Hi everyone here's this week's update! We start to see the return of my favorite characters! As always, follow, like, and review if you like and want more!
The bell chimes its final ring and the students flood the hallways. Some go to their lockers to gather their homework; others rush out the doors as fast they can to get away from this daily imprisonment. The doors fly open and don't close for minutes as the sea of students continues to flow out. Buses fill to the brim and sidewalks are crowded with walkers and those riding their bikes.
Riley rushes from her locker to join the crowds at the doors. Unlike others, she cares about getting her work done and puts in the effort to go to her locker and retrieve it. But at the same time she can't stand being in this place another minute. This prison is nothing like her hometown school in Ohio. The people here are either too stuck up, acting like they are smarter or prettier than they really are; or they act like they know nothing and don't try. The classes are either strict and labor intensive or simply allotted time periods where one looks up at the clock and watches the seconds tick away until time is up. There are no happy mediums here like there were in her old school. Regardless of the harsh atmosphere in school, Riley looks forward to her run to the elementary school to pick Wren up at the end of the day.
As she steps out the doors, the warm sunshine soothes her and shows the summer sun isn't done throwing its warm rays down yet. The cool breeze ruffles her light jacket and she feels at peace despite her stressful day. The elementary school is only two blocks down from the high school, giving Riley enough time and distance to cool down and prepare to talk to Wren.
With the first month of school gone, her life starts up full swing and she places the events of the last four months deep within her subconscious. She doesn't think about Wren's kidnapping or His arrest. She doesn't think about her encounter with Wren's father. And she does her best to overlook the painstaking months in the hospital recovering from her incidents. Riley continues to feel the physical damage of these events. The slight limp with her right leg because of her permanently swollen knee. The reoccurring headaches and migraines because of her severe concussion. The bullet wounds that will never heal in her abdomen. The gashes that cover her skin in numerous places scar, but will never heal fully. And last but not least, Riley will always bare the branding He placed on her abdomen the first time she encountered Him in this city.
With all of these misgivings within reach of her mind, Riley chooses to ignore them. She focuses on the now; she looks forward to spending time with Wren and concentrating on bettering herself academically. And of course, she hopes to continue helping the team any way she can. She still depends on Reid for a place to sleep but works on being more independent in this big city-this big world.
Riley takes the sidewalk to the right, dodging the groups of friends chatting away. She keeps a moderate pace so as not to keep Wren waiting too long. Turning the corner around a large bush, she sees her younger brother sitting on his usual park bench reading a book. He looks up as Riley turns the corner, smiles, and closes his book. She takes her backpack off and sits down beside him.
"What are you reading this week, bud?" she asks him sweetly.
"The Hunger Games! We just got it yesterday and Mrs. Applebomb said we only have to read the first two chapters but it's really good! I want to read it all!" Wren replies with excitement in his voice. He flips through the pages of the book as he speaks.
"That's great!" she laughs, "Just don't lose that excitement for school work and you'll have no trouble getting through the next nine years of school!"
"As long as everything stays like this I won't mind!" Wren says just as excited as before. The smile fades and he continues more cynically, "Whatever gets me out of that house...School is a nice escape from there. Almost anywhere is an escape from that Hell hole."
"Hey, don't talk like that! I told you not to use words like that, Wren. I know that place is horrible but...just find better words to describe it, okay? Only idiots resort to swearing to demean things, got it?" Riley tells him, trying to throw a small joke in there to lighten the mood.
Wren looks down and mutters, "Sorry, Riley."
She runs her hand down his hair to comfort him, "It's alright, bud. How have things around there been lately?"
He pauses before replying, "not any better. Another boy came to the house last week. Now there's five boys, including me, and three girls. It's really chaotic in there Riley, I can barely get to sleep at night because the kid who sleeps in my room with me snores. Really loud. But Justin isn't as bad anymore, he spends more time outside of the house with his...friends. When he's home though, I and the other younger kids hide. He's caught Peter once or twice but we all hide better now..."
"Oh, Wren," Riley whispers as she leans over to hug him. "I'm sorry I can't be there to help you. If I could, I would...and if I had a place of my own that's where you'd be staying. Not there. I'm doing the best I can for you, but I wish I could give you more."
Wren looks up at her, "Riley, I don't blame you. I know you're doing the best you can. It's all I need right now. Thank you."
"And remember bud, if you're ever in real trouble with mother or Justin, I'm just a phone call away. If I'm around I'll come running for you, okay?" she taps his nose, making him giggle a little. "Now tell me the truth, are you eating well there?"
