(Sorry, She's a long and dark chapter. Skip if you don't want to read about torture.)
The rest of the school week went as well as it could have. I've been tired, but I gradually seemed to regain some of the energy that was zapped out of me. Every night, Eddie slept with me, holding me tightly in his arms, waiting and afraid I would start floating again, but I haven't.
I laid in bed with Eddie all night, watching as he happily slept. As tired as I am, I just can't fall asleep. I lay there now, just thinking of the horrible life I've caused him. I think about how much better his life would have been if I never came across him that fateful day six years ago. Sure, he would have had a badly broken arm, but he could have gotten the care he needed. He wouldn't have had to grow up with a monster that ruined any chances he had of growing up a happy normal kid without knowing about kids with superpowers. I think about how he wouldn't have had to deal with a girlfriend slowly killing herself because of an eating disorder or how he technically died because of me. He would have never felt that pain of being beaten and stabbed repeatedly as he watched his girlfriend get strangled to death in front of him. I think about how he is the one to truly suffer every time something happens to me. I am the true freak here, not him. I'm a monster.
I lay there, staring at my ceiling as he sleeps. Finally, he rolled over, letting me out of his grip. I took the opportunity and got out of bed before he could hug onto me again.
"I'm so sorry." I softly whisper as I walk out of the room, going to the kitchen to quickly write him a note, begging him not to come looking for me.
"To my dearest love, Eddie. I'm sorry for all of the hurt I've caused you. You deserve so much better. I'm sorry, I need to leave you so you can be safe and happy. Tell Wayne I said thank you for taking care of me all these years. Please don't look for me. I will always love you. Angel. xoxo"
I quietly went back to my room and left the note on my side of the bed. I looked at his sleeping form one last time.
"I love you so much." I whispered as I left my room and the trailer. Tears steam down my face as I walk away towards the woods, hoping no one will see me. It's still early. The sun isn't even up yet.
I made my way to the place where my life had both begun and technically ended. The clearing in the woods where I had met Eddie and where we both died. The place where I had killed and buried Charlie. I placed my hand on the tree his body was under. I lower my head as I kneel into the dirt.
"I'm so sorry." I said to the ground he was deep beneath.
I look around me, the thoughts of that night suddenly hitting me like a Mack truck on the highway. I can see Eddie tied up and bleeding against the tree, I can see Jason standing over me. I can see the wicked look in Chad's eyes as he leads our executions. There's Becky crying as I fought so hard to bring Eddie back from a death he didn't deserve.
I closed my eyes and let the tears fall as I stood back up and made my way through the woods. I wandered around town aimlessly, trying to avoid anyone, not wanting to be seen. I must have been walking for a while, totally lost in my own head. I find myself standing in the middle of a back road. Not just any back road, but the one where Becky had died, being ripped apart by those roots, or vines, whatever they were. I stand there, reliving the moment that made me really start to spiral downhill. I swear I can still see her blood on the street.
Once again, my feet started carrying me away, walking toward the Starcourt Mall.
"What the hell?" I ask myself as I shrug and walk inside. The place is busily packed with customers and teens just hanging out with their friends, having a good time. I see a familiar face, though I'm not sure if they're who I think they are. A young girl with shoulder length brown hair and brown eyes, hanging out with another girl. I swear I know her face. I stare at her for a moment. She looked up and noticed me staring. Her eyes grew wide as she looked at me as if she feels the same way. Do I know her?
The two girls came over to me as I just stood there, their shopping bags looped over their arms.
"Do I know you?" the brunet asked me as she stared me up and down.
"I- I don't know. I was wondering the same thing." I replied as I examined her face. I looked down at her arms that are bent at the elbow at her waist with the bags looped over. My eyes grew wider as I noticed the small tattoo on her wrist. "011"
"Eleven?" I asked as I looked back at her face. She looks exactly the same as I remember, just older, and her hair has grown out now, too.
"How did you?" She questioned as she narrowed her eyes at me. I quickly rolled up my sleeve and showed her my small tattoo. "Angel!?" She exclaimed, dropping her bags and hugging me tightly.
"I know Steve mentioned you, but I didn't think I'd ever see you, Eleven!" I hugged her back, almost forgetting that I was running away.
"Uhm, I guess you know each other?" The little red headed girl asked Eleven as she watched our interaction.
"Yeah! this is Angel. She's kind of one of my 'sisters'." Eleven replied as she broke away from the hug. "Angel, this is Max. Max, Angel."
"Hi." Max said as she looked between Eleven and myself.
"Hello." I replied.
"Sisters?" She asked, looking at Eleven again.
"Yeah, uhm, she is from the lab too." Eleven answered with a smile plastered on her face. "Speaking of Steve, we were just about to go get some ice cream. Do you want to come with us?"
"Sure, I guess I have time." I told her as I forced a smile, not really wanting to see Steve right now, I'm almost sure he will tell Eddie he saw me if he does look for me.
I joined the two younger girls to go to Scoops Ahoy, being met by Steve and Robin, who were working the counter together yet again.
"Hey Angel, I see you and El have met again." He said with a smirk. "What can I get you guys?" He asked.
The two girls ordered, and I hung back. I stupidly didn't bring any money with me to leave, let alone get ice cream with them.
"What about you, Angel?" Robin asked as she watched me try to slink away.
"Oh, I'm good, thanks. I don't have any money.
"That's okay, It's on the house." Steve said, offering to give me some for free.
"No, It's okay. I don't want to get you in trouble. I should be going anyway." I told them
"Oh, okay. Where's Eddie?" Steve asked, knowing we are practically joined at the hip.
"He's home. I uhm-" I didn't know how to finish my sentence as I looked down at the ring Eddie gave me. Oh how I miss him already. I don't want to leave him, but he deserves so much better than what I can give him. He just isn't safe with me.
Steve raised a brow, noticing the look in my eye and the sadness on my face.
"Did he hurt you Angel?" He asked noticing the tears starting to fill my eyes.
