A Dislike For Purple

Chapter 10

My body was beat, both of my escapes left me with severely scrapped knees, bruises on my sides and legs. I looked like a mess. My jeans were stained with my blood. My hair was dirty and I just felt unclean.

I ate the noodle soup while Jessica went out to grab some things for my injuries. I asked her not to go but she left anyway. I looked down at my gaping knees then continued to eat the soup. I set the bowl down and got ready to stand up. Surely the drugs had warn off... hopefully. I swung my legs over the bed and slowly set them down. Then I stood. Great start so far. I began to take steps, one foot after the other. I closed my eyes and smiled. I could walk again. Thank god... I started a shower for myself. I stood in the shower letting the water rush over me like a warm waterfall. The water turned red after flowing off of me. Me knees stung, but not as bad as the whiskey.

I got out and carefully dried off. My knees were shredded, it would take weeks to heal. I didn't know if I should get dressed just yet, I actually didn't want to either. I was shaking at the pain of it. Jessica came back. I was sitting in a towel when she walked in.
She didn't even seem stunned or awkward she just looked glad.

"Good, you were starting to stink," she joked, we both laughed a little. "I bought some Neosporin, hydrogen peroxide, and a shit ton of Band-Aids," she tossed them all on the bed. I lifted up my towel to cover most of me, excluding my legs. I shakily took the tube of neosporin and squeezed a bit out. It hurt for anything to touch the area. I hesitantly rubbed it in, biting my lip. Jessica painfully watched. Then I continued on with applying it to the rest of my cuts. Jessica ripped opened the box of bandages and handed them to me one at a time. After we were finished I was covered head to toe.

"How cool do I look?" I joked.

"Not very," she laughed. I nodded. Now for the next part, clothes...

I got dressed carefully, mindful of the entire box of bandages on my body. The one on my chin was already becoming an issue, and the few on my arms I never wanted to come off, my arms hair was already firmly stuck to those... I think I've experienced enough pain in the last day or two for a lifetime. I was dressed in a park pair of jeans, a over sized T-shirt and my jacket. Jessica had some work to do and sent me off with Trish, who was more equipped for company. She had out snacks, drinks, and fixed the living room to fit a movie marathon. Pillows blankets, TV and movies. Although the point of me going over with her was to rest... Jessica won't know. Trish and I watched movies and ate junk food to our hearts content. We played uno and, either I'm really good at uno or she was letting me win. I had never had anything like this, not even friends. It's always a struggle no time for fun and games or movies. I would have liked to grow up like this. An irrational wish but still it could have been nice.

The day slid by. Trish went off to bed to wake up to go to work. I set up on the couch and stared at the ceiling. I had a thought stuck in the back of my mind and it made me feel...guilty. I should have told her what the man said, how he wanted to take me with him. It all seemed important but I didn't know how. Maybe Jessica would know..

The next day I headed back to the apartment. Jessica didn't like it, she wanted me around but not if I was in danger. I didn't care, I mean, I'd rather not get kidnapped again but this was my home too. I sat on the couch checking on my injuries, while Jessica typed away on her computer.

"Hey Jessica... were there any paper lying around when you rescued me?" I asked peeling away a bandage to replace it. She thought about it for a second.

"No. Why...?" She asked.

"Kilgrave asked one of his minions to research me. They had papers that, I don't know what they said but, kilgrave seemed pretty interested in them" I explained. Jessica had completely dropped what she was doing.

"What?" She said.

"I don't really know, to be honest. It was really creepy" I added.

"What did he say when he read the papers?" She questioned.

"Uh. Something along the lines of no way, but he's British so something more British-y," I attempted to make a joke to lessen the intensity, but she remained the same, no smile. Then she picked up her keys and went out the door. I jumped up after her and opened the door she slammed behind her. "Where are you going?!" I shouted. She just continued to get into the elevator and leave. I closed the door and quickly finished to replace my band-aids.

I threw on my jacket and went out. It was early afternoon and cloudy. The air was thick with moisture. It was definitely going to rain. The streets were still crowded but they started to clear slowly. Those who didn't clear had time or an umbrella. Thunder clashed over head and I waited for the lightning, not yet. I walked over to a coffee shop with out door seats as an option. I bought a mocha frappe and sat outside. I didn't mind the rain but I wasn't a fan. But if I wasn't a fan, why would I sit outside? I'm weird. Then, a woman walked up to me.

"He'd like to speak to you," she said. I nodded slowly. Her head turned to a man reading a newspaper. "He wanted me to ask. How's the coffee?" she then snapped out of it and walked away. I kept my eye on the man. I took a sip of coffee.

"You should really consider getting an umbrella, looks like it going to rain," his voice said behind me, hearing his voice so close made me shiver unpleasantly. "But you can borrow mine," he said. He took a seat in front of me. He was in that purple suit again.

"You wanted to talk?" I asked.

"How's Jessica? Happy you're back home in that run down apartment building?" He said almost sarcastically.

"Actually, she is pretty happy to have me back.... Wouldn't want to disappear on her again," I hinted.

"Oh no. I'm not going to kidnap you again. You'll come with me on your own free will," he said confidently.

"How's that?" I asked feeling a little nervous. He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper, likely the one from before.

"Because you're curious to know what it says," he tempted. Thunder clashed again.

"What does it say?" I asked. He laughed.

"If you walk with me now, you can avoid the rain and find out. If you don't... well. It's not good for Trish Walker," my heart skipped a beat. He he swiftly stood up and opened his umbrella. "What do you say? A perfect day for a walk?"