Opened Sores by Zarah Smith (uplifting books for women .TXT) 📖

not home much because of work, but I should be able to see her sometimes."

"That's...Um," He sighed. " I really couldn't tell you, even if I wanted to. I just don't know anything."

"Maybe she'll talk to you," She frowned. "Please stay with her." She paused.

"As a matter of fact, I want you to bring her with you." She said sternly. "Before you go home, persuade her to come with you. I don't want her here with him alone. Not right now, not when she's like this. Okay?"

"Has he done something to her?" Gavin asked after a moments pause, anger slightly building up.

"Not that I know of," Mrs. Cameron answered walking towards the door. "Make sure he doesn't.

"I will." He said nodding and going upstairs.'

Alyssa heard footsteps coming up the stairs and she knew someone was coming for her. She sat in the darkest corner of her room fidgeting with her fingers. She was mumbling under her breath, trying to blink back her tears. She crawled a few inches away from the wall trying to figure out who was coming. She heard a knock on the door and she felt her throat tighten. Alyssa looked at the piece of glass on the floor and then to her arms. She saw the cuts and scrapes and quickly pulled a jacket over herself. She pushed the pieces of glass under her bed and slightly cut her hand cursing under her breath. A small amount of blood seeped out of her hand and Alyssa closed her palm tightly, applying whatever pressure she could.

"Alyssa," Gavin called. "Alyssa, are you there?"

"Ye-yes," She whispered instinctively.

"Alyssa?" He called again twisting the door knob and opening the door.

Alyssa froze and stared at Gavin. She was on her knees and she didn't know what to say. She wanted to move, to go back into her corner, isolated from everyone. Her fingers started to tap the ground nervously and she started to mumble again.

"Alyssa, are you okay?" Gavin asked in confusion.

"I made you leave, I had no control, I couldn't do anything," She mumbled repeatedly.

"Alyssa," Gavin said reaching for her. Alyssa jumped back and scrambled into the corner bringing her knees to her chest.

"N-no," She mumbled quickly. "Don't come, leave me alone."

"Alyssa what happened?" Gavin asked slowly walking towards her. "I don't get it, Alyssa. I'm confused."

Gavin tried to reach for her again but she kept shaking her head and mumbling no. He got on his knees and slipped his fingers through hers. He tried to stand up, helping her do the same. He put his hand on her arm, gently tugging her upwards. Alyssa resisted, twisting and turning in his arms.

"Alyssa, it's okay. Look at me," He said assuringly, noticing she was closing her eyes. "Remember?"

He cradled her into his arms trying to hug her and ease her pain. Alyssa twisted and turned in his arms, bring her hands to his chest and trying to push him away. Gavin wouldn't let her leave and struggled to get her to stay still and calm down.

"Stop! Don't touch me! Leave me alone! Get off, get off!" Alyssa screamed, tears streaming down her face. "Not again, don't do it again!"

"Do what again," Gavin asked a little scared, letting go of her and watching her crawl back into the corner, her body rocking back and forth.

"Don't, don't touch me," She cried again, the words muffled as she laid her head into her arms.

"Alyssa," Gavin said feeling his throat tighten and hearing his voice falter a little. "Come with me, please. Come home with me."

"I c-can't. He's going to get me," She cried. "He's going to take me. I know it, I know he is."

"No he won't," Gavin said clearing his throat as best as he could. "You'll be safe with me."

Gavin held out his hand and hoped she would take it. He didn't want to make he any more distraught than she already was but he surely wasn't going to leave her here. He stared at her and waited for Alyssa to take it. She was really scaring him and he couldn't have been any more concerned even if he wanted to be.

Alyssa looked at Gavin's hand, tears still spilling from her eyes. She tried to get the memory of her father out of her mind but was failing miserably. She wanted Gavin to comfort her but she was too scared to let him do anything. She didn't want anyone to touch her in fear that someone was going to rape her again. She couldn't go through that again, not with anyone else.

Alyssa wiped the tears off of her face and took a few deep breaths. She could feel her eyes start to droop close and she didn't want to fall asleep here. She looked at Gavin's sad eyes and then to his outstretched hand. She shakily took it and waited for his arms to wrap around her comfortably. Her breathing was shaky as she forced her self to not whimper and cry. Alyssa closed her eyes and felt warm tears slide down her cheek. She didn't mean to cry, she didn't mean to freak out on Gavin, but she was scared.

*****

Alyssa sat up on the bed and notice she was at Gavin's house but Gavin wasn't next to her. She looked around and said Gavin's name hoping he'd respond. She turned on the bedside light and looked around once more. She spotted Gavin in a chair in the corner of his room tied up. Her heart started to race and she started to go near him. She noticed blood trickling down the side of his face as he struggled to move. She saw him look into her eyes and never saw so much pain and agony in a person.

