Learning to Live, Again

Chapter Fifteen

Niamh

The forest floor was pressed against my back. The sticks and stones stabbed me and stuck into my skin as I was dragged by my arms deeper into the woods. I looked up into the night sky. The moon shone down upon me, and I could feel the tears begin to fall down my face.

When I awoke this morning, I had known I was going to die today. The interrogation visits had gone from what seemed like everyday to what I assume was only thrice a week, and then, they stopped for the longest time. I was thankful for the relief from the pain, but no visits also meant I wasn't getting fed, and that had made me even weaker than I had initially been. 

Another clue that today was the day of my death was the fact that Ponyboy had walked into my room this morning, a huge grin on his lips, not even bothering to hide his ugly face or blindfold me. He had made his way to me and grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking my head back. "Well, well, well, look who's still with us. Pity. You should have died in your sleep. It would have been a much nicer death." He shoved me back, and my head hit the wall, causing light to dance behind my eyes.

Before he left, he had traded my ropes for chains tied around my wrists. I guess he wasn't as dumb as he looked because he closed and locked the door for the first time since I've been here. While I was alone, I had tried to get my hands free, but I couldn't seem to do it. There was enough room, I just didn't have the energy or the determination to do it, so I sat there, my head hung low, waiting for him to come back.

When he did, it was hours later and I was surprised when he undid the chain from the wall and began to drag me away from the room. I had assumed that he was going to finish me off in the room, but it seemed as if they didn't want to get any more dirty than it already was.

Now I was under the moon and the stars being dragged to God-Knows where. It was cold outside, and a fine layer of dew lay across the floor of the woods. It soaked through my shirt and pants, freezing me to the bone. I had thought that the concrete room was freezing; I had had no idea I could be colder than I already was.

We finally stopped after what felt like an hour. He just dropped my aching arms, and took the shovel he had been carrying with him. He picked it up, and I closed my eyes tight, but instead of hitting me, he began digging.

I was confused. Why was he digging and not killing me? And then it hit me. He planned to bury me alive. That was my worst nightmare: to be buried alive, and I started panicking.

His back was to me, and I struggled against the chains, trying to pull my hands out. Being beat to death or even stabbed to death was one thing; but being buried alive? My survival instincts took over and adrenaline coursed through my. I was able to yank my hands out of the chains just as Ponyboy turned to look at me.

"Hey!" He shouted as I stood up. I couldn't think. I just turned and ran from him. I could hear his clunky boots smashing through the woods after me, but he was much heavier than I was, and I had the added power of adrenaline. 

I don't know how long I ran through the woods. It felt like forever, but it couldn't have been more than an hour, if that. I collapsed into the foliage on the floor of the woods, my heart pounding painfully in my chest. My breath was coming in gasps, and black dots danced in my vision.

Just as darkness was about to overtake me, I heard the sound of cars up ahead. I cried in relief and pain and made my way up the hill. I clawed into the dirt, trying to pull myself up, but it was hard. My arms were so, so tired. My entire body felt like it was shutting down, and I could barely move.

Suddenly, I heard a twig snap, and someone grabbed my ankle.

"There you are, stupid bitch. I was going to give you a quick death, but now? I think I'll have fun with you first." Ponyboy pulled out a knife from his pocket and stabbed it into my calf, dragging from the back of my knee to the back of my ankle. I screamed in pain, and kicked out with my other leg. He sliced down, across the heel of my foot, and I cried out in pain. Tears and sweat blurred my vision, and I kicked at him once more. 

I hit him in the nose, and he let go of me. I scrambled up the hill, jumping to my feet and staggering onto the road. I turned just in time to see two bright lights blind me before something slammed into me, and then I was lost in a blissful blanket of black.