P4L | Outer Banks | JJ Maybank

Escape

When she woke up, her head was throbbing.

Above her was Rafe, pacing around the bathroom in distress.

Cory could barely bring herself to move, so Rafe of course didn't pay her any mind.

Rafe's phone rang.

"What?" Rafe snapped as he answered the call.

"The pogues," Barry's voice came through the phone. "At the ship yard."

Rafe grinned. "On my way."

And much to Cory's delight, he disappeared out of the door, barely locking it behind himself.

She managed to pull herself up, rubbing her eyes. Her one eye was swollen, she could see it in the mirror when she managed to pull herself to her feet.

On the floor where she had been laying, was a small pool of blood. She grimaced, looking at the blood. Not ideal.

Then, she weakly started towards the door.

She made her way over without falling, her vision still blurry, but getting better.

But the door was locked.

She groaned, looking forward.

Then, she heard the engine of Rafe's motorcycle outside. It was driving away.

Cory grinned lightly, pulling her body back.

Then, she moved forward, slamming it into the door.

It didn't budge.

She moved back again.

And slammed her body into the door again.

Cory continued with this back and forth, not noticing any difference in the door, but she continued no matter how much it hurt. She needed to get out.

Tears began to fall onto her cheeks in hopelessness.

"Help!" she finally yelled, hitting a fist into the door. "Help!"

She began to cry out, and after a few minutes of this routine, she heard footsteps approaching the room.

"What the hell?" It was Ward.

Cory backed away from the door suddenly, her eyes wide. She hadn't meant to get his attention.

The lock on the door began to giggle. And then it popped open.

Ward was standing in the doorway, eyes wide.

"What the fuck?" he asked.

Cory just stood there, weak and bleeding, trying to avoid his wrath.

Ward stepped forward, his hands out in a protective gesture. Cory backed away.

"I'm not sure what he did," Ward said, noticing the wounds, the broken phone, and of course the shaking teenage girl. "But I'm not gonna hurt you." He moved a little closer, reaching to grab her arm. "Come with me."

Cory allowed him this time to guide her out of Rafe's bathroom, through his room and out into the Cameron's house. Cory couldn't hear Sarah any more. Wheezie peeked out from around the corner to watch.

Ward brought Cory to his office, beginning to clean up her wounds.

"I'm so sorry," Ward apologized.

Cory was silent as he worked, not sure what to think about the man before her.

"I'll have to talk to him," Ward said.