Prey.

08.

Neela was released two weeks later after Ryan spoken to her father. She was sure to bring Ryder home with her. She hasn't seen Austin since that night, she was worried that the crash made her crazy. It was nothing but a dream.

A lot of the bruising on Neela has cleared up, some of the cuts were still very visible. She cracked a bone in her leg. Bed rest it was until she was able to return to school.

The dreams were less scary when she was able to go home, as time went on. Could they be stopping? She wouldn't hold her breath on it.

Her first day back to school was a blur; after school, she would be going back to counseling after almost two months. Her counseling appointments were all changed up since the crash. She'd be going on weekdays now. She'd go twice a week; on Monday's and Friday's.

Oh yeah, one more thing. Neela spent her birthday in the hospital. She was now 17, she was born October 19th. Her father didn't visit her on that day, so she'd just rather forget it. The dream the night of her birthday was more tamed.

"Neela," he called out in a sing-song voice. His footsteps got closer to their shared bedroom. She would be cowering away right now, but she was too injured and weak to do so. She just laid there, looking at the door. He opened the door and his heart lit up once he laid eyes on her. "Happy birthday." He sat back in the dried blood. He never cleaned the sheets from when he carved his name into her. "I have a special present for you today."

Neela's eyes show fear, but he takes her as if they're saying 'go on,'. "We get to go to the hospital to help with your wound. Then, we're gonna come back here for a big meal, your favorite foods. After our meal, I have some presents for you."

She shook her head the second he said 'hospital,' "why don't you want to go to the hospital?" His voice sounded concerned. "Please." She says, whimpering her words out. "Please? Please what?"

"Please let me die." Is when she let her tears fall. "I'm too broke, you win, okay?" Neela lifted up her shirt to show yellow scabbing with severely red skin surrounding the wound. "See? I have no more fight in me. You can't get your playtime anymore. I'm useless to you now."

"No, you're not useless to me, Neela. You're even more valuable to me now." Neela made a confused face, but she didn't speak again. She kept trying to veer away from him, which didn't work. "Do you wanna know how you're so valuable?" She shook her head. "Well, I'm gonna tell you anyway."

"I know you don't like our games or our punishments. Now that you're like this, we don't have to play those games anymore. We can focus on your healing process. I can figure out new games for us." She looked away and began to silently hiccup while crying. "Please smile." He took her left hand in both of his and pressed his lips to the white skin. Neela yanked her hand away from his and covered her face while she cried. "Moving you to go to the hospital may be very painful, please bear with me." The man picked her up bridal style and of course, her skin moved to where it was scrunched up.

Neela screamed in agony and tried to arch her back, but every position was painful for her. "It's going to be okay." At this point, Neela was wailing. "Can you do something for me?" He laid her back down on the bed, "sleep." Once the man said that simple word, Neela's eyes felt heavy and her body felt light. She soon closed her eyes in a calm slumber.

~~

Ryan even celebrated Neela's birthday. He made all of his brothers sit at their grand dining table, Ryan had wrapped presents scattered all over the table. "Do you like what I did for you?" He spoke to an empty chair.

Sean let out a puff of air, "can we go now?" He motioned to the rest of his brothers, excluding Ryan. "No! It's her birthday!"

"You don't even know when her birthday is," comes Caleb's complaint. At this point, Ryan began to feel bitter. He lifted up the empty chair that was to the left of his left hand and threw it at a wall. The wooden chair flies past Landon, nearly striking him, and hits the wall. The chair disintegrated upon initial impact. Everyone at the table was silent in dismay.

"If you let me bring her here, that wouldn't have happened!" Ryan spat his words out. "This is the exact reason she isn't allowed here! You get too zealous when you don't get your way!" Sean's voice grew gruff as his compelling words escaped his lips. At that point, Ryan grew flushed with rage. His medium colored skin brightened red.

He wanted to snap, he felt the rage boil in his stomach. His fists were balled tightly, just wanting to let the rage free. His brothers did commiserate for him, yes; but enough is enough. They dealt with his wants and pleas for over 17 years. When will he stop? "Fuck you all," Ryan spat out once again and left the house.

He let his feet lead him to wherever they wanted; he looked down at his feet and just walked. Someway, somehow, his feet lead him to the place he's always wanted to go to, but couldn't; the time was never right. Is the time right now? The time must be right now as his legs brought him here with no sense of direction. Can this be his time?