had a surprise for her in there that he didn't want her to see, after months with no surprise or a valid explanation she finally stopped asking. She tries a couple different combinations: his birthday, her birthday, their wedding anniversary, and even his mother's birthday to no avail. Part of her wants to give up and just get her stuff another day, but part of her is screaming to try one more combination, the date he went to Boston for the medical conference. The day everything changed. It works.

She hears the door unlock accompanied by three loud beeps, she feels like she can't breathe and debates turning back, unsure if she's ready for whatever she's going to find behind the door. She carefully opens the door and steps inside, immediately met with the damp smell of the air and another chill goes through her body. She takes a Quick Look around, her eyes landing on the body on the cot in the corner.

Meredith is curled up in a ball, but ready to fight with her fists already clenched. Her eyes wide and seemingly struggling to focus, her hair matted with dried blood. "Who are you? Where's Derek? Please don't hurt me!" She talks so fast Addison takes a minute to realize she's said anything at all. She feels frozen to her spot by the door, she's come too far to turn back now but if she goes further into the room can she handle it?

"Derek's at the hospital. I was just coming to pick up some things I left behind. My name is Addison, I'm Derek's ex wife and I'm not going to hurt you. What's your name?" Addison approaches her the way you would approach a wounded animal that you don't want to scare off, she sits next to Meredith and gently reaches her hand out for her to take, after a long moment she does.

"My name is Meredith Grey. I met Derek nine months ago at a bar and he slipped something in my drink. I remember him asking if I wanted to get out of there, I remember him helping me to his car, and then I woke up here. You have to get me out of here before he comes back! Please Addison!" Meredith grabs onto Addison's coat, hanging on as if she's her only chance and from the looks of it, she may very well be Meredith's only chance at survival.