21. Testimonial

~Trigger warning, reflect back to previous chapters~

I ended up drifting off for a little bit. When I woke up, my tv was off and my room was empty of companionship. I looked over to the empty cot. Where did Tyler go? I yawned, stretched, and looked at the clock. 10:17am. I sighed and looked down. In my lap was the teddy bear from Noah and Tyler's open phone. My sudoku book was now on the table to my right with the tv remote. I picked up my phone and noticed I had a message started. "A- I'll be back by 1030. I needed to round up some food and bathroom break. You were sleeping peacefully and need some rest. -T" I wouldn't be alone long. I could handle that. I grabbed a pillow from behind my back, leaned forward, and coughed.

"Still taking care of yourself, I see," Janell praised as she walked into the room. "And without the encouragement of your devoted friends," she noticed with a grin. I returned the grin and wiped the tears from eyes and sat up again. "Let's listen to your lungs." I nodded, took another breath, and wiped my eyes one more time. Janell positioned herself on the left side of bed putting her stethoscope on. As she rested it on the left side of my back, I took in a deep breath. "Annette, honey, can you take a deeper breath?" I tried again and shook my head. I heard her sigh as she moved the stethoscope to the right side. I took another breath as Tyler walked in with a plate of food. He looked at the two of us and gave me a reassuring smile. I wiped another tear from my eyes, but I caught the nervous glance he shot Janell as she moved to the front of my chest. "Alright now. Another breath. As deep as you can. Thank you. One more. All done." She put her stethoscope away. "Annette, your lungs sound like they are holding fluid. If this gets worse, you will be moved back to ICU and put on a ventilator. You're young, never smoked, and were relatively healthy before this happened. So you have all the right factors to heal, but it will be a long process. You are short on breath, your lips are blue around the edges, and your heartbeat is irregular. So this means you need to put your mask back on. Half an hour and I'll come back and check on your lungs again," she instructed as she placed the mask over my head. I nodded and she sat my bed in an upward position. "Every five to ten minutes, I need you to lift your hand above your head. Breathe as deeply as you can for a minute and you can put your hand down again. No talking while the mask is on."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll ensure that she follows orders," Tyler said, putting his food in the garbage. Janell kindly patted my left foot and left the room. I pulled my leg to my chest, wrapped my arm around my leg and the teddy bear, and lowered my head into my knee and wept. Tyler sat behind me on my bed, rested his chin on my shoulder with his cheek pressed against my ear, and rubbed my right arm as he pulled me to his chest. "Annette, you can beat this," he whispered. I sobbed and grabbed the phone again.

"I once told you that death seems welcoming. You guys keep saving me from him only for him to get his hands around my throat again. He's still going to win," I typed and showed him. He read over my shoulder as my body shook with tears again. Tyler snaked his arms around my waist.

"Aha! So that's what you meant before; I was kinda confused and had to guess what you were saying. I clearly picked up hands and throat. I told you then and I'll tell you again, honey, Lionel will never hurt you again. He's not going to win, Annette. You are," Tyler promised.

"How?" I typed, without hitting send or delete. He kissed my temple. 

"I have faith," he whispered as he leaned me back into the pillows as he stood up. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "You're a fighter. Please don't beat yourself up. Don't accept death. We aren't giving you back to him so he can get his hands around your throat again. He has no more power here, 'Nettie. You hold it all."

"I thought I was fighting. I was doing well. Janell found an issue with my kidney this morning, and now my lungs. How is that winning?" I typed. 

