The Marx Brothers

Chapter Seventeen - 'Hospitalized'

Seconds later, I was pulled up by my arms, a hard fist colliding with my middle, slamming into my stomach, into my intestines. I coughed and spluttered, and then another blow, followed by another. My ears rung, my vision distorted, and when the arms released me, I fell to the ground.

Just when I thought it was over, Dillon landed a hard kick into my already damaged middle. I struggled to breathe, my air limited. It felt as though my ribs had shattered, my stomach had exploded and my heart split down the very middle.

I closed my eyes, and lay still in a circled position. I didn't want to move, if Dillon thought I was unconscious or dead, he would let me be, so that's why I did. I played dead.

I had no idea how long I lay on the cold hard concrete. But when I was sure Dillon was gone, I slowly opened my eyes, and surprisingly, they were cleared - wet from tears - but unobstructed.

Cradling my stomach, cradling my bruised and battered body, I lifted myself upwards and stumbled the rest of the way home, up my street.

I had made it half way, and then I stopped myself. Grace would be home, she would call the police and an ambulance. I couldn't let that happen. They would ask questions, Grace would make a big deal of it, what excuse did I have for my injuries?

Clutching my stomach, tears strolled down my face. I stared at my home, wondering if there was a chance of me being able to slip inside, into my bedroom, into my bed without Grace seeing me, speaking to me or hearing me.

I grit my teeth, my stomach rolling on itself. I was going to be sick.
I leaned forward and allowed my stomach to hurl on itself, coughing, keeping quiet, liquid ran up my throat and exited my mouth.
Releasing it, it made me feel better, that was until I realized what I was freeing. It was blood.

Something inside of me had ruptured. I needed an ambulance.

Stumbling forward, I lifted my gaze towards the houses perfectly aligned beside each other, rounding into a loop, and that's when my sight landed on one house in particular.

Without a second thought, I moved forward, holding my insides together with my bare hands.
I tried to lean up as straight as I possibly could, faintly knocking on the front wooden door.
I wasn't sure it was loud enough, so I leaned on the door frame, ready to submit to the dull ache rushing around my body. I just wanted to sleep.

"Eden?" A familiar voice spoke, bemused as the door opened

I lightly nodded, unable to speak as my body was lifted and moved inside

"Eden, Eden, open your eyes for me" Phoenix demanded, the heat of his hands over my cheeks, his thumbs rubbing slow circles beside my eyes, closed

I shook my head "I can't" I told him, squeezing my eyes tightly shut, tears falling from the corners

"C'mon Eden, just... open your eyes for me" His voice was low, urgent, I could hear the panic behind the calm

Slowly, I lifted my gaze, the image of his face hovering above me visible

"That's it, keep them open"

I nodded, doing as I was told

"What happened, can you tell me what happened?" He pleaded "Tell me who did this to you"

"I..." I stumbled off, not wanting to reveal the truth to him.

I shook my head.

"Who did this to you?" He repeated more forcefully

His eyes were on mine, stern and desperate

There was no way I was going to tell him who it was and what they had said.
I kept my mouth shut, and tried to squeeze my eyes shut again, but Phoenix refused to let me. His fingers pressed into my cheeks, the warmth soothing.