Lilly Bradford. (Work In Progress) <3

Lilly.







My first coherent thought was that of my aching head. The pain was so intense, and so focused that I couldn't fathom moving. As the shadows of unconsciousness finally floated from my peripheral vision i found the courage to sit, immediately bringing forth a bout of nausea so strong I spent the next few minutes with my eyes shut tightly, and head between my knees, taking deep, ragged breaths. Finally, I sat up and opened my eyes, to complete darkness. My chest tightened in fear as I quietly began feeling around, until I located a side table. As I inched my fingers across the cool wooden top, Something wet, and sticky came to my attention. I was repulsed, but kept feeling around until i felt a lamp, and eventually moved up to turn it on. I gazed down at my fingers, covered in slick, deep red blood. Gazing around the disheveled, yet still beautiful, ocean themed room just left me confused. The sea-blue walls seemed to spin around me; the green carpet looked as if it could engulf an entire person. As my head began to pulse again, I looked down, surprised to realize that a big, lacy, white fairy-princess style dress adorned my body. The aristocratic material was shredded near the bottom, giving it a rough appearance. I slowly stretched my arm out to pull it up a bit, exposing black, combat-type converse boots, laced to my knee. Carefully, I stand, when a wave of vertigo hit me so hard I fell back on the bed, breathing deeply to stop the nausea from erupting all over the expensive looking bedspread. After what seemed like an excruciatingly long moment, I gathered my wits enough to carry on, and stood to observe myself in the mirror across the room. What I experienced then, will forever haunt my mind. I couldn't recognize the grungy looking woman staring back if I had wanted too. My eyes were black, and swollen, the left one almost shut. Dark, dried blood was crusted around my nose and lips, in excess. My bottom lip was split, and at least as big as a baseball. Bruises contorted my cheek bones and chin, and new blood dripped down the side of my face from a deep, nasty looking wound in my hairline. My hair was all over, and knotted up. Slowly, with shaking hands, I gently pressed my hand to a tender spot in the back of my scalp and pulled it away, also drenched in precious life water. For a moment, I stared, shocked into the reflection, then quickly, without hesitation, open my mouth and let out the highest, loudest shriek I could manage before the split in my lip cracked again, and filled my mouth, and extremely sore throat in blood. I was shot into a coughing fit, and bent over double, certain I was nearing death as the intense, unbearable pain in every inch of my head pulsed. Every bone in my face felt broken. I heard someone come crashing through the door of the room and rush towards me.



"Is everything okay? I heard a shout!"

Hot tears streamed down my cheeks, and I gasped for breath, and fall meekly to the floor, in a crumpled feeble position.

"Miss? Oh Miss! What happened?" The stranger quickly grabbed me into his arms, and carried me back to the bed, as I sobbed and carried on about my deformed face.

He turned back towards the door and shouted for help, and someone to call 9-1-1. Quickly, he turns his attention back to me.

"Hey, Miss, I'm Cameron. Um, Can I help you?"

I nod slightly, rubbing my temples and sobbing as pain and dizziness swept over my body again.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

I sniffle, choking on tears as I whimper, "I don't know.."

It became a consistent answer as he bombarded me with question after question.

"Do you have any one I can contact?"

I sob, and began to shake as countless, unfamiliar faces stood in the door way, gaping at me, the freak sideshow, bleeding and muttering nonsense on the aristocratic bed.

"Alright, do you know what your name is?"

"L-" The rest wouldn't come to me, "L-Linda?" That didn't seem right. "Lucy, maybe.. Umm.."

"I'll call you Lilly, if that's okay." He tries to smile at me while taking out a tiny pocket key chain type flashlight and flashes it in my eyes, bringing back the urge to vomit, which I promptly did, all over his shoes.

I shoot him an apologetic glance and concentrate my vision on the combat boots peeking out from under the dress.

He smiles at me, caring, and removes his shoes and socks, and amazed me with his total calm facade, not even a disgusted face.

"Alright, that's Okay, Now try not to worry," which of course made me worry even more.

"What year is it?"

"Um... 2000 and.... 2000?" I knew it wasn't correct, because if it was 2000 I'd be thirteen, and I definitely didn't feel thirteen. And at thirteen, I wouldn't have been caught dead in this dress.

Then, two larger men pushed Cameron out of the way, and began shining more lights in my eyes, I heaved but nothing else came up.

"Are you having any difficulty breathing?"

I shake my head, scared by their presence that seemed to fill the room, and wasn't near as friendly as Cameron, but more doctor like, and informal.

