Path-to-Freedom (version 1)

(16)

He came downstairs when I was sleeping and woke me up by yanking my hair.

I winced but didn't say anything.

He backhanded me before throwing me into my old chair, breaking it on contact.

He kicked me on my ribs causing me to cough out. He kept kicking me until I was no longer able to hold myself up.

When he was done kicking me, I was coughing up blood.

Then he brought out a pocket knife from his back pocket and leaned down to look at me.

He then backhanded me causing me to fall again.

When I turned 15, for the first time, Tony had cut me, and from then on he'd made it a personal rule to make each cut deeper than the last.
Every year he'd add a cut and make it even longer.

I'm surprised I haven't bled out yet.

"You ungrateful bitch. You couldn't be happy, you just needed more."

He always did this. As I grew up, I realized I reminded him of someone from his past. Someone he loved, but lost.

This time he just stabbed me in the leg and it took all I had in me to not scream out.

He took out the knife and stabbed that same spot again over and over again.

As a tear was about to roll down, I quickly turned my head and wiped it away.

"I hate you." He spoke as he stabbed me again but in another place.

"I hate that you took her."

Another stab.

"I hate that I love you." He spoke in distaste and pain.

I was bleeding too much and I knew I would fall unconscious any minute. Looking around, I saw one of the broken legs of the chair near me. I reached over and with as much strength as possible, I hit him on the head.

When he didn't fall and his eyes turned pure evil, I did it again, harder.

This time he fell unconscious and I quickly took the knife from him, stabbing him in both legs before grabbing my phone and calling my contact and telling them that I was leaving now and telling them to bring a doctor too.

I grabbed my suitcase and a jacket before limping upstairs and out the door. I walked out on the street and called a cab.

Hearing my phone ringing, I looked down and saw that it was Mason, my contact.

"Hey it's ready and the doctors here too. Where are you? I can come get you."

I told the cab driver to stop near a café, paid and got out. I looked up at the building for the name of the restaurant and repeated it to Mason.

"I'm at café Liaire, hurry Mason." I breathed, I was getting dizzy now.

"I will."

We cut the call and I waited for about 25 minutes before he showed up.

People passing by gave me weird looks. I mean why wouldn't they. I'm bloody and bruised and standing on the sidewalk with a whole suitcase.

When I saw his car, I limped towards it and he met me halfway.

"Oh my god Ashely, are you ok?" He asked worriedly, holding on to me.

In any other circumstance, I would scream at him to not touch be but since I could barely stand, I let it go.

"Let's go Mason." I said softly.

He nodded urgently and opened the backseat door.

While I got in, he wasted no time in putting my suitcase in the trunk.

Mason is one of the people I defended. It was one of my first cases actually so I took it with no pay, just in case I failed, but when we actually won, Mason said that he'd owe me a favor. Now's the time I'm cashing it in to get the hell out of here.

He got in the driver seat and looked at me through the rear view mirror.

"Ashley, what happened?"

"Nothin-" I was gonna finish but I started coughing.

I covered my hand with my mouth and when I moved it back, I saw blood.

I'm guessing Mason did too since he sped up to an exponential amount.

Before I knew it, we were parked outside of a huge plane.

Mason came around to my side and helped me out.

"I can walk." I said weakly.

I could tell he didn't believe me but he didn't push it, instead, he grabbed my suitcase and jacket from the trunk.

He knew how I was.

I could actually say that Mason's my friend.

I went up the stairs of the jet and right when I entered I saw a man sitting in one of the seats.

When he saw me, he came rushing.

"Are you alright?" He asked worriedly.

I nodded and sat down.

"Can you stitch me up?" I asked, breathing heavily.

"Um yes but I'll need you to tell me what happened."

"My guardian stabbed me and kicked me in the ribs multiple times."

He nodded with worry evident all over his face.

"Let's go to the backroom." I nodded and got up to walk. Almost falling, I leaned into the seats and walked.

When I reached, I opened the door and almost fell but someone behind me grabbed my arm to steady me.

"Thank you." I sighed.

"I'm sorry to ask but would it be ok if you took off your sweatpants so I can see the wounds?"

I nodded and sat on the bed.

I took them off with much difficulty and the doctor started cleaning my wounds.

"Would you like some pain medication?"

"No thank you, I'm ok." I sighed.

"Ok but I'll warn you, this is gonna hurt."

I nodded.

I took a deep breath and shut my eyes throughout the whole process.

"All done. I'll advise you to go to the doctor wherever you're going right away so that you can get a proper exam."

"Thank you."

"Hm, may you lift your shirt so that I may check your ribs?"

"That won't be necessary, I'm alright."

"Ok, I'll leave you to get dressed then." There was uneasiness evident in his tone. He wanted to make sure but I wasn't being all that cooperative and he seemed to know that I wouldn't change my mind.

"Um, could you bring in my suitcase?"

He nodded leaving.

After a while, he came back in with my suitcase.

"Ok, well I'll be going now, good luck." He spoke with a lot of hesitance. He was giving me time to change my mind.

"Thank you."

"No problem." After giving me one last time to change my mind, he finally leaves.