"No! He would never hurt me." I turned around quickly, trying to hide my face from the older teens who were now growing concerned. "I gotta go." I said as I ran off to the furthest bathroom I could, to pull myself together. I need to leave, and soon.
Robin and Steve looked to each other befor Steve disappeared into the breakroom.
"Is she okay?" Robin asked the younger girls who just shrugged, not knowing me well enough to know anything.
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**Eddie's POV**
I woke up to an empty bed. A note laying beside me where Angel should be. I sat up and read it, my heart sinking in my chest. She left, and she doesn't want me to look for her? What is going through her head that would made her want to do this? I just keep reading it over and over again.
"To my dearest love, Eddie. I'm sorry for all of the hurt I've caused you. You deserve so much better. I'm sorry, I need to leave you so you can be safe and happy. Tell Wayne I said thank you for taking care of me all these years. Please don't look for me. I will always love you. Angel. xoxo"
I don't care that she told me not to look for her, there is no way I'm leaving her out there on her own. As I was pulling on my shoes, the phone started to ring. I tripped my way over and grabbed it in a panic.
"Hello?!"
"Eddie? It's Steve. Is everything okay?" He asked me. I can hear the concern in his voice.
"I don't know man. What do you want?" I asked him as I pulled my shoes on at the counter.
"I just saw Angel. She seems pretty upset. Did something happen?"
"When doesn't something happen, Steve? Where is she now?" I asked as I grabbed my keys. "I'm on my way to find her."
"I think she's somewhere in the mall. She was just here with El and Max getting ice cream." He told me.
"She's at the mall?" I asked as I threw on my jacket.
"I don't know if she's still here. She ran off. She seems REALLY upset."
"I'm on my way!" I told him before hanging up the phone and running to the van.
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**Angel's POV**
I stayed in the bathroom for a couple minutes, wiping away my tears before I left. I made my way back out of the mall before I could bump into anyone else that might try to stop me.
I pulled my arms around myself as I walked along the edge of the road, away from the mall. I don't know where I'm going to go, but I can't stay here. No one is safe as long as I'm around. I wasn't paying attention as the cars flew by me down the road. I kind of wish one of them would run me over. I wouldn't bother healing myself if that were the case, I don't even know if I could right now.
I heard a car slow down behind me, pulling up a bit and stopping a little ways in front of where I'm walking.
"Grab her!" I heard someone shout as the passenger doors swung open. I looked up for a split second before I was harshly grabbed and thrown in the back seat, the door slamming against me a moment before it sped off.
"What the fuck?" I yelled as I was being held against the back seat by Patrick.
"Shut up freak!" The driver of the car yelled behind himself.
"Jason?!" I screamed as Patrick slapped his hand over my mouth. Somehow Jason was out illegally driving one of his dad's many cars. He always seems to get away with everything.
"I think there's still some rope back there. Tie her up will you Patrick?" He shouted back at his buddy who was practically sitting on me.
"Let me go!" I screamed as I attempted to wiggle out from under him. He has me pinned under his body in just a way that I can't move my arms or legs.
"Or what? Are you gonna use your witchy magic on us? Just shut the fuck up will you Munson?" Jason yelled as Patrick managed to wrap the rope around my wrists, causing the memories of that night to flood back into my mind. I started to panic, trying to muster up any ability I had to get him to stop. Sadly, just like Monday, nothing was happening. "What's wrong? Your demon powers not working?" Jason laughed as he sped down the road.
"Where are you taking me, Jason? What are you going to do to me?" I cried. I know I wished someone would run me over and end me, but I don't really want to die, especially not by the hands of Jason, not again. There's no one to save me this time.
"Don't worry about it. You know Angel, if you just renounce the devil, I'll let you live. We could be happy together, you know? Stop being a freak, leave Eddie, and be with me." He said as he pulled up to an abandoned house in the woods by the lake.
"What? I would never be with you, Jason. I love Eddie!" I cried as Patrick got off of me, getting out of the car. He pulled me out by the rope that held my hands behind my back.
"Where is Eddie, hmm?" Jason asked as he got out of the car, gesturing around him in the open space. "I don't see him here, do you?"
"I left." I told him, telling the truth. I did leave. I left him home alone with an apology note.
"You did?" He asked as he came up in front of me, stroking the back of his hand over my face. "You left that freak?"
"I- I did." I said as I looked to the ground beneath my feet. He back handed me.
"I don't believe you." He snarled as he grabbed my chin in his hand, forcing me to look at him. "You know Angel. You were always so pretty. I couldn't stop looking at you when we were younger. Then you changed. You turned into him!" He spit his words as he spoke about how I turned into a female version of Eddie. "We could have been something, but you chose him."
"Jason, if you ever liked me, you wouldn't have been so mean to me for years!" I sobbed, wishing now that I stayed home. "You wouldn't have killed me!"
"I didn't kill you, Angel. You're standing right in front of me, very much alive."
"You choked the life out of me, Jason! Take off my necklace, look at what you left behind."
Jason nodded to Patrick, who jerked the rope, pulling my arms, causing me to jerk and flinch in pain.
"Bring her." Jason told Patrick as he started walking toward the house. Patrick obeyed his friend and teammate, pushing me along into the house. "You can go, Patrick." Jason told him as he snatched the rope from his hands, sending him off .
Patrick didn't look like he really wanted to be a part of whatever was going to happen. He didn't look like he wanted to be part of this from the beginning even. He just thought they were going out for a drive to go do something different than whatever this is. He gave me an apologetic look as he left the house.
"Whatever you're going to do to me, Jason, just do it and get it over with." I said, accepting my fate. "I won't fight you." I told him as I stood in his grasp.
"Oh, I'm going to have fun with this." he grinned at me as he drug me to a room of the house, shoving me down onto the bed. I looked around the room as he walked in , locking the door behind him. I could see he had something planned for a while. He has different types of knives lined up on the dresser, with some heavy duty scissors and pliers, what looks like bolt cutters and chains, something that looks like a whip. I could feel my heart begin to race as I rethought what I had just said. He was going to torture me, and there is nothing I can do about it.
