Part Twelve: Hurt
It was almost a repeat of the first time that Chuck had come into the Pie Hole with a bruise on her cheek.
It was raining, and Ned had already sent Olive home for the night.
But this time, Chuck was in worse shape.
Her eye was blacked and swollen shut, her lip was split – and there were livid bruises that looked oddly like fingermarks around her neck.
And blood.
Her torn blouse was spattered with blood.
Ned didn't want to know if it was hers.
It already hurt too much just seeing her like this.
Ned also didn't need to ask, because he knew what had happened.
"We have to get you to the hospital," Ned muttered as he locked up the doors.
Chuck pulled on the sleeve of his rain-jacket as he passed, and he paused.
She wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed the uninjured side of her face into his chest. She was trembling violently, but Ned didn't know if it was from fright or because she was wet and cold.
He just held her until she pulled away. He didn't care that the rainwater from her drenched hair seeped right through his shirt, soaking him to the skin.
She needed him right now, and that was the only thing that mattered.
"Hospital," she whispered.
