Saving Belle

Chapter 4

Kyla's POV

          I don't respond to the fair haired cop, Luca's father. He walks closer and speaks to the cop holding me up, "Robert what happened?"

          The cop holding me, Robert, says, "Me and Hank were doing rounds. Found this little girl laying on the ground half asleep."

           "And that was justifiable to bring her in?" The man raises his eyebrow at him.

          "She had a six pack on her. Look at her," He pauses and they both look down at me. I'm barely able to stand at this point. Something is really wrong, Eric really hurt me this time, "I think she's still drunk. She looks like shit."

           The man reaches down and touches my face, "Hun I thought you said you don't drink?"

          Robert cuts me off before I could respond, "Wait you know this girl? Did you know that she drinks underage?" He tone is accusing now.

            The man says, "My boy met her a week or so ago. She was bringing beers to her father. I could tell she was telling the truth."

          Robert looks mad, "You know that's against our policies to let her g-"

          "Our policy is to bring in who we see as guilty. A young girl making sure her drunk of a father doesn't go through withdrawal doesn't seem like a guilty enough situation to bring her in."

          The cop shakes his head and starts pulling me, "Well she is here now. Where the hell did Hank go? He was supposed to get that breathalyzer now go on a damn goose chase."

           I am slowly being tugged toward a small room. When Robert sits me down he takes the handcuffs off. Once I am free, I place them on the table and lay my head down. Everything sounds fuzzy, I think I am going to pass out again. Blink my eyes rapidly, I try to force myself to be more alert.

           In the background I hear another voice, "She really doesn't look good. You think I should call a bus?"

          "No let's wait until I give her this." The voice is now above me. I feel a tap on my shoulder, "Come on kiddo breath into this for me."

          I look up to see a weird looking object in front of me, a breathalyzer. Reaching up I put my lips on the machine and breath. My ribs hurt so I have to stop for a second, it wasn't long enough for the machine to read me. By now there are three cops in the room. Hank, Robert, and the father of Luca. They encouraged me to do it again, I took a deep breath and repeated.

          Hank looked at the machine then at me. He looked very confused. "What's your name kid?"

          I whisper, "Kyla."

          "What drugs are you on? You're not drunk, you have to be on something."

          I shake my head and the world spins, "I don't do drugs. I'm no drunk, I don't drink. The beer was for my foster dad."

          Luca's dad steps forward and squats next to me, "Hun you really don't look alright. Did something happen? Your jaw is purple and last week you were limping. What happened to you?"

          "Nothing. I'm fine." My lie sounded pathetic. I can't go to the hospital. Even if Thomas didn't kill me, no one would want to foster me. 

          The man put his hand on my arm, "You're safe here I promise. You can trust me. Please, tell me what happened. I am about five minutes away from calling an ambulance Kyla you look like you are dying."

          "I. am. fine. Please can I go home now?" I'm desperate to get back before I'm punished.

           "You aren't leaving any time soon. At least tell me where it hurts. We can get you some help." This time he squeezes my shoulder lightly and I pull away fast. It hurt more than it should. He saw this and his eyebrows shot up, "Your shoulder hurts. Okay that's a start. On a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst, how bad is your shoulder pain?"

          There's no getting around this. I'm screwed, "Maybe a five."

          "Good girl. Thank you," He turns his head away, "One of you go get some ice for her." Then he looks back at me, "Be honest. What else hurts?"

          I look up into his eyes, the concern is real. Before I realize what I am doing I point to my lower regions. His mouth opens to an "oh" shape. I say, "Ten."

          He says softly, "Who hurt you?" I shake my head rapidly, "Kyla I need to know. I can't protect you if you don't tell me who. Please. I know this is weird but you look just like my little girl. I couldn't protect her and I will be damned if I watch you suffer more than you already are."

          This leaves me speechless. I can't tell him. I can't. I change the subject from who to what, "He hurt me. It was never my back before but it was so bad. I think I'm still bleeding. Please don't tell anyone. I-i can't go to t-the hospital."

          "Stand up for me," I don't get to object before he grabs my sides and I am pulled to my feet gently. He looks behind me a curses before screaming out the door, "Someone call a fucking bus now! She's bleeding bad!"

          Just then I feel all the blood rush to my head, and everything goes spotty. I lose all feeling in my legs and start to fall. The man scoops me up and cradles me bridal style. His voice is faint but I can hear him calling my name loudly, but everything sounds miles away.