"Jason, whatever I did to make you hate me so much, I'm sorry. I'm so, so , so , so sorry. Please, please don't hurt me. I don't want to die." I started to sob as he looked at me. He watched me as I squirmed, trying to sit up on the bed.
"Fuck you, Angel." He said as he grabbed four sets of cuffs from a table. My eyes grew wide as he walked over to me, slapping one set around my wrist, connecting the other end around the bed post. "Do you want to know what you did to me?" He asked as he slapped the other handcuff around the other wrist before untying the rope, letting my hands free from that restraint, only to snap it around the other bed post.
"What did I do to you Jason?" I whimpered as I tried to pull my hands away, being way too slow, I was now cuffed to the bed.
"You rejected me." He simply said as he pulled off my shoes. "You rejected me!" He screamed as he fought with my kicking legs to snap the leg shackle around my ankle and connected my leg to the other corner of the bed.
"I did?" I asked him, not remembering what he's talking about. I can't recall him ever making a move, or trying to get my attention in any way.
"You did." he replied as he pulled my other leg to the side, making quick work of fully restraining me to the bed.
"I'm sorry. Jason, please, I'm sorry." I jerked my hands and legs, hoping that one of the cuffs was loose enough to come undone. I'm not so lucky.
"You don't remember, do you?" He asked as he walked over to the dresser top covered in different sized knives and blades.
"I'm sorry." I whimpered as I watched him decide on what he was going to use on me first.
"It was our Winter dance. I wanted to ask the cutest girl to go with me." He said as he lifted a long thin knife in front of his face, examining it a moment before setting it down. "I thought you, were the cutest, sweetest girl. With those big icey blue eyes, and your short wavy hair. How you were always so nice to everyone. It didn't matter to me that you're a little older, I really, really liked you. " He smiled as he reminisced about the younger innocent version of me. He picked up another knife, it looks similar to the hunting knife that was used on Eddie. He turned to me with a wicked grin. "I gave you a little white bunny plush, that had little silver snowflakes stitched onto it. You looked at me like you were disgusted. You yelled at me, and you ran off to Eddie the fucking FREAK!" he screamed as he came over to the bed, sitting next to me.
"I'm sorry, Jason, we weren't - we aren't even in the same grade. I- I didn't like boys back then. You all had cooties." I whimpered as he grabbed the bottom hem of my shirt and started cutting it off with the knife.
"Oh, we all had cooties? But you went to Eddie?" He growled as he pulled the knife through my shirt, effectively cutting it open, reveling my bra and torso.
"He was like my brother Jason! We're best friends! We lived together." I tried to explain. There was nothing between us when we were in the sixth grade, only best friends.
"You looked at him the same way then as you do now." He said as he started cutting through the sleeves of my shirt until it was able to be easily discarded.
"Jason, please. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ever hurt you or anyone." Tears were rolling down my face as he was easily cutting away my clothes. He didn't say anything for a while as he set to cutting off my jeans, throwing the shreds to the side with my shirt. All that was left for him to destroy my clothes would be my bra and underwear.
"You will be sorry." He said as he cut the straps of my bra and the tiny space between my breasts, throwing that to the side now as well, leaving me now only in my panties. "Why did you choose him, Angel?" He asked as he placed the blade against my stomach.
"I- I don't know. We just -" I winced as he pressed it harder against my skin, not stabbing or cutting into me just yet.
"You don't know?" he asked as he looked at my bare chest, licking his lips in desperation.
"The day I met him, we just connected. He needed a friend, and so did I." I tried to explain. Jason didn't like my answer as he drew the blade across my skin, cutting deep. "Jason! Please!" I cried and winced.
"You just connected? We could have connected, Angel! You should have been mine! And what about Chad, hmm? I know he liked you, and you broke his heart, too!" He lifted the blade to my relief, only to put it against my cheek.
"Chad never liked me! He wanted to use me!" my breath caught in my throat as I felt the knife against my face. " He just wanted to use me, Jason. Oh God, please don't hurt me anymore."
He pulled the knife down my face, soft enough not to cut me. He drug it to my throat where he cut away my choker necklace, reveling the rope scars he caused not too long ago. I saw his eye fix on the mark for a moment before he pressed the knife over the scar. "Where's Charlie, hmm? What did you do to him? He's been missing for days."
"I didn't do anything to Charlie!" I lie.
"You met up with him didn't you? What. Did. You. Do?"
"Yeah,I met up with him, but I didn't didn't do anything. I swear." I cried. Does he know what I did? Did he follow us?
"What are you?" He asked as he stared at my throat, admiring his handy work from before.
"I don't know what you mean." I winced at the touch of the blade against my neck, trembling in fear that he would slice my throat open then and there.
"What the fuck are you?" He asked again as he glared down into my eyes. "How are you alive? How is Eddie alive?!"
"I don't know!" I cried as he pressed the knife harder against my throat.
"Liar!" He said as he pulled the blade across my skin, just enough to make me bleed. He didn't want to kill me just yet.
"I brought him back!" I cried. "Becky, she saved me, and I used my abilities to bring Eddie back from the dead!" I screamed as he cut me.
"So you are a witch, or a demon!?" he shouted at me.
"I don't know!" I trembled under him. "I was just born this way, I don't know!"
"Renounce the devil, Angel. Be the good girl I know you want to be." He told me, his eyes softening a bit, hoping that I say I will accept his god into my heart and be a new person.
I didn't know what to say to him to make him believe that I am not a demon, or possessed, or whatever he thinks I am. My silence only made his rage return. He quickly used the knife to cut off my panties, adding the pieces to the pile. If I make it out of here alive, I have nothing to wear now.
He climbed off of the bed and went over to the side table drawer, pulling out what looked like a bottle of Holy water.
"Accept Jesus Christ as your savior, Angel." He said as he opened the bottle and started splashing it on me. I think he was expecting some kind of reaction of out me to prove that I am part of the devils army.
