Flashback

Rhea stayed behind with her cousin, David. David was about five years older, and he helped Rhea clean up.

"It was a lovely service." Someone said to her and Rhea just nodded. Her eyes were swollen and red.

David came up to her, placing an arm around her shoulders. "Rhea. Sit down."

Rhea shook her head. "I can't. I need to clean up."

David looked how Rhea felt and vice versa. "I'm sorry, David. I know she was your mother, but she was a mother to me too." Rhea stuttered, more tears running down her face.

David embraced her, fresh tears leaving him as Rhea sobbed. "I know." Was what he said. "We will clean up. You have a couple days off from school."

Rhea shook her head. "I have to go back tomorrow. My finals started today. I need to pass." She dabbed at her eyes.

The last of the adults that raised her were gone. Uncle Rupert, now Aunty Mary.

David didn't say anything else as Rhea picked up all the saucers and teacups. She didn't know how she will cope. Marilyn Dean was her rock. Now she is gone.

Now

I heard the scuffle. My head was banging, and I wasn't sure if I was dreaming it or not. There were noises, things crashed like they got broken, smashed in the process.

I tried moving, but I was tied again. I couldn't see, I couldn't talk, I couldn't move. My legs were still bound together and my hands, I shook them. No rope, something metallic. I was cuffed to a bed head.

My head went to the noise. It sounded like it was above me.

Another loud thump.

I tried drawing my legs up, but I muffled a cry against the gag. My sides hurt. I think I've done something to my ribs.

Suddenly the noise above me stopped briefly. I couldn't make out if there was any talking or yelling. My ears felt like they were covered by the blindfold.

Then a sound echoed through the air, making me jump then cry. Then the smashing and loud thumping stopped. All I heard was a loud howl, like a banshee. Someone has been shot.

My heart raced. This is it. I'm at the end of my life. I'm going to be killed before I can see Rowan again. I don't get to tell him that I love him one more time. I don't get to see him smile any more. I won't get to see him grow up.

I heard heavy footsteps above me and my heart raced, my ears rung. Vincent will be pissed and I know he is one for not keeping his word. He will come down here and he will kill me.

When ever I felt him against me, his emotions were the same. Anger, jealousy, resentment.

I tried to remember the first time he tried anything on me, but I couldn't.

I can't guarantee if he will rape me or not.

Thinking hurts my head, my face felt swollen. My ribs on my right side hurt like a bitch.

The heavy footsteps were now gone and I felt like the suspense will kill me before Vincent does.

Minutes passed as I rubbed my head against the mattress, trying to remove the blindfold or gag.

I felt around the bed head, gripping the bars and used my arms to drag me up. It was painful and I wanted to scream, the tears irritating my eyes, but I kept persevering. I rubbed my head in a weird angle against the bars. I felt my arm and tried against that too. But nope.

I shimmied back down, the pain was searing in to me until I felt my hands behind my head.

The position was uncomfortable and painful, but I found the knot. It felt like it belonged to the blindfold.

I heard the footsteps again and more commotion. I froze for a second before trying to continue to untie the knot.

I held my breathe, trying to ignore the pain. I had managed to get one knot out, loosening the fabric. I quickly took the blind off and looked around me. The room was dark, but I could see at least. Well sort off.

I couldn't open my left eye. My right eye was giving me a fuzzy vision and I couldn't see things perfectly. The squares in the distant were letting in some light, making me to believe they were windows.

The scuffle upstairs stopped again and then silence.

"Rhea!" I heard someone shout.

I raised my eyebrows, but it was painful. I tried reaching for the knot for the gag, but I couldn't grip it. I felt it, but it was a bit to far to untie it.

I wanted scream out that I'm here, but I couldn't. I rubbed my head against my arm, trying to move the gag, but it was tight.

I heard doors slamming, the footsteps leaving.

Please don't leave! I wanted to cry out. My head was pounding, I could feel my face was swollen.

Then I heard the footsteps again. I could barely make out shapes in this room, it was so dark, there was no point on taking the blindfold off.

My neck was hurting, more than I realised and my head movements slowed.

I heard stomping and banging. "Rhea!"

I cried out against my mouthpiece, but it was useless. Ryder was so close, but I couldn't help him.

"Rhea!" He sounded like he was next to me, maybe in another room.

I moved again, making the bed squeak. From what I felt, it was a metal frame, loosely done together.

With all my might, against all my pain, I moved forward and threw myself back, making it bang against the wall. I cried out, the pain stabbing at me.

I moved my hands and my knuckles brushed against the wall. It was rough, brick like.

It was bricks.

"Rhea?"

I did it again, slamming myself back, making the bed head crash in to the wall.

The pain became unbearable as I sobbed out. I hurt everywhere.

I heard a banging on the wall, then noises like furniture being moved.

I leaned forward again, my muffled sobs making the pain worse as my breathing added to the pain.

I threw myself back one more time, making the bed move, the bed head banging again before I muffled a scream, the pain taking over.

I heard the distinct noise of something unlocking, the door squeaking and then a smash and a thud as I blackened out, letting the pain win.

****

"Rhea, baby, wake up." I groaned as I heard the familiar voice.