The bigger of the two lifted me onto a gurney, and began bandaging my head, while the other asked more questions, none of which I knew the answer too.

He then assaulted me with a bunch of medical jargon, and I nodded, as best as I could with the headache, and blood dripping down on the pretty dress. I didn't try to understand anything they were saying as I was lifted into an ambulance, Cameron running quickly behind, struggling to be noticed.

"You can't ride in the truck." Said the bigger, gruff looking EMT

"Excuse me, sir, but her family can't be reached at this moment, I'm her fiancé, and I am riding in this ambulance."

With a shrug, the guy let him by, and Cameron climbed in, looking smug.

With the siren shrieking, and a pale blonde nurse watching me carefully, we set off. The horrible wailing of the vehicle, I honestly thought I was going to explode, the agony was so intense. Tears welled in my eyes, but I knew crying might just make everything worse.

"Can you please get her some drugs?"

"Tell her a joke or something, Laughter's the best medicine, and I can't give her anything, not until she's at the hospital."

"Um," Cameron says, glancing at me helplessly, "Have you heard the one about the boy who dropped the ice cream cone?"

I groan, "I'd prefer the drugs."

He chuckles, and takes my hand, holding gently. "Squeeze when you're in pain."

I squeeze as hard as I can, as the sirens call out, warning cars and he winces. "That's quite a grip you have there."

I moan, quietly, and close my eyes. "Make it stop, please.." The pain was so intense, so focused, I almost hoped I did die. And as soon as I thought it, dread clutched me. Would I die? I don't even remember my name! How could I die? What would they put on my tombstone?



Cameron holds my hand, staring down at me, at a loss for words. "We're almost there honey, just hold on."

Suddenly, I open my eyes, and stare him down, "I don't remember you!"

He goes wide eyed, "Come again?"

"You're my fiancé, and I swear I've never seen you before in my life!" Panic began creeping into my voice. I should remember something like that shouldn't I? The man I was engaged to be married to for Christ's sake? Didn’t I love him? How could I forget that?

I could see how I could love him though; he had beautiful, dark hair, and deep, blue eyes I could drown in. His lips formed the perfect pout. Under the pale white shirt, shoulder muscles rippled as he twitched nervously.

"I'm not really your fiancé; I just didn't want you to ride alone."

I stare at his handsome face and manage to crack a tiny grin. "Thank you...” I whisper.

Just then, the speeding ambulance hit a bump, knocking me around on the gurney, and sending needles of pain shooting so unrelentingly through my body that I started crying, and shut my eyes tightly, as layers of black and slight speckled color intruded my vision.

Just then, I felt lightheaded and dizzy. The nurse jerked, but I paid no mind, on the edge of my consciousness I felt a place. A place with no pain, no loud sirens, or irritable noises.

Faintly, Cameron's voice broke through, but I didn't have the strength to respond, instead I let the darkness swallow me, wondering silently if this is what it's like to die...

Coming to was a bit easier the second time, the pain had subsided to a dull ache, but the bed I was lying in wasn’t remotely as comfortable. Slowly, with shaky confidence I open my eyes, to a sterile smelling, painfully white room. There was a bit of bustling, and I turn my head towards the noise.

Cameron was sitting beside the bed, his head laid beside me, sleeping fitfully in the awkward position. Unsure, I clear my throat; he jumps, and straightens up. His hair was mussed in a cute kind of way, smiling apologetically; he assists me in sitting, “Good Morning, Stranger.”

“What Happened?” I ask.

“They gave you drugs. I’m guessing they were good too, did you know you snore?”

Actually, I didn’t.

“Why can’t I remember anything?” I ask, fear tightening my chest once again, as I wracked my brains, grasping desperately for memories that weren’t there.

He looked puzzled a moment clears his throat and fidgets awkwardly from one foot to the other, making me even more nervous. “Just, let me go get the doctor. They told me to alert someone when you woke up anyways.”

He leaves quickly, obviously avoiding answering my question. I sigh, and lay back, murmuring to myself.

Soon, Cameron returns with an older, frail looking man. I assumed, from his white lab coat, that he was the fore mentioned doctor.

“Hi there,” he smiles at me, one that didn’t completely reach his overly tired eyes, but seemed genuinely friendly nonetheless, “You seem to have had a nasty accident, Miss.”

I nod as he pokes and prods, and shines a light in my eyes, instructing me to follow his finger. Luckily, the urge to vomit at lights had passed.

