Not Just A 'Shelby'

Chapter 11: I'm Fine!

Four of the six Shelby siblings hauled their way to the home. Sprinting through the front door they were met with Polly coming down from the upstairs.

"No one will see her this afternoon. She is asleep, passed out from the pain. We will have a family meeting tonight when she wakes." Polly announced as her and Ada packed their things into the kitchen.

Of course, none of the boys knew how to listen to their aunt, except for little Finn who had followed us aunt and sister to ask the many questions he had. Tom, Arthur and John loudly made their way up the stairs and into their sister's room. They entered the room and the scene in front of them broke each of there hearts, well what was left of them. She laid in her bed soundly, shallow breaths making her chest rise and fall. Polly had changed her out of her bloody suit and into her nightgown. She looked in pain even when sleeping, her right eye still severely swollen, her nose forming a large black and blue bruise which had reached her other eye. Her bottom lip was split open, dried blood forming in the freshly cleaned cut. Cuts were seen up and down her arms and a small splint was holding together two of her fingers. What the boys could not see was her three cracked ribs, a severe concussion, and her new nightmares. As she laid there her mind flew a hundred miles a minute, reliving her fathers many beatings, but a new face had been introduced. Instead of just her father, the inspector stood beside him, joining in every once in a while.

Tom was the first to approach his sister, sitting on the bed next to her and gently grabbing her hand. He rubbed his fingers over the back of her hand. "Oh Dot."

John came and sat in the chair that had been placed next to her bed. Arthur stayed next to the doorway, not being able to see his little sister in the state she was in. He looked at the floor.

"Who the fuck did this?" Arthur questioned.

"We don't know. I found her unconscious out on the doorstep, when I brought her in she started freaking out, telling me not to hurt her. Then Polly told me to bring her upstairs and take Finn to find you two." John explained.

"How much did Finn see?" Tom asked.

"All of it." John spoke sadly.

Suddenly, Dot's breathing became very fast and she moved slightly, shaking her head. "no stop, please stop." She whisper quietly.

Tom looked to his brothers. He reached for her shoulders, gently touching her. "Dot, wake up. You're okay, we're here." Thomas tried coaxing her out of her nightmare but it was no use.

"Stop, don't touch me." She began to get louder.

"Dot, please." John begged.

"No, no! Please stop!" She screamed. Her eyes quickly opened and she shot up, almost knocking Tom over with her head. She looked around the room, looking to her brothers. Meeting Tom's eyes she jumped to him, falling into his arms and breaking down.

"Oh Thomas, I tried to be brave, I'm sorry." She cried to him. He hugged her back, stroking the back of her head.

"Don't be sorry. You have no reason." He tried calming her. It had begun to work.

She laid in Tommy's arms for a few more minutes.

"Now are you gonna tell us who did this to you or do we need to find out ourselves?" Tom asked her softly. Polly and Ada had made way back into the room to change some of Dot's dressings. She sat there silently as they did it, staring at the wall.

John sighed. "Come on Thea, you can talk to us."

"He said he wanted us to help him." She spoke quietly.

"Who did, Dotty?" Polly asked.

"The inspector."

"Is that who did this to you?" Arthur asked.