Belong pt.2
Hello, hope you are having a good day.
"We should tell someone that she is being abused." Max said.
"No, if he finds out, he'll hurt her." Leo hissed quietly.
"You do care about her."
"No, I just think that she doesn't deserve to be hurt."
"So, what do we do?"
"We watch both of them carefully."
That afternoon, they were walking home.
"Hey, wait up." Mattie said. Leo and Max stopped. Mattie came up to them. "Sorry for running off like that. Harun's a bit of a freak."
"Is he hurting you?" Max asked.
"What? No."
"Then what did he mean by having another talk?"
"Just that. Another talk."
"Max, back off. We should get going. Max sure that Harun isn't around." Leo stated. They started walking.
"I just wanted to thank you for being nice to me. A lot of people I know are real jerks to me." Mattie replied.
"Why?"
"Don't know. Maybe we could hang out sometime."
"I guess."
"Here's my number."
Mattie handed Leo a piece of paper.
"He's coming." Max warned. Leo hid the paper and Mattie winked at Leo. Harun grabbed Mattie and Mattie whimpered.
"Why can't you listen? I told you to stay away from them." Harun hissed.
"Leave her alone. You're hurting her." Leo blurted.
"You stay away from my girl. Both of you or someone is going to have more than just a bruise. Let's go."
Harun dragged Mattie away. Mattie looked into Leo's eyes and begged him not to follow with her eyes. When they were gone, Max was upset.
"Why did you stop? We have to go after them." Max questioned.
"She didn't want us to. If we help her, we'll make things worse for her and for us." Leo answered. "Come on, let's get home."
They went home. Leo went to his bedroom and looked at the paper Mattie gave him.
Help me. I'm being raped and beaten.
Leo stared at the paper and remembered how Mattie reacted. Then someone knocked on the door. Leo hid the paper. Mia came in.
"Sorry. Max told me that you had an interesting first day." Mia said as she sat down next to Leo on the bed.
"Yeah. It was." Leo sighed.
"What are you going to do?"
"About what?"
"About Mattie?"
"There isn't a whole lot I can do."
"Why did she reach out to you?"
"I don't know."
Meanwhile, Harun and Mattie had arrived at her apartment. They went in and Harun threw Mattie to the ground while he closed the door. Mattie got up only to be slapped. Mattie cried out painfully and Harun grabbed her hair and dragged her to the bedroom. Mattie hit her head on the corner of the bedframe and cried.
"Get up. Get up now." Harun hissed. Mattie did as she was told.
"Harun, please. I didn't mean to. I just don't want to be alone anymore." Mattie sobbed.
"You knew the price you would pay if I found you around other people and you disobeyed me."
"Please don't hurt me. I won't do it again. I swear. Please, don't hurt me."
"It's already too late for that."
Harun pinned Mattie against the wall and started beating her.
At the Elsters' apartment, they were sitting around the table talking.
"How can we help Mattie? No one deserves to be hurt. There must be something we can do." Mia said.
"We can tell someone." Max suggested.
"No, if Harun finds out, she'll get hurt. Who knows what he's doing right now." Leo stated.
"Then what are you suggesting we do?"
"I have an idea, but you have to let me do it alone."
"Why? Why can't I help?"
"Because you have not learned how to be quiet yet. I spent all day hiding from people. Everyone will assume that it's who I am, and they won't mess with me."
"So?"
"And that's my way in. I know how to sneak around and hide from people. I can help her without Harun knowing."
"At least tell me what you are planning."
"No, you may say something."
"I won't, Leo. I promise."
"I know. She gave me her phone number and I have to be the one who helps her."
"Is it because you love her?"
"We've been through this, Max. I don't love her. I'm just trying to help."
"That's a big change from this morning." Niska stated.
"I'm not even going to answer." Leo sighed. When everyone was charging or sleeping, Leo remined awake thinking. He got up and went to the window. He looked outside and saw the moon.
Meanwhile, Harun had finished beating Mattie. He made sure that none of her wounds would show.
