24 Dreams Of You And Me

91) Aftermath

"If you have been brutally broken, but still have the courage to be gentle to others then you deserve a love deeper than the ocean itself."
-Nikita Gill

***

A white ceiling.

Alyssa was silently staring at it. Her tears had finally dried but her eyes had swollen. She was just feeling her faint heartbeat.

The black marks of torture were now visible on her body.

As her mind kept replaying everything that had happened since beginning, tears again pooled up in her eyes. She groaned and turned to her right and hugging the pillow closer.

From the door, Bella was watching her daughter as she slowly let her breath out and swallowed. Alyssa snuggled to her pillow which was wet from the tears, she screwed her eyes shut and whimpered as a tear ran down.

It was almost as if she was trying push something away, trying to forget a memory which won't go away.

As she again started breaking down, Bella decided to respect her wish to have some privacy and went to the other room.

John was sitting there with Ruby. When she entered, John asked, "has she said anything?"

Bella shook her head.

Ruby spoke, "all I know is that she was with Levi Cahill and they were trapped. I got them an ingredient for the breaking spell and then I called you."

As soon as they had the news, Bella and John came over to Dallas, to Alyssa's apartment, from Los Angeles. They had just reached this morning, three hours before Alyssa woke up.

On Earth, Alyssa had only been gone twelve hours.

"Look at the burns she has. They're all over her body." Bella informed.

"We can't assume anything. We'll have to wait until she's ready to talk." John replied.

Ruby's phone began ringing. "It's my dad. What should I tell him?"

"Tell Jerry I'll speak to him personally later." John said. "I don't want any speculations rising."

She nodded and went outside to talk to her father.

"Levi Cahill was involved with her, John. I'm getting really worried. God knows what he said to her. I swear if he's the one who gave her all those wounds-"

"Bella, I know you're disturbed. Watching your daughter in a state like that isn't easy, I know. But we'll have to act calmly. Why don't go take a shower and I'll try to talk to her."

"She doesn't want to. She said she's scared to recall it all."

"But even while keeping silent about it, she's recalling it all."

"Mom?" Alyssa came to the door and held it for support.

She had changed into a long white gown and her hair were hanging loose on her shoulders. They were frizzy and tangled. Her lips were dry, green eyes lost of all life and her skin seemed pale.

"Yes Alyssa?"

"Can you.. can you make me.. something to eat, please? I can't really.. cook something right now." She spoke softly.

"Of course. What do you wanna eat?" Bella asked, happy that she was at least hungry and willing to eat.

"Anything you find easy."

John looked at the black marks on her arms which hid under clothes at the armpits.

"If you want to talk about anything, Alyssa, you know your mom and I are here, right?"