Tyler took the phone out of my hands, erased everything I wrote, and closed it. He sat on the edge of my bed and opened his arms. I leaned willingly into them. He tousled my hair and rubbed my back. "I don't know why your body keeps shutting down. It seems most of your problems are found after you just woke up. Maybe you should sleep with the mask on. To see if that will help you." I nodded and sat up, wiping the tears from my eyes again. "Didn't we just have a talk about that? Take down your walls, woman," he teased pulling my hand away from my face. His eyes were glistening, but no tears had fallen yet. "If you need to cry, you just cry." I tried to grab the phone. He shook his hand. I pointed at his chest and made the crying symbol by my eyes with a smirk. "Yeah see! You're just fine, little 'Nettie. Still teasing, still smiling. He won't win. If you give up, think how devastated Noah will be. Then double that for Jess." I scowled slightly then grinned, made a fist with my hand, and pumped it in the air once before settling back into the bed, grateful for the extra support now that it was upright; I couldn't believe how quickly I felt drained and unable to support myself. He grinned. "Now imagine my pain because I would lose one sister and the other would be so overwhelmed with grief that she'd be inconsolable. And as for my new brother, well, he'd be a lost cause too." I rolled my eyes and tapped him lightly on the arm with my fist. "See, you're a fighter. That's why I have faith you'll get through this. Annette, will you let me be your secret keeper?" I gave him a confused look but nodded. He grinned. "I want you to have someone you can turn to without them freaking out on you. If you told your brother, he would probably panic. Am I right?" I grinned and lowered my head to my chest. "Thought so. Jess is the same way. I care about you, Annette, just like another sister, but our connection isn't very strong. I'm still an outsider to you. So I understand your reluctance and confusion. I'll help protect you. You'll keep me on my toes and honest, I have no doubt of it. And if the other just needs someone to talk to with no judgement, we'll have each other. Unfortunately, besides Jess and Noah, you're the only person I know out here in the real world, so you're stuck with me and I will continue to bug you, so it's just easier to accept me and let me take care of you, sister dear. You can beat this; you don't need me to wade through it, but I'll be here. So for now, we won't tell your brother or my sister. Deal?" I nodded.

"Tell me what?" Jess asked as she waltzed through the door, her arms full of bags. I shot her a surprised glance. "What? You said I could shop for you," she insisted, emptying her packages in one of the empty chairs by the gift table. I rolled my eyes and grinned.

"Tell you that you go overboard on things," Tyler teased as he pulled up a chair beside my bed. Jess shot him a warning look. "Annette has been put on bed rest. Her oxygen levels are low when she wakes up. It's a growing concern. We were hoping not to have to tell you that she needs to sleep with the mask on for now," Tyler stated.

"Why wouldn't you tell me that?" She gave us an inquisitive stare. I shrugged my shoulders and winced.

"Simple reason, you would worry. Maybe you shouldn't shrug any more, honey. You're going to cause more damage to your left shoulder socket," Tyler retorted. I nodded then made symbol for eating and pointed at Tyler then the trash can. He chuckled and shook his head. "I thought I was hungry. I ate some in the cafeteria. When I get bored I eat. I'll be okay. Thanks. Hand, 'Nettie." I raised my right arm above my head and rested it on the top. I took a few deep breaths and bit my lip in pain. I arched my back into my pillows and drew blood on my lip. The pain intensified and tears flowed steadily down my face. "Don't overdo it, honey," Tyler warned. I slowly relaxed my back and took another deep breath. "Time," he stated. I slowly put my arm back down. He gave me a tissue and I blotted my eyes. "So, what's in the bags, Jess? I know you're dying to show us," Tyler teased. Jess danced in excitement as she began rummaging through the bags. Tyler looked at me apologetically and grinned. I returned the smile.

 

"Lots of clothes. Don't worry, 'Nettie. They won't all stay here. I figured you would prefer no pants. It'd be difficult to get them over your cast, and I will not have you ruin your clothes by cutting them apart," she scolded wagging her pointer finger at me. I held up my hand with the palm facing up and gave her a shocked expression. She grinned and continued to pull items out of the bags. Long, short, patterned, solid, stripes. She had skirts, shorts, capris, and dresses in all styles and colors with a top to match. Every so often, Tyler would put his finger to his wrist and I would drape my arm over my head again and tried to breathe deeply until he tapped his wrist again. It always ended up with tears falling. I would dab my eyes with the tissue again. Tyler gave me a sympathetic smile. When Jess turned her back, I made the symbol for the phone again; Tyler handed it over.

