To Trust a Giant

Chapter 38

The room was silent as everyone anxiously waited for news about Stella, but hours passed with no word on her condition. The only thing they could do is sit on the couch and wait. James curled up on Jason's lap, while Charlie sat between the two adults. They succumbed to their drowsiness, despite their protest to stay up for Stella. And Jason was fighting the urge to fall asleep with them, nodding off every so often only to jolt himself awake.

But Clair remained restless. Worry weighed heavily in her heart. It's been over a month since she tossed Stella out; Clair thought that she could survive out there. But when she found Stella bloody and barely concious in the snow, she realized just how wrong she was. Guilt washed over Clair, it was her fault Stella was in this critical state. Each passing moment of silence brought more dread into Clair. Did she find Stella in time? Did she lose too much blood? Was Stella hiding something else that happened out there? By the time door opened, Clair already feared the worst.

Her dad walked out of the room, guiding his wife who trudged behind. Her long gray hair was pulled back in a ponytail but loose strands swayed as she moved. She looked so exhausted, and the dark circles that began forming under her blue eyes didn't help.

"Well?" Jason asked.

"Stella is in stable condition but she hasn't regained consciousness yet. I wouldn't be surprised if she is in pain for the next few weeks."

The weight of Clair's guilt were lifted off her shoulders. She didn't realize that she was holding her breath until she let out a sigh of relief. She looked over to Jason and smiled with him. Thank god they found her in time! Stella was going to be okay!

However, her parents didn't seem to have the same Expression on their faces. A grim look cast over them like a dark cloud. Clair's mother spoke up.

"But we noticed scars all over her body. Some that look too fresh to be from her past."

"Well, she said she was attacked by a feral." Jason pointed out.

Mom shook her head. "Not the majority of them. They're too large and clean to have come from a feral. It's more likely that she ran into a giant who abused her again."

No, that couldn't happen to Stella, she wouldn't allow herself to get captured by another giant! Surely she would have been careful and stayed out of sight. Her mom had to be wrong, maybe her eyesight got the best of her. There had to be other ways Stella got those scars. Clair didn't want to believe that she just sent a girl back to the horrors she ran away from in the first place! She looked over to her dad, hoping for another possiblity. "Please tell me it's not true."

He sighed heavily and shook his head. "I've seen a lot of scars in my day, there's no chance that they were accidental. I wouldn't be surprised if she ran into her previous abuser."

"Shit…" Jason's face twisted in horror. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. Not that Clair couldn't blame him, a million thoughts must have been running through his head. He was the one who tried to save her from the hardships of life out there, all of his efforts would have been for naught.

"Do you think she'll get better?" He finally asked.

"I hope so."

But Clair had her doubts. Stella was already traumatized by her past, she was still terrified of everyone here, even her mother's kindness left Stella a little weary. If she had the misfortune of reliving the terrors of her old abuser again, then she would likely go insane. And it was all Clair's fault.

Mom yawned loudly and rubbed her eyes. The fatigue was getting to her. "I should probably check on Stella."

Dad grabbed her hand before she had a chance to leave. "You need rest, dear."