Gracie Dutton

10

When Gracie finally came to, she quickly noticed she was not on the ranch. Instead she was in a bedroom, chained to the floor. The room smelled musty, only a mattress laid on the floor, the windows had what appeared to be foil taped over them. She was unsure what time of day it was or how many days had passed for that matter. She quickly took note of the throbbing of her head, remembering the attack in the office. Her eyes widened finally realizing she was alone. She stopped herself from crying, too scared to show emotion. Gracie jumped when she heard the bedroom door slam open and a man she had never seen before stood in the doorway, a smirk plastered across his face. "Well, look who's awake!" He sauntered across the floor towards her. Gracie quickly scurried back, but couldn't go very far due to the chain around her wrist. "Please," she begged. The man started to laugh. "That's it. Beg girl." Gracie's eyes widened as he bent down and grabbed her by the throat. This man did things to her that no one should experience.
***
Beth was losing her mind not knowing where Gracie was. Rip was trying so hard to be the strong one, doing everything he could to find a lead on her location. John was on edge, sharp with everyone. He was taking the blame for it, beating himself up over it. The ranch was in chaos with the unknown cloud hanging over it not knowing if the girl was okay or not. "No, Rip! I can't calm down! She's out there! Our daughter is out there!" Beth argued when Rip told her to not leave the house while him and Kayce go to the Beck Brother's home to get some answers. John sighed and walked into the room his daughter and son-in-law inhabited. "Beth, listen to your husband. You need to stay here. If we find something out on where she is, you need to be here when she comes home." Beth looked at her father and sighed. "I need a drink." She stormed past the two men on a mission. Rip sighed. "Keep an eye on her," Rip asked John. "Go," John urged him. John found Beth in the den nursing a glass of whiskey. "This is all my fault," Beth muttered. John sat down beside her. "Funny. I've been feeling the same way." He sighed and stared ahead at the fire. Beth shook her head. "It's mine. I was the one that decided to keep her here. She deserves a normal life. I didn't want her to be apart of this mess. I've tried so hard to keep things hidden from her." John looked at his daughter, shocked at her being so vulnerable and open with him. John sighed. "Honey, you did the right thing. None of this is your fault. She is your daughter. There is nothing wrong with you wanting to have kept her with her family. I have done everything in my power to ensure that she didn't find out about the things that happen around here, but you have to remember that she is an adult. There would be a time when she would uncover the secrets of this place. Unfortunately, I never thought she would become the target of my enemies. I wish I could have protected her more. I've been raking my mind over that night, telling myself I should have went and sat with her, that I should have periodically checked on her, should have kept her inside with me." Beth watched her father and noted that since Gracie has been gone, it looked like it aged him. Beth shook her head. "It doesn't matter, daddy. What's done is done. I just want my baby home but even home isn't safe anymore." Beth finished her drink and left the room, leaving John to his thoughts.
***
Two more days had passed and today Beth really was losing it. It was Gracie's birthday. Rip held Beth as she broke down. "It's okay. We finally got some answers, honey. We are going to get her." Rip rubbed her back soothingly. "She should be home. She should be celebrating today! We don't even know if she's okay." Rip pulled Beth tighter against him. He wished he had done a better job of protecting his little girl.
***
Another day has passed and they finally got her location. They were sure of it this time. Ryan was the one to find her. He froze for a second at the sight of her before running over. He knelt down beside Gracie, who was laying on the floor, still chained down. She only had one a bra and her underwear. Bruises lined her body, a few small cuts over her stomach and thighs, blood dried to her inner thighs, her stitches on her head looked almost infected. As Ryan assessed her condition, he quickly turned back toward the door and yelled out, "I need a medic!" Upon hearing those words, Rip took off after the paramedics into the house. Gracie was conscious, but also kinda out of it. She felt pain everywhere. "Gracie!" Rip said worried as he came into the room. She slowly turned her head to see him. Lloyd had came inside and Ryan was helping him get Gracie's wrist out of the chain. The paramedics worked on her and Gracie began hearing a buzz in her ears as she drifted away from the real world.
***
Gracie slowly opened her eyes. Her bedroom. She was in her bedroom. She turned her head slowly and groaned at how her head felt like it was a bowling ball. At the sound, Beth's head shot up from her laptop. She practically tossed the device to the side as she rushed over to her daughter's bed. "Gracie," Beth said quietly. Gracie reopened her eyes slowly, blinking a few times until Beth came into focus. "Mom?" Gracie sounded groggy. "Keep your eyes open, baby," Beth said urgently as she reached for her phone and frantically dialed Rip's number. Gracie felt the lull of sleep cascading back over her, but she fought it, never wanting to let Beth down. Beth informed Rip that Gracie was awake and he told her he was coming up to the house. "How are you feeling?" Beth asked her daughter once she got off the phone. Gracie felt the dull pain in her head and the soreness of her body. "Tired and sore," she replied. Gracie noticed how hoarse her voice sounded. "Here, baby, drink." Beth helped Gracie sit up against the pillows and held a straw to her mouth. When Gracie finished drinking, her bedroom door practically slammed open, an out of breath Rip stood in the doorway. "I got here as fast as I could," he said. He walked over to the side of the bed Beth was on and looked at Gracie. Her face was shades of yellows and purples as her bruises began to heal. Under her eye was still a little black, but it had improved. Her stitches were cleaned and healing as well. Rip wished he could bring those Beck brothers back to life just so he could kill them all over again. "How long have I been gone?" Gracie asked sheepishly. Rip broke out of his thoughts and looked at his daughter. "You were gone for four days and have been home asleep for almost two." Gracie sighed and her mind drifted off to those four days. Four days that felt like eternity. Beth watched Gracie's breath pick up as her mind wandered off. "Hey, Gracie, you're okay," Beth whispered as she grabbed Gracie's hand gently. Gracie flinched, but relaxed as she snapped out of it. Beth knew this was going to be a long road, but had confidence that her and Rip and the rest of their family would help her get through it.