"Bit excessive, no?" I typed. He grinned and shook his head.

"Welcome to the family," he mouthed. I rolled my eyes.

"So now we have a good start on your new wardrobe for school, but we're still going shopping as soon as you're out of here, 'Nettie. You need more items and I want to make sure you get stuff you love too," Jess trilled in excitement. I gave her the thumbs up sign and a small smile, but my breath caught in my chest and my breathing staggered. When she turned her back again to dig for more items, I shot Tyler a panicked glance. He just smiled and tapped his wrist again. I put my arm above my head again and tried to calm down. Tyler nodded and chuckled softly. Jess whirled around. "What's so funny? I still have more to show you!"

"I think you may be scaring your sister. She seems terrified of the mall," Tyler teased. I nodded. They both laughed and I lowered my arm and stuck my out my lip, pouting. "Toddler." Tyler ruffled my hair.

Janell came back into the room and removed my mask. "Already looks better!" She cheered. "No more blue around your lips. Hmmm. But you did reopen this cut on your bottom lip. No worries, just a little blood. We'll clean it up. There we go. Now let's have another quick listen. Better. Thank you, Annette. Keep your eye on her, you guys. Your help is most welcome." I grinned at her as she left the room again. Jess began to pick up all of the clothes that were now scattered over the table and chairs. Tyler handed me the sudoku book and a pen.

Pat knocked on the door. "Is this a bad time?" He asked politely.

"Please come in," I expressed genuinely. 

"Annette, there's an officer here that would like to take your statement, so I'll ask again. Is this a bad time?" Pat repeated. I sucked in a deep breath.

"I guess I'm going to have to give a statement sooner or later. I'd rather it be now," I confessed. Pat stepped in the room with a younger highway patrolman behind him and I studied him closely as I took a deep breath. His eyes were kind, his words soft as he greeted me politely. "Is it safe? Do I have to? Who called the cops? Shouldn't I get a say in which one interviews me? Stop it, 'Nettie. You knew you would have to talk. Look at him. Does he look like he'll hurt you? No. Now stop," I berated myself mentally as I bit my lip. "Is he going to ask that my friends leave?" I asked earnestly as I met Pat's eye; he wouldn't lie to me. He shrugged his shoulders. I began to panic as I looked back at the officer.

"My name is Trooper Sanchez. You can have as many or as few people in here that you would like. Your kidnapper is already behind bars with a good case behind him, but your testimony would be good for the file. If you want to give it of course," he said kindly.

"Thank you!" I cheered internally. I shrunk back into my pillows as I tried to get a read on him. He didn't show any resentment towards me; so either he was too new to the force to be warped by my dad or he just didn't know about his lies. I nodded. "You three can stay if you want. I'd rather share this story once and only once. Mrs. Malloy might like to hear this too," I stated as I looked around the room. Pat immediately nodded and left, causing me to purse my lips. Tyler stood up and moved to the cot. Jess was playing with her phone, twisting it in her hands. The officer took a step closer, but looked nervous to be here. "Sir, would you like to sit down?" I offered, gesturing to the seat Tyler had just vacated.

"Thank you, Ms. Gibson," he replied as he sat down.

"Please call me Annette," I begged. He met my eye and gave me a small nod, but I didn't think he would give me the honor. I bit my lip, counted to ten, and tried to calm down. I reached over and grabbed Noah's bear and tried again, holding it tight to my chest. When Pat and Mrs. Malloy came back in, I looked at Trooper Sanchez and exhaled slowly, asking in a quivering voice, "where do you want me to start?" Janell leaned against the wall. Pat shut the door and sat next to Tyler. 

