Truth Out Of Darkness
Chapter 15
Brady rounded the next corner and froze. Across the room he could see Phillip arguing with Chloe. He had her backed into a corner and he seemed furious. Brady saw Chloe try to get around him but Phillip blocked her. Brady couldn't hear what Phillip was saying, but he could see that Chloe was terrified.
Brady began walking toward them. He hadn't taken 5 steps when the unthinkable happened. Brady watched as Chloe turned to go past Phillip. She said something and Phillip's fury erupted. He yelled at her, "You filthy, lying whore!"
Time slowed for Brady. Phillip struck Chloe full force with the back of his fist. The blow caught her across the left side of her face near her mouth. Brady heard a sickening pop as her jaw broke. She fell backwards and hit her head on the brick wall behind her. The crack of impact reverberated around the room. She slowly slid to the floor, unconscious.
Brady was rooted to the floor, overcome with shock and horror. But the shock soon gave way to anger and concern for Chloe. He charged at Phillip, yelling, "BASTARD!" He knocked him out with one blow. He then turned and knelt beside her.
Blood was trickling out of her mouth and the back of her head was matted and sticky with the dark red fluid. He gathered her head and chest up in his arms while he felt for a pulse. Her heartbeat was weak and irregular.
"Come on Chloe. Wake up for me, please? Wakeup?" he pleaded. Brady had never felt so helpless. He tried to fight the swelling panic. "Come on, Chloe. Don't leave me. Come back, okay?"
He was vaguely aware of people behind him. Victor was trying to rouse Phillip and Maggie Horton was beside Brady.
"Oh, Brady, what happened?" she asked, full of concern.
"I, she... she hit her head on the wall." Brady could barely make sense of what had happened, let alone talk about it.
Maggie left and Brady continued to try to wake Chloe. He checked for any other injuries but didn't find any. Maggie returned with damp towels and a first aid kit. Brady applied pressure with the towels to the back of her head to stop the bleeding. They wrapped the towels tightly around her head and fastened them.
"I called 911." Maggie said. "Unfortunately, a train derailed outside of town and every available ambulance is dealing with the injured passengers. The operator said it would be faster to take her to the hospital yourself."
Chloe fluttered open her eyes.
"Chloe! Thank God! Chloe, are you okay?" Brady asked, relieved that she had come to.
She tried to speak, but instead spit up blood. There was excrutiating pain from her jaw, and her head felt like it would explode.
"Don't try to talk. Chloe, we have to get you to the hospital. Try to stand, okay?"
Brady helped a shaky Chloe to her feet. She immediately felt dizzy and collapsed in Brady's arms. Her head was spinning and bright lights flashed before her eyes. She was disoriented and confused. She couldn't think clearly at all.
Brady was very worried that she may have suffered a major head injury. Chloe had no strength and simply clung onto him. Brady lifted her up in his arms and headed toward the exit.
Maggie called after him, "I'll call Craig and let him know you're on your way!"
Brady got Chloe settled in his jeep and sped off toward the hospital as fast as he could. He kept looking over at her. She faded in and out of consciousness.
"Hang on, Chloe. We'll be there soon. Everything will be okay." He said soothingly.
Chloe, you have to be okay. I can't lose you now that I've found you.
Chapter 15
Brady rounded the next corner and froze. Across the room he could see Phillip arguing with Chloe. He had her backed into a corner and he seemed furious. Brady saw Chloe try to get around him but Phillip blocked her. Brady couldn't hear what Phillip was saying, but he could see that Chloe was terrified.
Brady began walking toward them. He hadn't taken 5 steps when the unthinkable happened. Brady watched as Chloe turned to go past Phillip. She said something and Phillip's fury erupted. He yelled at her, "You filthy, lying whore!"
Time slowed for Brady. Phillip struck Chloe full force with the back of his fist. The blow caught her across the left side of her face near her mouth. Brady heard a sickening pop as her jaw broke. She fell backwards and hit her head on the brick wall behind her. The crack of impact reverberated around the room. She slowly slid to the floor, unconscious.
Brady was rooted to the floor, overcome with shock and horror. But the shock soon gave way to anger and concern for Chloe. He charged at Phillip, yelling, "BASTARD!" He knocked him out with one blow. He then turned and knelt beside her.
Blood was trickling out of her mouth and the back of her head was matted and sticky with the dark red fluid. He gathered her head and chest up in his arms while he felt for a pulse. Her heartbeat was weak and irregular.
"Come on Chloe. Wake up for me, please? Wakeup?" he pleaded. Brady had never felt so helpless. He tried to fight the swelling panic. "Come on, Chloe. Don't leave me. Come back, okay?"
He was vaguely aware of people behind him. Victor was trying to rouse Phillip and Maggie Horton was beside Brady.
"Oh, Brady, what happened?" she asked, full of concern.
"I, she... she hit her head on the wall." Brady could barely make sense of what had happened, let alone talk about it.
Maggie left and Brady continued to try to wake Chloe. He checked for any other injuries but didn't find any. Maggie returned with damp towels and a first aid kit. Brady applied pressure with the towels to the back of her head to stop the bleeding. They wrapped the towels tightly around her head and fastened them.
"I called 911." Maggie said. "Unfortunately, a train derailed outside of town and every available ambulance is dealing with the injured passengers. The operator said it would be faster to take her to the hospital yourself."
Chloe fluttered open her eyes.
"Chloe! Thank God! Chloe, are you okay?" Brady asked, relieved that she had come to.
She tried to speak, but instead spit up blood. There was excrutiating pain from her jaw, and her head felt like it would explode.
"Don't try to talk. Chloe, we have to get you to the hospital. Try to stand, okay?"
Brady helped a shaky Chloe to her feet. She immediately felt dizzy and collapsed in Brady's arms. Her head was spinning and bright lights flashed before her eyes. She was disoriented and confused. She couldn't think clearly at all.
Brady was very worried that she may have suffered a major head injury. Chloe had no strength and simply clung onto him. Brady lifted her up in his arms and headed toward the exit.
Maggie called after him, "I'll call Craig and let him know you're on your way!"
Brady got Chloe settled in his jeep and sped off toward the hospital as fast as he could. He kept looking over at her. She faded in and out of consciousness.
"Hang on, Chloe. We'll be there soon. Everything will be okay." He said soothingly.
Chloe, you have to be okay. I can't lose you now that I've found you.