"Let me go Jason!" I cried as he kept splashing the water over my body, almost looking shocked that nothing was happening.
He stopped splashing me, closing up the bottle, he went back over to the dresser to decide what he would use on me next. I looked over at him in horror as he picked up the small riding crop like whip and turned to face me again.
"Say you don't love him any more." He said quietly as he looked at my body, chewing his lip as he thought about here he would start.
"I- I can't." I cried as I closed my eyes. I heard him growl as he came to the edge of the bed again.
"Say it!" He screamed as he snapped the whip against my legs. I screamed out in pain as my skin was cut by the leather. "Say you don't love him!" He continued to shout at me as he kept hitting me with the crop. He didn't care where he hit me at this point, snapping it against every and any part of my body that he could hit.
I continued to cry, refusing to say that I no longer love Eddie. Jason set the whip aside for the time being, looking hungrily at my bloody body. He undid his pants as he crawled up between my legs, forcefully grabbing my face. He stared hard into my eyes as I tried to turn away from him.
"Look at you, so defenseless. You can't even use your demon magic to protect yourself." He said as he gave me a pat on the cheek before standing and going back to the dresser. He trailed his fingers over a few before deciding on a karambit, bringing it up in front of his face to examine the curved blade.
"Why are you doing this to me, Jason?" I cried as I tugged away at the shackles holding me to the bed. "I know it isn't because I didn't go with you to some stupid dance."
He turned back to the bed and made his way over me once again, his knees between my legs, one hand placed firmly on the bed to prop himself up, the other bringing the knifes hooked edge to my throat again.
"Because, you need to renounce the devil, and that freak. You need to be a good girl. You need to love me."
"Never." I growled up at him. He poked the tip of the knife into my skin at my collarbone, pulling on it, giving me a small deep cut.
"Never say never sweetheart." He hissed as he sat up a bit, pulling himself out of his pants and boxers before lining up with me, slightly pressing himself inside of me.
"Jason, Stop!" I screamed, wiggling around as much as I could on the bed to prevent him from going further. His eyes snapped to mine as he used his free hand to slap me across the face again, causing me to jerk at the force.
"Don't think for a second you can ever tell me what to do bitch!" He yelled as he forced himself in deeper. There is nothing I can do, nothing but cry as he does whatever he wants to me.
I think I went into shock at this point. My body ran cold, my limbs are tingling, I can barely breathe as he thrusts himself in and out repeatedly. I lay there completely motionless as my life flashes before my eyes, every horrible thing that I have ever done, or that has happened to me. I can't think of any good times that could possibly get me through this moment. I deserve this. This is my punishment for being a monster, I don't deserve to live.
Jason continued his heinous act on me as he trails the knife over my body, cutting a big X deeply over my chest from collar bone to ribs, the center of the mark right between my breasts. He leaned into my ear a moment before cumming, hissing out his words.
"Take my seed whore."
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**Eddie's POV**
I sped to the mall as quickly as I could, without getting my ass pulled over. That's the last thing I need right now. I found the closest parking space I could before I ran into the mall, rushing to the Scoops Ahoy to find Steve. He's there with Robin, Max and some other girl I never met before.
"Where is she?" I asked as I frantically reached the counter.
"She ran off right before I called you. I don't know where she is." Steve replied, looking to the weird girl. "El?" he asked.
"Yeah?" She replied, giving him a look like she knows what he wants her to do. Steve looked around a moment before motioning for us to all go into the break room behind the counter.
"Can you find her?" He asked the girl once we were all safely out of peoples ear shot. Robin was left to man the counter.
"Maybe?" She said as she looked around. "Do you have something I can use as a blind fold?" She asked.
"Here, use this." I said as I handed her my bandana out of my back pocket. I have no idea what she needs a blindfold for.
"And something for white noise?" She asked again. Steve quickly turned on the radio, putting it to static. The girl sat on the floor by the radio and tied my bandana around her eyes. "Okay, everyone be quiet." She instructed as she seemed to go into a trance.
Steve, Max and I stood there, watching and waiting for what felt like forever.
"Let me go Jason!"
"Say you don't love him anymore!"
"I- I can't"
*Whip* *Screams and crying.*
"I think I found her." El said, a bit of fear in her voice.
"Where is she? Is she okay?" I asked.
"She is with someone named Jason. He is hurting her." She answered as she continued to watch with her minds eye.
"What do you mean he's hurting her?" Steve and I both asked.
"She is tied up to a bed. Naked. There is blood." She replied, still watching the events unfolding as they happen in real time wherever he has her.
"Naked? Blood?" I started to panic more as she spoke.
"She is in a house, by the lake. He has knives. He is, whipping her." She continued. "He wants her. He wants her to say she doesn't love him?" Her body jerked as if she just watched something horrible happen. "She can't. She can't say she doesn't love someone."
Steve looked at me then back to El, listening to what she's saying. I'm pacing around the small room.
"We need to know where this house is. Where is it? What house by the lake?" I started demanding. I need to get to her before it's too late.
"It looks abandoned." she answered. "There's so much blood."
"Jason, stop." tears stream, blood pours.
Eleven quickly pulls off the bandana blindfold and hands it back to me.
"We need to go now, she doesn't have much time left." The girl said as she stood up, heading out of the room.
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**Angel's POV**
When Jason was finally done using me, he picked up the whip again with a wicked smirk. He pulled out of me, tucking himself back into his pants before he sat back between my legs, admiring his work before striking me repeatedly with the leather again.
"Please stop." I cried, my tears streaming down my face as blood pours from my open wounds. "Please, just kill me. I can't-" I begged him to just end my life now, I can't take any more pain. I feel so weak and tired wondering just how much longer I can take the torture.
Jason stops whipping me finally, looking down at the mess hes made of the bed and my body. He slowly got up and went to grab the bolt cutters. He took his time to cut the metal around my wrists and ankles that were holding me to the bed. I just laid there unable to move. He pushed all of the tools into a duffel bag before coming been to the bed, glaring down at me.