"Get up." Harun hissed. Mattie whimpered painfully as she got to her feet. Her legs shook under her weight. "You will go to school tomorrow and you will talk to no one. Understood?"
"Yes." Mattie answered.
"Go get cleaned up."
Mattie went to the bathroom and closed the door. She fell to the ground and started sobbing quietly. Several minutes later, she got up and took a shower. She watched as the blood from her cuts mixed with the water and ran down her legs and into the drain. Then she heard the door open and her heart started racing again. A minute later, Harun stepped into the shower and wrapped his arms around Mattie. He started kissing Mattie's neck.
"I'm sorry for what I did but you know why I did it." Harun said.
"I know. I'm sorry. It won't happen again." Mattie answered calmly.
"I hope not. I really don't want to hurt your beautiful body."
"Then why do you? Why do you do this to me?"
"Because you are mine. There's only room for two of us in this relationship. I just don't want to lose you, Mattie. Now, no more talk. I'll be leaving in a week and I want to leave knowing that when I return I'll still have my pretty girlfriend."
"You will."
"Good."
Harun found an area on Mattie's neck that was hidden and started to bite. Mattie gasped and moaned.
The next morning, Mattie went to school and acted like nothing had happened. She saw Leo and Max and tried to hide her face from them. In class, Leo watched Mattie closely. He watched as Mattie would look up at him and then look back at Harun. After class, he wrote a note and walked past Mattie putting it in Mattie's hand. Mattie looked at it and saw Leo's number.
Call me when you can. I can help.
Mattie hid the note in her phone case and walked to her next class. At lunch, Leo and Max sat alone. They watched as Mattie sat with Harun who was constantly touching her. Then a few guys went and sat with Harun and Mattie.
"Who are they?" Max asked.
"Harun's gang. Most likely." Leo answered. "He most likely has them watching us and Mattie."
"What do we do?"
"Nothing. They won't hurt us unless we talk to Mattie."
After lunch, Mattie went to the bathroom. She locked the door and pulled out the note. She called Leo. Leo's phone rang, and he answered it.
"It's me. Are you alone?" Mattie asked.
"It's just me and Max, but for the most part we're alone. Harun and his buddies are too busy talking." Leo answered.
"Yeah. He's going on a trip next week. I'll be free for a week or, so I thought."
"He's going to have his friends watch you."
"Yeah. You said you can help. How?"
"I can't talk about it. You just have to trust me."
"It's hard to trust people when they say that."
"I know. Why me? Why did you give the note to me?"
"I don't know. I just felt like you were the person to go to. I mean, you hide from everyone. You're like a homeless guy who sees everything that happens."
"Maybe I was at one point."
"You'll have to tell me some day."
"Maybe. SO how did you meet him?"
"In school last year. He seemed like a nice guy."
"Don't they all."
"Yeah. When we finished school, he invited over to his house and he raped me and beat me. Afterwards, he told me not to tell anyone. He bought an apartment and I've been living with him ever since."
"Did he hurt you last night?"
"Yeah. Each time he gets worse. I'm really scared, Leo. It sounded like they were planning something to make sure that I don't let anyone know."
"Let's hope we can get you out before then."
"You can't. If I leave, he'll hurt my family."
"Then we have to hurt them first."
"What do you mean? Kill them?"
"No. AT least, not yet. Call me when you have the chance. I'll send you an address. You can come whenever you want."
"Ok. Why are you helping me? You don't know me, and you don't seem like the kind of person who helps others."
"You're right."
"So why do you help me?"
"I don't know."
Leo hung up. He texted Mattie an address. Mattie got the text and sighed. She left the bathroom and acted like nothing had happened. She went outside and looked at Leo. Leo nodded and grabbed his bookbag.
"Come on, we have class." Leo sighed. Max followed Leo inside. Over the next week, Leo and Mattie talked when they could. One morning, Leo woke up and heard his phone ring. He answered it.
"Mattie is he gone?" Leo asked.
"Yeah. He just left, but he's friends are watching me. There's one outside my bedroom door and two more at the door. Then there's a four guy outside the apartment." Mattie answered.
"That means we'll have to be careful."
