Dani's Harem [Reverse Harem]

Dani - Pulverize those lemons!

Trapped, trapped in the dark place. Whispering comes from around me, whispers of peace, of no more pain. Whisperings of freedom and happiness, of family and love. It is all insidious whispers from the darkness, I know they lie. I feel the hunger, the need. I feel its want and emptiness. I know I am not alone in this dark place, I know that if I can't escape it will keep me here and I will be lost to it. Lost in the darkness, never to see the light of day again. The whispering is changing, becoming insistent and painful. Its fingers are trying to get inside my mind, it wants me to stay. Whispering that there is no light, no escape. 

No, that's wrong there was light, my head takes on a new element of pain as I struggle to hold onto my thoughts. Light, there has been light, flashes that are almost blinding. A different kind of whispering, a peaceful yet a little irritating static-like voice, that I wished away. My mind is fuzzy but I know if I can't find my way out this is it for me. I will always be trapped in the darkness. I hate it, I do not know how long I have been here. Why can't I remember what has happened, why do I hurt? Why can't I climb out of this nothing place?

Someone takes my hand and squeezes and my fear ebbs slightly. I have hands. I can feel them now. I am not alone in here and that comforts me, I have to believe this is not the darkness. I hear different whispering, not the ones in my head. The voice sounds like it is beside my ear but I can't sense anything else other than the hand around mine. I think the voice is a man from the tone, deep and gravel-like. What is he saying? Why can I not see him? Is he stuck too and are we going to be here forever and once again he squeezes my hand and speaks a little louder and I realize my face is wet. I think I am crying, why can't I open my eyes?  Am I blind now? Am I dying, is this what a coma is like? Being able to hear and understand but unable to talk back or move or open my damn eyes!! I hate this, why can't I wake up? All these questions and no answers!

"It is okay kid, you are safe" the stranger soothes.

"I don't know if you can hear me but my name is Nathan and you are in my home. You are not in very good shape, I found you in my forest. Half-starved and run into the ground, I carried you here to my home. I couldn't leave you there but you do not need to be afraid, you are safe from me I intend no harm. Can you squeeze my hand? Let me know you can hear me? Ah good, that's good! I'm going to put a small spoon in your mouth now, it is just soup -nothing fancy in this house. I need you to eat as much as you can, it is going to take a little while to build up your strength. Good, that's great you are doing well. That's enough, for now, I will be right back"

He tells me and I feel him move away from me. The heat I hadn't realized was there leaves me cold and I slip back into the whispering darkness, whilst begging the man to come back - calling him even though I know I can't actually speak right now. Please don't leave me alone! I scream as it all goes black.

----

I do not know how long I have been out but the light won't let me rest anymore. That insistent static is back and is causing my headache to sting, bringing tears to my eyes. Without opening my eyes I catalog my aches and pains, I am stiff and sore but no blinding pain in my joints. I can feel wool against my cheek and realize I am in a bed of some sort, either that or I am sleeping in the clouds. Yeah, like that happens Dani, you idiot. What is the last thing I remember? The guy who took and beat me while asking questions I didn't understand. Claire... saving...me... Nononononono! No! Oh God no, please let it have been a nightmare, please not let it be real. The rush of grief ambushes me as soon as I remember. My whole body shakes and I try not to scream with the pain in my heart, soul, and body. I can't breathe and I don't care anymore. My chest is on fire and I wish I had died with her, my mother died to save me. How could I have left her? Just let me die! I beg whatever God there is in the world, just make it stop! Make everything stop I can't breathe or even grieve as my headache has turned full-blown migraine. The static eases and my headache fades. I hear faint whispering but nothing I can catch but it's familiar. The voices are familiar now after months of them and it is soothing. For the first time since they began, I speak to them directly and whisper back Thank you.

They send comfort through our bond and I take a minute to calm. My headache eases and the grief in my heart is buried again with their help and I slowly start to think about my situation as it is right now, and gain awareness. I can't think about mum right now, I have to put her in a box and deal with The current moment now as she taught me.

Fudge! I sit up too fast which makes me feel like I went ten rounds with a 24 wheeler lorry and the sun from the window blinds me. A hiss escapes my lips before I can stop it and I have to lay back down before my stomach heaves. I lay still and hold my breath but I hear no other sound in the room. I open my eyes slowly this time and turn my head to the side and check out my resting place. From the bed, I can see a brown fabric couch and matching rocking chair, a small kitchen complete with a fridge-freezer, and plain wooden worktops with a silver sink. A huge fireplace with a giant silver pot over it. A simple wooden door I assume leads to the bathroom and shelves and shelves of books. No people though, I release my breath with a giant whoosh of sound.

How did I get here, the last thing I remember was running and collapsing. No wait, that's not right. A man, I remember a man talking to me. Was he actually here or was it another of my voices? No, I am in his house I think, sort of hoping too. No bad guys, no blinding light, and no hungry darkness. No police. How long have I been here? I turn onto my side and slowly sit up. Flipping Monkey nuts that hurts!!! I wince as I sit and breathe deep breaths. Every single body part is on fire, and here I am in desperate need of moving super-fast. Can it get any better? I look at the door as it opens and I instinctively try to jump to the other side of the bed away from the man framed in the door. I don't make it a yard before I cry out in pain and double over. I just had to jinx it didn't I?