"I should just kill you, be rid of the demons inside of you. But I think I'll just dispose of you in the woods and see if anyone finds you before it's too late." He laughed before throwing me over his shoulder. He doesn't care if he gets covered in blood. He has to dispose of the evidence, though he left the sheets on the bed.
He carried me out to the edge of the lake, tossing me harshly into the tree line, causing me to hit the ground with a thump. My head slammed against a decently sized rock, knocking me out cold. He looked at me, laughing too himself before throwing the bag of heavy tools as far as he could into the water. He left me there as went back to his car and drove away, probably to go home and get cleaned up before anyone saw him. The evidence left behind would only be pinned on whoever owns the house.
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**Eddie's POV**
Robin shut down shop, not wanting to be left alone at the counter, She may get in trouble for that later. The five of us ran out of the mall and hopped into the van. Eleven telling me exactly where to go to find the this house.
"There. That one!" she shouted as I pulled up to the location she swears Angel is at. There are no other cars here, meaning Jason had already left. God I hope he didn't take her with him. We all jumped out of the van and ran into the house that was left unlocked. We split up to search the house, calling her name.
"Angel!" I yelled as I walked down a hallway, checking the rooms as I went. I came across a door that was partially open. I pushed it all the way and let out a blood curdling scream at what I saw. The others all rushed in behind me, also screaming at the sight of what I assume used to be white sheets on the bed. "Oh God, where is she?" I trembled as I walked over to the bed, seeing how much blood there was, a slight outline of what I can only assume was her body.
"El? Can you find her?" Steve asked, needing the young teen to once again try to find her 'sister' before it's too late, if it isn't already.
"I can try." she said, sitting on the floor, not asking for the bandana or white noise again. There isn't time.
I ran out of the house, searching everywhere and anywhere I can. I need to find her. She needs a hospital.
"Angel!?" I yelled as loud as I could, hoping she can hear me, hoping she can answer. Robin and Max came up behind me, forming a tiny search party.
"Where can she be?" Robin asked as she looked around, walking down toward the lake.
"You don't think he threw her in do you?" Max asked as she followed behind her.
"Don't say that!" I yelled as I followed as well. "Please don't let her he in the lake. Please!"
"I'm sorry, I-" Max tried to apologize, really hoping Jason wouldn't have thrown Angel's body in the water.
Steve came rushing out with Eleven, holding a clean blanket as they took off running toward the tree line.
"I think she found her!" He yelled to us. We quickly ran in their direction.
"Oh my God. Angel?!" Steve said frantically as he leaned down with the blanket in his hands, wrapping it around her badly cut, bloody body.
"Angel?" I asked as I ran up behind him, so glad she was found. "Is she okay?" I stupidly questioned, knowing damn well the way Eleven was talking there's no fucking way she's okay.
"No." Steve said as he lifted her up in his arms, her body now at least covered with the blanket, though I could see the blood dripping from her to the ground.
"Angel?!" I moved to his side so I could take her from him. "Princess?" I cried as I looked at her sweet face, now able to see the blood dripping from her head.
"What are we supposed to do? If we take her to the hospital, they're going to ask too many questions." Steve stated as he paced around.
"We have to take her somewhere." Robin said as she watched Steve.
"Can you help her?" I asked Eleven. She's like Angel, she has abilities. I don't know what powers she has, but I had to ask.
"I can't heal people. I'm sorry. She's the only one who has that ability." she said sadly as she looked at her once upon a time friend.
I stood as quickly as I could, having Angel in my arms. I started toward the van.
"I don't care if they try to arrest me, she needs doctors." I said as I frantically tried to get her in the back seat.
"Here, Let me help." Steve said as he helped me get get into the van. "I'll drive. Everyone in, now!" He shouted to the girls to get into the van. He pushed it to its limits as he drove as fast as my van would go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once at the hospital, Steve parked in the ambulance unloading lane. He rushed inside screaming frantically.
"We need help out here!" he motioned to the hospital staff that came running, leading them to the van. He swung open the door, reveling Angel laying wrapped in a blanket in my lap. They came out with a gurney and quickly took her from my grip, laying her out and rushing her inside to the emergency room.
"What happened?" one of the staff questioned me as I shakily got out of the van.
"She, she ran away from home last night. We went searching for her and found her like this at the lake." I left out the other details, trying to make sure they didn't think we had anything to do with her injuries.
They nodded as the jotted down what I was telling them. I explained what I could, scared as hell they were going to pin it on me.
"Do you know who did this to her?" they asked as they looked at me and the rest of the group. I know who did it, but I have no proof, no evidence.
"No, we don't" I lied, unable to explain how I would know it was Jason Carver.
"Alright, you said she ran away from home. Any idea when, or why?"
"No, I woke up this morning and she was gone. She just left a note saying she was sorry." I told them. I'm trembling in fear as I speak. Robin saw the fear in my eyes and placed a hand on my shoulder, trying to comfort me.
"Okay, thank you. You can all stay out here, or you can go home for the time being. We will do everything we can to help her." The worker said before turning on their heals to walk away.
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Robin, Steve, Eleven and Max all sat in the seats, watching as I paced around the room, feeling sick to my stomach.
"Eddie, sit down." Steve said as he watched me. "She's going to be alright."
"How do you know? Huh? You saw her! You saw what he did." I ran my hands over my face, my heart is pounding in my chest, my anger boiling over. What made Jason think he had the right?
"We got her here, they aren't trying to arrest us. They're going to help her. It'll be okay." Robin said as she watched me.
I finally took a seat, elbows on my knees, my face in my hands. I feel so sick as we sit here waiting for some news.
"I can't do this." I said as my knee started bouncing.
"Do what?" Max asked, seeing my anxiety peek.
"I can't sit here without knowing if she's okay." I stood up again and started pacing around the room like a maniac once again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I finally sat down again. I looked at the clock and sighed. It's been five hours that we've been in this room waiting for some news.