"Yeah. I won't be going to school for the next week though. He won't allow him to leave the apartment."
"That may be an idea."
"What? What are you planning?"
"I'll tell you when you call me again."
"Ok."
They hung up. A man came in and looked at Mattie with lust in his eyes.
"What are you doing in here?" Mattie wondered. The man got on the bed and pulled the blankets away from Mattie. Mattie tried to back away but saw that her legs were chained to the edge of the bed. "No, let me go. Please, let me go."
Mattie tried to grab her phone, but the man threw it across the room. Leo thought about his plan and waited for Mattie to call. His family could tell that Leo was anxious. That night, Leo was very jumpy. Every time, a noise was made, Leo would jump.
"Leo, why don't you call Mattie?" Mia suggested.
"No. She has to call me. There are four men watching her every move." Leo answered. "She should have called by now. IF she doesn't call in an hour, we need to put our plan to work."
Then Leo's phone rang. Leo answered it.
"Mattie are you alright?" Leo panicked.
"Yeah. I'm fine. I'm sorry I couldn't call sooner. I was busy." Mattie lied. She looked at her bedroom door and hoped that no one would come in.
"Why are you lying?"
"I'm not, Leo. I'm fine."
"Ok. We'll put our plan into action."
"No, wait to do it."
"Ok. Are you sure you're alright?"
"Leo, I'm fine."
"It's just… you sound scared."
"Wouldn't you be if you were being held hostage?"
"Yeah. You have a point. Ok, let's make a deal. You have to call me every 8 hours. If you don't, we come after you. Understood?"
"Let's make it 10. It's better for all of us that way."
"10, it is."
"Thanks, Leo."
Leo hung up.
"We should go after her." Niska said.
"I know. I want to, but she doesn't want us to. She's hiding something. They might be at high alert and if they see us, they'll hurt her and her family." Leo answered. "All we can do is wait."
At the apartment, Mattie laid on the ground groaning painfully as she tried to get back to the bed. The man had unchained her after he had raped and beaten her for hours. When Mattie got to the bed, she hid the phone and went to sleep. Over the next 6 days, Mattie was beaten and raped within an inch of her life, but she acted completely normal. On the sixth day, she was being beaten and raped when the man pulled out a knife.
"For every noise you make, I will cut you." He hissed. "Understood?"
"I… I understand." Mattie whimpered loudly. The man chuckled and made a shallow cut from Mattie's chest down to her left hip. Mattie whimpered painfully, and the man did it again.
"This wouldn't hurt so much if you wouldn't make so many noises."
Two hours later, Mattie was very weak from blood loss. She laid on the bed while the man that abused her watched her bleed out.
"It's a shame. Harun said that you were such a good girl." He sighed before he left the room. At the Elster apartment, Leo had a bad feeling that something was wrong with Mattie.
"I'm going to check on her." Leo stated.
"Has it been ten hours?" Niska asked.
"No. Not yet. I'll text you if she calls or if I need you to come over."
"Leo, please be careful." Mia warned.
"I will." Leo replied. He left the apartment and tracked Mattie's phone. Mia looked at Fred and Niska.
"I'll wait for Max to return from school. Go after him."
Fred and Niska did as they were told. Soon, Leo was led to an apartment building 15 minutes away. He saw one of Harun's buddies standing outside the building. He watched as another man came out and the two raced off in a car. Leo went into the building. When he got to Mattie's floor, he saw a man outside the door. He found a metal pole that was lying around and hid it behind his back. He approached the guy who looked at him intensely.
"Hey, I was wondering if I could see Mattie?" Leo greeted.
"She doesn't want to see anyone." The man replied as he pulled out a knife. Inside the apartment, Mattie had managed to put one of her sweaters on and stumble outside her bedroom. She groaned and moaned painfully as she clutched her side. She went over to the kitchen and pulled out a cup. She filled it with water and saw a sharp knife. She grabbed it and hid it. She heard Leo outside talking to the guard.
"Come on, I just want to see her for a few minutes." Leo begged.
"No. Now, leave or you die." The guard hissed. Then Mattie was grabbed.
