Relentless

11- Saige

Trigger warning: This chapter contains thoughts, talk, and an almost attempt of suicide. Read at your own risk.

       

"Wow," Ky breathed, staring at the waterfall. "All this time and I never knew this was here."

            "I found it by accident, believe it or not," I laughed lightly. "One of the times I ran away."

            "So this is where you go."

            I nodded eyeing him skeptically, suddenly regretting my decision bringing him here, "Yeah." I didn't even think it through; we could have gone to the meadow Ky showed me and not have been bothered, now I'll never be able to come here in peace again.

            "Saige, why do you run?" He kept his voice soft, but there was a hidden sadness.

            I didn't answer at first, not quite sure how to, "I guess, it's all I know."

            "That's not true," he regarded me in a way that was almost scolding. "Giving yourself up to Christy knowing you would die for the sake of strangers and facing her daughter to stop her from killing a little boy proves that."

            "That was different."

            He shook his head, "You have the will to fight, so why don't you?"

            "It's just," I furrowed my eyebrows. "Easier."

            He took a moment to contemplate my words, "Ignoring your fears won't make them go away. The Unseen are still out there, and even if they never find you, they have countless others held captive suffering the same fate."

            I brought my knees to my chest resting my chin on my arm not able to dispute the fact, "Like your mom." A heavy weight fell upon my chest as the phrase left my tongue, bringing me to the reason why I brought him here in the first place. He stilled beside me. "Sarah saved me in more ways than one; I don't think I'll ever be able to repay her." I took a shaky breath preparing myself to really open up for the first time, "She shared the little water she had when, after I was, after he-," tears welled up, but I refused to let them fall.

            He scooted closer until his shoulder brushed mine; taking my hand to remind me it wasn't real, that he was with me, "Take your time."

            I soaked in his warmth; it gave me the courage to continue. "I thought she hated me at first, like all the others did. They thought that since I was exclusively the boss's I had it better than the rest." He squeezed my hand, but he didn't interrupt. "The first time she saw me come back to my cell, she said that I would escape. I honestly believed it to be a load of hogwash, just a mechanism to make me feel better; an empty promise. So, life went on; until one particular night."

∙∙∙

            "I've had enough of your crap," he snarled. "Since you can't seem to keep your mouth in check," he took a dangerous step towards me. "I'll just have to do it for you." He lunged at me; I frantically rolled to the side and charged ahead for the bedroom door. He caught me from behind and dragged me backwards. I kicked, screamed, flailed; he landed a punch to my face. In my brief state of dizziness, he flung me on his bed like a ragdoll. Before I could process what was happening, his hands locked around my throat. My air supply was cut off, my legs thrashed about; I clawed at his hands desperately trying to pry them off. Just when I thought it was the end of the line, he released me. I coughed and gasped to take in whatever air I could.

            He watched wordlessly as I wheezed; when I had about caught my breath, he bent down and placed his lips on the side of my neck. I thought that maybe he was done for the night, until he whispered in ear, "This is for your own good." He pulled his fist back, and it crashed down just above my trachea. "You'll never talk again you pathetic waste of space."