Wren looks away, avoiding Riley's gaze. He wants to tell her yes she doesn't have to worry about him as much. She worries about me too much. I...I don't need to eat that much. I get by and that's all I need, right? No, my stomach wouldn't growl every night and I wouldn't struggle through English class with hunger pains if I did. But I don't want to tell Riley that. I can't lie to her either though.
"I'm...I'm doing fine, Riley," he decides to stammer out.
"Wren. Tell me the truth. You don't look like you're really getting your share in that house."
"I'm sorry, Riley, I don't. I usually don't get enough to eat but I don't want you to worry! I'm doing just fine! I am kind of getting enough...I take what's left at family meals..."
Riley stands, slings her backpack on her back, and extends her hand to
Wren. "Come on bud, we're going to get you something to eat. Come on, I'm buying," she says with a smile.
The boy places his book in his ratty backpack and stands as he protests, "Riley, you don't have to do this..."
"No, but I want to. Come on, you're going to get something good in you."
Riley places her hand on his back and they walk away from the school district, toward the bustling city, full of promise and life.
Riley pushes the grand door open and the warm, homey smell of old books reaches her. She places the key back under the welcome mat. Reaching for the lamp near the door, she flips the switch and luminescence floods the spacious living room. Her stomach growls and her mind wanders to the kitchen. Throwing her backpack down on the coffee table, Riley makes her way to the kitchen to look for anything to satisfy the beast inside.
The fridge provides milk, eggs, cream cheese, butter, and a few obscure items like horseradish and week-old mystery meat. Nose held high, Riley looks to the pantry and finds a box of macaroni and cheese. She shrugs in approval, takes the box out, and retrieves a pot from another cupboard. Placing it on the stove and turning the heat on, Riley reflects on the team's current case.
Someone was going around killing the prostitutes and crackheads of the
Oakland area. Obviously it's someone who thinks these people don't belong here anymore. How was he/she killing them again? Oh yeah, a single shot to the head.
That makes it impersonal. This killer doesn't want to get close to his victims. And he shows no remorse; he, or she, just leaves the bodies in the alleys or on the sidewalks.
I would look to politicians in the area who are really keen on cleaning up the area. Or canvas the area for people wandering the slum regions for people looking on with disgust or disdain. This person may be scanning for his next victim. Or, or...I don't know. Let the team figure it out. Actually, they left two days ago so they probably did already. Maybe Reid will be home tonight or tomorrow! Ugh, it's really lonely around here without him.
The water begins to boil and Riley adds the macaroni. After stirring and letting it cook for 13 minutes, the macaroni is ready to be drained and the cheese is added. Riley grabs a drink of water from the sink and sits down at the table for her high-class meal. The loneliness and emptiness of the house seeps into her as she sits alone at the table, in the dull faded light of the kitchen.
The meal satisfies her stomach, it is more than she would have received at her foster home- if she were allowed to go back. Riley picks up her dishes, takes them to the sink, and sighs. How much longer can we live like this? I know Wren needs me but I can't protect him from here. I know he's got it rough...but I don't have it much better. I don't really have anywhere to stay other than here...I'm just glad Reid doesn't mind. But that doesn't matter, I feel bad for taking over his home. I wish I could make it on my own, and be able to support Wren. I just...I just wish things were different.
She enters the living room, sits down on the couch, and looks at her backpack. Leaning over, she turns the lamp next to her on and enough light fills the room to be able to see everything in front of her. She withdraws textbooks and brushes through the information in less than half an hour. Her eyes scan the words and understand everything instantly. Riley shuts the book with a sigh. Done with homework. She glances at the clock. It's only 8:30. Oh well, I'll wake up early and go for a run or something...I don't know, maybe Reid will be back later and I can talk to him. No wait, I need to read Jill's research paper for her; it's not like I have anything better to do right now...
Riley places her textbooks back into her backpack and takes her phone and laptop out. No messages are displayed on the front screen of her phone. She opens her laptop, clicks on the desired document, and takes notes on it. Riley scans the words and sentences carefully, looking for any and all mistakes that can be fixed.
What feels like minutes later is hours in contrast as this lengthy paper tires her mind. The grand front door opens and shuts as another person enters the home.
Riley looks up and takes the headphones out of her ears. Reid walks in, looks at
Riley, and gives her a weary smile.
"About time you got home! How was the case?" Riley asks excitedly, setting the laptop to the side. She glances at the clock, curious to see what time it is. The grandfather clock sitting beside the front window reads 10:45.