“How do you feel?”

Playfully, I poke at the IV dripping clear fluid into my arm, “What’s the street name for this?”

He laughs and checks my vitals. “We had to give you seven stitches above your eyebrow here,” gently, he runs his finger over the area, “Does this hurt?”

“No.” I respond, following his movements.

“That’s a good sign. You also have about ten staples in the back. Luckily, it was along your hairline, and we didn’t have to shave you.” He chuckles.

“Oh, yeah. Bless my lucky soul.” I mutter, as he pulls up a wheel-stool and pushes a hand through his salt-and-pepper grey hair.

“So, Can you tell me your name?”

“I don’t know it.” I whisper, “What’s wrong with me?”

“Amnesia is my guess.” He laminates, “But don’t worry, it’s quite common after a serious head trauma such as yours, and I expect a full recovery possibly as soon as a few weeks.”

“A few weeks? Doctor, I don’t know who I am? How do I live like this for even a few hours?”

He looked sympathetic, wringing his hands, “You’ll have to make do, I suppose. I can prescribe you anxiety pills, if you’d like, but nothing really much more than that. I hear the local authorities are investigating what happened in that hotel room, and I’m sure your-“ he winks at Cameron “fiancé here would love to help you.”

Cameron laughs. “Of course I will, honey.”

I shoot glares at both of them, even if I didn’t understand the obvious joke going between the both of them, I wasn’t much in the mood for laughing, especially not at my own expense.

“Can I leave yet, Doctor?” I ask

“Of course,” he nods, handing me some papers, “You’ll need to run by the front desk to check out, and Cameron has provided you some clothes, umm, Cameron?”

He jumps to attention, grabbing a blue plastic bag from under the bed and hands it to me delicately, as if it contained a child rather than clothing, and I nod my appreciation. “I didn’t know your size, so... I went a size bigger than what I thought, and bought a belt.”

I giggle, and thank him, then head to a bathroom he kindly points out and proceed to rid my body of the unsightly green paper gown, and examine my naked body in the mirror.

Various bruises, cuts and miscellaneous markings crowded my torso, legs and arms. I shake my head in disapproval, wondering what kind of person I must have been in the life I didn’t remember to cause someone to want to hurt me this way. My hair had been washed didn’t remotely resemble the tangled mess I had witnessed in the hotel room. The stitches over my eyes gave me a tough appearance, but I felt more like a half drowned kitten, mewing for a warm place full of love to take me in. Tears threatened to spill over but I bit my lip and held them back, gently prodding my bruised nose. Finally, I sigh and slip into the black tight-legged jeans Cameron had bought me, finding they were about two sized to big, I tightened the white, stud-belt around my waist and pulled on a black V-neck T-shirt with an elegant bedazzled blue butterfly. I flip my hair out and take another glance in the mirror, and make a mental note to ask Cameron to let me stop by the store and get some makeup.

Just then, it hit me, I had no idea where I would go, or do. This may, or may not, have been my home, but either way I didn’t know anything about it or any of its people. I shake the worried thoughts from my head and slowly walk back out to Cameron.

“How do they fit?” He asks, standing as I walk into the room, and sizes me up.

“Wonderfully, thank you, very much, for everything you have done for me, Cameron.”

He smiles that smile of his, and loops his arm around mine. “Shall we go? I have a particular dislike for hospitals.”

I nod, and smile. “Let’s go.”

Together, we walk into the mostly deserted sanitized smelling hallway, I followed along as he drug me around corners and down corridors. Just then, we came to a big desk, with three, well rounded ladies well into their thirties sat gossiping loudly.

“Oh, Hi Cameron,” cooed the blonde as we approached, unreasonably sending a shock of jealousy down my spine, but I faked a smile.

If he noticed, he didn’t let on, but smiled back at the woman, “Hey Heidi, where’s dad?”

Just then, my doctor magically reappeared from a door behind the giggling trio, shaking his head.

“He’s your father?” I ask discreetly, leaning towards Cameron.

“Crazy, isn’t it?” The doctor laughs, “How did such a good looking man like me make such a thing?”

Cameron throws his hand over his heart and puts on a fake mask of hurt. “Oh, dad. Shot to the feelings, maybe you should book me a room now, give me some meds for my broken heart.”

His father laughs. “I think not. Don’t you have better things to do then hang around the hospital harassing me all day long?”

Cameron checks his watch, “Your right, its lunch time. Want to come along dad? My treat.”