"Angel is in recovery. You can all go see her." The doctor finally came out and announced to us. The look on his face worrying.
"Is she okay?" I asked, jumping out of my seat yet again.
"She's pretty cut up, as I'm sure you all already know. We stitched her up and gave her a blood transfusion." He sighed as he looked over at me, watching my reactions. I guess he figured I'm the 'boyfriend'. "It looks like a crime of passion, whoever did this to her, really wanted to hurt her." He said as he looked me in the eye.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked
"Are you her boyfriend?"
"Fiancé." I stated.
"Come with me." He said as he motioned for me to follow him away from the others.
"What is it?" I asked nervously, wondering what he was going to tell me. "Is she okay?"
"Did you do this?" He asked, looking me dead in the eye. Why does everyone think I'm a woman beater?
"No!" I shouted at him, tears filling my eyes.
"How old are you son?"
"Sixteen." I answered, almost ashamed of myself for being so young and in this situation.
"Are you aware, whoever did this, raped her?" He looked me over, gauging my reaction, watching to see if I would show any tell tale sign that I am just acting like I'm clueless.
"What? He... He raped her?" I choked on my words, dropping to my knees on the floor. "Not my princess. No, no, no, no!" I shook my head as I started sobbing uncontrollably.
"I'm sorry. We gave her a medication to prevent an unwanted pregnancy." He said as he reached down to help me up off of the floor. "Let's get you back to your friends, so you can all go see her. Okay?"
"Okay." I said as I stood back up on shaky legs to go join my friends before being lead to her recovery room.
"Alright, You guys can all go in. She should have woken up already, but-. " He pressed his lips into a fine line as he looked at our reactions, not wanting to worry us anymore than we already are. He opened the door to let us in.
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We all entered the room slowly. I was the last to walk in, too afraid to look at her in that bed. The last few times she was here, I knew she would be okay, but not this time. This time, she wasn't awake smiling back at me when I entered.
All of our friends slowly walked up around her, quietly looking down at her. I almost feel like I'm at her funeral as I look at her laying there so still. I let out a gasping sob as I can see the bandages sticking out from under the hospital gown.
"Eddie, She's going to be okay." Robin tried once again reassuring me.
Eleven came and sat on the bed beside Angel, taking her hand and holding it loosely. I watched as the girl closed her eyes, going back into that trance like state.
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**Angel's POV**
"Angel? Angel, where are you?" I could hear someone calling my name before I saw who it was.
"Eleven?" I asked as the girl approached me.
"Why did you run away?" she asked as she came up to me.
"Bad things keep happening Eleven. It's best for everyone if I leave. I'm bad." I told her.
"You don't have to go though. That boy really cares about you. He's crying." She told me as we started walking in the darkness.
"He's why I need to leave. I only bring him misery. I'm a monster."
"If you're a monster, so am I."
"There's no way you're a monster Eleven." I told her with a faint smile. "You never hurt anyone."
"That is not true." she said as she pressed her lips into a fine line. "I have hurt people, I killed quite a few. I am probably worse than you."
"Doubt that." I said to her as we were getting close to a lit up space in the dark. she was leading me back to myself. "Eleven I can't" I said as I stood still in my tracks, looking at the scene in front of me.
"They are all worried about you. I, am worried about you. I have not seen you in six years and you think I am going to let you go away now?" she replied, tugging on my arm to get closer to the scene in front of us. I took a few steps closer and watched.
I could see them all so clearly, standing around a hospital room. Eleven on the bed beside me, holding my hand as she's here with me in the dark world. Robin, Max and Steve standing on one side of the bed, Eddie sitting in a chair next to me, holding my other hand.
"Eleven." I said as I turned away from what I was watching play out.
"What was so bad that you ran away?" She asked, turning toward me.
"I love him Eleven. I love him and I only bring him pain and misery. I'm constantly battling my inner demons, wanting to keep him safe and happy, and I can't. I'm the worst thing that has ever happened to him." I cried.
"What about the good things you have been through?" She asked. "How did you two meet?"
I thought about it for a moment, the scene of my escape from the lab appearing next to us. My wandering for miles before coming up on the clearing in the woods, and a young Eddie falling out of the tree. My first encounter with the boy playing out for Eleven who smiled as she watched.
"See, you did not hurt him then." she said. "What else?"
I thought about all of the other amazing times together, leaving out any sex, not wanting the thirteen year old to see that. She watched as all of the happy memories with Eddie played for her like a movie of my life after the lab.
"You cannot tell me that the bad outweighs the good, can you?" she asked.
Suddenly all the horrific memories started to play. From the moment Chad took advantage of me, Eddie and Becky rushing me to the hospital, to our birthday party, to our deaths, my constant beatings in school, my killing of Chad and Charlie, my miscarriage, all the way up until todays viscous attack. Eleven watched in shock, not thinking my life could have been so bad.
"Angel, You cannot let those bad things stop you from being happy. Look at him." she said as she redirected my attention to Eddie who was still watching over me like a hawk, waiting for me to wake up.
"I can't Eleven. I don't even have my abilities anymore. Just, go back to them and tell them I'm sorry. I can't keep hurting them." I turned away from her and started walking back into my darkness.
"Angel!" she shouted after me. I started to run, as fast and as far as I could, away from them I can't keep being the cause of their pain, especially not Eddies. I love him too much to keep hurting him. Eleven chased after me, trying to reach me before I got too far away.
"I can't keep hurting him Eleven! I can't. I have to end this now." I kept running away.
"You are going to destroy him if you die." she said as she stopped chasing me. I didn't listen. I just kept running.
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**Eddie's POV**
I just sat there on the bed, watching Angel breathe. I can feel my eyes filling with tears but I just can't cry anymore. Eleven has been in this trance for a long time. I wonder if she's okay. I wonder if she's in Angels head, talking to her. I glance at the clock and sigh to myself. It's been an hour.
Eleven lets go of Angels hand and opens her eyes, looking up at us sadly.
"What? What's wrong?" I asked her as she slowly stood from the bed.
