Deck of Cards

Day 44- Hannah

Ace of spades- whipping all day

Hannah's POV

To me, the idea was stupidity at its finest but desperation caused me to follow through as their faces brightened at the prospect of beating the enemy. I had sat most of the time mute, only adding a few points when things got completely out of hand.

"Idiots," I muttered as I relaxed under the hot stream of water coming from the shower. Scrubbing my hair clean I regretfully stepped out of it and stood silently by the sink staring at my reflection. I was, in some ways, looking like my past self. Maybe even a cleaner version. My long straight hair fell effortlessly down my back rather than in knots and frayed tangles. But I wasn't anything like my past self. They had changed me.

"Hannah," someone called from outside the door and I quickly wrapped a towel around me.

"Hi," I gushed as a police officer stood in front of me, stern faced with her thin lips pressed together.

"What were you guys talking about last night for so long?" She asked with an accusing tone. Her smile, that was crooked and cruel, told me enough. She knew.

"Stuff," I murmured before pushing past her and walking away into my bedroom.

"It won't work," she called after me and I spun round out of annoyance.

"What won't work?"

"Your plan to convince them," she said in a very pompous voice.

"And why is that?" I challenged, stepping closer to her with each word.

"Their not homeless or desperate. They are all game players, we've researched nearly each one of them. They all have big jobs in shiny buildings, their social media posts are questionable. They have sick minds Hannah," she said placing a hand on me while suppressing a smirk.

"Well what are you going to do about it, you can't keep us here forever you know!" I exclaimed loudly hoping that someone would hear and come and see.

"We will relocate you, give you new identities. No one will know," her face showed that she was proud of that idea. That she really thought it could be the solution to our problems.

"I will know,"I spat at her and her upper lip curled into a snarl.

She stormed off and I slowly made my way back to my room, angry and upset. Flopping down on the bed, I didn't care that my wet hair was making the pillow wet. All I could think about, the only thing that consumed my mind was the prospect of leaving the girls behind. Starting afresh in a world that I hated.

Without knocking Ava walked in huffing and sat down on my bed out of anger.

"So you heard," I said sarcastically and she gave me a disgusted look back before standing up again out of rage. Pacing round the room, her presence made me feel dizzy and I had to pull her back onto the bed to stop the whirring in my head.

"I can't believe this!" Ava screeched, throwing her hands up dramatically, "Instead of fighting him, they're moving us away. Like we're the problem. They don't know that he'll find us, he probably knows where we are right now..."

I embraced her quickly before getting up to lean against the wall, everything was crashing down at lighting speed. I didn't know how much more bad news I could take.

"How's your research going?" I asked her, trying to turn the topic away from the bleakness of our future.

"I've stopped,"she whispered solemnly.

"Why?" I asked in a surprised tone; Ava had been so passionate about Anna's story, she had lived and breathed her experiences.

"Because there's no point, she's dead. My dad killed her. She isn't living through the hell we are, she got the easy way out," Ava had hot tears dripping down her face but I couldn't even think to comfort her. Instead I slapped her cheek.

"You're so stupid Ava! We escaped, we are free. We may be in hiding right now but soon we will be free, so what if its not together. Or with our own names. We will be free. Anna will forever be locked in his chains," Ava sat down nursing her red cheek and I went over to comfort her. I was strange to see Ava cry, she had always been so strong.

"What if he finds us?" She sobbed as her head was rested against my chest, her tears mixing with the soft fabric of my T-Shirt.

"He won't," I assured her, trying to believe the words I was saying. I knew deep down that he would always have some control over my life. He would always be playing back in my mind like a stuck record.

We lay for a while, Ava let out years of tears and I patted her back and made cooing noises in hope that she would stop. I wanted to cry myself, I was done being the responsible one that had to be the comforter.

Jen walked in my room, her face blotchy from tears as well. Without a word she nested into my side like a baby bird and silently wept. Somehow I had become the hub for crying, the emotions mixing with the air in the room.

"Guys we should go down stairs," I said after around an hour but both grumbled and pushed me down, not allowing me to get up.

"Fine," I muttered as my two best friends cried at my side and I sat helplessly trying to contain my waterfall of tears.

"Thank you Hannah," Ava muttered through her sobs.

"Yeah thanks Hannah," Jen sniffed before wiping he cheeks against me.

"Its ok," I mumbled, " It will all be ok."