Chapter 4
I woke up feeling like I'd been run over by an 18 wheeler, something was holding me down, sheets wrapped around my leg and I couldn't remember who had picked me up at all. I shifted slightly opening my eyes, only to meet semi darkness, light coming from the red and blue neon light outside the window, I tried lifting my head and froze, Giriko was lying on top of me, his bare chest pressed against my own and I tried not to panic. I wanted to push him off but I didn't know just how to go about it, he'd probably slap me around if I did. I flopped back down, and prayed he would move on his own. It took a while but he fell on my side, a few minutes later, he grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him "This is all you'll ever be good for, don't ever forget it bitch." He growled I nodded to show I understood and wriggled my chin away from his grasp, "Go get cleaned up, you gotta go to work." He said turning away from me. I didn't hesitate I grabbed my purse off the floor, I went to grab my clothes but they were ripped and no longer usable, I wrapped the sheet around myself and walked to the other side of the dingy hotel room to the bathroom. I stepped through the door and locked it behind me, though I knew it was no good, he was a monster and a wooden door would do nothing to hold him back if he wanted to enter. I was sore, everything hurt, from my arms down to my ankles; I didn't want to know just what kind of damage he left behind.
I place my hands on the sink, not even bothering to turn on the lights, the neon sign from the bar in front provided enough for me to see, the walls reflecting the red, blue and green hues. I stared into the mirror and bit back the urge to sob, it wasn't me staring back, my hair was fucked up, my eyes were dull, I might as well have been a model for coffins at a funeral home. I sucked in a breath, biting my lip to smother the small sobs that had managed to claw their way out, I was losing myself, who I was and what I had been. Maybe it was time to leave all this behind. I stared out the window and saw it was raining, "Maka?" came Giriko's voice on the other side of the door and I panicked I eyed the window once more and walked over to it, I tried pulling it up but it was stuck, I could hear his voice and footsteps coming closer and my adrenaline kicked in I needed to get out before he tore down the door, his voice was already rising and he was moving faster in my direction. He pounded at the door and I could see the door visibly fighting to remain between us though not by much, I managed to free the window and grabbed my purse, I slipped a leg over the sill and looked down it wasn't a far drop I prepared to jump down when Giriko managed to break down the door, "Bitch!" he shouted and came my way, I punched him in the nose the force making him stumble before he caught himself and came at me again this time I didn't hesitate I jumped my feet tingled as I landed on the sidewalk.
I could hear Giriko yelling threats and obscenities at me from the window, but I didn't give a fuck I was free and that was all I wanted. I ran down the street, my bare feet slapping against the wet cement I didn't dare stop, I didn't even look back to see if Giriko had given chase. I ran faster, my hair plastering to my face and the sheet clinging to me like a second skin, I almost tripped twice but I couldn't discard it just yet, it was the only thing keeping me from getting picked up for streaking. I made it two blocks before I found a phone booth, I felt relief rush through me and I spurred myself on faster, I reached it in no time and clambered inside. I shut the door; I looked at the phone only to be disappointed when I saw there was no actual phone connected to the cradle. My cell phone! I dug around my purse breathing in relief when I saw my cell at the bottom under all my other junk; I pulled out Soul's card and with shaky fingers dialed his number. I waited with bated breath as the line rang; it seemed like forever before he answered "Evans here." I spoke fast "Soul? It's me Maka, I'm sorry to bother you I… I need your help." I was hoping he understood since I was pretty sure everything had been rushed and clumped. "Maka? Are you ok? What's wrong?" he asked concern colored his tone I was sure I was crying at this point but I couldn't help it, I was wet, cold and very sore not to mention my emotions were haywire, "I'm in trouble I had to run from Giriko, Soul I need you." I sobbed my breath hitching and I was pretty sure it came out half stuttered. "Where are you? I'll come get you." He asked I could hear shifting and keys being jingled, I bit my lip trying to calm myself down I looked around but couldn't make out anything because of the rain, and running blindly hadn't helped either "I don't know." I answered he took a breath "Is this your cell number?" he asked and I nodded only to remember he couldn't see me "Yeah." I responded, "All right hang in there, I'll be there soon." And with that the line went dead, I slid to the floor of the booth holding the sheet closer, I sniffled it was cold and my head was hurting.
I was in and out of consciousness most of the time, I didn't know when Soul pulled up nor how he found me. But I was relieved when it was concerned ruby eyes that looked at me when the door opened, "Maka? What happened?" he asked his eyes scanning my pathetic form I looked away fresh tears surfacing and I bit my lip to hold back more sobs. He reached in and held out a hand, I took it and stumbled into him, he held me to his chest he reached back in and picked up my purse "Can you walk?" he asked and I pulled away to walk I stumbled once again and he scooped me up in his arms instead, I lay my head in the crook of his neck the smell of laundry softener and some other smell came to my nose and I couldn't help but feel comforted. He settled me into the passenger side of his car before he ran to the other side and we pulled away from the curb. I fell in and out of sleep I could feel his eyes on me sometimes, but I felt like shit and couldn't bring myself to care. His warm hand rested on my forehead and cheek for a bit and it felt good against my skin, I tried to seek his warmth again, "You're burning up." I heard him mutter and he cursed. I finally fell asleep; it had never felt so damn good in all my life.
