I continued to bawl as I carried Allison to the hospital and I suddenly felt her punching me. I looked down at her and cried even harder. “Allison it’s me Scott.” I told her and she immediately stopped punching me. I heard her groan and the next thing I knew she told me that she needed to throw up. Gently, I set her down and kept her steady as she puked. She started to bawl and it was absolutely killing me.
I continued to carry her and she finally noticed that she was wearing my boxers and she asked, “S-Scott h-how did I get these on?” She continued to cry.
“Your jeans weren’t in the best state so I took mine off… I hope you don’t think that’s gross I just knew you wouldn’t want to be exposed, especially now…” I said awkwardly as Allison started to sob even more. “I’m so sorry Allison I know it’s not the best option…”
‘S-Scott.” She stuttered, “No thank you. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“Just one more block before we get to the hospital. Everything’s going to be okay.” I told her hoping that I could make her feel better. I knew in my head that nothing would ever be okay again. She would never be the same. She probably won’t be comfortable with me touching her anymore either. I just needed her to have hope. Even if it’s completely ridiculous, with just a little bit of hope, anyone could feel better.
That’s when Allison blacked out. I was so worried about her and luckily I was at the hospital minutes later. I ran inside and looked around. “Somebody please help me!” I yelled to the nurses. Everyone came rushing around us and I explained to them what had happened. They took her into a room and told me to wait here for a few minutes.
I did what I was told, but it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I paced back and forth in the waiting area and ran my hands through my hair nervously. One of the nurses came up to me and asked what was going on. I explained to her what had happened and she offered to go and buy her clothes from the Wal-Mart. “Thank you so much.” I said her, handing her the money.
That’s when they told me I could go into the room with her now. I had promised myself that I wouldn’t leave Allison again until I knew she was safe at home maybe not even then. I booked it into the room and stopped looking at her laying in one of the hospital beds. I sat down next to her and held her hand, she was asleep but I didn’t care. When she woke up, I would be there, holding her hand. I still hadn’t stopped crying. After about 30 minutes of waiting, and crying, I decided that I should call her father and tell him. But how could I call him and tell him what had happened? How could I tell him that I was the reason all of this happened, that I wasn’t there to protect her? Finally, I picked up my phone and swallowed as I dialed his number. The ring was the worst part. Having to wait for his intimidating voice to pick up and then having to hear the pain in his voice when I told him.
“Hello… Mr. Argent… It’s Allison…”
Hours later, Allison finally woke; I was still crying and still holding her hand. “Allison.” I muttered. She must have seen me crying because she started to sob once again. I hated this so much and I just needed to make her feel better. So, I squeezed her hand and then gently kissed her forehead. I was as gentle as possible because I knew that if I was too rough I would scare her and plus she was completely bruised. I couldn’t hurt her like that. She was much too fragile.
“W-What have t-the doctors said?” She asked and I could tell she was scared out of her mind and the fact that I had to tell her made the tears start up again.
“We don’t have to talk about that now.” I told her.
“I have to know.” Somehow I knew she would say that, I desperately wanted her to say something else, but I knew she would need to know. If I were Allison I would too.
I took a deep breath and swallowed, “Three broken fingers, a fractured rib, your wrist is sprained, you lost a lot of blood, and you’re bruised everywhere.” I started to cry even more as I listed the injuries because I was just so worried about how she would react. I hated myself for not helping her in time. If I wouldn’t have eaten that damn burger everything would be okay right now! All of this, all of it was my fault. It was my fault that she was broken beyond return.
She took a breath and it looked like she was thinking for a little bit, “Scott why were you covered in blood?” She asked me.
Honestly, I didn’t want to tell her. I didn’t want her thinking about those men again and I couldn’t think about it either, the thought was still making me sick. I could barely hold back my vomit. “I…Went after them.” I finally admitted looking at my hands.
“I’m so sorry Scott I should’ve-“I stopped her right there. How could she be apologizing to me? She had just gotten raped and she was apologizing? No, that wasn’t right. I grabbed both of her hands looking her in the eye.
“Don’t you dare apologize for this. None of it is your fault.” She finally nodded back to me.
“Have they umm… Bathed me?” She asked.
“No. It’s your choice. They said you can try to have an evasive procedure to try and find some DNA from the men that did this to you or take a shower and not report it… You don’t really have to worry about it… They’re all dead.” I gagged on the last word. I couldn’t think about it, I mean, I had to tell Allison what I did to them but it hurt. They were haunting me again and I almost threw up right then and there but Allison begged me to help her shower. Of course, I said I would and then I ran out to get a nurse so she could take the IVs out so she could shower.
The nurse came with me and once she took the IVs out and left, I carried Allison to the bathroom and set her on a bench in the shower. I started the shower and began to wash her off with my hands. The bruises all over her naked body were almost impossible to look at. Seeing the person you love must in this much pain and with that many cuts and bruises is horrifying. I began to cry and I knew that she noticed. “Scott how long was I unconscious the first time?” She asked me.
I gently turned her around, washing her hair and replied, “You passed out for about a half an hour. Why?”
“Just curious.”
As I washed her, I stopped at the area I knew hurt her most, “I don’t want to hurt you.” I whispered to her, holding back the tears.
“I-I trust you.” She murmured and I tried to wash her as gently as I possibly could. I knew I was hurting her anyways and she started to cry again. I couldn’t stop thinking about how the fault was all mine. I was so guilty it hurt.
When I finished, I picked her up carrying her in one arm, and grabbing a towel to dry her off in the other. I would have carried her the entire time if I could but I just couldn’t do too many things at once and I felt terrible, even more terrible than I already felt. “Allison you have to try to stand for me. Can you do that?”
She nodded and was able to stand. I held her arm just in case. As she dried herself off with the towel, I handed her the clothes from the nurse. When she asked me how I had gotten them, I explained how caring the nurse was and how she went to get the clothes for her. It’s not every day you meet someone who is genuinely that sweet. Unless you’re with Allison of course because I knew for a fact that Allison would have done the same thing for someone else.
When she put some of the clothes on, I picked Allison back up and carried her to bed. She was obviously drained. Seconds later, she drifted to sleep.
I held her hand and slowly, I began to drift off as well with my head against her lap.
