Carrots Are The Best Vegetables

Chapter Eleven

Hi! Sorry I haven't posted in a while, my hamster, Mochii, passed away two days ago, and I was really distraught, and sad, and all over the place. But, I'm feeling much better now, so enjoy <3

She had to return home, despite the knowledge she'd be barricaded with questions as soon as she stepped through the door-frame towards Matthew and Marilla. Thankfully, Gilbert's speech stuck with her, and she found a new courage inside of her veins.

Anne purposely avoided Diana, Ruby, and Cole, and instead walked alone, despite Gilbert and Miss Stacy's protests... she needed to prepare herself for Matthew and Marilla. Knowing them, the sheriff would already be there, and Billy would be down in Hell. Anne wondered what Mr and Mrs. Andrews would say. Would they protect their son, or pity her? Oddly enough, she wished it was the former.

"Anne, child, you'd better get in here right this instant." Marilla pulled her through the door, but was careful not to harm her... she had that bittersweet expression on her face -the one where she was furious, but pitiful for the young girl that had developed into her daughter. "In God's name, child, why did you not tell us that Billy was the one who attacked you?! But you told your friends, and everyone at school?"

"Marilla..." Matthew started, but Marilla held up a pruny finger, which instantly silenced the pale Matthew. Anne shared a grateful, and apologetic look with her sea-gray irises, before turning back to the stern Marilla.

"And you allowed me to let you return to school with the boy there?! He could've hurt you again, Anne, he brings his rifle to school." Marilla croaked, and realized a lump in her throat growing with pain... it was a warning that her voice was about to break... it'd been years since she'd felt that... decades.

"I didn't want to worry you, Marilla! Besides, Gilbert and Cole were there to protect me! It's not like you could've protected me when I wasn't near you. Besides, he wouldn't have attacked me in the middle of school, don't be foolish!" Anne reasoned, but it did no luck for her.

"You are the one being foolish! Go to your room! I'll bring you your dinner, but I hope I'm not too foolish for you." Marilla hissed, before sending Anne bounding up the stairs. All of the hope in her veins had dissipated, and she felt herself contract into a mountain of sobs on her duve.

Eventually, Anne cried herself to sleep, before a brisk wind whipped again her face, almost immediately waking her up. She dragged her eyes open, to see her poorly-painted window open, allowing a freezing cold to arrive in the room.

She took a minute to free herself from the egg-white sheets, before placing her bare-feet on the now freezing floor boards, and silently groaning with pain as she sleepily trudged across the room, and closing the window silently, as to not wake Marilla or Matthew... but she didn't yet realize the nearly silent breathing behind her, until a silk handkerchief met her lips, allowing whoever's hand guided it to deafen her voice, and get her deprived of oxygen enough to tie her to the bed with twisted rope.

"Shut it!" A voice whispered harshly in her ear, but it was quiet enough for no one to hear but her. Outside the window, she saw the slightest hint of a lattern's glint, so if she could make enough noise, somehow, maybe she'd be saved from whoever had just jailed her to her bed, and then it became all too familiar... Billy had done this before, and she knew for a fact it was him doing this now.

"Mhm!" Anne moaned against the gagging handkerchief in her mouth, but it completely muffled Anne's pleas for whoever was outside her window with that lantern... perhaps it was Jerry, or even Gilbert...

Anne knew that wasn't the case. It was the middle of the night, and Gilbert had no reason to be over here, so it was probably Jerry... but he wouldn't hear her sobs from the ground either way, and the house had thick walls, so Marilla and Matthew would be deaf, especially with her tendency to sleep very, very heavily.