"From the beginning if possible, when you were abducted. Who did you see? What happened? Where were you? And may I record?" Trooper Sanchez inquired. I looked at the guys on the cot. They both nodded at me and looked at their feet, then I looked at Jess. She was now sitting in the remaining empty chair by the table, a few items of clothing clutched tightly in her hand. I looked back at the officer -he now had a notebook open and a pen ready to write- and nodded. He pressed record on his device.

I took another deep breath, held onto the bear tighter, and began my story - trying to look at the officer as often as I could, "my name is Sarah Annette Gibson. Everyone calls me Annette. I am the daughter of Trooper Bradley Gibson. I was scheduled to open the restaurant on Friday August 4th. In order to open by 6am, I had to have everything ready 5-10 minutes early. I clocked in shortly after 5:30 and immediately got to work. The first customer of the day came in right at six sharp. He was in his late thirties, early forties, medium weight and build, brown hair, hazel eyes - overall, he was average and blended into the crowd. I did feel uncomfortable around him, but I feel that way about a lot of my single tables of men. I kept noticing he was looking over at me and that usually means that the guest needs something. Halfway through his meal, I returned to his table to fill his coffee. He remarked that the food was good but his company lacking and insisted that I sit down with him. I refused and told him politely that I had other tables to care for since I was the only wait staff present at the moment. I would have said no even if I wasn't; it's just inappropriate and I was getting paid to work not sit with the guests while they ate. When I turned around, I ran into my friend Pat Miller. He helps at the restaurant often, but isn't on the payroll. I ended up spilling the coffee on the both of us. I went back to the counter, put the coffee away, and delivered food to the next table while Pat talked to my guest, er um, customer. I didn't hear what was said and I felt uneasy. My cook was Joe Howley. Joe noticed I wasn't feeling right and called me back into the kitchen. He insisted I go change my coffee soaked shirt, and I did. I noticed my left shoulder was bright pink, but I felt no pain, so I quickly forgot about it." Pat looked up at me, surprised. Oops, guess I did leave some details out that day. I didn't mean to. I apparently had more focus when I was in pain then in the heat of the moment. Trooper Sanchez quickly scribbled in his notebook. I took another deep breath and pressed on, "when I returned to the floor, my guest was gone. Pat was sipping a cup of coffee at the front desk and things seemed normal. I still felt on edge, jittery, and nervous, but I couldn't place why. All my red flags were up, but I had no reason. Every part of me was telling me to run, I didn't know to where or why. I ignored it and kept working." Again, I looked over at Pat. He was deep in thought, his lips pursed together as I told my story. I sighed. I had let him down; what a fool I had been. "Pat and Joe insisted that I sit down and eat. So I ate two pieces of wheat toast while Pat took care of my tables. Shortly after that, my boss Linda Mullen came in with two new workers. Pat, Joe, Linda, and I had a conversation in the break room. They told me that this guest had come back all week and seemed to be looking for me, almost possessively so; I was told he was bored when I wasn't working but seemed to perk up as soon as he saw me. Pat told me he saw a syringe on the guest's table and was convinced I was hit with a toxin or something, although I never felt like I was pricked. I was given the opportunity to go home right then, but I decided to work my shift. I was instructed to let Pat know as soon as I felt I couldn't continue any more. The reason behind that is because Pat served in the army and he's very protective of us on staff. He knows the ins and outs of that place better than anyone. He was also ordered to follow me and I guess that's because he's good at picking up threats. He never interfered with my tables and for the most part, I didn't feel like I was being followed. We were both just working. I know he had hoped I would call it quits and ask for help long before I did; I hate letting people down and I was being paid to work." I paused for a minute trying to remember what happened next. Pat offered me a small smile and looked at his feet again. "At 8am, my help was supposed to show up. Emily Brown was scheduled, but Josh Conrad came in instead. He seemed adamant about taking the tables that were single guys or a group of guys, and I let him. Everything was going fine until a group of my classmates came in for lunch. I offered to take them since Josh seemed busy and I was all caught up. He agreed and continued with his current tasks."