"You shouldn't have left your room." The man whispered. He cut Mattie causing Mattie to whimper loudly. Leo heard it and hit the guard with the metal pole. He broke the lock and went inside. She saw the man who had abused Mattie on the floor. A knife was plunged into his chest. He saw Mattie sitting next to him. Her right arm clutched her middle while the other one kept her from falling over. When she saw Leo, she tried to stand up.
"Are you ok?" Leo asked.
"Yeah. I'm fine." Mattie lied. Leo went to Mattie and caught her. Mattie leaned against Leo and allowed him to help her stand. Then Niska and Fred came in.
"The guard is unconscious. Is he dead?" Niska said. Mattie nodded. Niska looked at Leo. "We'll get rid of his body and dispose of the man outside. Get her to the hospital."
"No, you can't. He has friends there. Believe me, I know. I saw several of them after the second time Harun beat me. I'll be fine. I just need to lie down and rest."
"Maybe we should have Mia come and take care of her."
"No, I can do it. I can take care of her. Get rid of the bodies before we're caught. There are two men that may return." Leo explained.
"They must be going to get Harun. He'll be home in the morning. He must not have been able to get a flight here. I heard them say that they may have to go to Wales to get him. He managed to get a flight from where ever he was to Wales but not to here." Mattie panted. The Elsters nodded.
"Let's get you to bed."
"Ok."
Leo helped Mattie to the bedroom. Mattie sat down on her bed and watched as Leo closed the door.
"Thank you for helping me. You… you didn't have to." Mattie groaned.
"I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if I didn't." Leo mumbled. "Are you bleeding still?"
"No, it's stopped. I'm just filthy and really sore."
"DO you want anything?"
"No. I'm fine. A hot bath would be nice though, but you don't have to do that. I can do it myself."
"No, I'll do it."
Leo went into the bathroom and started the water. A couple of minutes later, he came out and saw Mattie texting.
"I'm just texting my mum. She was worried when I didn't answer her text. She almost came over." Mattie chuckled.
"Does she know?" Leo wondered.
"No."
"The bath is almost ready if you want to get in."
"Yeah. Can you help me?"
"Sure."
Leo helped Mattie to the bathroom. Mattie sat down on the edge of the bathtub and swung her legs into the tub.
"You can go. I can do the rest." Mattie suggested. Leo left the room. Mattie took her sweater off and got into the tub. She turned the water off and relaxed in the heat of the water. She could feel her sore and achy body calm down. Leo looked around Mattie's bedroom and saw the blood that was on the bed. He took the blankets, pillows, and sheets and threw them into the laundry. He found new sheets, pillows, and blankets and made up the bed. He went to the kitchen and saw the blood that covered the floor and a cup. He saw some blood on the counter top. He filled a bucket with hot water and grabbed a few cloths and began to clean the room. Several minutes later, he had finished cleaning the kitchen. He went to the bedroom and found Mattie's phone. He wiped the blood off of it. When he was done, he put the cloths with the laundry and went to get it started. When he came back, he saw Fred and Niska.
"Have you checked on her?" Niska asked.
"I will in a minute. You two can go home." Leo answered.
"Call us if something happens."
"Yeah. Hey, she can't stay here. Can you try to find an apartment that we can help her rent? She needs someplace to live, and she doesn't know about us and we don't have room."
"I've already been looking. There's an apartment building a few blocks from our house. I looked in the roster at your school. Harun and his friends do not go to that school. When they return and find Mattie gone, they will think that she has told the police and they will hopefully leave the area." Fred explained.
"We can't be sure though. I'll talk to her after she gets some rest." Leo sighed.
"DO you want us to get supplies so that you can treat her wounds?"
"Uh, hey. That would help."
"I will stop by with the supplies in half an hour."
"Ok."
Fred and Niska left. They closed the door and Leo locked it. He went back to the bedroom and knocked on the bathroom door. Mattie opened her eyes and saw that she was covered by the blood-stained water. She covered herself the best she could.
"Uh, come in." Mattie nervously said. Leo came in and looked away from Mattie.
