Callie POV
"Callie?"
My heart nearly stops. How does he know that name? I am not her, anymore. The fear inside me has grown, spreading into every nerve, affecting every part of me. I can feel him coming closer.
"Callie."
The voice is too close, and I can hear many male voices murmuring, more than I have heard before. Oh, god. They're going to hurt me again. This is a trap. He's brought in someone else to hurt me. I can't let them do this. I'm laying quietly, trying to avoid detection, but I know it's too late. I have to get out, I have to get away. I feel him come closer, hear the voices of the other men, and I can't stand it anymore. Something inside me snaps.
I yank forward, thrashing violently against my restraints, pulling with all my might. I'm screaming from the pain - sobbing - but I can't stop. I can't stop. I can't stop. I can't stop. I hear people shouting, and my panic consumes me further. He will kill me for this. I have to get free. I have to. I fall partially off the bed, the handcuffs letting me hang just out of reach of the floor, all of my weight on my wrists. I keep struggling, now because of the excruciating pain, desperately needing it to stop.
I hear someone sobbing loudly as I force all my weight against my wrists. In some corner of my mind, I think it might be me. I feel hands on my body - too many - all over, and I know that if I don't escape now, I'm dead. I kick my legs as I fiercely renew my struggle. Some part of me is aware that these people keep saying her name; keep calling for a girl that isn't even here anymore. For some reason, this makes me panic more. I feel my foot connect with someone before hands hold them tight, ending my struggle. No, no, no, no, no. I can't lose this time.
Suddenly I am dropped onto the bed, and the hands disappear. This relief is mixed with confusion and fear, the panic never leaving. I thrust my arms down without hesitation, desperate to no longer be restrained. My left arm is pulled roughly through the cuff, freedom and searing pain striking me at the same time. I don't have time to process. Need to keep trying. My success with my left arm starts a frenzy inside my head, and I feel dizzy with the fact that I've managed to get partially free. I immediately turn myself around, using my body weight to pull against the only thing keeping me here, now: the handcuff over my right wrist.
There are hands on me again, and I try to use my left arm to fight back, striking at them. I feel someone on the bed with me, moving behind me. I get in several more solid jerks in an attempt to free my wrist, but I am still chained. Within seconds, several hands grab onto my legs, pulling me toward the headboard and keeping me from moving backwards. Someone moves behind me, wrapping their arms around my body, pinning my left arm down to my side. I am shaking violently. It's over. It's done. I've lost.
A few hands come off me, as the other's grip tighter. My breath is coming in pants, my fight or flight instinct well intact and still flooding my body. I feel a sheet settle lightly over my body, and it causes me to flinch. Someone is fumbling with my blindfold, and I jerk my head away from their touch. After a moment, the blindfold falls off, and it is blindingly bright, brighter than I ever remember it being. I vaguely see myself still attached to the headboard, and I try pulling back again in a last ditch effort to free myself. But someone is gripping my arm now, not allowing my movement to be completed.
My heart is pounding so loudly in my ears, I can hardly hear anything else. But then I do. I hear a softer voice, close to my ear. "Shhhh, sweets, shhh." My eyes are darting everywhere, blinking rapidly against the light as I'm trying to take everything in. There are men holding onto me. I don't know these people. I see mouths moving, but no words reach me. The hands holding my right arm move toward my wrist, and I take the opportunity to pull back, fighting to release myself, afraid he is going to make it tighter.
"Oh, baby, no. No, sweets, it's okay, let us help you. It's okay" My arm is pushed forward again, restricting my movement, and I see another hand reaching for my wrist. I try to twist out of their arms, pushing roughly back against the person behind me. I can't let them recuff me. I can't. I'm almost free. I have to try. I can get out of this, I know I can.
I am pushed forward toward the headboard again, and someone clasps large hands over my eyes, effectively taking away my sight. I jerk my head, whimpering. I try to get them off me, but they hold firm. "Easy, Cal, take it easy baby. Mommas here. We're going to help you." The words enter my brain, but do not process. I give immediate pushback, attempting to pull my arm free, but the hand holding it still has it's grip, and I can't move it. "We're going to get it off, let us get it off you." I'm temporarily distracted by this voice. It sounds different than I remember, but recognition suddenly stirs powerfully within me.
My distraction allows enough time for several things to happen at once: my legs are let go, the hands covering my eyes disappear as my right arm is released, and I hear metal clanging. The recognition that they're trying to secure me tighter hits me, and I yank my arm back to stop them. My arm shoots back this time, free. I'm free. I'm free, I did it.
I start trying to move, but the person behind me is still there, and wraps their arms around both my arms now, keeping them at my side. Part of me wants to fight the constricting arms, but I am so overwhelmed and confused that I can't seem to make myself react. I blink painfully against the light, distantly acknowledging that the door is open and the curtains have been pulled back, allowing daylight to enter. My eyes dart around the room, noticing there are far fewer men around. Only two. One looks familiar. I feel afraid of them, though. I am scared of what they might do to me.
The person behind me says something that I don't let sink in, but one of the men steps into the other room, and the other draws the curtain halfway before leaving and shutting the door behind him.
I'm not sure what's happening. My pulse has slowed slightly, and my breath comes a little easier. Feelings of pain are pushing through my adrenaline now, and it is some of the most excruciating pain I've felt so far. I am confused. I don't know where Russell is. Or who is holding me. Or why.
The person behind me eases away slowly, releasing my arms and rubbing their hand gently up and down my back. "I'm here, sweets. I'm right here. You're safe now." I hear her voice; I feel the comfort it brings, but as her hand grazes one of the burns on my back, I flinch and scoot slightly away.
"I'm sorry, baby, I didn't mean to hurt you. I won't touch you anymore, okay? I'm just going to sit right here with you." She moves up the bed into my line of vision, but I find myself only being able to stare at the amount of blood in front of me. It is all over the pillows, the sheets, even the walls. I notice my hands, then. Blood is streaming steadily from both of them. I let myself detach. This isn't my blood. That's not mine.
The woman leans further into my line of view, trying to catch my eye. "Hey, baby, look at me. I want you to look at my face, okay? Focus on me." I let my gaze shift toward her, still feeling detached. I meet her eyes. I see tears on her cheeks, and something inside me wants to comfort her. "That's my girl, keep looking at me. We are going to get through this, okay?" I let myself be drawn slowly back into this moment. "I love you, sweets. I love you so much."
Oh, my brain clicks. My mom. My mom? "Mom?" I croak, and she looks like she is going to collapse as she nods and more tears escape her eyes. "Yes, sweet girl. I'm here." Everything seems so slow to connect inside my brain, and I glance around the room again. "Russell." I whisper, hoping she understands. "We have him in custody, Cal, he's not here. He's never going to come near you again." She tries to catch my gaze, but I just nod.
My whole body is hurting. My wrists. Oh, god, my wrists. "Do you want to move off the bed?" She questions. I shake my head. While I don't want to stay here, I can't bear the thought of moving any part of my body right now. "Okay. No worries. We will just sit here and wait for the ambulance, ok?" I turn my head toward her "Amb'lance?" I murmur.
"Yes, we need to get your injuries treated, baby, they will be here in just a minute." I look back around, letting my sight land on the blood and letting myself detach again. I think Stef is talking to me, but it doesn't enter my brain. The pain has fully engulfed my body, and I don't want to be back in this moment yet.