His father smiles apologetically at him and cheerfully claps his shoulder as he comes around the desk and slowly back steps down the hall we had just come from.

“Rain check? I have a lot to do today, kid.”

He nods, and takes my arm, preparing to see me out, as he calls over his shoulder, “Be safe, don’t overwork yourself, Old man! Bye Ladies!” The trio giggles and his father waves him off and hurries down the hall.

“Piece of work aren’t they?” He says to me, chuckling. I nod, not sure how to respond. “They’re like my second family. Dad found me here, when I wasn’t more than a few months old. Some lady had just dropped me off at the door with a note saying my name and age.”

“Oh Cameron, I’m so sorry.”

He shakes his head, laughs nervously and squeezes my arm, “Don’t be, I’m not. She had named me Garfield, and my system was full of cocaine. It’s a wonder I survived, Dad said. He told me he knew from the moment he held me back in the nursery that I was a fighter, and that I was his son.”

He pauses a moment, and we walk along in silence. He leads me out the front door of the hospital, and I look around, taking in the scene around me. It was chilly outside, but not cold. The wind blew slightly, the trees were just changing colors, the grass was still a bright green color. The scenery was absolutely beautiful, especially for a hospital. Several bushes were around, painted with bright pink flowers.

“I’m not guessing you know anywhere worth the money for lunch around here, do you?”

I shoot him a look, and he laughs at me. “I didn’t think so.”

He leads me to a red car, and opens my door for me, the perfect gentleman. “Here you are, my lady.”

I slide into the leather interior seat, not sure why I was surprised that the whole car smelt of money and wealth, considering everything I’d seen in this town had, plus his father was a doctor.

I watch him cross around the car, and slide in.

“Hmm, I bet you like chicken nuggets.” He says as he revs the impressive-sounding engine.

Just the thought made my mouth water and my stomach growl embarrassingly loud. This forces a laugh out of Cameron.

“Alright then, chicken nuggets it is. How about an ice-cream cone too?”

“I’m so hungry at this point, I could eat an entire horse.”

“Well, that’s illegal, my dear. But those nuggets are just a hop, skip, and jump away.” And with that, he turns the radio on, to some punk-rock station, just loud enough to make conversation impossible, carefully maneuvers himself out of the crowded hospital parking lot and speeds down the highway.







In the quiet of the hotel room, I quickly flip through the national newspapers again, making sure there were no found girl advertisements. Would they advertise a bloody and beaten girl found lying in a floor of a rich motel room? Would she even be alive when they found her? I push the thoughts to the back of my mind, and shove the paper to the bottom of a desk drawer, and stand. It was time to get out of here, and back to town before they discovered their precious angel was missing. With a disgusted sigh, I stand and make my way back to the bathroom and bang viciously on the door.

“Robert! Open this door! Right now!”

I hear the sink water turn off, and then the door swings in, and bathed in white light, wearing nothing but a blue towel wrapped precariously around his waist, stood my 6’5’’ partner.

“Your mother was right when she said you have no patience.” He snarls.

I shoot him a look that could melt ice. “My mother doesn’t have the sense God gave a rock.”

He shrugs and moves out of the tiny bathroom, as I shove my way in.

Once alone, I slam the door shut, and cringe at my reflection. That stupid girl had scratched my face, leaving an intense looking mark right above my eye. A cold smile crept across my face, it was okay. I left her with an even more precious mark on her own head.

I twist my way out of the floor length black trench coat Robert had brought along, so as to hide the destruction the wrench did to my clothes, and not attract the attention of the local authorities. We had driven several hundred miles since the horrible thing we had done. I smile to myself as I gaze at my blood soaked shirt. The girl had laid her head on my chest as I carried her to the bed, not able to let myself leave her to die on the floor…it had been nice carpet.

The pants had ripped as I tripped over her clawing at my pants as Robert slammed her in the head with the baseball bat. The same one she had used, playing ball with my dear Justin.

Slowly, I pull the picture out of my back pocket. The auburn haired boy with bright, sparkling green eyes smiled back at me. He’d never hurt me, he’d love me. I knew he would, as soon as I could get back home. His muscles showed through the jersey he wore in the photograph. My dear Justin.