The room was still dark as she scrambled off the bed and towards Gavin. She felt a hand wrap around her waist and cover her mouth. She punched and kicked about but she still couldn't see the person who was holding her. She tried to scream but only muffled sounds escaped her lips. She heard the sound of a chair hitting the ground. Alyssa glanced towards Gavin's direction and saw him try to fight his way out of the rope he was tied in.

"It's not over yet," She heard a deep voice tell her. He laughed a laugh that she'd recognize anywhere. It was her fathers.

Chapter 16: Argument

Alyssa woke up screaming and kicking. She sat up on Gavin's bed realizing where she was. She saw Gavin look at her with a confused and weary expression. She watched him move towards her causing her to jump and fall off the bed with a loud thump. She reached up to touch the spot on her head where it hurt.

"Alyssa," Gavin exclaimed while running towards her. "Are you okay?"

Alyssa looking into Gavin's blue and green eyes and felt her brown ones start to water. She kept her hand on her wounded head as Gavin helped her up. She blinked a few times to keep the tears from streaming down her face.

"No, I'm not," She whined. " I had a stupid nightmare."

"What was it about," Gavin asked.

"Um," Alyssa gulped nervously. She still couldn't bring herself to tell Gavin that her nightmare was similar to what actually happened in reality. "I, uh."

"Alyssa," Gavin pleaded.

"I was alone," She lied. "I was the only one left and e everyone left because of me."

"Alyssa," Gavin sighed. "What happened?"

"I just told you," Alyssa replied shakily.

"Not about that," Gavin said."Earlier today you scared the hell out of me."

"I-I," Alyssa spoke feeling her throat tighten. "I was, um."

"Please," He whispered. "Tell me what happened."

Alyssa felt a warm tear slide down her cheek and she felt her chest clench. She wasn't exactly ready to tell Gavin what her father had done to her. She was sure that he would call the police and have him arrested and for some odd reason she didn't want him to go to jail. Alyssa felt like she had a need to protect him. She felt like she had no other choice, that it was how it is supposed to be.

"H-he did it, Gavin," Alyssa whispered.

"Did what," Gavin asked.

"He raped me," She whispered while looking down at the ground. Her voice was low and shaky, it was almost inaudible.

"He what," Gavin exclaimed furiously. "Who?"

Alyssa looked at Gavin with blood shot eyes. She was scared and Gavin being angry wasn't going to help anything. She hoped that by her not saying anything he would know who it was.

"Oh no," He said. "But that's—It couldn't---when---it was when I left wasn't it?"

"Yes," She whispered nodding.

"You have to turn him in. You can't let him get away with this. You'll be away from him for good," Gavin insisted.

"No! No, you can't," Alyssa cried grabbing onto him.

"Why? You have to," Gavin demanded angrily.

"Because you just can't," Alyssa mumbled.

"That is not even close to a reason," He said.

"I'll deny it anyway," She said turning away from him.

"What? You can't," He said.

"It's my choice Gavin," Alyssa said wiping a tear off of her cheek.

"Alyssa," Gavin said peeved.

"Gavin," She said mocking him. "You know it doesn't make it any better when you are angry."

"Alyssa, please do not try and turn this around to make it seem like I'm the bad guy," Gavin said crossing his arms.

"That's not what I am doing," She exclaimed.

"The hell you aren't," Gavin said practically yelling.

Alyssa sat on Gavin's bed avoiding eye contact. She didn't like the yelling and the fighting. She had always hated it because it never did any good to people. It only separated people and she couldn't bare be apart from Gavin. Not at a time like this.

"Gavin? Alyssa," Mrs. Reed said walking through Gavin's door. "Is everything alright in here?"

"Yeah mom, we're fine," Gavin lied, looking towards his mom then back at Alyssa.

"Just peachy," Alyssa said giving a small smile before standing up and walking out the door.

"Alyssa," Gavin said sighing.

Alyssa ignored Gavin and kept walking. She knew it wasn't the best thing to do but she didn't want to argue anymore. She knew that Gavin was right but she did not intentionally make him seem like the bad guy. She hoped that maybe while she was gone that it would give him enough time to cool off and then she'll be able to discuss he reasons calmly. It was too much of a fantasy but it was worth a shot.

Alyssa started to walk towards her house out of habit. She quickly turned away and started to walk towards the lake. She sat at the edge and listened to all of the nature around her. At this time at night, it was no surprise that she could here all the crickets and some of the birds chirping.

Alyssa heard the sound of twigs breaking and crumbling and she quickly turned her attention to where the noise was coming from. She didn't see anyone and she began to stand, ready to take off if anyone was there. She heard a faint snicker and began to back up. She bumped into something and turned around and saw a big man standing behind her.