Trooper Sanchez stuck up a finger. I paused. "Your classmates, who were they?"

"Four guys, two girls. The guys are all on the football team: Ryan Chesterston, Adam Scirelly, Derek Rempt, and Dan Everett. The girls were Lauren Malloy and Marie Mason. They're the popular clique, I was the lowly bookworm. I'm a nobody in their world. They teased and heckled me like they do. It was normal. What wasn't normal was Adam hitting on me." I purposefully left out the fact that they were drinking; no need to get people in trouble now. I sighed and looked back at the bear in my lap and began tugging on it's fur. "The other guys snickered, so I blew it off. When I delivered their food, Adam grabbed my hand and I felt weak and nauseated. I backed away and signaled Pat that I was done. I left all my tickets on the counter and went to the back room. Joe, Linda, and Pat followed me. It seemed like everyone was agreeing that I was having a delayed reaction from earlier that morning. I only had about an hour left of my shift. Everyone thought it was best if I left work then. Pat made the recommendation that I go camping with him, Linda insisted I take the next day off as well, and I conceded. Pat told me to stay put because the restaurant was the safest place for me while he ran to get supplies." I glanced at Pat again. I needed to know that my words weren't hurting him. His lips were pursed in a tight line, his eyes were closed, and he tightly held his hands together; I couldn't tell if I was hurting him or not. I let out a strangled sob and looked around the room. Tyler was the only one who looked at me. I met his eye and took a deep breath. He smiled kindly and nodded for me to continue. Could I? Or should I kick Pat and Janell out? This next part would only upset them, but I guess they deserved to know. I nodded as I took a shaky breath and let it out slowly. I watched as Tyler bowed his head, give me a thumbs up, then locked his hands behind his head, and rested his elbows on his knees. I sighed as another tear slipped down my cheek and continued. "I don't know why, but I decided that having a sweatshirt would be wise on a camping trip. So I took my keys and went outside to my car. When I was close, I heard voices coming towards me around the corner. I recognized Adam and Ryan bantering, and I froze. Lauren made a comment and kicked my car. Adam soon was soon by her side. I was now within their sights and made a run back towards the door. Adam and Ryan caught me. Each of them took an arm. Adam leaned in for a kiss and Lauren screamed. We turned around and she was held by her hair at gunpoint by a tall man, late forties I'd guess. Black hair, brown eyes. A white van was behind her. The side doors were opened. In the driver's seat was my guest from breakfast. My stomach churned as he threatened to blow her head off if we didn't get in the car." I looked at Janell. She had her hand over her mouth, her eyes were closed, and tears were falling silently down her face. I took another deep breath, swallowed the excessive spit in my mouth and tried to continue; I ended up having a coughing fit, curling up in a ball and crying. Jess immediately jumped out of her seat and offered me some water. I took a few sips before speaking again.

"Are you alright, Ms. Gibson?" Trooper Sanchez asked. I nodded and held up one finger as I took another sip. All eyes were on me. Jess rubbed my back and I smiled at her. She returned to her seat and nodded at me. I looked over at Janell by the door and took a deep breath as I settled back into my pillows.