"She does not want to come back. She said she is sorry. She does not want to cause you anymore pain."
"What? what do you mean she doesn't want to come back?" I looked at her then back at Angel who is laying perfectly still on her bed, only breathing.
"She said she loves you too much to keep hurting you." Eleven said as she walked over to Max and Robin. Steve looked at me and Angel, slightly shaking his head.
"She's killing me by not waking up!" I shouted, looking down at Angels face, brushing my hand over her cheek.
"I told her that. She thinks this is best for you, for all of us. If she does not exist, the bad will stop happening.
"That's bullshit. Angel!" I screamed into her ear, wishing she could hear me. "That's bullshit Angel! Please come back!"
"Eddie." Steve said as he looked to the floor, as if he knows it isn't going to work.
I let out a guttural cry as I pulled Angel's head to my chest, pressing her ear against me. The sound of my heartbeat always made her feel safe. She can't do this to me. She can't leave me like this.
"Angel please!?" I cried, holding her as close to me as I possibly can, my heart pounding in my chest. I know she has to be able to hear it.
Max and Eleven walked out of the room. I don't know what they're doing or where they're going. I don't really care at this point.
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**Angel's POV**
I stopped running, there's no where to go here. I sat down and pulled my knees to my chest, crying to myself. I feel like I can hear my heart pounding in my head, but the beat that I'm hearing isn't matching the one that I feel in my chest as the sound echoes all around me.
I look around, able to see the tiny dot of light, what looks like it's miles away, knowing I still have a chance to go back. I can't. I can't go back and keep hurting those who love me. I need to stay here. They will grieve the loss and eventually move on. I can't keep bringing misfortune to them anymore.
"Angel Please!?" I gasped as I heard Eddies voice begging me. No, I have to stay here. He will be alright one day. I hugged my arms around my knees and pulled my hands to my ears, not wanting to hear it anymore. It's not my heartbeat I'm hearing. It's the sound of his, breaking.
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"Angel?" Eleven was back, coming up beside me. I sat there trying to ignore her. "Angel." she said again, placing a hand on my shoulder. I shrugged her off of me. "Angel. Come on. I refuse to leave you here alone in your darkness. Just, come back with me." she said as she tugged my hands away from my ears.
"I can't go back."
"Can you not hear it?" she asked, referring to the sound of Eddies breaking heart. "I can, and it is the saddest thing I've ever heard." she said as she put a hand out to me.
"What good will it make if I go back? I'm powerless, I can't protect myself, let alone him." I said as I looked up at her finally.
"You do not need powers." She said. Easy for her to say, she has hers.
"I can't face him after what I did, after what I said." I told her, referring to my note. I flinched at the sound of the echoing heart beat as it started to change rapidly. I know he's crying, his heart is skipping a few beats, so does mine as I feel him falling apart in my head.
"Listen to what you are doing to him now. I do not think he will ever get over it if you do not come back." She only just met Eddie, she doesn't know him, but she does. "Come on." she said as she put both hands out for me to take now.
I sniffled before letting out a long sigh, finally taking her hands and standing. We walked that long path back to the light in silence as I watched it grow bigger until we were once again standing right outside of the hospital room.
"I will see you on the other side?" She asked as she looked between me on my bed, and me standing next to her. I gave her a small nod. She smiled at me before she vanished, her mind going back to where she is in the hospital. I stood in the doorway of the two worlds, watching and debating on if I would really go back into that destroyed body.
"She is coming back!" I heard Eleven yell as she reappeared in the room with Max in tow.
The others all looked at her, knowing now that she had gone to the other room to try to reach me again.
"Is she?" Steve asked as he looked back to Eddie holding my limp body firmly to his chest. I can hear as his heart skips a beat as he looks between my body and Eleven, the faintest of smiles on his lips as he waits for me to wake up. I stand there still watching, too scared to step back in. I hear his heartbeat quicken as he looks at me, watching as I'm still not waking up. It breaks my heart, but I still can't do it.
"I thought you said she was coming back?" Eddie asked, starting to panic. His heart racing so fast it almost sounded like nothing but a hum.
"I thought she was." Eleven responded, looking toward me, knowing exactly where I would be standing if I were at the opening to come back through. "Come on Angel. Come back. Please." She said in my direction. Eddie looked to the spot where she was speaking too.
"Angel, please? Come back princess." I felt like he was looking right at me. I clutched a hand over my heart and reached my other out toward him as my feet started carrying me into the room, leading me right beside him. I placed my hand on his cheek, cupping his face softly. I could see that he could feel it though he kept his arms firmly wrapped around my body.
I looked at myself, really looked. My face only had a slight bruise where Jason had back handed me. The rest of me was completely covered up with bandages and a hospital gown with a thin blanket pulled up to my chest. I took a deep breath as I reached my hand down barely grazing my own face as I found myself suddenly sucked back into my battered form.
I let out a small pained whimper and started breathing heavily, every breath causing more pain. I could feel every stitch that held me together.
"Princess?"
I whined inaudibly against him. He hesitantly released me from his grip and allowed me to lay back in the bed. I slowly opened my eyes to see everyone around me looking both sad and relieved at the same time.
"I'm sorry." I whispered as I tried not to cry.
"Why did you run away Princess?" Eddie asked as he took my hand back in his. I quickly pulled it from him and looked away, ashamed of what I did and what happened. "Princess?" he questioned at my action, not understanding.
"Because, I didn't want you to have to deal with this kind of shit anymore." I said away from him, unable to look at him.
"Baby." He said as he reached for me again, only I wouldn't let him touch me. I can't let him touch me. Why would he want to?
"I'm sorry Eddie." I said as I slipped off the ring he gave me, trying to hand it back to him without looking at him.
"Angel? Why are you giving this back to me?" He asked as he accepted it. I could tell his heart just shattered.
"I can't be with you anymore Eddie. I'm sorry." my voice cracking as I spoke. Everyone around us just watching and listening in shock. Steve and Robin knowing us the longest, know damn well that I would never leave Eddie for anything.
