Truth Comes Second

An Uncertain Future

Author's note: School sucks. I'd rather be writing. Sorry for the delay

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Julie's POV

Kenny carefully unwrapped the gauze off from around my leg. The tender flesh on my thigh throbbed whenever his fingers would graze against the gauze.

"Don't worry," Kenny told me. "It'll be over soon and you can go to sleep."

The thin curtains were pulled back on the window and the moonlight was flooding in. My eyes felt heavy and I struggled to keep them open.

"Thank you," I muttered.

I kept my eyes locked on the moon. I didn't want to look down at my leg. I didn't want to see the stitched up and swollen wound that Tommy gave me. I snuck a peek at it the first time Kenny changed the gauze, and it looked awful. I couldn't believe Kenny when he said I would be able to walk on it again.

"I was talking to Carrie before I came to your room," he said. "She really wants to talk to you."

I squeezed my eyes shut. Carrie was betraying our family and telling the police and the reporters about everything that went on in the house. I needed to talk to her though. I needed to convince her to stop now before it got any worse. It probably couldn't get worse. Everyone was looking out for Jimmy and Tommy.

"Can she come to my room?" I asked.

I felt Kenny's hands stop for a moment. "I'm sure she'll be up."

He finished wrapping my leg back up and then pulled the nightgown back down over my legs. He straightened out the blankets for me so that they were tucked in around me.

"I'll go ask her if she wants to come down," he said.

"Thank you," I said, nodding my head.

I heard Kenny's footsteps walk out of the room and then down the hall. How close was Carrie's room? I never thought about her being close. It would make sense if she was. That way they could block off all of the reporters and police.

I turned my head to the other side when I heard a new set of footsteps walk toward my room. Carrie's blonde hair was tied back. She had on a pair of pink and blue pajamas on and not the flimsy hospital gown I was stuck in. She walked toward my bed like she had a pole stuck up her back. Her movements were awkward and jerky. She pulled out a chair and sat next to my bed.

"I'm not used to this," Carrie said as she sat down. "Usually I'm the one stuck in bed."

"Want to trade?" I offered giving her a faint smile.

"No. I'm good," she said. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. They say I'm healing fast."

"That's good. You'll be out of here in no time."

I gave her a slight nodded. She shifted her weight awkwardly in her seat and I could see her face wince in pain. Her back is still healing from Tommy whipping her with his belt.

"Have you talked to the cops yet?" she asked.

"A bit," I said.