Reaching for Rebecca

Chapter 12

RYAN'S POV

"Hello?" I say frantically into the phone but am answered by silence. "Becca?"

I hear a soft breath.

"R-ryan?" her voice is shaky and filled with worry.

"Becs what's wrong? Why are you crying?" My mother stood in shock, waiting to know what's going on.

"Ryan can you p-please come get me?" she started crying harder.

"Yea baby," I start running towards the door. "I'm coming. Are you at home?"

"Yea," she said before loudly sobbing into the phone.

"Becs it's okay. I'm on my way alright?"

"Okay."

I hung up to focus on my erratic driving. What the fuck is going on? I knew something was wrong. Why is she crying so much? I get to her house in record speed and notice the black sedan isn't in the driveway. Good. Running in her house, I don't bother to knock.

"Becca!?" I shout.

"I'm in here," I hear a quiet voice come from down the hall and what I found would be burned into my brain for the rest of my life.

My beautiful Becca was partly tied up on a king-sized bed. Both feet and one arm were stretched and secured to the bedposts while the other one was shakily holding a landline phone to her chest. She was wearing clothes, well at least the remnants of clothing. There were blood lined tears in various spots on her shirt and jeans telling me that something went through and cut her skin. Half of her face was swollen and had a bruise forming and forcing her right eye to close. Her dark hair had some dried blood throughout as well.

I stood in shock, gaping at my poor Becca but was pulled out of it when I hear the front door slam. I rushed towards her and began untying the rope around her other hand, hearing heavy footsteps getting closer. Finally undoing the knot, I whisper to her urgently.

"Becca, you need to untie your feet okay?"

She nods frantically, tears streaming down her face.

I turn around toward whoever just entered the room. He's a fairly tall man, about six foot, with thinning blond hair and dark blue eyes. I can smell the alcohol fuming off him from here as we stare at each other.

"Who the fuck are you?" he snaps, slurring his words.

I don't answer and he comes barreling towards me, fist cocked. I take the first blow because I've learned from experience that if they hit first you can say it was self-defense. He gets the one good hit in with a crack to my jaw before I unleash all my anger on him. Two swift punches to the head, followed by a sharp right hook are enough to make the drunken idiot fall over but I'm not finished. I wrestle to get on top of him and keep giving him harsh blows to the head until his eyes roll back. I picture all the pain that Becca's in and can't stop myself.

"R-ryan," I hear a soft, beautiful voice bringing me back to reality.

She managed to get herself untied but can't quite sit up straight. I walk over and very carefully lift her into my arms.

"Becca, I'm so sorry. I should have noticed," I whisper while holding her close. I feel tears starting to stream down my face.

She snuggles in closer to me and I carry her out to the truck. Gently setting her down inside and brushing some dirty hair away from her face, I kiss her forehead.

"I'll be right back okay? Lock the doors if you're afraid."

I run back into the shitty ranch-style house and check on her step-dad who's unconscious but still breathing. Noticing a plastic bag, I peer inside. Condoms? What the fuck?! I should have killed him.

Before doing something I'd regret, I move through the house until I find what must be Becca's room. It's incredibly tiny; her twin sized bed barely fits! I grab her backpack that's full of school supplies and toss in some clothes I see neatly folded in a laundry basket. There's a picture of a young Becca and an older woman who looks just like her in a homemade frame and I put it in the bag, knowing I'm not ever letting her come back here. I also see her phone on the nightstand so I slip that in my pocket before getting back to her.

She's sitting in the fetal position on the truck's bench seat and I tap on the window so she sees me. Hearing the lock unclick, I climb in and set the overfilled backpack on the floorboards. I reach across to buckle her in and start driving towards the hospital while making a few phone calls.

~~~

I call my mother and she answers on the first ring.

"What's going on Ryan? Did you get to her?"

"Yea, she's in my truck. I'm heading to the hospital though. Can you call Matt please?"

"Of course sweetheart. Is it really bad?"

"It's not good, but I think she's okay."

"Okay," she lets out a huge breath like worried mothers do. "Call me later Ryan."

"I will. Bye mom."

I look over to check on Becca although she hasn't moved since we left and call Landon.

"What's up?" he asks.

"Becca called..." I get cut off.

"What did she say? Is she okay?" The worry was extremely evident in his voice.

"I picked her up and we're pulling into the hospital lot right now. I'll text you."

"Nah, I'm on my way," he said before hanging up.

I turn back to Becca after parking the truck and she's completely zoned out.

"Becca, baby, we're at the hospital okay? I'm going to help you in alright?" She slowly turns and nods in agreement.

I put on her backpack before gently lifting her, trying not to cause her any harm. She whimpers in my arms and starts to softly cry. I know I didn't do a great job at being gentle.

"I'm sorry sweetheart I'm trying to be careful," I whisper down to her and stride to the hospital entrance.

I see Matt at the desk, pacing back and forth. Mom must have called him already.

"Matt!" I shout in a panic and he comes sprinting towards me.

"Christ Ryan what happened?" he asks as his eyes scan over the girl that's silently sobbing in my arms.