The next time I woke up there was bright light, it seared my retinas as I tried to open my eyes. Everything was white and clean looking I blinked away the rest of the sleep still clinging on, and sat up the pull of something on my hand alerted me and I looked to see an IV taped to my vein. I went to pull it off when a hand stopped me "You need that." I looked to my left and saw Soul sitting on a chair beside my bed. I looked away when he met my eyes "Maka, what happened?" he asked and I bit my lip how could I answer that? I was ashamed of telling him what had transpired between Giriko and I, though I couldn't fathom why that was a problem. I was about to answer when a cop and a salt and pepper haired man with greenish eyes and glasses walked into the room. "Good evening." The officer greeted Soul and I returned the greeting, "Ms. Albarn, we would like to ask you a few questions." I blinked in surprise, but nodded "First we need to consult you on a few medical questions." I waited, I looked to Soul and he gave my hand a squeeze, I nodded slowly and the Doctor pulled out a clipboard "Good evening Ms. Albarn, I am Dr. Stein, I'll be very quick." clicking his pen he began "When was your last menstrual cycle?" I stalled "Uh," I cleared my throat "About 2 weeks ago." He jotted it down "Are you on any birth control?" I bit my lip how embarrassing! "Yes, on the pill." I fumbled with my fingers I didn't dare look at any of the males in the room "Was the last time you had intercourse consensual?" Ok, what the fuck? Seriously? Oh, I think he meant with Giriko. "No." I answered, the Doctor nodded jotting a few other notes before giving me the ok.
"Ms. Albarn," started the officer, I interrupted "I prefer Maka." And he reiterated "Maka, can you please tell us who sexually assaulted you?" I bit my quivering lip, it sounded so horrible sexually assaulted, no it was more than that, "Giriko Saw." I answered hoping they didn't notice the hitch in my answer, Soul squeezed my hand once more and I held it tight. He took notes and asked a few more questions, another man came in with a camera he took pictures of my wrists, ankles, thighs, neck and face, I hadn't even noticed all the bruises until they had pointed them out to me. "I'll send in a nurse, she'll be checking for internal injuries."Dr. Stein told me and I nodded in acknowledgment. "We'll issue an order for his arrest, we will keep in contact with you in case we need anymore information and to relay any happenings in the case." The officer said, I managed to look at his name Officer Rios. I thanked him and with that they were out of the room. I sighed and leaned my head against the back of the bed, "Why didn't you tell me?" Soul's voice asked, and I looked to him he kept his gaze neutral though I could tell he was angry, with me or the situation I couldn't say, "I didn't know how, do you know how shitty I felt just knowing what happened? To say it out loud just made it even more disgusting." I grimaced and looked away, I looked at the bruises on my wrist, they circled all the way around the imprint of a thumb and the blob of four fingers embedded in a purplish hue.
I kicked off the blanket and inspected the other bruises, the same marks on my wrist were on both my ankles, the bottom of my thighs had five small spots, where fingers had dug into my skin, I shuddered to think just what he had done to my neck those sharp teeth he had similar to the ones that Soul had, but I knew Soul would never use them to hurt me. I wobbled out of bed using the IV post to walk to the sink on the right side of the room, I saw my reflection gazing back at me, pale, dull eyed, messy hair and bruised, Giriko's fingerprints were sprawled from when he had gripped me, my bottom lip was split and there was a nasty greenish/purplish bruise where he had punched me. I ran my fingers over it lightly and winced at the small ache that it made, I was truly fucked up, I lifted the front of the hospital robe and saw there were more bruises on my hips, I bit my lip and dropped the gown once more. A knock at the door alerted me and a nurse with bubble gum pink hair and blue eyes came in, a silver tray in her hand containing a long cotton swab and a chrome instrument I had no idea what it was for, she smiled as she walked in "Hi, I'm Kim Diehl, I'll be checking you for any infections or internal injuries, so if you could just lay back down for me please." I managed to walk back to the bed without incident and laid back down, "Um… I'll step outside for a minute." Soul said a light reddish tint on his face, I nodded and turned back to the nurse she asked me to bend my legs and I did as I was told, she then lifted the sheet and using the chrome instrument she positioned it at the entrance and I winced as she used it to open it slightly, she swabbed the inside and then did some other things I don't even want to know or describe, after she was done she had me sit up and then left the room.
Soul came back in soon after, "How are you feeling now?" he asked, I gave a wry smile "I've been better." He chuckled "I bet," he sighed "Maka, I think it would be better if you came to stay with me for a while, just until this all dies down." I felt my eyes widen "Soul…. I.. I can't do that, I mean you have your own stuff to do, I'll only be in the way." I stuttered he shook his head "I don't do anything except be at home bored, play basketball with Kid and Black Star on the weekends and go to work." I shook my head I couldn't do that, I'd only be imposing "You're coming with me Maka, whether you want to or not, I already had Blair pick up your stuff, as soon as you can leave we'll swing by and pick it up from her and you'll move in with me. No objections." He stated with finality, I snorted but said nothing it was futile anyway. And that was how I came to live with Soul .