Status: Active.
Shiver.
nowhere safe
My eyelids felt heavy and I couldn't remember anything at first. Slowly my thoughts trickled together to form a coherent memory. Hunter had stabbed me in the park. I opened my eyes slowly and saw my dad's face.
"Daddy?" I whispered. He looked at my face and grinned widely.
"Grace! Honey, she's awake." Dad yelled. My mom scurried over from the corner and threw her arms around me, sobbing.
"Oh thank God," she murmured over and over into my ear. "Thank God."
It hurt to be touched but I didn't mind. I was relieved that I wasn't alone in the hospital anymore. As soon as she let go of me I took stock of my injuries. My whole body hurt, there were bruises everywhere. My hand went to my stomach, where I could feel the bandages through the thin hospital gown. The memories of the night started to come rushing back to me and I gasped for air.
"Hunter," I said. "He's going to come back." My dad gripped my hand tightly.
"Hunter is in jail," he said. "The police couldn't look the other way on attempted murder. They had to charge him. His dad couldn't get him out this time. He pleaded guilty to get a reduced charge." I exhaled. I didn't know quite how to process this information. I could barely believe I was alive.
"How long?" I asked. Mom finally stopped sobbing and pulled away from me, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
"Five years," she said quietly. "Three if he gets out early for good behavior." I shivered. He would be out by the time I was nineteen. And with three years to brood over it, his anger would be good motivation to find me and finish what he started.
"He's going to kill me when he gets out," I announced, just as Auggie and James walked into the room.
"Yes, he probably will," Auggie agreed.
"He will try," James corrected. He fell silent for a moment, seemingly sizing up the situation. "We have some ideas to keep you safe."
"There is nowhere safe for me anymore," I argued, my voice defeated.
"No, there isn't. As long as you are alive he will find you. He will not give up as long as he knows that you are alive," James said. I sat up a little sensing that he was going somewhere with this. When he and Auggie proceeded to lay out their plan I wanted to protest but I couldn't. It made sense and it was the only way that I could be safe from him.
"Daddy?" I whispered. He looked at my face and grinned widely.
"Grace! Honey, she's awake." Dad yelled. My mom scurried over from the corner and threw her arms around me, sobbing.
"Oh thank God," she murmured over and over into my ear. "Thank God."
It hurt to be touched but I didn't mind. I was relieved that I wasn't alone in the hospital anymore. As soon as she let go of me I took stock of my injuries. My whole body hurt, there were bruises everywhere. My hand went to my stomach, where I could feel the bandages through the thin hospital gown. The memories of the night started to come rushing back to me and I gasped for air.
"Hunter," I said. "He's going to come back." My dad gripped my hand tightly.
"Hunter is in jail," he said. "The police couldn't look the other way on attempted murder. They had to charge him. His dad couldn't get him out this time. He pleaded guilty to get a reduced charge." I exhaled. I didn't know quite how to process this information. I could barely believe I was alive.
"How long?" I asked. Mom finally stopped sobbing and pulled away from me, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
"Five years," she said quietly. "Three if he gets out early for good behavior." I shivered. He would be out by the time I was nineteen. And with three years to brood over it, his anger would be good motivation to find me and finish what he started.
"He's going to kill me when he gets out," I announced, just as Auggie and James walked into the room.
"Yes, he probably will," Auggie agreed.
"He will try," James corrected. He fell silent for a moment, seemingly sizing up the situation. "We have some ideas to keep you safe."
"There is nowhere safe for me anymore," I argued, my voice defeated.
"No, there isn't. As long as you are alive he will find you. He will not give up as long as he knows that you are alive," James said. I sat up a little sensing that he was going somewhere with this. When he and Auggie proceeded to lay out their plan I wanted to protest but I couldn't. It made sense and it was the only way that I could be safe from him.