No Childhood

You're Free

When I awoke, a bright light was standing over me. I tried to pull my hand up, to shield my eyes, but it was stuck. I tried the other one, but got the same result. Fear racked up in my body and visions of that prison returned to the front of my mind. I began to pull at my binds.

"What's going on?" I asked. "Let me go! Let me go!" I started hyperventilating and wiggling around wildly. "Let me go!" I repeated. The door opened and someone grabbed me. "Get off me!" I demanded, kicking my legs out.

"Sedate her," I heard someone say.

"Don't touch me!" I yelled. A mask was pressed over my nose and mouth and I involuntarily slowed my struggling to to a stop. My heavy eye lids trapped my eyes in darkness and I was out again.

***

"Danielle?" An uncertain voice asked. I slowly opened my eyes. Kevin was staring back at me. "Good, you're awake. I'll go get the doctors," he said, standing up. "I'll be right back." I watched as Kevin left the room. When he was gone, my attention turned to the beeping noise beside me. A machine was hooked up to me, making that annoying noise. I knew I was in a hospital, but I didn't know where I was. I looked down to see my arm was in a sling. That was probably the reason why it was stuck earlier. I looked at my other one and it actually was bound to the bed. I wondered why. My thoughts were interrupted by Kevin returning to the room. A doctor walked in behind him. He had a clipboard in his hand, and his name tag read; Dr. Maxwell.

"How are you feeling," Dr. Maxwell asked.

"I feel fine," I replied. "Just thirsty."

"I'll get you something," Kevin offered, exiting the room again.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"A few days. You kept rolling in and out of consciousness. Do you remember any of it?"

"Not really, I only remember the last time," I replied. "I was scared. I thought they took me back..." I trailed off. He waited for a second, thinking I was going to continue, but then realized I wasn't.

"How'd you get the cut on your leg?" Dr. Maxwell asked.

"I fell," I replied. He raised an eyebrow.

"What about the slashes on your upper body?" He asked. "They were infected, and from what I could tell, they had been for a few days," he finished.

"They're from a whip," I replied. Dr. Maxwell's expression turned to one of surprise. I hesitantly continued. "I was kidnapped. My real name is Delilah, and-" The door suddenly opened and both our heads snapped towards it. My jaw dropped when I saw who it was.

"I've been looking everywhere for you," I watched in horror as Andre strode towards me. I opened my mouth to say something, but Andre revealed his hidden gun to me. He did it so stealthily, that I didn't seem as if Dr. Maxwell noticed it.

"And who might you be?" Dr. Maxwell asked, staring at Andre.

"I might be her stepfather," Andre replied confidently, wrapping his hand around mine. Dr. Maxwell looked to me.

"Is this true Danielle?" The doctor asked me. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, wondering why he'd called me Danielle, when he knew my real name. Andre gave a painful squeeze.

"Yes, this is my stepfather, Andre," I answered, holding back tears.

"Sweet Danielle and I got parted at the farmers market a few day ago and I've been looking for her since," Andre said.

"How'd you know she was here?" Dr. Maxwell asked suspiciously.

"It's a small town," Andre said. " A friend alerted me." Dr. Maxwell nodded.

"Danielle your wounds are healing nicely, I'll give you an ointment and your prescriptions. Then you may leave," He said, exiting the room.

"Wait!" I called after him. Dr. Maxwell stopped and opened the door a bit, to poke his head back in.

"What is it?" The doctor asked. Andre's grip tightened on my hand.

"Can you see about Kevin, with my water?" I asked.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon," Dr. Maxwell said and closed the door. Andre didn't say anything until he was sure Dr. Maxwell left. Then, he looked at me angrily.

"You've really done it now you little bit-" he was interrupted by the opening of the door. Kevin walked in, with my water.

"You must be Kevin," Andre said. "Can you just set that down over there. I'd like to have private conversation with my stepdaughter," he finished. Kevin nodded, set the glass down by my bed and left. Andre grabbed my injured shoulder and put his lips to my ear. I gasped.

"If you tell anyone, I'll shoot them," Andre whispered in my ear. I looked at him with hatred, pulling my head away.

"How the hell did you find me?" I asked. He smiled.

"You practically gave me a path leading straight to you," he replied. "All that blood. I figured you were here when you weren't in that house," he replied. "Oh and by the way, sweet old Henry and his mother," he paused and leaned in closer. "Are dead," he finished. A wicked smile spread across his face.

"You Bastard! What the hell is wrong with you? Why was getting me back so important," I asked.

"People talk, and if they knew you got out, it'd ruin our rep," Andre answered. "Plus, you were a fun toy. All that thrashing and screaming really turns me on." He winked and placed his hand on my upper thigh.

"You're sick!" I exclaimed pulling my thigh away.

"Hey, shut up, before someone hears," he scolded, revealing his gun. I hesitantly bit my tongue and obeyed his order. "That's what I thought," he said, smirking.

"Now, you're going to play my loving stepdaughter and we're going to walk out of here undetected. Got it?" He asked. I nodded in response. A knock at the door caught our attention.

"Come in," Andre said. The door opened and Dr. Maxwell walked in, with a pair of crutches and some clothes.

"Danielle, you're cleared to go," he said. Fear built up in my body at his words.

"That's great," Andre said. "Are you ready to go Danielle?"

"Sure," I replied, flatly. Dr. Maxwell walked over to me and undid my wrist. "Why was my wrist hooked to that?" I asked him.

"They wanted to make sure you didn't try get up again," Dr. Maxwell replied. "Here, try this," he said, handing me a crutch. I threw my legs over the side of the bed and grabbed it. Andre and Dr. Maxwell watched as I tried walking on the one crutch.

"How do I adjust this?" I asked, sitting back on the bed. Dr. Maxwell walked over and showed me how to change the height.

"With you height, this setting should be fine," he said, setting it back to 5'2.

"Alright, you can get dressed, then you're free...," Maxwell said, reciting the words I've been dreading to hear since Andre waltzed in.