"I came to see if you needed anything." Leo stammered.
"I'm good."
Leo picked up Mattie's dirty sweater.
"I can grab some clothes for you." Leo suggested.
"Thanks. I have a long hoody on my closet door." Mattie answered. "I can pull out my clothes later."
"Ok. Yeah, I can do that."
"Are you uncomfortable?"
"No? I'm just not use to being around people."
"Oh."
"It's fine though. I don't mind doing this."
"Thanks, Leo."
"Your welcome. You should get out soon."
"I will when you get my hoody."
"Oh, yeah. Do you need a towel?"
"No, I can reach it."
"Ok."
Leo left the bathroom and took care of the sweater. He grabbed Mattie's hoody and went back into the bathroom and saw Mattie waiting. He put it where she could reach.
"I'll be outside if you need me." Leo offered.
"Thanks, Leo. I'll be fine." Mattie thanked. Leo left the bathroom and went to the window in Mattie's bedroom. He made sure that no one was coming. Mattie got out of the tub and dried herself off with a towel. Then she put her hoody on and left the bathroom. She went to her dresser and grabbed underwear. "Don't look."
"Ok."
A minute later, Mattie sighed and sat down on the bed.
"You can look now." Mattie said. Leo turned around and saw that Mattie didn't have any pants on.
"Won't you get cold?" Leo wondered.
"I'm fine for now. I just want to rest."
"Fred will be back soon with supplies so that I can treat your wounds."
"Thanks."
"We're also going to rent an apartment for you. I asked Fred to get you a new phone. We don't want Harun to track yours and find you."
"He'll find me no matter what, Leo. Nothing will help."
"I know, but we'll protect you. I promise."
"How can you be so sure?"
"We lived our lives on the run for 5 years. We know how to hide."
"Why did you have to run?"
"I can't really say."
"Fine. I don't even really want to know."
"No, I don't mean that I don't trust you. It's just… it's a lot to take in and you won't believe me."
"Try me."
"Maybe when you're better."
"Alright then."
Mattie laid down and covered herself. She noticed that the blankets were different. She saw that the top blanket was one that she had since she was little.
"Where did you find this blanket?" Mattie asked.
"in the closet under some pillows. It looks old." Leo replied.
"I've had it since I was little."
"I can find another one if you want me to."
"No, it's fine. Thank you, Leo."
"Your welcome."
Leo left the room and closed the door. Mattie closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Leo paced around the apartment and looked at Mattie and Harun's things. He found a box in the closet and opened it. She saw several stuffed toys. He found a red monkey with Mattie's name on it. He smiled and continued looking. Then he heard Fred knock on the door. Leo put the box away and opened the door.
"I have the supplies." Fred whispered.
"Thanks. You can go home. I'll text when it's time to get her belongs moved. She's sleeping right now, and I don't want to wake her." Leo sighed.
"Ok. Be careful."
"I will."
Fred left, and Leo locked the door again. He sighed and put the supplies in Mattie's room on the bed. He went to the kitchen and tried to find food. When he couldn't find anything, he sighed and sat down on the couch. He pulled out the box and looked through the pictures in it. He saw pictures of Mattie with her family and he smiled sadly. An hour later, Leo was up looking out the windows and pacing again.
"You know, people will think something's wrong if you keep looking out the windows." Mattie joked.
"I'm just trying make sure we're safe." Leo answered.
"We are."
"We can't be sure of that."
"I know."
Mattie sat down on the couch and saw the box.
"I'm sorry for looking through your stuff. I know I should have asked…" Leo stammered.
"It's ok." Mattie replied as she pulled out the monkey. Leo sat down on the couch.
"Are you hungry?"
"No. I'm fine."
"When was the last time you ate?"
"I don't know."
"I could really only find cereal and bread anyways."
"I know. I didn't have time to get food."
"We can get some when we get you settled into your new apartment. Niska texted. They got it rented under our name. It's smaller than this but we couldn't really find anything else."
"Thanks. I'll take what I can get."
"How far away do your parents live?"
"About an hour."
"Oh."