"Lauren was shoved into the vehicle and Ryan, Adam, and I were given a choice: get in or die. The driver made the mistake of naming his accomplice: Ronnie held the gun. The boys were told that they were only there to ensure I complied and since they had seen the faces of our captors, if they wanted to live, they had to get in the van. They both climbed in. I didn't want them to die, so I followed. One by one, Ronnie secured our hands and covered our heads with black knapsack, starting with Lauren, ending with me; Ronnie sat beside me when he was done. As we were pulling out, but before my head had been covered, the driver pointed out Pat returning. He made a comment about it being too bad I didn't stick with my guard dog because he would be fun to put down." I met Pat's eyes, tears streaming down my face. My voice cracked as I continued, "I don't doubt for a second that they would've killed him to get me." Tears ran down his cheeks too, he gave me another weak smile and nod to continue. He closed his eyes when I did just that. Janell and Tyler hadn't moved and I refused to look at Jess; I needed to gage the reaction of Janell to see if I should withhold anything. "Ryan spoke out. Ronnie ended up punching him in the chest and I suspected he had a broken rib. Adam said that was harsh, and ended up with a broken nose. I screamed for him to stop, only for my airway to be cut off. Lauren quietly whimpered in the far back seat, Ryan wheezed as he tried to breathe, and Adam seemed to be choking on blood. I made a deal to take all of their pain and punishments; I couldn't stand to see them hurt. The driver agreed. He stopped and made everyone drink some water, starting with Lauren and ending with me again. I panicked when I noticed everyone was out, so I told them I had to use the bathroom. They cut off my work shirt and burned it. Ronnie followed me into the gas station bathroom, but luckily cor them I didn't recognize where I was. This gas station was just a regular Cenex; nothing made it stand out from the others I've been in." Janell and Pat seemed to lose their color, but they didn't open their eyes. Tyler hadn't moved and Jess shifted uncomfortably. Trooper Sanchez was still furiously taking notes. "I was looking for a way that I could leave a sign that we needed help. I was unsuccessful. I didn't even have noticeable ligature marks on my wrist or bruising on my neck to point out for help; it was just light enough they couldn't see it from across the room. Ronnie walked me back to the van where they made me go to sleep too. I don't know what they gave me or how long I was out," I confessed and took a deep breath. My breaths came in short spurts and I began to hyperventilate. Janell finally moved from the wall. Looking over my vitals quickly, she took out her stethoscope again.

"Do you need a break, Ms. Gibson?" Trooper Sanchez asked. I shook my head as Janell stuck the oxygen mask over my head again, pleading with my eyes to let me just continue.

"She can continue after her breathing regulates," Janell insisted. I scowled. I just wanted to get this over with. Pat stood up and began pacing the room. Tyler leaned all the way back and left his hands in his lap. Jess tapped her foot anxiously. All of them looked at me with deep concern. I tried to smile to reassure them, but Tyler shot me a warning glance. So I closed my eyes and counted as I tried to regulate my breathing. In-two-three-four-five. Out-seven-eight-nine-ten. Repeat. It wasn't working. I looked at Jess and slowly and deliberately signed in front of my body. "What are you doing? You need to rest!" Mrs. Malloy insisted. I ignored her and continued to sign.

"If I sign until I catch my breath, will you translate? Please!" I begged Jess. She smiled and nodded.

"She just asked if I would finish telling her story as got some air. I can do that if that's okay with everyone, although I'm no expert in sign language. I'll do my best," Jess explained to everyone. I heard Pat take a sharp breath. Janell pursed her lips together. Trooper Sanchez looked surprised. Tyler stood up, walked over to his sister and squeezed her shoulder before looking at me apologetically.

"Annette, I think it's best for you to catch your breath for ten minutes. This is hard for you to tell, and harder for us to hear. Officer, she needs a break. Please," Tyler begged. Trooper Sanchez nodded and turned off his recorder. Tears fell down my face; I just wanted to get this done. Janell patted my arm tenderly and left; Trooper Sanchez on her heels, leaving his notebook and recording equipment on the table. I put my head on my chest and wept. I looked up in horrified shock as Tyler picked me up slightly and move me a couple inches to the left. I began to panic and tell him off but the concern on his face told me it would be pointless to argue. Pat had removed his prosthetic leg, positioned himself behind me, and pulled me towards him settling his his right leg on top of the blanket by my thigh, tucking it under the leg sling. I leaned forward into the bear and wept. Gently he rubbed my back as he shifted in the bed. "Annette, I know this is difficult for you, and you want to finish, but you need to calm down a little," Tyler instructed as he took the phone off the bed and the piece of paper with the numbers from the table. He programmed them into the phone as he moved back towards the gift table. I nodded trying to calm down as I sat up again; being hunched over hurt more.

