Taken From Reality

Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Anika’s POV

            It had been two days sense the incident with Malachi and I haven’t eaten anything sense lunch before my shower and I haven’t seen Ryan sense he left my room. This scared me miserably, for all I knew he was dead. I have never felt so out of it in all my life, it’s like there’s another life going on right outside the door and I have no idea of what’s happening.

            I tried sleeping any chance I got because not only did my lip hurt terribly, which I assume was from not getting the proper treatment, but I also had gut wrenching stomach pains and all I could think about was food. In my mind, it was almost as if I was one of those people in the white padded rooms, but in my case, no one ever came to check on me, or make sure I was healthy. This was an unbelievable situation. If only I had not tried to be so bold, so brave, I thought to myself, maybe Ryan wouldn’t be dead and I wouldn’t be on the verge of dying.

            Just as I began to cry, accepting the fact that I was going to die in here, there was a light knock on my door and my head quickly jolted up. There stood Ryan in my door way, not a scratch on him. I ran up to him like a human running from fire and swung my arms around him, gripping him with every muscle I had.

            “Ryan.” I whimpered with tears of joy, not wanting to let him go. My heart has betrayed my mind, and at this point in time he was the only person that I could rely on, I had feelings for him that I knew were completely wrong but I couldn’t help the way I felt when I saw his face; when I touched him.

            “Why are you crying?” He asked as I finally pulled away from him and he closed the door behind us as we walked to my bed.

            “Because Ryan, I thought you were dead!” I explained to him in a shaky voice “I thought I was going to die...” As I said this my voice trailed off and I looked up to see that Ryan was on the verge of crying. He then surprised me by grabbing my hand and placing it between both of his and as he did so he said, “I would never leave you Anika, never. I know it’s been awhile sense I’ve been able to come down here, but things have blown over with Malachi and I’m sure everything will be back to normal now.”

            “Normal?” I questioned “None of this is normal Ryan.” I said as he let go of my hand and I scooted back against the wall my bed was pushed against.”

            “I know, trust me I know, but it’s better than nothing.”

            I looked at him, not sure if I believed he even agreed with what he said.

            “How many girls has he done this to, made you do this to?” I asked, assuming now would be the best time to finally take care of my curiosity.

            “I’ve never counted... it’s not something I wish to keep track of, but as far as I know, sense he’s had me, at least 40.” My jaw dropped as he confessed this and a shooting pain hit my stomach once more, concerning Ryan as I clenched onto my stomach.

            “Are you okay?” He asked with suspicious eyes, but ended up answering his own question.

            “That’s right.” He said as his voice trailed off “I’ll bring you down some food as soon as I possibly can."

I shook my head in response, knowing that he would.

            “Ryan… Why haven’t you ever tried to escape?” His expression was blank as I said this and his lips trembled as he searched for the words.

            “I have Anika, It ended with me having a broken leg and a bruised and cut up face, and also in me having to sit and watch as he not only sodomized one of the girls but then killed her after. That will scar me for life more than any abuse could have.”  A tear rolled down his cheek in that instant and I moved closer to him, with our legs touching together; goose bumps rose all over my body.