Reid replies as he sits his bag down on the ground behind the couch and walks around to sit on the coffee table in front of Riley, "It was routine. Nothing spectacular about it this time; it was just…routine, normal, typical. I don't really have any other words to describe it."
"Ugh!" Riley exclaims as she flops back on the couch. "Everything is routine anymore! Nothing exciting ever happens! Ever since I got out of the hospital two months ago everything has just been so ordinary and plain. Go to school. Come home from school. Do homework. Eat. Sleep. Repeat! It's driving me crazy!"
"Hey there's nothing wrong with normalcy and uniformity..." Reid says with a small frown. He likes his dull, ordinary life.
"Yes there is! It's boring!"
"Oh Riley, haven't you had enough excitement for a lifetime?" Reid asks with concern in his eyes.
Riley glances down at herself and remembers everything. She remembers her terrible feelings as she was separated from Reid during her kidnapping. She remembers the torture; every second, every technique, every emotional, physical, and psychological pain she felt. And the hospital visit afterward, the pain-staking recovery only to be reverted once she saw Him again. That battle was nothing close to ordinary either; not to mention her next scuffle with Wren's father. And her second hospital visit to top it off. Her life has been full of excitement, just not the excitement anyone would hope for.
"It's..." Riley starts with a wry smile, "it's not the excitement I always expected..." she lifts up the edge of her shirt, revealing the brand He left on her. The brand she has tried so hard to forget. Her mood changes to depression and despair as she recollects his words as he bore the terrible mark into her side. "I never asked for all of this...It's not what I imagined. I never wanted this kind of life..."
"Riley," Reid reaches forward to cover Riley's abdomen with her shirt.
"I had goals and I had dreams before…before all of this happened to me. Now I'm constantly watching my back or trying to plan for the future and failing miserably…"
"Riley. Shhh. Stop and look at me. Don't dwell on this; you can still accomplish whatever dreams you've envisioned for yourself. Do not let this stop you. Look, I'm sorry I brought it up; just remember that you're safe now. That whole ordeal is over. Forget about it and…"
"Forget about it?! How am I supposed to forget about the physical damage I have to live with everyday! Not to mention the psychological damage! I can barely look at people anymore let alone get close to them and trust them! I'm a wreck,
Reid!" Riley covers her face with one hand as self-pity consumes her.
"No you're not! Think about all of those friends you've made this year. I know you've mentioned quite a few of them to me. What about Stephanie? And Jill? You can't tell me you have social issues. You're over-thinking yourself Riley.
I'm sorry all of that happened...and I'm especially sorry I couldn't stop it. But it happened and you're doing fine! The past is gone, I think it's time you start putting yourself out there and do more social things. I think it's safe for you to start planning for a future."
"Reid, I...I can't! Those people are only my friends because they haven't seen my scars! If they saw them I'm sure they would run for the hills and never talk to me again! Everyone will think I'm a freak when they see the real me."
"Why not do some kind of sport? You did how many back in Ohio? Like ten? Why don't you start by picking one of those back up and focusing on that?
You're thinking about the past too much and you just assume you're worse off than you really are. Don't think like that; you still have plenty of life left to fix what He ruined. If anyone can turn their life around it's you, Riley."
Riley smiles a small smile, "Thanks, Reid...I'll think about what you said...I really will. Maybe I do think about it too much; it's mainly when I'm alone. But, I'll take what you said into consideration."
"That's what I want to hear," her companion says as he pats her leg with a smile of his own. "Are you sure you're alright?" He pauses to yawn, "because if so, I'm going to head off to bed. It was a long trip back."
"Yeah go ahead, I'm going to close up my computer and get some sleep myself. New day tomorrow." She responds with a genuine smile.
Reid stands and heads for the stairs, "Okay, good night Riley."
"Good night," she replies as she lies down on the couch. Her eyes shut almost instantly and her dreams surround her.
Her unconscious takes her to a place she has not been to in months- the realm of her nightmares. Riley finds herself in the dark, stone cold basement where she had been contained around a year before. The wall of tools is there with every piece of equipment shining with a newly polished sparkle. The large metal door opens and He walks in, just as He had done numerous times a day. Riley backs herself against the wall as terror surrounds her. The thought of Him still frightens her. Despite her victorious battle, she would never want to meet Him again. Her thoughts have changed, she no longer has anger or resentment for this man. She realized just how manipulative and evil this man was- she realized how powerful He really was; how powerful He really is. She feared what this man could really do when He put His mind to it, she only vaguely knew what He was capable of.
