The Island

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Tillie

The courtroom was covered in wood, and here I was, crying, my Mom and Dad retelling the story I had told them, therapists, the school, the doctors. How they'd drugged my drink, taken me upstairs, and pushed themselves onto me. The four boys who'd ruined me sitting across the aisle. They each got seven minutes with me. Nearly half an hour, but it felt so much longer.

John sat in the chair behind me, along with Tina and Hanna, the two girls who'd found me. Their brother was supposed to come, but he made some excuse for not being here. Zoie was outside the room, I was only allowed to bring so many in, but I still needed her close, she was my best friend, and didn't ask questions when I asked her to wait outside. I didn't want her to hear what they did to me. I didn't even tell her their names.

I was looking at the table in front of me, my shoulders hunched as I let out a strangled sob

"Tillie?" The judge said softly, "Are you alright, dear?"

I felt my heart race as everyone looked at me, faster as one of the boys, Mark, the one who started it all, made a crude gesture away from the judge's eyes. I shook my head, standing and backing out of the room, turning and sprinting when Thomas, the second boy, smiled.

Passing Zoie, I ran out of the courthouse, falling to my knees outside in a garden.

I used to love these flowers, I would come and eat lunch on the weekends here. Now, they were just a reminder of why I was here.

I was sobbing, hard and uncontrollable, until I felt Zoie come and hold me close, breathing in the new smell of the citrus oil she'd started wearing, after hearing the smell could help with anxiety.

I couldn't tell if it was her or the oil, but I stopped crying.

"They're going to change schools. The jury decided not to send them to juvie." She said, stroking my hair, putting her chin on the top of my head.

I realized then that life was unfair. That the only way to get what I want is to be stronger than the opposing forces.

"I'm going back to school."

"I knew you could do it." She said, kissing the top of my head.

I hated remembering the courtroom, but with everything happening, my life was, quite literally, flashing in front of my eyes.

I was dying.

I could feel it creeping up to me, my feet almost completely burnt. Last time Mark had tortured me, I coughed up blood. This time, I was barely awake while he was in the room, the roaring in my ears drowning out his taunting. When I was awake, I stared at Zoie, thinking of a way to convince her I would die if the others didn't take me.

I was awake now, but nobody was with me, the blood dripping down my back and onto the floor the only sound.

Drip.

I prayed Kirklyn would get here soon.

Drip.

The world blurred.

Drip.

I blinked the blood from my eyes.

The door blew open, Mark storming into the room.

"What did you do?" He yelled, ripping the gag off, cutting my cheek.

"What?" I said weakly, my voice scratching in my throat,