Chapter Eight; Tough Decisions

The next day came quickly and shamelessly. The windows allowed bright sunlight to filter through the room, Bouncing off the white walls and blinded me. At first, I hid my head under the blankets and let it out little by little until my eyes adjusted to the streaming light. I sat up and looked around, Wincing as I tried to sit straight. I grasped my back and my aching ribs. Maybe the doctor was right when he said I should stay laying down. Not too long after that, A nurse came in with a tray of food and set it down. I thanked her as she walked out, A pleasant smile on her face. I looked down and picked at the oatmeal and toast and took a sip of my orange juice. I wonder if they would yell at me if I ate or not. I wasn’t completely hungry, But, I figured it would be better for both me and the nurses if I ate, So I did.

                Time went by as visitors were let in the building. That was around lunch. My nurse came in with another tray of food and some pain pills. I took them willingly and took a bit of my food as the nurse started walking out.
“Um… Excuse me… Do you think I could please have a phone call?” I asked politely.
“Of course you can.” She smiled and handed me the phone.
“Thank you so much.” I smiled back at her.
“Any time. Just ring the buzzer if you need me for anything else.”
“I will. Thank you.” I repeated. She nodded and walked out. I looked down at the phone and thought to myself. I thought of everything could happen. Good and bad. My dad walking in here and catching me in the act, Being killed when it was all set and done, Kim coming and sweeping me away, Never to see the looks of him again… I just thought long and hard before my brain kept nudging me more and more to the phone idea. I thought it might be best.

                I tapped my finger on the phone over and over again before I swung it up into the air and dialed Kims number as fast as lightening. My heart raced as the dial tone pulsed in my left ear. I bit my lip, Tapping my fingers some more, Checking the door every few seconds, Just in case. Thoughts flew through my head as my brain was processing what was going on. I couldn’t believe I was doing this. I couldn’t believe I was betraying my father so hap hazardly…
‘No!’ I told myself. ‘I NEED to do this.’
“Hello?” asked a voice on the other line.
“Kim?”
“Yes. Is this Elizabeth?”
“Yes… I need your help…”
“With what? What’s wrong?” she asked urgently.
“I’m in the hospital. A-And I need your advice some more.”
“Why are you in the hospital?! What happened to you?”
“I’ll tell you when you get here. But please do it soon… I don’t know when he’ll get here…” my voice cracked.
“O-Okay. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Okay.” I stated. “Thank you.
“Oh , And Elizabeth…?”
“Yeah?”
“Stay strong… And stay away from him.”
“Okay. I will.” I said as she hung up the phone.

                I set the phone down next to me and laid back down, Wincing the entire way. My gown came open in the back a bit, Revealing my back and I waved it away and covered up. I was starting to get really cold. I waited for half an hour before I finally started to drift off to sleep. That’s when I noticed that I never even finished my food, Let alone barely touched it. I sighed to myself and finally drifted off to sleep. I dreamt happy dreams. I dreamt that we finally got rid of my dad and that I was free to do as I pleased. I wore a black spring dress with no sleeves and a short skirt. We ran through the park and walked through the streets of our town with slushies in our hands and flowers in our hair. I didn’t have to worry anymore and I had no reason to be scared by any means. We laid in the grass, Soaking in the sun and went to the carnival at the church at night, Winning prizes and riding rides. It was wonderful an magical. Something I would love to do… But can’t…

                “Elizabeth… Lizzy?” I heard someone call out in a muffled voice. Then I was being shaken.
“No mommy, I didn’t the llama cake… It tastes like spoiled blankets…” I said, Waking up. I shook my head a little bit and moaned tiredly.
“What?” I heard the voice perplexed. I took in a breath and looked around and rubbed my eyes, Looking up at a tall Kimberly Kelly.
“Hi…” I groaned.
“Hi there you silly sleepy head.” She smiled down at me.
“Hi, You tall girl…”
“So… What is it you wanted to talk about?”
“Oh yeah.” I let my head fall to the pillow again and tried my best to sit up and look at her. “I think we should tell somebody after all…”
“And why do you change your mind now?”
“Because of what happened yesterday. And I’m sick of taking all this crap.”
“What happened?”

                “Things that are worse more or less than they have been before. He pulled a knife on me and I had to get stitches, My back’s covered with new bruises and so are my arms, Legs and stomach.” I pulled down the covers and let her see my arms and stomach. She teared up and let them fall down her face.
“T-That’s horrible… We need to talk to someone.”
“That’s why I called you here. I want to but I don’t. What happens if he knows or finds out?”
“Oh well. He’ll be going to jail. It doesn’t matter what he thinks anymore. Tell him to f**k off for all I care…” Kim said, Wiping her tears away and getting enraged.
“P-Please calm down, Kim.”
“Sorry… I-I didn’t mean to.”
“And besides, They’ll believe him over me… I’m just a girl. I can’t do anything compared to him…”
“Yes you can… We’ll go tell my mom and dad and we’ll get our lawyer to represent you.” She smiled a bit.

                I didn’t know much about lawyers or anything about the courts and stuff, But if they could get me out of all of this chaos then I was more than willing to do as I was told with them. I trusted Kim and her decisions and same with her parents.
“Okay… But I don’t even know how to start or what to do…”
“It’s okay. We’ll help you… First… Where’s your doctor?”
“I’m not sure. His name’s Dr. Bravado.” I looked at her. She walked outside and looked around for a few minutes and came back with the doctor and they both sat.
“Elizabeth wants to tell you something, Sir. Liz?” she looked at me.
“Uh… Um… I wasn’t attacked by a robber…” I looked down.
“Then who were you attacked by?”
“My dad… It hasn’t been the first time…” I bit my lip, Feeling as if I were doing something wrong.
“I kind of thought as much.” He said in a strong voice.
“W-What…? How so?”
“He was acting really nervous, And when we examined your body you had multiple over bruising, Scars and scratches that haven’t been fully healed. We had a specialist come in and he said you had trauma and nerves that couldn’t be fixed. Your frail body has just been shattered. And when we looked at your medical records we found continuous broken bones, Contusions and fractures.” He said looking down at his clipboard and back up.

                “Oh… Okay.” I blinked.
“I think you’ve got a strong case… But we’re going to need to take pictures of your body later this afternoon so you have evidence, Alright?” he stood.
“Okay. Thank you.” I looked up at him as he patted my head gently and walked out.
“Ya see? I told you.” Kim said, Looking from the shutting door to me. All I could do was sit there and think. It didn’t feel real. It was too easy. My eyes flickered from the clock and back to the end of my bed, Then up to Kim.
“Kim…”
“Yeah Liz?”
“Will you stay here with me tonight, Please?” I asked, Looking down. That’s how I felt.
“Yeah. Sure.” She smiled. “I’ll be right next to you all night.” I smiled at her and laid back down as she sat in the chair next to me and took my hand in hers. I know it wasn’t a normal house or anything happy, But with my best friend by my side, A peaceful day and going to be another peaceful night, I felt content and confident in what I had to do. As I slid into sleep once again, I saw Kims smile and I fell asleep with my own, For the first time in years.

-Do you feel like a man, When you push her around?
Do you feel better now, As she falls to the ground?
Well I'll tell you my friend, One day this world's going to end.
As your lies crumble down, A new life she has found.-