CHAPTER 16
Throughout the day and night various people visited Elizabeth, she was never alone or without a friendly word, everyone in town took a minute for her, everyone wanted her to know she was loved as a friend, sister or daughter, they showered her with pampering. At dawn, Carson was at her desk, having asked everyone to let her get some rest, when Philip came in and said:
- I'll stay there in that bed next to her, I just don't want her to feel alone or that there's no one for her.
- Do you think this is correct, the gossips...
And before Carson could finish the sentence, he said it dryly.
- I don't care about that, at the moment I only care about these two, they have already suffered a lot and whatever I can do to ease their pain I will do, even fight against the gossips of the city, besides, this woman never she's done nothing wrong she has an impeccable reputation, and I'll defend her myself if I have to, and I think you will too.
Carson smiled, his eyes tightening hearing that, and seeing that he wasn't going to give up what he was loving, he just said:
- Okay Philip! So I'm going to go upstairs to my room and get some rest. Anything I'm up here you just scream.
But later Elizabeth woke up to the sound of voices and when she turned around she saw Philip sleeping under a blanket in the other nursing bed and he was having a nightmare about something that didn't look good. Unrelated murmurs, the words came out of her mouth, but she couldn't understand anything. He seemed to suffer, his forehead had wrinkles and sweat ran down his face.
Philip knew something was wrong, it was that place again...
They hit, kicked and spoke very offensive words, his body ached and his face was full of blood.
- What did you see while leaving that cage? Did you notice something?
- Yes, we have about ten men here to attack us at will and they take turns as local security, from what they said the rest are in battle in the field. This is just a prison, a place to bring prisoners of war. They have guns and knives. But most of them are drug dealers or several gangs that have come together to take control of crime. Captain, there's an exit down the hall from this cell with a sentry or two.
- I noticed Sgt. Let's try to leave after they open the cell next time, because since they're not getting the information they want, they'll start killing one by one until someone speaks or until they finish us all.
So they decided to be all quiet, I went and untied them all, because I was the only one with my hands free there since when they left me they thought I was fainted and I was the weakest one so they didn't even tie me up, we decided to lie down or sit down as sick or showing a lot of pain in order not to attract attention. The next day, when they came to fetch the captain for the torture session, the four bandits were immobilized, without the use of weapons or much noise. Now the four were bound and gagged in their own clothes. They took their weapons, each of which had two firearms and a knife at least. They left that cell, myself, the captain, and three other men. We went to the corridor and to the back of the cell and looked through the hole in the door, there were three men talking, if we counted those who were in the cell there were still three more men to go, that is, they would have to be very careful, because they had not seen these another three and they would probably be well armed. After taking these men who were talking and leaving them bound and gagged, we also took their weapons. For the escape to be successful we would have to run across that open ground and take one of the cars parked there, the captain knew how to drive it, as for the four of us we only knew how to ride a horse, so all the more reason to stay together, not at all we could part. We all ran together, always helping each other, because we were all very injured, including the youngest of us, who I took under my protection during that time in the cell. The captain started the car with a knife and we followed the road as quickly as possible, we didn't know which way to go, because we had no idea where we were.
The other three men were already behind us, shots were given and exchanged by all of us, we couldn't waste ammunition. We had to keep our sights. It was when I hit their car's tire that their car stopped. They would come after us, yes, but they would be a few minutes late changing the tire. The captain ran as fast as the car would allow, the streets were unpaved and in a bad state, night arrived, when our car reached a fork that had four exits, no signs to go.
Philip felt a hand stroking his hair, that wild curl. It was such a good feeling, it felt like her fingers were trapped to tell the truth, her fingers tingled, a soft voice sang softly. That feeling was so comforting, his body gradually relaxed and his eyes trembled, opening slowly and finding Elizabeth's blue eyes very close to him singing. When he raised his hand, he noticed that they were holding hands and that she continued to sing as if nothing had happened. She didn't say anything, gave me the space and time I needed to compose myself, that's when I said very quietly:
- I always have nightmares, they are strange, there is a war, there are wounded soldiers, prisoners, torture and a woman, but I can't see her face only her eyes, you know it all seems so real, but each day these nightmares get worse and they consume me by force.
- Have you talked to anyone yet? We can't keep it all alone, like I told you one day, I listened to Jack after he got back from the Northern Territory, I know he didn't tell me everything, and I really appreciate it because I was scared just knowing a little bit, but listening to him it made him more proud of him but it also made him very good to talk and vent to someone, if you want you can tell me, even if I don't understand anything, I know how to be a good listener.
- You know Elizabeth, I came to keep you company so you don't feel alone, even more after the problem with your family. And as for me, I wouldn't know where to start talking, after all I lost my memories some time ago in service. I don't remember anything from my past, I just know that the family came and told me who I was and that was it.
- I am here. And laid her head on his shoulder. When he realized, he had already pulled her to bed and the two were sleeping together, where Philip fell asleep with his hand on Elizabeth's belly.
