Chapter Sixteen

Frankie's point of view.

Chapter Sixteen: Frankie

I held Florence in my arms. Her body was limp but warm; I could feel her heart beating, and her blood running through her veins. She softly breathed in and out on my neck, I tightened my grip on her, and tried not to think about how much it hurt to carry her.

I was strong, stronger than some girls maybe but lets face it, I was still just a girl. Amelia kept yelling in my ear, ‘GO! JUMP GO!’ But the truth was, she deserved to live more than me.

I didn’t jump for myself, I jumped for Florence. If Amelia was holding Florence, she would have jumped, and I would have been the one that died.

I sobbed as I watched the building collapse. It was sudden, and it was unexpected. The fire burned everything that it touched, and then, bang, the whole house collapsed to the ground. Smoke filled the air, it was the only thing we breathed. Pieces of rubble spat out of the top of the house, like a bubble machine. It imaged like a mini hurricane; sucking everything to the ground. I could feel the pressure rising higher and higher. The whole thing was about to explode.

‘RUN!’ I screamed, holding Florence to my chest, running as best I could with my bad leg. We didn’t stop running, but we wasn’t far enough to miss the whole explosion. Everyone must of felt it…

The ground vibrated, my heart raced even faster than before, everything silenced and then there was one huge BOOM to confirm that it had happened. I managed a peak over my shoulder, but I still didn’t stop running, well, limping.

The girls had survived, every single one of them, except Amelia. That was unfortunate; again, if she’d been the one carrying Florence, she would of survived. She deserved to survive, it hurt too much to think about her. 

My arms ached from carrying Florence, my leg was hurting too, it was sore and felt numb. I had no doubt that it was broken, or at least sprained. I had bruises and cuts all over me too, but apart from that, I was fine.

Florence was a different story, she had cuts and bruises too, but she looked very pale and weak. Her stomach wound was becoming visible again too, the dressings had began to peel away. We needed to get to hospital, as soon as possible.

‘Is she awake yet?’ Evie murmured to me once I’d caught up with her.

‘No…’ I sighed, ‘But I think she’s okay.’

‘At least she’s breathing.’ Evie smiled sensitively.

I nodded, ‘Yep.’ I replied, thinking about Amelia.

The woods seemed like it was never ending, we’d kept going in the same direction from the house, but all the trees looked the same. ‘There must be a road somewhere. We can’t be completely isolated…’ I murmured, as though to myself. 

‘I don’t think we’re any where near London…’ Evie said, her voice distant, as though she was thinking out loud.

‘I agree.’ I sighed, ‘Right, so where the hell are we?’

‘Frankie, you look totally exhausted. You should rest.'

‘I’m fine, we should keep going while it’s light…’

‘But you must be in pain.’

‘Evie, I’m fine! Can we just keep going?’

‘Does it hurt worse when I talk about it?’

‘Yes.’ I gritted my teeth.

Evie laughed. A beautiful, musical sound that my ears had been too deaf to hear until now. I smiled, ‘C’mon.’

We trekked through the forest, feeling like we were just going round in circles. It was getting dark when we decided to stop. It hadn’t been too cold earlier but I could feel the wind on my neck, and I knew it was going to be a cold night.

‘We need to make a shelter.’

‘How? With what?’ 

‘I don’t know.’ I frowned, my arms completely dead. ‘Okay, that’s it.’ I gave up, dropping Florence gently to the ground. ‘Wow, my arms hurt.’

‘You can’t just leave her there!’ Evie rushed over to Florence, laying in the dirt. ‘I’ll carry her now.’

‘You won’t be able to. It really hurts.’

‘Well you need a rest, so I’ll try…’

‘Just sit down with her, she’ll be fine. I’ll try and find some stuff to make a shelter. Girls, help me?’

The younger girls helped me find some branches, and some wood. I’d hope to make a fire. I leaned the branches against a tree, trying to construct some sort of shelter. It didn’t need to be massive, or anything, just something to help keep us warm.

I fixed the branches together, and covered the roof with moss and leaves. It wasn’t exactly very big, but it was big enough for Florence and the younger girls, I’d sleep outside if I had too. Evie carried Florence into the shelter straight away, and the girls huddled together, as the day became evening.

I’d been right about the temperature; it was absolutely freezing. I’d been rubbing two sticks together for hours, but nothing, not even a flicker had managed to rise. My hands felt numb, almost completely frozen. I was waiting for them to turn blue.

In the end, Evie and I slept outside, while the others slept inside the shelter. I covered myself with leaves, it was better than nothing. I couldn’t wait to go home, though I didn’t exactly have a place to go. But it was better than being trapped, and isolated in that house, being controlled by Michael. I prayed that he would get what he deserved, I knew Florence definitely wouldn’t let him get away with any of this. She didn’t even know the half of it.

I kept forgetting that she had another person inside her. I guess in some places, it was worse for her. She’d spent half her pregnancy being kidnapped and imprisoned by some crazy guy. 

I wondered how Michael had got hold of Florence. Was she just a random girl he’d seen on the way home from school like Evie? Or was she a girl like me? That would explain her pregnancy, although it is quite saddening. 

I wondered, but I’d never dare to ask. The questions weren’t for me to ask, but either way, Florence would probably tell me soon enough. 

All I could do now is wait. 

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Author's Note

Unedited.

Another point of view change, and for a while, it isn't going to be Florence's view. Please tell me what you think of this idea, or whether it would be too confusing, ect ect. Enjoy! xx

Reviews

[TLK]

"I kept forgetting that she had another person inside her. I guess in some places, it was worse for her. She’d spent half her pregnancy being kidnapped and imprisoned by some crazy guy." -- a little bit melodramatic.