When The Snow Settles
Stay with her
Cold. That’s what was on her head. She had been laying there for almost five minutes trying to figure out what the weight on her burning head was. It was something cold, yet it seemed to do nothing to cool her down. Why was it so warm? Wasn’t it just yesterday she was freezing?
She finally forced her eyes open, with much effort. Once open she remembered where she was. She had completely forgotten about Daire and the family that had saved her. But now it came rushing back to her hard.
Her body sat up fast, causing her to gasp out in pain, but she ignored it.
“Whoa, you should move slower.” Came Daire’s voice. His hands gently pushed on her shoulders, making it so she was lying on her back again. She didn’t object, but she did close her eyes, her breaths coming in deep and shallow. “I’m going to get you some water. Wait here and don’t move so fast.”
She listened, not because he was being kind to her, but because her head was pounding and her body was burning up. Her eyes remained closed and her breaths grew shallow. If they found out she was still alive... the thought made her want to vomit, but she restrained the urge.
The family, however, wouldn’t do so well if the men found out. If they found out they were helping her... oh gosh. She didn’t want them to have to deal with that, she didn’t want the kids to have to witness that, to see that. No. She wouldn’t allow it.
Her eyes opened, and trying her best to ignore the pain, she sat up. Blood rushed to her head and pain seared through her ribs but she didn’t lay back down. After one deep breath, she pushed herself to her feet. She swayed dangerously, but didn’t give up. No way she would allow what happened to her, to happen to Emily, or Tod, or Jake. They were too young. Far too young.
Stumbling slightly, she was almost at the door when a voice spoke. She knew that once outside she wouldn’t have gotten far, for there was still a blizzard, but at least she wouldn’t be their problem anymore.
“Where are you going?” She heard him set something down before heading over to her. No! She used all her strength to get this far, he wasn’t supposed to just easily bring her back. Didn’t he understand that she was helping him, saving him. Saving his family... he didn’t understand. No one did.
She felt his hands go on her shoulders, not putting pressure on them, but supporting her. He then turned her towards the couch, nudging her along. A sound escaped her lips, but she couldn’t determine what it was, and he didn’t seem to care.
“No,” she barely whispered out. “No.” She said louder. Daire stopped for a moment before helping her the remaining distance. He then sat down by her and handed her water before speaking.
“No what?” He then stared at her, worry in his eyes. Why was he worried? She didn’t even know him, and he didn’t even know her. Why were they going through such lengths to help her? Why?
“I can’t stay.” She mumbled, trying to stand up, but he put his hand on her shoulder again; this time he put pressure. She couldn’t stand, and that scared her. What did they want from her?
“Talk to me, Adrae.” He surveyed her for a moment before continuing. “You’re safe now. Whoever did this won’t harm you again, I can guarantee that. Now, tell me, why can’t you stay? I assure you we won’t hurt you.” She just shook her head, not saying anything. What was she to say? What if she told them who did it, and they turned her in for fear of their own lives? She wouldn’t blame them, but she would rather die another way than at the hands of those men. Anything else. He continued to talk to her, but it all went in one ear and out another. She didn’t listen, she didn’t try to. She just kept shaking her head as tears began to grow in her eyes. He didn’t understand, none of them. It would be the death of them, and she would have to die with the fact that she was killing a wonderful family.
“I have to go, I have to.” She tried to stand up but he held her down, even against her struggles. Her body was screaming in pain, and tears were now streaming down her face, but he still didn’t let her up. He continued to talk, but once again, she didn’t take anything in. She did hear his voice raise, then a few seconds later she saw his father run in. No. He didn’t understand! Why couldn’t he just let her go? Why?!
His father bent down in front of her, holding her head in place so she stared him in the eyes. His lips moved but she didn’t take it in. What was happening to her? Fear now struck her, was this an effect of the beatings? Or was it fear alone?
She struggled against the mans grip, and he let go, but Daire still didn’t. She could feel both eyes on her, she could feel the whole families eyes on her, but she didn’t care. As long as they didn’t suffer for her, they could think what they want. She had to get out of there, had to.
Her body was screaming in pain now and she began to see black spots. Was she dying? Oh please let her be dying, let everything be over with. Let the family be safe, let the pain end...
He held his hand firmly on her shoulder until he saw her eyes close and her body slump. He carefully laid her down on the couch, as his father let out a deep sigh. His father had taken the water away from her a while back, which was probably a good thing. He was still trying to figure out what had just happened. She hadn’t responded to anything he said, and he briefly wondered if she had even heard them.
“Is she dead?” Came Emily’s voice. He wished they hadn’t seen that, but they did and there was nothing he could do about it now.
“No.” He said. He didn’t need to check for a pulse, he could see her chest rising and falling. It may not have been back to a regular heart beat, but it was still good. He ran a hand through his hair and glanced at his father who was looking worried.
“What exactly happened?” He said, looking at him with his old eyes. He had never really taken his father to be old until now.
He explained to his father the best he could, and he listened. Not much had happened, but his father insisted on every little detail. No matter how diminutive it was.
“Stay with her, Daire. Don’t let her wake alone.” Of course. He hadn’t even thought about leaving her. She was in a fragile state, and he didn’t want her to be hurt anymore. Something about her drew him to her, and he didn’t know what. When she had been in that frightened state, he wanted nothing more than to sooth her and make the pain end. He was afraid though, afraid of scaring her all the more. She had been beaten savagely then woke up in a strangers home. He didn’t blame her for being afraid, and if he could, he would help her. But at the moment, it seemed as if there wasn’t much he could do.
