Drugged Love (On Hold)

Chapter Nineteen, Part Two

Elena sprangled herself across the bed and took deep breaths. It will pass, she told herself as she clutched her back tightly digging her nails into it. Since yesterday, she had thought the pain would subside. It had, but surprisingly it came back again. At the most wretched moment.

What would Ishan think of her? Would he think that she is a freaky weirdo?

The shooting pain rid her mind of all these questions. As she bought up her hand which had clutched her wound, she saw that it had turned red. Her top had been stained.

Her mom had patched her up, yesterday and the bleeding had stopped only for it to start again. Something had opened the wound up, maybe her walking in the park. It was leaking profusely. She felt dizzy, losing blood.

Stop the bleeding, she told herself repeatedly finding the strength to stand on her toes, and make it to the dressing table holding on to the edge of the bed. She striped her top and stood in front of the mirror.

Standing still didn't make her feel dizzy. The gauze and cotton stuck to the wound had turned completely bloody. She removed them and threw them away and saw the wild gnash on the lower part of her back. Running from the small hollow to the left edge with several rows of blood running down from it.

She nearly collapsed, her feet failing her when two hands caught her from her shoulders. "Elena, ohh my God" her mom's gentle voice fell upon her as she saw her mother struggle to keep her up.

She grabbed the edges of the mirror on the dressing table with her hands as her mom held a swab of cotton to the bleeding and bandaged it.

Elena caught her reflection in the mirror. The numerous scars that adorned her body, one which started from under her breasts and wriggled to the end her navel. A much wider one on her right shoulder and finding its way like a snake at the edges of her ribcage. They had become a part of her now, she grew into them but yet she couldn't undo the images that were deeply embedded in her mind and gnawed at her conscience every time she glanced at her body.

She had become adept at hiding them now, never wearing sleeveless tops, tops which never revealed too much of her waist and cleavage. She carried them with the pretense that they didn't exist and her body was as flawless as her face.

"That bastard hurt you pretty bad yesterday," her mom's voice resounded.

Yes, indeed. Never had she been hurt so bad in all these years. The scars and cuts were simple which would fill up and fade to some extent but, this was a deep cut.

She drew in shorter breaths trying to reduce the stinging sensations as her mom applied antiseptic and bandaged the wound.

"I don't think this will stop the bleeding, "her mom said with panic rolling in, "You need stitches."

As they sat in the emergency ward of the hospital, Elena felt sick to her stomach. The disinfectant riddled atmosphere of the hospital and the angst filled faces of the visitors were making her spiritless, despite the pain.

She just wanted to lie down in her bed and nap for hours, maybe days.

A nurse took Elena to a room where a female doctor greeted her. She looked old with grey strands in her hair and a prominent wrinkles around her eyes. She greeted Elena with a smile and made her lie down on the bed with her back facing upwards.

She lifted her top to reveal the wound. "How did you get hurt?", she asked casually. Elena knew she was trying to contain her horror.

Elena grew anxious with each passing second. She could not utter the truth. Find an excuse, fast.

"I fell over a pointed stone at school, "she uttered. She cursed herself in her mind, embarrassed at her inability to come up with excuses. As the women stitched up the wound she clenched her knuckles tightly. Fortunately, the women did not enquire much.

She thanked the doctor, and was on her way back to home. On the way she thought about her life. The different pains she and her mother had endured, all for nothing. Not one person could come to their help. Rescue them. They were helpless and stranded.

She looked at her mother who was fighting just like she was. She watched her wipe the tears that had welled up in her eyes. The driver of the car stuck his foot on the gas, as Elena eyes the gun strapped on his waist.

She thought about it long and hard, intensifying her gaze on the holster. Before she could do something, the car stopped at the house.

Elena and her mom were accompanied by the driver who doubled in as a guard close behind them till they entered the house. Elena walked inside eyeing each and every camera that was set up on the various walls from the hall to the stairway. She entered her room and shut the door behind her collapsing on the floor.

Tears ran down her face as she wailed with her head between her knees. As the tears dried up after an hour, she lied down on her bed. She checked her phone, expecting a message from Ishan. There was none.

She could not blame him, she was the one who ran like a freak. She popped a sleeping pill, a box of which was ever present on her side table and buried herself under the blankets, until sleep teleported her to a world where she thought the world was not so cruel.