the Remainders

Chapter 19 Alena

After getting me inside he takes me to the bathroom where we get cleaned up and as good as new. He pulls out a medical kit and starts to clean and dress my wounds. He uses alcohol and when he pours it in the wound to clean it, it stings badly. I scream again and hold on to the sides of the tub. I can tell he's distressed by the look in his eyes and expression on his face. He feels bad for causing me pain even though it isn't his fault. After he bandages me up he grabs my hands while avoiding eye contact.

'I'm sorry Bug.' He continues breathing in and out.

'It's not your fault!' I assure him. He lets go and cleans up the mess and goes to pick me up, only I'm not prepared so I jump back out of fear and fall in the tub. Syn grabs my arm before I hit my head and I'm still breathing hard from panic.

'I-I-I'm so sorry Syn! I wasn't expecting that and it... It shocked me.' I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever be okay. But, I shove it aside pretending nothing's wrong with me.

'It's okay.'

I can tell he wants to say more but Aria started to cry so he picks me up and sits me on the bed. Then picks up our daughter bringing her to me. I'm like a robot at the moment. I know she wants to eat and no doubt needs a change so I begin doing all these things for her. Getting her prepared for the journey ahead.

Syn excuses himself and walks outside. Not long after I finish getting Ezaria ready he comes back in and saying I'm not in any condition to run or walk and said they all agree we need to rest another day and that's what we do. This time we all stay in our individual rooms. We play with Aria and give her some necessary love and attention. She's nothing but giggles. I'm glad that she's too young to know anything that's going on and won't remember this. I'm relieved knowing she doesn't understand why my face is swollen or why I'm sore. She doesn't know the things we've been through which brings me a great deal of comfort.

After a few hours we put her to bed realizing that nighttime has already fallen on us. We go to bed to get rest as we begin our journey back up again tomorrow. Syndir's fast asleep. I continue to toss and turn and I start dreaming. All of a sudden, I was back at the Governmental Sector in the same room that had cameras in every corner and my arms are bound behind me once again.

My dad and Averly enter the room laughing sadistically. Averly picks up a knife and plays with it in his hands for a few minutes then slides it across my skin as I scream. He covers my mouth to muffle the yelping as he continues to harm me. He stops momentarily as he exclaims

'Still think you made the right choice? It should have been me!' 

Laughing ensues as he stabs my thigh this time, and keeps it lodged in there. I wake up kicking and screaming 'Get off of me! Let me go!'

I fall off the bed from jerking trying to break free and that wakes Syndir up. He jumps out of bed and runs to my side to help me up. 'Are you okay?' He asks frantically as he moves swiftly. He sits me back on the bed and starts to pull away but I hold on to the collar of his shirt.

'Are you ever going to be able to tell me what went on in there?' He asks without being pushy. Silence thickens in the room as I don't know what to say in response. Maybe? I don't know? If I told you, you wouldn't look at me the same? All of those would work but instead my mouth betrays my mind.

'It was torture Syn.' My brain's now telling my mouth to shut up but, it doesn't listen.

'I'm still processing everything. I'm not surprised it happened. I'm shocked at what happened. You see the wounds that will turn to scars and wonder what happened to me in there, but I can tell you exactly what took place for me to deserve each one! It was awful and the worst part was being betrayed by our friends and getting my grandfather killed. I wasn't expecting to see Cashton and Averly but, Averly's motive for doing this was apparently because I didn't choose to marry him over you!'