I run my finger over the photo, crooning to him, “I’ll be home soon, my love, we’ll be together soon.” Then, I lay the picture on the sink, and carefully cover it with a towel, so no moisture could dare touch it. Quickly, I finish undressing, and start a warm shower. As I watch the blood and dirt of my crime go swirling down the drain, I couldn’t help but overthink. How could I have done such a thing? But the wench had it coming to her. My Justin.. My precious, precious Justin. She had no right! She deserved her fate, before she stole mine. The thoughts reassure me, and my memories turn to the beautiful boy in the photograph. Oh, how I couldn’t wait to get back home, take him in my arms, and kiss those sweet lips of his, as he confessed his love for me, how he always knew it would be me…

The sweet thoughts were interrupted by a sudden knocking on the door. “Could you hurry up? I’m hungry!”

I have to take deep breaths to control my anger. That raging moron! Who does he think I am? His mother? But I have to keep calm, if I lose my sense now, I may put myself in a very bad position. So I fake a cheerful voice. “Just go get something, darling. I’ll be out by the time you get back.”

I hear the knob turn, and blast myself for forgetting to lock the door. How annoying this man had become. He lets himself in, and takes a seat on the sink. “Are you sure you don’t want to go along? I was thinking of finding a nice restaurant, taking you out, babe.”

I sigh, and let the hot water run over my head, dripping from my hair and over my face onto my body. “I’m exhausted; just bring me back a chicken sandwich.”

Suddenly, he pulls back the shower curtain, exposing me.

“Hey!” I shout, “I’m trying to take a shower here! Who in the name of –“

He ignores my rants. “You don’t act like you care, Natasha. I’m your boyfriend. Not your dog! You could show some kind of affection, you cold hearted bitch.”

Sighing, I switch off the water, and step out, reaching for my towel, careful to stick my dear Justin’s photo into my bag without Robert seeing it. How angry he would be. I wrap the towel around myself, and perch delicately on his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. Playing sweet for the moment, I kiss his cheek. “Of course I care, darling. It’s just been a long day, and you know that. I’ll go to dinner with you next time we stop, I promise. As for right now, I really just want to lie in bed, okay?”

That must have been good enough for him, because he nods, and kisses me. I allow it until he started pulling at my towel, reminding me what a filthy pig he was. No matter how filthy, I needed him around for the time being. Playfully, I slap his hand away, and stand up.

“You better get going, before everything closes.”

He stands, sighing ruggedly, and nods, roughly pushing his hand through his thick black hair. “Alright, I’ll be back soon. Stay in the room.”

I nod; waiting patiently until he was gone, then I lay on the bed, once again pulling out my picture of Justin to admire.

Oh, how I missed my darling. I couldn’t wait until we were reunited and I wouldn’t have to deal with the disgusting Robert any longer

He was such a pig, always trying to get into my pants. I managed to hold him off with some pathetic, childhood trauma story of rape, but honestly, I just had to save myself for my love, Justin. My body, soul, and all of me, belonged to him, and I would not let some nasty biker come between us.

As I feel the weight of the day pulling on my eyes, cradling me into unconsciousness; I hide my picture away, safe from the dirty fingers of Robert. Oh, what he would do if he found out about my Justin. My whole plan just might come falling down around me. But I was smart, I wouldn’t let that happen. My genius plan had worked this far, and it would work to the end. Justin and I would be together, no matter the cost.

Happily, I curl under the covers, and close my eyes, drifting into the sleep world, where I could, at least for now, be with my beau.



That night, Cameron had set up his guest bedroom to accommodate me. New sheets were put on the outdated bed, pillows were fluffed and a warm blanket spread across. He had left me here to get “accustomed” and now I heard him approaching from the hall.

I sat on the comfortable bed, bouncing gently and suppressing the urge to giggle. Cameron enters, holding up a thin, scant white nightgown. “I know it’s girlish, but it’s all I have to offer until I can take you shopping in the morning for more.”

Gratefully, I smile and take the gown from him. “It’s wonderful Cameron, you’ve already done more than I could ever possibly repay. I couldn’t gather the words to thank you if I tried.”

My praise seemed to please him, and he beamed like a young boy who had just hit a home run in time for his father to see.

“It’s no problem, anything you need, I’m here.”

A warm, furry feeling crept through my chest, making me self-conscious but also brave at the same.

Quietly, he turns and heads to the door. Part of me, a silly, high school girl part, wanted to call him back, enjoy his presence a moment longer. It had only been a day since I awoke at the hospital, but I felt I’d known him a life time. He stops at the door, and turns around.

“Night, Lilly.”

I smile at him, a faint blush working its way up my cheeks.

“Night Cameron.”