"Is it because of what Jason did to you? Baby, it'll be okay, don't do this now. Please? Take some time to really think about what you're doing." now his voice was cracking as he fought back his sobs.
I closed my eyes, unable to look at anyone in the room now. Do they all know what Jason did? I can feel their eyes burning into me. I wish he would have killed me so I don't have to feel this way.
"I'm so sorry, Eddie." I cried, really cried. My head was feeling heavy and rushed at the thoughts are running through my mind. His crying breaking my heart. I feel like it burst into an infinite amount of pieces, turning to dust in my chest as I tried to breathe, barely able to get a breath. My entire body feels like pins and needles. "I can't." I cried as I blacked out.
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**Eddie's POV**
"We need help in here!" Steve yelled out into the hall, hoping a nurse or doctor would come in.
"What happened?" A nurse asked as she came into the room, checking the monitor and report from the past few minutes, noticing the peek in heart rate. She came over to Angel and flashed a little light into her eyes to check the response as her pupils dilated and constricted at the flash.
"She woke up and was talking to us for a little bit and then -" Steve moved his arms towards Angel, gesturing to her blacked out state.
The nurse looked at everyone in the room before walking out. A few moments later, the doctor came back instructing us to leave.
"You will all have to go for now. She needs her rest and clearly something triggered this. Please go." He spoke as he motioned to the door.
"Please, I'm her - " I stopped, not knowing what I am to her now.
"Please go, or I'll have to call security to escort you." He said, trying to push us all out of the room.
"Fine, we'll go." I said as I looked at her laying there. "I love you." I said before we were forced to leave.
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We all went back out to my van that Steve had eventually parked in a space so it wasn't in the way. Everyone hopped in and I drove back to the mall, dropping them off to get Steves car before we all went back to the trailer.
"Fuck!" I said as I got out.
"What?" Steve asked as they all got out of his car.
"My uncle's home." I said as I slammed the door closed. "What the fuck am I supposed to tell him. I don't think they called him yet."
"I don't know. The truth?" Robin said as she looked toward the trailer door.
"Oh yeah, I'm going to tell him that she was running away from home and got picked up my Jason who cut her up and raped her." I said as I kicked the tire of my vehicle.
"What!?" Steve shouted as he looked at me in shock. "He did what?"
"You heard me!" I yelled as I headed to the door to go inside, the four of them following behind me.
"Hey boy." My uncle greeted before he saw my face. "What's wrong?"
"Everything." I said as I stormed inside, throwing myself on the couch. Our friends walking in slowly, looking between me and my uncle.
"Where's Angel?" He asked as he took a seat in his chair, looking at me with a look that says he knows something is wrong.
"Just tell him, Eddie." Steve said as he lowered his head.
"Tell me what?" Wayne asked, leaning on his elbows on the dinning table.
"She's in the hospital. It's bad." I said as I sunk further into the couch.
"What happened?!" He asked, noticeably worried.
"She ran away from home." Robin started to explain, but quickly stopped as I gave her a death stare.
"She ran away from home?" Wayne asked, wondering what was so bad about living here that she would just leave us.
"We met up with her at the mall." Max stated. "We invited her to get ice cream with us." she motioned between herself and Eleven, then over to Steve and Robin who were still wearing their goofy ass uniforms.
"She seemed really upset." Robin started again. " She ran away from us in the mall."
"Steve called me and I went to get them before we went to find her, but we were too late." I explained to my uncle, as I fought the tears. I was still holding the ring in my hand.
"Too late? Boy, if you don't tell me what happened!" He stood up and walked over to me, watching me play with her ring in my hand. "Eddie. What happened?"
"She was picked up by an asshole and tied to a bed! He beat her and cut her and fucking raped her! Okay!?" I got up and stormed to my room, slamming the door behind me, unable to be in the same room with any of them any longer.
Wayne watched as I stormed away before looking back at my "friends" waiting for someone to explain.
"Why aren't you all still there with her? Why didn't anyone call me?" I could hear him loudly asking them what the hell happened to cause us to be home instead of there.
"She woke up for a little while. Told Eddie she couldn't be with him anymore. I guess it was all too much for her and she blacked out. They made us leave." Steve explained. "They said if we didn't go, they would call security on us."
Wayne took a seat on the couch where I was previously sitting, hands on his face. I guess I get that from him.
"So it's bad, huh?" He looked at Steve, the down the hall toward our rooms. "She broke up with him?"
"It's bad." Robin said as she took a seat at the table. "I guess what he did to her, she doesn't feel like she can be there for Eddie now."
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The phone rang, and Wayne answered.
"Hello? This is Wayne."
"Mr Munson. We have Angel here in our care. We wanted to let you know that she was attacked, but she is okay now. She has stabilized and should ne able to go home tomorrow or the next day."
"Why did no one call me when she got there?"
"I'm sorry sir, It was very hectic. I do apologize for not calling sooner."
"Why were her friends kicked out? They should be there with her!"
"She was unstable. We didn't want them to see her like that. We didn't know if she was going to pull through or not at the time."
"Is there any way that I can talk to her?"
"Just a moment sir." hold music started to play as Wayne was placed on hold for the call to be connected to Angels room, the only question is, would she answer.
"Hello?" someone picked up. " Just a second." the phone was handed to Angel.
"Hello?"
"Angel, sweetheart, it's Uncle Wayne."
"Hi."
"Angel, are you alright? I'm going to come get you as soon as I can okay?"
"I'm okay. Please don't come get me." She hung up the phone.
Wayne stood there in shock, the phone still in his hand as he looked to the teens in his house.
"What's wrong?" Steve asked, taking in the look on his face.
"She told me to not bring her home." he replied as he finally set the phone back down on the receiver.
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**Angel's POV**
Once it was late, and most of the hospital staff were just milling about. I pulled the tubes from my arm and slipped out of the room. I tiptoed around, careful to not be spotted as I made my escape.
((To Be Continued!!))