Save Me

seven

The woman asks lots of questions about life at home. Just as I planned, I lie the entire time. Oh yes, they are very kind. Yes they give me enough food. Yes I have a comfortable bed and room.

I almost done with my meal when I look up and see a group of people sitting at a table near the bathrooms and one of them is looking right at me.

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The mans eyes widen at the sight of me as do mine.

Lin.

I quickly avert my eyes from his table and focus on my nearly finished meal. Trying not to think about how crazy it is to encounter him again.

"Hello, Olivia." I suddenly hear a familiar voice say behind me. My foster parents look at me with anger and confusion in their eyes.

I turn around and see Lin smiling at me, he is completely unaware that because he interrupted our lunch and talked to me I will receive a beating tonight.

"Hello sir." I quietly respond.

"Sorry for interrupting but could I please borrow Olivia for a moment? It's very important." He asks John and Trish.

John looks like he is about to say no until Janet says it's no problem.

I stand up slowly and follow Lin as he leads me to the front of restaurant.

"I really should get back to my meal," I say avoiding his eyes that I feel staring straight into mine.

"You have new bruises," He begins, "Olivia, you know that this can be stopped. I can help you."

"You wouldn't help me even if I needed it. I fell ok, I'm a klutz. Thank you for your concern but I do not need you help sir." I say. I don't look into his eyes until I was finished speaking. I meet a pair of dark eyes full of pity and concern.

I hate pity. I refuse to be pitied.

"Tell the truth-" He begins to say but I cut him off turning on my heel and walking back to my table.

I turned back to see him running his hands through his hair, looking afraid. Afraid of what might be happening to me. Why does he think my foster parents are beating me? I mean, they are, but how does he know that?

I sit down quickly and started fiddling with my napkin. The eyes of my foster parents burn into mine.

"Who was that?" Trish asks.

"Oh just my English teacher, he wants to know how far I am with my essay." I lie. John glares at me with an intense anger.

"Ok well, looks like everything is good. We will have another one of these meetings in 6 months so I can check back in. Thank you for your time. Olivia, I am so happy that you have found a safe and happy home, you deserve it." Janet says smiling at me. The idea of John and Trish's house being safe and happy makes me feel sick.

I smile and nod before she gets up and leaves the restaurant. John grabs my arm, wrapping his arms around my wrist painfully. His nails dig into my skin, I can't help but grimace from the pain.

I look back to Lin's table, he is staring at Johns hand wrapped around my arm and the painful expression on my face. I turn away as we exit the restaurant. John pushes me into the backseat of the car roughly. Here comes another long night of beatings.

John drives home in a rush, going well over the speed limit.

"Are you serious?!" Trish screams back at me, "You waste of space! Who was that man? He wasn't really one of your teachers, I know who your teachers are! Are you sleeping with him? You slut! He looks twice your age! You are so in for it!"

I look out the window, trying to block out the voices. It is better to not talk back to them and try to defend myself, it will only make them angrier.

John grabs my arm and drags me into the house and into the living room. He begins his usual routine of punching and kicking me, this time instead of focusing on my abdomen, he takes aim at my face. He switches off between punching my face and kicking me in the abdomen. This is one of the worst beatings I've had since moving in with them 2 months ago. He was relentless.

I usually try to keep my emotions inside while he beats me but this time I can't help but fall apart.

I begin to sob as he punches my jaw again. He laughs at my pain and kicks me even harder than before. My body is on fire. I am surprised how much pain I can take without dying.

I cry out and beg for him to stop, but instead of listening to me, my pleads seem to give him more pleasure in hurting me.

What seems like years later, John grows tired of beating me. He grabs me by my hair and throws me out of his way and then he leaves to go into the kitchen, most likely to get a drink.

I can't let this happen anymore. I can't let them attack me anymore. I have to leave. I have to find a better life.

I gather up all of my strength, all the adrenaline I can find, and pick myself off the floor and run out the front door.

I feel like I am going to collapse from the pain I feel in my body but I can't stop. I keep running.

I run all the way into the city. I run past the restaurant I was at earlier today, I see the Richard Rogers theater up ahead, I keep running.

I hear a car behind me and a man calling my name from inside it.

I turn around to see John driving after me, trying to catch up to me.

Suddenly I run right into a pair of arms that wrap around my waist stopping me from running away.

Was it Trish that stopped me? One of Johns friends? I am done for. They are going to kill me. I break down in tears. The arms just hold me tighter.

I think the person holding me was talking in my ear but I couldn't hear them, my head was spinning and my body was pounding from the pain. My eye sight goes blurry and I go limp in the arms wrapped around me.

Someone, anyone, save me. Save me from this world I live in. Save me.

Hey everyone, pretty intense chapter! I had such a fun time writing.

I hope you enjoyed! Leave a vote and a comment (:

- aibhlinn