Even after he turned, and left, flipping off the light and leaving the door open just a crack, I couldn’t sleep. As exhausted as my body felt, rest just wouldn’t come. I lay awake, staring at the ceiling and trying my hardest to think of things in my past. The doctor – Cameron’s father – had told me that my memory should return in a few weeks, and I had nothing to worry about, but I worried anyways. What if it didn’t return? What if I spent the rest of my life in this unknowing haze that I’d become accustomed too?

Did I have a family out there? Where they worried about me? Where they looking for me? Crying? Mourning? Worrying over their lost daughter, sister or cousin? Then a thought hit me so hard, I felt that I would have doubled over had I been standing. What if I had a child? A son or daughter of my own? What if they were home alone, waiting on their mother to return...? I t dawned on me that I must have dozed off as the thousands of questions assaulted my brain, because at some point I came to a half-awake state. I heard whispers coming from down the hall. Who was that? Cameron? If so, who was he talking too? Tiredly, I roll to my side, and glance at the green illuminated colors of the bedside clock. It was two AM. Who on earth was even awake in such an ungodly hour?

But before I could fully awaken myself I happened to fall back into sleep, and the next time I woke, a few persistent beams of sunlight poked through the purple curtains hung over the window. It took a moment for all the fuzzy details of yesterday to come rushing back to me like a tidal wave. A slight pain in my head made itself known, and I gingerly ran my fingertip over my stitches. Oh, where they sore.

Quietly, I gaze at the clock. Noon. I groan and force myself to sit in the bed and rub my aching shoulder. Either the bed or the unknown beating I must have taken to acquire my injuries had made me very sore, but which one I couldn’t tell.

I stand, and make the bed, yawning the entire time. I wondered if I had always slept in this late. When the room was tidied up to my standards, I head out the door and down the hall way, trying to swim through the fog in my head to remember the tour Cameron had led me through. By some miracle, I found my way back to the kitchen, and was shocked to find a younger girl standing there, in green and blue frog pajamas making coffee. She didn’t look much older than 15, and much too young for Cameron. She turns, seeing me for the first time, and smiles sweetly. As for myself, I stand in the doorway like an ignoramus and tried to make sense of the scene folding out in front of me. Just then, Cameron arrives, freshly showered, towel clad and all grins. Quietly, I step out of his way, and he goes to the stove, turning off they burner under a skillet of eggs, and smiles at me.

“Lilly, this is Kari, Kari, Lilly.”

The young girl smiles at me and holds out a mug, “Coffee?”

I nod and thank her as she pours the cup, and I sip gratefully. The three of us sit at a small, circular wooden table, with a bounty of a breakfast laid out. I sat quietly content as I listened to Kari chatter on about some project going on at the local high school.

“Lilly? Would you like some sausage?” Cameron asks as he holds out a fresh plate full of the darkly colored meat patties.

As soon as the scent hit me, nausea hit me full force in the face, and my head became as light as a feather. A sensation so terrible violated my stomach and before I could even respond to his question, Cameron was standing over me, only bringing the scent of the sausage closer.

“Lilly? Are you okay? You seem kind of pale...”

Quickly, silently begging forgiveness, I shove him out of my way, hoping my foggy recollections of the directions to the wash room where correct. Next thing I knew, I was doubled over, inspecting parts of a toilet that were never meant to be seen that up close and personal. A concerned Kari sheepishly made her way through the door, gracefully pulling my hair back while managing to avoid the bio hazardous projectile I emitted so skillfully. “Cameron said he’s sorry he can’t come help you, but he’s never been good with puke.” Kari says as I toss my guts and she rubs my back gently, somehow actually helping a tiny bit. “One time, my friend, Sarah, threw up on shoes, and he threw up everywhere when he got them back, because apparently washing them three times wasn’t enough to kill the smell.”

I nod, and spit into the toilet, sighing miserably.

Kari hands me some toilet paper, and I blow my nose and wipe my mouth and smile weakly at her as I flush. She laughs quietly while plundering through the medicine cabinet, finally pulling out a new packet of toothbrushes. “What color?”

“Blue, please.”

She hands me the brush and some animated cartoon toothpaste, smiling as she moves to sit on the defiled porcelain throne.

“Are you sick?” She asks as I brush.

I shrug, grateful that the sugary paste didn’t toss my stomach even more.

“Cameron said something about taking you back to Dad to get checked out.”

