One Survivor

41 'HIT ME!'

"Put her back in the cell" Kiana told Cal once the truck stopped inside the community.

"No. Take her back to the room and tie her up—"

Kiana interrupted Zayne by gripping him by his shirt and slamming him against the walls, "—My girlfriend just died to get back this piece of shit. You don't get a say in what happens to her anymore because you're the reason we went there in the first place. She pays the price for the life we lost" Kiana slammed him against the wall one last time.

A crowd of people and began to watch the scene unfold, Kiana and Calvin dragged a numb and weak Ava back to the cells in the old police station. Zayne stood there dumfounded and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Shit" he muttered and kicked the truck on his way to his hut.

"Again" Kiana said emotionlessly as Cal sent another punch to Ava's bare stomach. She hung there, her feet dangling on the ground with her hands tied to the roof of the cell. She was in nothing but a sports bra and jeans, the visible bruises soothing to the surface and blood tricking from her lip and stomach.

Ava grunted but fixed her gaze back to the ground, her wrists burning from being tied there for so long. Kiana stood up and kept her face inches form Ava's, "I thought we were doing something good, going to rescue you after everything. Thought we were doing the right thing" she started and eyed Ava up and down.

"But I had to watch my girlfriend suffer and shoot herself in the head, all because of you, because you didn't listen" Kiana finished, saying the last word like she just ate something revolting.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Ava breathed out, letting a cough escape her lips right after.

Kiana shook her head, "No you're not" she chuckled and punched Ava in the gut again.

Ava wheezed and looked down, the sudden gush of pain making her for some reason beg for more. This was it, the pain she deserved was finally being delivered to her. She couldn't think of how to explain only that she needed more, more pain, as if to make up for the pain she has given to other's.

"Hit me..." she exhaled, her eyes still on the ground.

Kiana leaned down and pushed Ava's chin up with her finger, "What?" she let a smile creep onto her face.

"Hit me" she growled, and Kiana smiled wider.

Kiana turned on her heel and walked to the exit, picking up a baseball bat that lay on the ground. Kiana turned back around and swung the baseball bat against Ava's ribs, the anger that had been building up inside her from the loss of her love was finally being released.

She heard a small crack the minute the bat hit Ava's ribcage, Ava cried out in pain but knew it wasn't enough, "Hit me again..." she coughed, blood splattering on the ground beneath her.

"Kiana—" Calvin started, realizing this was going too far, but she continued only now retreating to one of Ava's legs and swinging a shard as she could on her knee, hearing is dislocate.

Ava clenched her teeth and let out a groan, she finally saw that no matter how much pain she was receiving it could never match to how much pain she had caused others.

"ENOUGH!" a loud voice yelled from outside and Zayne grabbed Kiana, wrapped his arms around her and dragging her back, "Get out" he growled and shoved her out of the cell.

"What is wrong with you? This isn't how we deal with things" he grabbed her by the wrists and made her drop the bat, "Get her out of here, make sure she doesn't leave her room" he told Calvin and he nodded.

Zayne watched Kiana and Calvin leave before swiftly turning around and holding Ava in one arm, cutting the ropes with the other as her body slumped to the floor, falling back in his arms.

She winced but passed out immediately after due to the pain, "Jesus fucking Christ" Zayne muttered when he analyzed her body, seeing the bruises and scars on her.

He took his jacket and wrapped her in it, covering her body before lifted her up, her head resting on his shoulder and her arms gently squeezing his shirt, she was awake but barely.

Zayne walked out of the old station and towards the clinic, walking inside and heading to up to one of the rooms, "Jackson" he called out and she walked into the room in her lab coat and gloves.

"What is it?" she asked just as he laid Ava down on the bed, "Oh—Holy—Holy wow" she stuttered and quickly went to Ava's side.

Zayne stood on the other side of the bed, looking down at her just as Jackson pressed her hands-on Ava's ribs. Ava winced and grabbed Zayne's hand, Zayne looked down at their hands and pulled up a chair. Sitting down next to her and holding her hand with both of his.

"Yeah. Two broken ribs, by the looks of it a dislocated knee. Her name?" Jackson asked and rolled up her sleeves, moving to Ava's right knee and holding onto the leg.

"Ava" Zayne replied and didn't break his gaze from her.

"I'm gonna count to three Ava" Jackson told the woman on the bed.

Jackson breathed out, sure, being a third-year med student before the world went to shit was useful nowadays but sometimes she needed a break and today was full of catastrophe. Now she had to deal with this, "One" she started and immediately clicked the knee back into place.

"Son of bitch" Ava's eyes shot open and she squeezed Zayne's hand as hard as she could. A tear falling from her eye and rolling own her cheek, Zayne stood up and placed a hand on her hair soothingly.

Jackson gave her some morphine for the pain which in turn knocked her out, "Mind telling me how she gained a concussion, two broken ribs and a dislocated knee?" Jackson asked and hooked her up to the monitor.

"Kiana" was all he said and felt a slight squeeze of his hand.

"Why?" Jackson asked again, proceeding to give Ava some IV fluids.

Zayne breathed out, "When we went to get her, Quinn didn't make it. Kiana blames Ava for what happened and she too it out on her" he explained, "Thing is I heard Ava say... Ava told her to hit her. Like she wanted it" he finished, saying he last part as if he were terrified.

"Guess everyone has a reason. I'll be back to check on her in an hour" Jackson finished and walked out of the room.

"Because I deserve it" a croaky voice spoke up and Zayne looked down at Ava who was staring up at the ceiling, her hazel eyes looked like tears were about to pour form them but none of them came.

"Why would you—" Zayne started but she cut him off.

"Freya died because I wasn't there, Quinn died because I was there" she squeezed his hand when she spoke, pain in her ribs moving with every word.

Zayne was lost for words. He held onto her hand with both of his and kissed the top of it, Ava turned to him after his action, "Why are you here? Why are you guys helping me? I've beaten you and killed one of your own, yet you stopped her from giving me what I deserve" her hand loosened against his, as if she wanted to let go.

Zayne held onto her hand tighter, "Quinn knew what was going to happen, Kiana is mourning. But taking her pain out on you is not an option" he told her, and this time Ava really did let go of his hand.

He felt an empty feeling inside of him from the loss of contact, "I think you should go" she muttered, "Zayne, leave" she turned back to him with a dead serious look.

Zayne nodded, clearly annoyed, "What you deserve, you keep throwing that away... you're just getting the thing you want" he looked her up and down before walking out of the room and not looking back.