"Breathe with me," Pat whispered in my ear taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out. I tried to copy him, but I couldn't expand my lungs that much.

"Ow! He has big lungs," I signed in front of my body, exaggerating the signs so Jess could understand. She giggled and translated. Both men chuckled softly. "I'm trying to breathe but it's difficult," I signed again. Jess gave me a sympathetic grin.

"Do the best you can, sweetie. Tyler was right. You can't continue like this, even if I did translate," Jess sadly explained. 

"It's only going to get worse," I signed.

"She says she's trying to breathe but it's difficult, and it's only going to get worse the more she tells," Jess told the guys with pity.

"I'm staying right here, doll. Use me for your strength. If you can, match my breathing. Squeeze my hand. Whatever you need, doll," Pat reassured.

"Maybe he should match mine! And I'm certain I'll need a garbage can," I signed. Jess translated and everyone laughed. Tyler brought the empty garbage can out of the bathroom to my bed, setting Noah's bear on the table to my left.

Pat re-positioned himself on the bed and adjusted the pillows. Gently he pulled me to his chest again. I turned my head to the left, leaned into him, and closed my eyes. He wrapped his left arm under my sling around my waist. His right hand grabbed mine before wrapping around my waist. Another tear slid out and I took a deep breath. In-two-three-four-five. Out-seven-eight-nine-ten. Sob. Repeat. "Shhh. Doll, you're doing just fine. Keep it up," Pat whispered. I turned to face him, opening my eyes to meet his. They had a mischievous spark in them. "So they would've killed me, huh? Do you really think I'm that easy to get rid of?" He teased. I snickered and squeezed his hand. "You're safe, doll." I nodded and closed my eyes again. His chest rose again and I tried to match it; I took four breaths every time he took one. I tried again and looked back to my left. "Keep it up, doll. Does her brother know this is going on now?" Pat asked. I rolled my head to look at Jess, tucking it in the nook on Pat's neck.

"I sent him a text when you first came in. He said he'd rather not know. Can't say I'd blame him. If this is just the beginning and already you're causing people -myself included to tear up- I can't imagine how the rest is going to go," Jess replied solemnly. Pat nodded in understanding, his head brushing against mine. 

"Thanks, Jess. You're right," Tyler replied looking at me. "Unfortunately, you haven't even gotten to how you got those marks or what it did to you. Tell the truth and don't hold back. The officer needs to know everything. If Jess was in your position, I wouldn't be able to listen either; I would be looking for something or someone to punch. I want to hit something now, but I won't. We're here for you, Annette. You can get through this. Now just because he's not here, it doesn't mean Noah doesn't care." I nodded and yawned, wincing again. Pat adjusted behind me again. I was now centered on his chest as he squeezed my hand again and continued to breathe deeply. 

I returned the squeeze and leaned into him more as I pulled my hand from his grasp and signed, "this mask is making me sleepy, drugged. It's not right." Jess gave me a confused glance and signed drugged back to me. I finger spelled it for her and she nodded, the color draining from her face.

"Let me get Janell. Be right back, guys," Jess replied. Pat tightened his grasp around my waist. Tyler looked at me with concern. I tapped the mask on my face and gave them a thumbs down sign. Tyler's brow furrowed and Pat huffed behind me. "She says it makes her sleepy. From my understanding, it shouldn't be doing that," Jess was saying as she came back into the room.

"No it shouldn't. She said something about that earlier, but everything looked normal. Maybe now that's it's on, I can find something" Janell replied taking off my mask and inspecting it. "Annette, has this always smelled sweet?!" I shook my head.