So Kari was his sister? I rinse out my mouth and sit the brush behind the sink faucet. “That won’t be necessary, I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

She shakes her head and laughs, “Nah, there isn’t any use of trying to talk Cammy out of something once he has his mind set to it. You’re like a little bird he’s taken under his wing, and now he’s going to doctor you, watch you, and protect you until you’re ready to fly again whether you approve or not.”

I smile at her analogy and laugh “Good, I need it.”

Natasha











When I woke up again, in the dingy hotel room, Robert was coming through the door with a greasy fast-food bag in his hand.

He smiles at me, and hands me a chicken sandwich. “The traffic here is good, I think we should get going soon, and not stay in one place long... in case their looking for her.”

He was talking about Lilly. I thought of her, lying on the floor, eyes wide, spurting blood.

“I’m sorry…” She had whispered at me. It had only made me angrier. She had nothing to apologize for! I was the one beating her to oblivion, but as always she was sweet and well mannered.

“Nice girls finish last, darling.” I had told her.

I sit the sandwich down, and wipe my hands on the bottoms I was wearing. “Your right, we need to be back in town by tomorrow anyways, we’ll leave early morning.”

He nods and begins undressing. I knew the first thing on his filthy mind would be my body, and I definitely needed to avoid that, at all costs. I slide under the covers, switching off the lamp by my bed. He slides his body in next to me, I felt the hardness of his chest pressed tightly against my back as his giant hands smoothly glided over the curve of my waist and slowly made their way to my chest. I push his hands back and beg off. “Darling, please. I have a headache.”

He seems angry; his hands stop, but stay placed defiantly on my chest. “How can you have another headache?! It’s always something! I’m your boyfriend! You can’t be a tease forever!”

Oh, if he only knew.

“I’m just not ready.” I murmur, getting agitated.

In one quick movement, he had me pinned under him, my hips locked firmly between his knees and my hands above my head in a vice grip. As dumb as he was, the man was strong, and for the first time since the attack, I felt a touch of panic in my throat. This man could violate me. Take the gift of my body away from my loving Justin.

“Robert, Stop!” I scream, flailing under him, he gets close to my face, and kisses my neck, and that was when I smelled the vodka on his breath. Oh man, this was bad.

He kisses my neck roughly. “Oh, Natasha. I’ll be gentle, don’t worry darling, you’ll enjoy yourself.”

He grinds against me, easing the pressure on me a tiny bit. A little was enough, I recognized the window of opportunity and bucked my hips up, mixed with the intoxication, it was enough to throw him off balance enough for me to land a hard knee in the groin. Immediately, he released my hands, and fell sideways, clutching himself.

I sit up; straighten my clothes and work hard to keep the tremble out of my voice as I kiss his head in a faux movement of admiration.

“Do not, ever, touch me again.” I say sweetly, and get up, taking the thick over throw comforter off of the bed, trudging to the bathroom and lock the door. Tonight, I would sleep in the bathtub, in the safety and comfort of my own space. Tomorrow I would rid myself of the problem that was Robert.

Lilly







The next day, Cameron carried me to the doctor, with a bouncing Kari a happy accompany.

As I sat nervously in the waiting room, I watched two young twin girls playing on the floor with blocks. Something, at the back of my mind was itching. A memory? I watched the girls carefully. Did I know them? Had I seen them before? What was it about the young children that had me so uptight? Kari glances over, and gently touches my arm,

"Are you okay, Lilly? You're really pale."

I nod, and swallow hard; I knew there was something there, but...what?

One of the small girls tosses a ball, and it lands near my feet. I pick it up and carefully study the girl as she takes it from my hands shyly.

“Lilly Walker?” A receptionist calls from a doorway in the back of the room, Cameron leans over and whispers, “I signed you in under my last name, I thought of asking you if you remembered yours, but…”

He trails off as I stand to go to the back, still perturbed by the twin girls.

Kari follows along, but Cameron stays in the waiting room. The receptionist introduces herself as Mariah, and begins to ask me questions. I answer what I can, and get her up to date on my medical ‘situation’. She weighs me, a trim 120 pounds, and notes my vitals. “Your blood pressure is a bit high.” She comments, are you stressed? I could’ve hit her, right then.

No, you bimbo. Being nearly murdered, left for dead, and rebuilding a life I don’t remember just puts me in a fantastic mood.

She seems not to notice my aggravated forced smile, and I follow her back to a blue room she sat me and Kari in, informing us the doctor would return soon.

I sit on the examination table, and watch as Kari curiously paws through doors and cabinets, and spins in the stool with wheels.

I couldn’t help smile at her, and she looks up and smiles back.

