There's Light at the End of the Tunnel

Chapter 5

"Y'all done. No screamin', no cryin', its over for now" He says as he gently rubs his thumb against my cheek.

"But he gon have to change 'em again..."

"Maybe I can find some stuff ta numb ya. I can go inta town. I don' mind"

"Ya'd do that?"

"Of course, ya can't get it ya self and ya need it" He smiles.

"Thank ya" I smile, still holding his hand.

The door opens, and a guy walks in, he looks like a complete douchebag. Tall, built, short black looking hair, looks super self confident. He quickly lets go of my hand.

"How y'all doin'" Douchebag sits at the edge of the bed.

"Fine, she jus' restin'" He tells douchebag so I don't have to talk.

"She can speak can't she?" Douchebag spits at him.

"Old man just finished stitchin' 'er up, she's hurtin'" He spits.

Douchebag roughly puts a hand on my stitches, his hand wraps around my side. I yell out in pain.

"Oh did that hurt?" Douchebag says sarcastically.

"Leave 'er 'lone! Ya hurtin' 'er!" He stands up and gets in douchebags face.

"Get outta my face" Douchebag shoves him back.

"Ya should just get outta 'ere in the first place. Ya bein' 'ere ain't helpin' 'er!" His voice rising.

I slowly get up and shove Douchebag as hard as my body will allow me. I actually push him down without straining myself, too much.

"Leave" I say in a stern voice.

"Well, broken girl ain't so broken after all" Douchebag stands up and smacks me across the face. I don't have enough strength to balance myself, I sit on the bed.

He goes after him, shoving him against the wall.

"That how ya treat a girl!?" He screams in his face.

Before douchebag could answer, the old man walks in again.

"What on Earth is going on in here!?" Old man comes over to me to make sure I'm alright.

"He went after 'er" He explains.

"Leave" Old man tells douchebag.

Douchebag leaves the room, the old man makes sure I didn't pop any stitches and he sits next to me.

"You are fine. No more visitors you need to rest. Yes, you can stay" Old man explains, leaving the room.

"I'm sorry this happened to ya..." He says upset.

"Don't be. Not ya fault he came in here" I look at him.

"But I feel bad. He touched ya wound and smacked ya. Ya didn't deserve that"

"No one does. He jus' mad I ain't his"

"Then whose are ya?"

"I guessin' he sees me as yours..." I look down, that was really awkward...

He doesn't know what to say, neither do I. I slowly lay down again, he puts a sheet on top of me and closes the blinds.

"You can go" I tell him.

"But I don't wanna leave ya 'lone..." He sits on the bed, gently rubbing my shoulder.

I feel safe when he's with me. Something I haven't felt in a long time. Not even with my old group. He lays down next to me, but still keeping his distance. He gently wraps his arm around my waist, away from my stitches.

I fell asleep for awhile, and when I woke up, I was laying there wrapped in his arms.

"Sleep good?" His voice raspy, like last night.

"Better than last night"

"That's good. Lil girl wanted ta see ya but the old man won't let 'er"

"I don't want 'er seein' me like this anyway. I look terrible"

He nods and holds me in his arms. I hear footsteps come to the door followed by a knock. He lets go of me and gets up, I pretend to be sleeping, so no one gets suspicious.

"How is she? She wake up yet?" A younger girl asks.

"Nah not yet. She should be up soon though" He responds to her as he strokes my hair.

"You two are cute together" The girl says as she puts a tray on the side table.

He doesn't respond. I hear the door close and footsteps fade away. I sit up some, he lays down with me again.

"Who was that?" I ask.

"Old man's youngest, the blonde girl"

"She brought me food?"

"Yeah they are hospitable people here. Treat ya like family" He says putting the tray on my lap.

"Thanks" I say as I start to pick at my food.

"Best damn meal ya gon' get for awhile"

"Ya want some? I ain't that hungry.."

"Nah its fine. It's yours"

"You can have some I ain't hungry"

"Ya gotta eat. Ya haven't eaten since last night"

"I know but I don't want any..."

"Eat"

Before I could answer the door bursts open. His arm is still around me and I'm fairly close to him still. A tall, larger built man comes in.

"What the hell ya doin'!?" This obnoxious man shouts at him

"Nothin' why"

"Ya hangin' 'round a girl! Don't ya know any better?" The blonde obviously ain't too happy.

"Calm down. Just 'cause ya always got rejected don't mean ya make me keep ma distances. I'm only helpin' 'er" He says to him with confidence.

"That's what they all say. Ya know after she's better she gone right?" The blonde man spits.

"She ain't goin' anywhere. She 'part of us now"

"No she ain't one of us. They just had a meetin'. When she's ready, she out" The man looks like him, it has to be his brother.

The brother storms out closing the door behind him. I poke at my food again, knowing they don't trust me.

"Don't listen to ma brother. He's an ass sometimes. Ya ain't leavin' trust me" He rubs my back.

"I know y'all don't trust me. It's fine..." I'm hurt by what his brother said to me.

"If we didn't trust ya, why'd we bring ya back with us? And who said I didn't trust ya?"

"'Cause I was hurt. Anyone would've done that"

"Nah, not everyone. I seen people kill every person in their path. We trust ya"