The Attic

Chapter 24: Recovering

The headphones are removed first, but the droning noise sticks with me. People on either side try to talk to me, but the words are drowned out by the droning—that goddamn droning that's been going on since he left me down here. Next off is the blindfold. It takes me a good long minute to adjust from the darkness, and still can't focus as Jenna and Thomas's mother try to talk to me. Somehow, between my dizzying vision and slowly-returning hearing, I can partially make out what they're trying to say.

Jenna takes out the gag, finally giving me a chance to close my mouth and rest my jaw, then carefully holds me up from the front as my left arm is released from above me. She guides me carefully down until I'm resting on my knees and leaning against her. As Thomas's mother examines my limp wrist, Jenna whispers calming words to me.

Tears of pain trickle in her hair as I hold her close. After being prodded and observed, my wrist is placed into an ill-fitting brace.

"He's stable enough. Let's move him over to the bed."

They drag me over carefully, but I can't help them much. I still have one good foot, but everything is too exhausted and sore to be useful.

"And down... Easy, easy."

As my chest touches the bedding, the pent up stress in my limbs dissipates. I readily give in to the softness, trying to forget my pains.

A warm liquid suddenly runs down my shoulder, stinging the exposed flesh of Thomas's bite mark. Before I get the chance to jerk away, Jenna leans over and holds me still by my shoulder blade.

"Shh, shh, calm down, it's just soapy water. We have to clean it, okay? We don't want it to get infected."

With my one good hand, I clench the bedding at my side. I understand it has to be done, but fuck!

She finishes quickly after seeing my discomfort, then helps me lift my upper body so her mother can put a dressing over it. After they let me lie back down, I can feel their stares on my back and preemptively regret what's going to have to happen next.

"We're going to be super careful, but it might hurt, okay?"

I nod as best as I can while digging my head into the mattress. What I wouldn't give to be out of it for this. Or for any of what's happened.

Both take their time treating me gently and I return the favor by resisting my urge to squirm away. After several burning minutes, they've cleaned them all and rinsed my back over to rid of any extra soap suds. Before I can ask what's next, Jenna holds my shoulders down again as her mother takes a needle to my skin. I jerk, against my better judgment, but Jenna holds on tight.

"Stop moving! You're gonna make it worse. They'll heal better if you get stitches."

A groan escapes my lips into the bedding as I try to give an apology.

With each tug of the thread, I relive every single strike. Even so, they get through the whole ordeal without a further breakdown.

After it's all settled, they again make me sit up, this time having me hold my arms away from my body enough to wrap my back and chest with roller gauze.

"How does it feel?"

I try to move, but it holds me tight. "I can't really move..."

"That's fine. It's a strange feeling at first, I know, but you'll get used to it. Sit back, and we'll look at your ankle."

They lean me against the wall and wrap the sprain tight. As they place ice over it, I realize only one thing left hasn't been taken care of.

"Please, just take me to a hospital..."