She finally forced her eyes open, with much effort. Once open she remembered where she was. She had completely forgotten about Daire and the family that had saved her. But now it came rushing back to her hard.
Her body sat up fast, causing her to gasp out in pain, but she ignored it.
“Whoa, you should move slower.” Came Daire’s voice. His hands gently pushed on her shoulders, making it so she was lying on her back again. She didn’t object, but she did close her eyes, her breaths coming in deep and shallow. “I’m going to get you some water. Wait here and don’t move so fast.”
She listened, not because he was being kind to her, but because her head was pounding and her body was burning up. Her eyes remained closed and her breaths grew shallow. If they found out she was still alive... the thought made her want to vomit, but she restrained the urge.
The family, however, wouldn’t do so well if the men found out. If they found out they were helping her... oh gosh. She didn’t want them to have to deal with that, she didn’t want the kids to have to witness that, to see that. No. She wouldn’t allow it.
Her eyes opened, and trying her best to ignore the pain, she sat up. Blood rushed to her head and pain seared through her ribs but she didn’t lay back down. After one deep breath, she pushed herself to her feet. She swayed dangerously, but didn’t give up. No way she would allow what happened to her, to happen to Emily, or Tod, or Jake. They were too young. Far too young.
Stumbling slightly, she was almost at the door when a voice spoke. She knew that once outside she wouldn’t have gotten far, for there was still a blizzard, but at least she wouldn’t be their problem anymore.
“Where are you going?” She heard him set something down before heading over to her. No! She used all her strength to get this far, he wasn’t supposed to just easily bring her back. Didn’t he understand that she was helping him, saving him. Saving his family... he didn’t understand. No one did.
She felt his hands go on her shoulders, not putting pressure on them, but supporting her. He then turned her towards the couch, nudging her along. A sound escaped her lips, but she couldn’t determine what it was, and he didn’t seem to care.
“No,” she barely whispered out. “No.” She said louder. Daire stopped for a moment before helping her the remaining distance. He then sat down by her and handed her water before speaking.
“No what?” He then stared at her, worry in his eyes. Why was he worried? She didn’t even know him, and he didn’t even know her. Why were they going through such lengths to help her? Why?
“I can’t stay.” She mumbled, trying to stand up, but he put his hand on her shoulder again; this time he put pressure. She couldn’t stand, and that scared her. What did they want from her?
“Talk to me, Adrae.” He surveyed her for a moment before continuing. “You’re safe now. Whoever did this won’t harm you again, I can guarantee that. Now, tell me, why can’t you stay? I assure you we won’t hurt you.” She just shook her head, not saying anything. What was she to say? What if she told them who did it, and they turned her in for fear of their own lives? She wouldn’t blame them, but she would rather die another way than at the hands of those men. Anything else. He continued to talk to her, but it all went in one ear and out another. She didn’t listen, she didn’t try to. She just kept shaking her head as tears began to grow in her eyes. He didn’t understand, none of them. It would be the death of them, and she would have to die with the fact that she was killing a wonderful family.
“I have to go, I have to.” She tried to stand up but he held her down, even against her struggles. Her body was screaming in pain, and tears were now streaming down her face, but he still didn’t let her up. He continued to talk, but once again, she didn’t take anything in. She did hear his voice raise, then a few seconds later she saw his father run in. No. He didn’t understand! Why couldn’t he just let her go? Why?!
His father bent down in front of her, holding her head in place so she stared him in the eyes. His lips moved but she didn’t take it in. What was happening to her? Fear now struck her, was this an effect of the beatings? Or was it fear alone?
She struggled against the mans grip, and he let go, but Daire still didn’t. She could feel both eyes on her, she could feel the whole families eyes on her, but she didn’t care. As long as they didn’t suffer for her, they could think what they want. She had to get out of there, had to.
Her body was screaming in pain now and she began to see black spots. Was she dying? Oh please let her be dying, let everything be over with. Let the family be safe, let the pain end...
He held his hand firmly on her shoulder until he saw her eyes close and her body slump. He carefully laid her down on the couch, as his father let out a deep sigh. His father had taken the water away from her a while back, which was probably a good thing. He was still trying to figure out what had just happened. She hadn’t responded to anything he said, and he briefly wondered if she had even heard them.
“Is she dead?” Came Emily’s voice. He wished they hadn’t seen that, but they did and there was nothing he could do about it now.
“No.” He said. He didn’t need to check for a pulse, he could see her chest rising and falling. It may not have been back to a regular heart beat, but it was still good. He ran a hand through his hair and glanced at his father who was looking worried.
“What exactly happened?” He said, looking at him with his old eyes. He had never really taken his father to be old until now.
He explained to his father the best he could, and he listened. Not much had happened, but his father insisted on every little detail. No matter how diminutive it was.
“Stay with her, Daire. Don’t let her wake alone.” Of course. He hadn’t even thought about leaving her. She was in a fragile state, and he didn’t want her to be hurt anymore. Something about her drew him to her, and he didn’t know what. When she had been in that frightened state, he wanted nothing more than to sooth her and make the pain end. He was afraid though, afraid of scaring her all the more. She had been beaten savagely then woke up in a strangers home. He didn’t blame her for being afraid, and if he could, he would help her. But at the moment, it seemed as if there wasn’t much he could do.