(Rachel's POV)
The warehouses were derelict, we'd checked all of them apart from one...The furthest away. We'd left the car at the begining of the track, I didn't want to risk it being heard or seen. It was my turn to go in this one and Lara's turn to be a lookout. I pushed open the metal door and went inside...It was filthy and warm, there was no air conditioning or anything and there were a lot of flies around. As I entered one of the large open rooms, I noticed chains everywhere, the ceiling...the walls. Then I saw her, laid her body crumpled in the corner. There was blood on her head...Please don't be dead...Please don't be dead...I silently prayed to myself as I made my way over to her. I held her face in my hands.
"Poppy? Poppy wake up?" I shook her gently "Come on sweetheart..."
Then I heard footsteps, expecting it to be Lara I didn't turn or speak, I just focused on Poppy. But then I heard it. His voice.
"Come to join the party? I wouldn't both with her, she hasn't moved in days" He shrugged as if he had no feeling at all
"What have you done to her?" I said bitterly
"Nothing she didn't deserve"
"You digust me, you're a bully and a criminal and you're going to be locked away for a very long time..." I told him
"I don't think so...You see there are no witnesses to prove it"
He stepped closer to me and picked up a large kitchen knife off the table not far from him. I backed away but stayed in front of Poppy.
"You see you're annoying me! And do you know what I do to people that annoy me!?" He pointed to Poppy "That is what I-" His Body fell forward
I looked up to see Lara stood behind him. I breathed out in relief and she kicked the knife away from Tom. She picked up some cable ties and I wondered what she was doing until she tied his ankles together and his wrists behind his back tightly. Then she pressed her fingers to his neck.
"He'll be fine" She stated
She rushed over to us.
"How's she doing?"
"Not so good" I told her
Lara put her cheek to Poppy's mouth and then put her fingers on her neck checking her pulse, I ran over to the table grabbing some scissors and getting rid of the cable ties.
"She's alive!" Lara said "Call an ambulance"
I pulled out my phone and dialled 999 asking for both the police and an ambulance. I knew they wouldn't be long.
"Let's get her outside, its too dark in here" Lara told me
I picked her up and carried her outside of the empty warehouse, she was even lighter than before. I placed her down on the ground and took off my coat laying it over her giving her a bit of decency. Lara checked her over and I was almost afraid to ask.
"How bad is it?"
"I'm not sure yet, the thing is I don't know why she's unconscious...It could be an underlying problem from the head injury, it could be heat exhaustion or the dehydration...I don't know until she's had tests..."
(Poppy's POV)
I woke up yet again in hospital, I was seriously considering moving in here. You know that feeling you get in your knees right before you're about to pass out well my whole body had that weak feeling.
"Welcome back" Sam smiled "How you feeling?"
"Okay, a bit spacey like I'm not fully here"
"You'll be okay, the CT scan came back clear"
I didn't say anything just laid there quietly.
"There's some people that need to speak to you when you're ready?" She told me
"Who?" I asked
"Like I said when you're ready. Now your leg has healed enough to stay out of plaster but you'll still need the crutchers for now and don't over do it"
"Is Rachel here?" I questioned
"Yeah, she's speaking to someone. She'll be here soon" Sam didn't make direct eye contact with me and it gave me an uneasy feeling that she was hiding something from me "Lara's here, do you want to see her?"
I nodded and Sam left, it didn't take long before the curtain opened and Lara walked in.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" I asked
"Just wait for Rachel okay?" Lara suggested
"Why's everyone avoiding my questions? You. Sam. Its something bad isn't it? You'd tell me otherwise. Is it Em? Is she okay?"
"Emily is fine. Just get some rest okay?"
"Don't tell me to rest! Tell me what's going on!" I demanded
"Getting yourself worked up isn't going to help anyone. Rachel's talking to your social worker, that's all I know"
My social worker? That would never end well. Before I had a chance to think about all the horrible situations that could be happening Rachel came in.
"How are you feeling?" She asked
I wanted to skip the niceties and get straight to the point.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" I asked
She took a deep breathe and looked at Lara.
"Could we have a minute?" She asked
"Of course" Lara said standing and leaving
I was worried now, Lara knew everything and she never left for anything in fact she was usually asked to stay in order to help Rachel when I kicked off. Rachel took a seat in the chair next to my bed.
"Poppy..." She began, I could see the sadness in her eyes and she looked like she might cry.
"Just tell me its okay" I told her
She took my hand and ran her thumb along my skin, stroking it gently.