"Yeah. If I could I'd go live with them, but I know I can't."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault."
Mattie groaned as she moved slightly.
"I should treat your wounds." Leo remembered.
"No, I'm fine for now." Mattie stated.
"You could get sick if I don't."
Leo grabbed the supplies and started treating the wounds on Mattie's arms and legs. When he was done, he became uncomfortable.
"I need to treat the rest of your body. I can get a blanket so that you can cover yourself." Leo suggested.
"That would help." Mattie agreed. Leo grabbed Mattie's blanket and Mattie took her hoody off and quickly covered herself so that Leo could treat her back. Leo moved Mattie's hair onto her shoulder and Mattie gasped when Leo's warm hand touch her skin.
"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"
"No, it's just you're really warm."
Leo began to treat Mattie's back.
"You know, we barely know each other. For all I know, you could be worse than Harun." Mattie realized.
"What do you want to know?" Leo wondered.
"Why did you have to run?"
"Let's try something easier. What's your favorite color?"
"Why are you avoiding my question? You know how I ended up in this situation. It would be helpful if I knew how you ended up in yours."
"It's a long story and I don't know if we have time for it."
"Fine."
"So, what's your favorite color?" Leo asked.
"Red." Mattie sighed. "Yours?"
"Green. Dark green. Your turn."
"What's your favorite season?"
"Autumn. I like the leaves. Yours?"
"Same. Your turn."
"What was your favorite thing to do as a child?"
Mattie paused as she thought about Leo's question.
"I guess it would be playing with my parents when they were happy and together." Mattie mumbled. "Yours?"
"Same. My parents died a few years ago though." Leo murmured.
"I'm sorry. Dad use to push me on the swing while mum held Toby or Sophie in her arms. I remember jumping into a leaf pile and throwing leaves at my dad."
The two chuckled and they both felt happier.
"I did the same thing with my siblings. We would play in the leaves almost all day. At night, we'd go inside and sit near the fireplace and just be together." Leo sighed.
"How old are you?" Mattie wondered.
"20. You?"
"18. I'll be 19 next month."
"I turned 20 back in June. I'm done treating your back. Do you have any wounds…"?
"Yeah."
"Mia can treat your sensitive areas."
"Ok. I think I'd prefer that."
"Lie down."
Mattie laid down and watched and Leo treated her shoulders, neck and stomach area. Mattie had to fight to control her breathing when Leo touched her hips.
"I'm sorry. I'm almost done." Leo mumbled. When he was done, he took care of the stuff while Mattie tried to get comfortable. She grabbed pillow and put it under her head. She moved to the corner of the couch and covered herself with the blanket. Leo came over and sat on the other side of the couch with Mattie's old and new phone. He handed the to her. "Put all the contacts you want into your new phone."
"Ok." Mattie sighed. She did as she was told.
"We'll deactivate the old one when Harun texts. If he texts."
"He said he would."
"You should go back to bed."
"I'm fine."
"You could have put your hoody back on."
"I know. I just didn't feel like it."
"Are you cold?"
"A little."
"Do you want me to…"
Mattie moved and put her head on Leo's lap which surprised Leo.
"I was thinking maybe I could get you another blanket." Leo argued.
"Yeah, well. This is better than any blanket." Mattie answered. Leo put his hand on Mattie's hand and squeezed gently. Mattie fell asleep and Leo watched her. An hour later, Harun texted. Leo shook Mattie and Mattie moaned.
"We have to hurry. My siblings will be here soon, and Harun is on the plane to Wales."
"Ok."
Mattie got dressed and Leo helped her get packed. Mattie told Leo what she wanted, and he packed it for her. Several minutes later, someone knocked on the door. Leo opened it and saw his siblings.
"Put the boxes in the car. We'll put her stuff in her new apartment. Mia, can you treat the rest of Mattie's wounds? They are in certain areas." Leo explained. Mia nodded and grabbed the supplies. She went to Mattie's bedroom.
"I'm Mia. Leo asked me to treat your wounds." Mia gently said. Mattie nodded, and Mia treated her.
TBC