The man walks over to his wall of tools and inspects each one, deciding the best to use. He turns to her with a hammer in his hand and she backs away into the corner.
"No, no, no," she whimpers aloud. In reality she may have stood up to this man, protecting her secrets. But here, in the dream world she had no advantage over Him and the terror sets in.
He kneels down beside her right knee and gives her the broadest smile as he stretches her leg out. She tries to kick him away but she is frozen, paralyzed and vulnerable to whatever he does.
She begins to scream louder, "No! Stop!" The hammer comes down on her knee and she feels the muscles tear once again. The pain encompasses her entire leg and she continues to scream for help. "No! Reid, help! It hurts! Stop, stop!" Tears stream down the sides of her face as He squeezes the bruised, swelling patella. She shuts her eyes but they continue to seep out the sides.
"Try to get out there now, Riley. Go ahead play sports" the hammer comes down. "Join clubs, make friends!" he takes another swing. "Good luck doing any of that with this." The man takes one final swing as her kneecap shatters. Bone fragments tear and sever any remaining muscles that weren't already affected by the previous hits. "Ahhh! Stop! Stop!"
Riley feels her body shaking and a voice comes through her head, "Riley!
Wake up! Riley!"
"Ah! I can't! It hurts! I can't feel it!" She shouts back.
The voice comes back, calm but urgent, "Riley, wake up! You're dreaming.
Open your eyes, Riley. You're okay."
Riley forces herself to forget the man and open her eyes. Bright light catches her eye and Reid's face hovers over her. She blinks, taking in her surroundings.
She's safe at Reid's house. Her hands are placed, grasping her right knee. She looks down at it, inspects it with her hands, and finds it fine. Her forehead is wet with sweat and her cheeks are damp from tears. She brings her hands up to wipe her face and looks to Reid.
"You were having a nightmare. You were screaming, and calling out for help," Reid explains with sympathy in his eyes. He knows what it's like to be afraid in your own mind.
"I...I dreamt I was in the...the basement again. And He...He was taking a hammer to my knee again. He was all 'try to participate in social stuff again'!"
Riley looks up at Reid with pain in her eyes. "Reid I don't know if I can.
Obviously this was a warning that I shouldn't put myself out there!"
"Don't say that, Riley. You're just nervous and your mind is taking those fears and turning them into nightmares. We just talked about it before you fell asleep, it's nothing."
"It's different here, it's not like my hometown. The people are different, the school is different, everything seems so much bigger and more intimidating!"
"Riley. I know you're not going to let those silly things get in the way. I know you don't like to think about the past, but think of all the good, impressive things you've done. Think of the good you've done. You saved Maddy. You saved
Wren. You helped to imprison Him. You basically saved Wren again by taking on his father. Doesn't the idea of a silly, intimidating school seem so unimportant when compared to these things. I know you can put yourself out there, Riley."
"I...I" she stammers, wiping the remaining tears from her cheek. "I did all of that in the past...and I'm scarred from it. No one will want to accept a freak into their pathetic, little social clique." She looks straight into Reid's eyes so he can see the internal struggle she feels.
"You're not a freak. You need to stop thinking of the bad, Riley. People will accept you despite any flaws you think you might have. And if they don't, then it's their loss. You're worrying over nothing! I don't think you have anything to be afraid of."
"Well...I could test it. No, I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow after school, I can't go to soccer practice or anything." Riley looks around the room thinking before continuing, "But maybe I could go down to the gym during free period and see if anyone is playing basketball...Basketball always was my favorite." She says with a genuine smile, remembering her days playing in Ohio.
"Yeah, I'll go down to the gym during free period and see what happens."
"It can't hurt anything," Reid replies, giving her an approving nod.
"Eh! Don't jinx me. Just go to bed. I don't think I can make any more life altering decisions right now. Good night." She says with a wink.
Reid gets up with a smirk. "'Life altering'," he murmurs to himself as he rolls his eyes. He begins up the stairs, calls out "Sleep tight, Riley!" But before he can disappear into the darkness, Riley speaks up.
"Reid? Thanks for checking on me..."
He looks down from the stairs, and with a straight face replies, "You're welcome. I'll always come to help you, don't ever forget that."
She blinks and returns, "I won't."
Reid retreats upstairs as Riley lays back down, content for the first time in months. With her mind set on "putting herself out there" she feels she has a purpose, a motivation to get up and go to school. Finally her routine of normalcy is broken in a good way. For the first time since she came to D.C., Riley feels like a normal teenager. A sweet smile lingers on her face as she drifts into a peaceful sleep.