"Come on. Wake up." It was soft and soothing. I felt the pain return, breathing hurt and I only registered I was wheezing. My neck hurt, my head and face. My ribs too. My wrists felt like they had been cut and my ankles felt like they had rope burn.

"Wake up for me. Please."

I didn't want to wake up. It hurt too much.

"Wake up for Rowan." The voice cracked.

Rowan?

"Please. I didn't wait this long to lose you again. Please wake up baby."

I felt something in my hand. My arms hurt, probably from being tied up. I couldn't open my eyes, I didn't want to.

I felt something touch my face and I whined in the pain. The touching stopped and I felt the weight on the bed shift.

"I told you to stay down!" Ryder growled.

Then the weight on the bed came back. "Rhea, baby." Was the soft voice. "Wake up. Please wake up." I could hear his pain but I didn't want to register it, I was in enough pain. "Rowan needs his Momma."

"Rowan." I whispered out. Oh! Rowan!

"Yes. Rowan. Wake up." I felt my hand being taken. "Help is on the way."

I tried to open my left eye, I remember I could do that. "I want Rowan." My voice was coarse and scratchy. Maybe from all the yelling I tried to do.

"You'll see him soon."

"Where is he?" I cried in a whisper.

"Safe. He is safe. He misses you."

I tried to frown. The room still looked dark. Misses me? Haven't I only been gone a few hours? A day tops?

I heard noises and I gasped. The weight now gone from the bed. "I'll be back. I've gotta take out the trash." Ryder said.

"Get up." I heard him growl. Was he talking to me?

"Come on, I'm your baby brother. You wouldn't do this to me, would you?"

"Move it, before I add another bullet in you."

I tensed when I heard Vincent's voice. Fear over took me and I stilled. I was yelling in my head to move, but I couldn't. I couldn't see properly.

"I'll see ya later, Rhea." Came Vincent's voice before I heard a thud and someone losing their breathe.

"You will never see her again." Ryder snarled. The room went quiet and I registered on how I was laying.

My arms were down, sore and stiff, but they weren't cuffed to the bed. I moved my legs apart, no longer tied together.

I gingerly lifted an arm, slowly touching my face. It didn't feel like my face, it felt so swollen. I felt the dried blood on my lip, more near my eye.

There was more commotion and I heard it a bit better this time. I think the door was left open or doors.

There was yelling and movement, than another gunshot, followed by three more.

I screamed and jumped, then cried out in pain. Will this ever end?

I heard the four gunshots, I also heard Ryder say he will add another bullet to Vincent. Ryder must have shot him earlier.

But the other four gunshots? The first one was different to the other three. I hope it wasn't aimed at Ryder.

I heard noises as I moved my head back to the door. I couldn't get up, I could cry for help, but I kept my mouth shut.

I saw a figure at the door, the light turning on, making me hiss from the sudden brightness.

"It's clear." I heard.

I looked back to the door, the figure getting closer, but now it split in to three. I heard someone talking about needing more assistance and I felt someone take my hand.

I flinched at the touch as I looked at the face. It was blurry, but I could make out the lips and nose, the eyes, hair, I saw blue hands.

"Can you tell me your name?" I heard the soft voice, a male. I shook my head gently.

"It's okay. You're safe now. Do you know your name?" I turned to that voice, another male as he leaned over me. I saw a bright light flash in my eye and someone took my wrist.

"Rhea." I moaned out.

"Okay Rhea, that's great." The voice said. "Do you know what day it is?"

"No." I scratched out before turning my neck.

I felt a hand move mine and a light was flashed on my neck. "Do you know where you are?"

I shook my head again. I tried pointing to the door. "Ryder."

"Someone is upstairs." I heard the voice again. Then a face disappeared from my view. I heard them talk to someone else.

"Okay, Rhea. Are you hurt else where?"

I closed my eyes and nodded. Where do I hurt? "Ribs." I breathed out.

"She looks like she has been beaten to an inch of her life." I overheard someone.

"Possible head trauma, possible broken ribs, burn marks on ankles," Came another voice. "Possible neck trauma, possible orbital fracture, and possible jaw fracture."

I can talk, my jaw isn't broken.

"Cuts against the wrists."

"Alright, get her out off here, put her in the van and assess further injuries."

"Can you tell me your surname?" A voice asked me.

I don't want to. I wanted to say. "Rowan." I muttered out.

"Rowan? Rhea Rowan?"

I shook my head, it hurt so much. "Is Rowan safe?" I asked them.

"Who is Rowan? Is he one of the bodies upstairs?" I heard one ask and I stilled. Bodies?

"No. I know her. I was at her place the other day. Rowan Matthews. He was the latest amber alert. That's his mother, Rhea Matthews."

The other day? "Wait!" I cried out as I felt like I was being lifted and cried out in pain. "Put me down! It hurts."

"We might have to sedate her to move her."

Who are all these people?

"You said bodies?" I frantically asked, not caring that it hurt.

I felt something tight go around my arm then a small pinch.

"What bodies?" I fretted. "What bodies?"

"Just relax, it will be over soon. We will get you up to a hospital as soon as possible."

I felt myself slipping away, back to the darkness.

"Ryder..." I called out before I lost all control.