“Want to try it?”

I laugh and wave her off, “No thanks, you look like you have it down to an art.”

She grins and continues to spin until the doctor, a young lady with a pretty face but almost scarily thin, enters.

“Hello, Lilly. I’m Dr. Jones, because you’re a new patient, and you’re history and everything we’re going to run some blood test, just to make sure we know everything, alright?”

I nod, and she leaves quickly with promises to return soon. Kari, looking bored, flips her hair over her shoulder and reaches into her checkered jacket pocket and pulls out her iPod, inserts the headphones, and tunes out the world.

Dr. Jones comes back with a tray of needles and syringes, and tiny clear tubes. Kari looks up, “Ohmigod,” She states, wide-eyed, “They’re vampires.” I smirk at her, “Oh, hush you. As if I’m not nervous enough.”

She shrugs, “Sorry, but don’t say I didn’t tell you.”

I roll my eyes and hold my arm out to the doctor, she smiles at Kari, and ties my arm above the vein, cleanses it and fights back a giggle when I close my eyes as she picks up the needle, preparing to break the skin, and steal my blood.

As soon as it begins flowing into the small clear capsule-like container Kari goes white.

“Vampire.” She whispers.

Natahsa







“Where are we going?” Robert asks, with none of the cute, boyfriend-type emotion he had previously showed me. He must have still been upset about last night, or what he remembered of it.

“A surprise darling, now stay here, would you like a drink?” I ask as I pull our stolen, cream colored car into the parking lot of a local pharmacy.

“Coke is fine.” He responds somewhat grumpily, striking the sensitive nerve of my aggravation gland. I had no patience for this filthy man. He needed a shower, he was greasy and stunk.

I make my way inside the air conditioned building and smile at the older cashier. He seemed to watch me closely, as if suspicious of something. The need to lay low overpowered my urge to hurry, and I bee lined my way to the front to win over his affection, at least for the moment.

“May I help you?”

“Yes, my brother, oh he’s come down with a terrible cold, and we’re on our way to Minnesota.”

He nods, watching me closely as I toyed with free magnets they were handing out.

“Well, he’s quite a complainer when he doesn’t feel well, gods bless his soul, do you have anything I could make him sleep well for a few hours, until we get to our next stop?”

He smiles at me, finally seeming to calm down just a bit. “Let me look in the back, I’ll see what I can find, feel free to search around.”

Search I did. The heavy trench coat made it easy, when I came upon the heavy dose cough syrup, and the depression pills, with the bright warning label of drowsiness, to hide deep into the folds of the fabric. An extra eyeliner pencil went in also, and some lipstick. It never hurt to look good.

I take up some anxiety pills, just as I hear him coming back. Quickly, I make myself look preoccupied with the coke machine. I retrieve two drinks and walk back to the cashier. He smiles, oblivious that I was in the process of stealing at least sixty dollars’ worth of expensive medication. By the time he seen the security tapes, I would be long gone, and so would Robert.

I push that thought to the back of my mind, and smile back kindly, and fork over the fifteen dollars for the medicine he supplied.

“This is going to make your brother very drowsy,” he states, laughing “Almost dead to the world, and be careful not to overkill it, because you don’t know how sensitive he is to the active ingredients.”

He went on with medical jargon that I had no patience for until I finally cut him off, “My brother is 6 foot tall, about 250 pounds. How much should I give him of this?”

“About a tablespoon, not more.”

I nod my thanks, quickly pay for the drinks and head out. As soon as I round the corner of the building, I open Roberts drink, and take a giant swallow. Working quickly, I poor in half the bottle that the pharmacist and break open a few of the depression and anxiety capsules into it. I screw the cap back on tightly, and walk back to the car, smiling like nothing was out of the ordinary.

          I watch as he sloppily chugs down the cocktail drink, his greasy lips devouring every last drop. The stomach churning sight was worth it, because within five minutes, his head clunked against his window, her was out cold. 'Dead to the world.' As I reach to flip the radio station, I notice my hands are shaking, and try to will them to stop. There was a constant pounding in my head that I attributed to nerves as I slowly-but-surely gained speed, until I was going 85 MPH in a 50 zone. For the next four hours, Robert didn't so much as twitch, and I reached over on a few occasions to check his pulse. Though very weakened, he was still alive. No way did I want to travel with a dead body in my car.

The stink would be unbearable.

Lilly









                              When the all too skinny doctor re-appears in the room, Kari is in mid-twirl on the chair, and considerably dizzy.