ROTBFTD : Broken & Beautiful

13

Elsa pov

The sterile white ceiling swam into focus, blurry at first, then sharpening as my mind struggled to grasp the situation. I was in a hospital bed, a wave of emotion washing over me as I saw my sister, Anna, her face tear-streaked, hugging me tightly. The others,  were all gathered around, their expressions a mixture of relief and concern.

My throat felt like sandpaper, and a raspy croak escaped my lips. Anna, understanding, immediately handed me her phone. My fingers fumbled as I typed, 'How did you find me?'

'Elsa, I was so scared. I thought I'd lose you,' Anna whispered, her voice thick with emotion. 'But then, someone sent our group a location.'

'Someone?' I typed, a shiver running down my spine. 'But who?'

'We don't know who it was,' Merida said, her voice firm, 'but whoever it was, you're safe now.'

Jack, his usually carefree demeanor subdued, stepped forward. 'When we got there,' he said, his voice low, 'you were chained up behind the door. Your dad... he was found dead.'

A wave of nausea rolled through me. My father, the monster who had tormented me for so long, was gone. But the relief was overshadowed by a chilling realization. I had been imprisoned, left for dead. But who had saved me?

The room faded into a blur as I recalled the events. The beach day with Fae, the strange familiarity, the fear that had gripped me since... I hadn't seen her since.

'Where's Fae?' I typed, the question burning in my mind. 'I haven't seen her since the beach.'

Anna frowned. 'I have no idea, Elsa. Maybe she's waiting for her school election results.'

I typed 'OK,' but my thoughts were racing. Fae was the only one who knew about my father's abuse. She had shown up at the most opportune time, as if pulled by some unknown force. Could she have been the one who sent the location to the group ?

The possibility felt both terrifying and comforting. If Fae was the one who rescued me, I would owe her my life. But what if she had been in danger herself?

The weight of those thoughts settled over me as Jack's mother brought in dinner, her worried eyes searching my face. Jack,  brought me a bowl of fruit. I just stared at it, my mind consumed by the mystery of Fae.

My rescue was a miracle, but the question remained: who had saved me? And where was Fae? My hope for answers was a flicker of light in the darkness. I wouldn't rest until I knew the truth.