***
Beth had convinced Gracie to leave her bedroom to go sit in the living room. Beth helped Gracie walk down the stairs and over to the couch. John was sitting in his armchair, watching his girls. "How are you feeling, honey?" He asked worried. John couldn't get the image of Gracie when they found her out of his mind. How hurt she was and the marks of what those men had done to her plastered on her body. "I'm okay," she whispered. Beth laid a blanket over her and kissed her head. "Are you hungry? You need to eat so I can give you some medicine." Gracie swallowed thickly as she shook her head. Beth looked down at her daughter worried about not having an appetite. "Why don't we try?" Beth asked. Gracie just shook her head again as she curled up on the couch, a few whimpers of pain as she did so. Beth looked back at her father concerned. John stood up and sat on the couch beside Gracie. "We could get Gator to make your favorite for dinner? After all, we have celebrating to do since we missed your birthday." John thought that would at least bring a smile to her face since Gracie loved her birthday every year and having a day all about her. Gracie was tired and she leaned over into John, inhaling his scent. "I don't want that," she whispered. John didn't know all of the details of what she went through those days she was gone, but he knew it was bad. Gracie closed her eyes and watched as the men from the office shot Jason in the head, her mother's screams filled her head. Gracie opened her eyes again, not wanting to go to sleep. John held Gracie to him as she stared off into the fire.
***
Gracie had skipped dinner as well. She sat on the porch with John, who was adamant about her not being alone outside of the house. The sun was setting and Gracie thought it was beautiful, appreciating it after not seeing the light of day in so long. She heard footsteps walking up the porch stairs and she turned to see Ryan standing there. She remembered seeing him first when she was rescued. He looked nervous and worried as he stared at her. He glanced over at John. "Evening, sir. I-uh was wondering if I could talk to Gracie for a minute?" John glanced over at his granddaughter. She nodded, "I'm okay," she told him quietly. John went inside leaving the two to talk. She looked back at Ryan and he walked over to stand in front of her. "How are you feeling?" He asked. He knew it was a dumb question after still seeing the bruising and stitches on her face, not to mention to look of exhaustion and pain written on her face. "I'm okay," she said. That was the answer she gave everyone, but they could clear see that she wasn't. Ryan felt like an ass for hurting her. He should have protected her, been there for her after the attack at the office. "Gracie, I know you have a lot going on, and your recovery is important, but I just want you to know that I am here. I'm sorry for the pain I have caused you. I want you to get better and if I can help, I want to." Gracie looked up at him, her blue eyes holding sadness from the trauma she has gone through in a short amount of time. "Thank you," she told him. She didn't have the energy or the mental strength to be mad at him anymore. She just felt numb. "Can you help me inside?" She asked. It was starting to get dark and she felt fear crawling within her at the horrors on the ranch when the sun fades. Ryan quickly nodded and rushed to her, slowly pulling her up. She groaned as she held his arm. Ryan's eyes wildly scanned her face, not knowing how to make her pain go away. "Gracie..." he trailed off. "I'm okay," she whispered. She walked to the front door and Ryan helped her step over the threshold. "Should I come in?" He asked her quietly, worried of running into her parents, who may kill him for even being around her after what he did. Gracie just nodded. "I want to go up to my room. I can't do the stairs alone." Ryan stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He walked beside her to the stairs and his hand went to her waist as she slowly took a stair at a time. She paused at one point feeling lightheaded. Ryan laid his other hand on her arm. "What's wrong?" He asked. Gracie didn't say anything as she tried to keep herself conscious. Ryan noticed the slight sway of her body. "John!" Ryan called out as Gracie collapsed back into his arms. John came rushing out of his office. "What happened?!" He demanded. "She passed out." John quickly phoned the doctor and showed Ryan to her bedroom, although John was quite confident Ryan knew which one was hers. Ryan carefully laid her down. The doctor had gotten there and told them she was dehydrated and lacking proper nutrition. Beth and Rip were called and now in the room as well. "She has been refusing to eat," Beth told him. The doctor sighed and hooked her up to an iv. "If she doesn't want to eat, she is going to need a feeding tube." The doctor told John to call him when Gracie woke back up. She stayed asleep for another three days.