"I can't smell anything. Tyler helped me put it on once and so did Jess. I trust both of them. Then you put it on me earlier. I felt sleepy, but I was also overwhelmed with all the bags Jess brought it. So I didn't notice it. No one else has touched it that I'm aware of. I do a lot of sleeping," I confessed. 

"Did either of you notice a change when you put it on her?" Both of them shook their heads. "She's clearly getting oxygen, but there's something else in there too. I'm getting you a new tank and mask. Deep, slow breaths. Keep your airway open." I nodded and pulled my left leg to my chest, holding onto it with my right arm as she left the room and closing the door behind her. I leaned into my leg and sobbed. Another thing wrong? How was this possible? Who sabotaged me? I thought back to all my visitors.

"NO! Noah was right. He got to me. What did he put in there? He said 'enjoy your last days'. He. He. He," I sobbed, choking out the words between gasps.

"Annette, Noah didn't predict that, you did. Noah held back a laugh when he heard you accuse your dad of tampering. Pat, when Trooper Gibson left, did you notice if he had anything he was trying to conceal?" Tyler inquired, coming to the same conclusion I had. I closed my eyes and rested my head on my knee as I let my the sobs take over my body. 

"I was trying to make sure I got out of the way so he wouldn't see me. It sounded like he was on a warpath. I did call Linda after I watched him walk down the hallway and let her know that he might come to pick up her check, but no, I didn't see his hands as he left," Pat confessed, intertwining our hands again and pulling me back into his chest. "Doll, calm down. He can't hurt you again. You're safe," he repeated. Was I? I didn't feel safe. "Come on, doll! In and out. Slower. In and out. Again. In and out. There you go. Again. Good." He was talking calmly and slowly. I lowered my leg and listened to his voice, taking deep breaths. I looked over my right shoulder and met his eyes as I squeezed his hand. He smiled at me. "You're doing great, doll. Are you okay with me here?" I nodded, blinking my eyes slowly. "Let me rephrase that. Are you okay with me holding you?" I nodded again, he was helping me immensely; he made me feel safer in all this chaos. I snuggled into his shoulder as he continued to talk softly to me. He grinned. "One more question, doll. If you felt like you had to run, why didn't you leave?" I studied his eyes as another sob shook my body.

"Dad. Not s-s-safe. Dr-dr. He was drunk," I whispered, choking on a sob and stumbling over my words.

"Say no more, doll. I understand. Shhh. You're safe," he murmured. 

"Talk to me please," I begged. "Anything. Get my mind off it. Make me smile, but not laugh. Please."

"You got it, doll," he replied softly. I closed my eyes as he got into a story about work, but I couldn't focus. I paid attention to his breathing and tried to calm down. I looked back at Jess and Tyler, they were keeping Pat engaged in conversation; again I couldn't focus on what they were saying. Sleep? Could I do that now? I shook my head and opened my eyes again as Pat chuckled. Jess met my eye and gave me a sincere smile as she rubbed her belly. She looked back at Pat as he finished his story. "so because you haven't been at work, Josh hates you; he's never been a fan of waking up before the sun." I grinned.

"I didn't mean to throw a wrench into everything. If Josh doesn't like to open, tell him not to be so trustworthy and Linda might move him to a different shift," I teased. Pat chuckled. By the time Janell came back in with another tank and mask, Pat had successfully calmed me down; my breathing while shallow, was normal for now and my tears had mostly subsided. "Can we just finish my testimony now? I want to get it over with," I pleaded. She looked at me kindly and set the medical equipment down. She went back out the door to retrieve Trooper Sanchez. I looked at the people in the room. "I'm sorry. This isn't going to be pleasant." Jess and Tyler gave me a reassuring smile. Pat squeezed my hand.

"We know how the story ends. You win," Pat remarked. I turned and looked over my right shoulder and gave him a small smile.

"Do I? This doesn't feel like winning," I admitted. He pressed his forehead against my temple. "But I'll come out victorious," I predicted for him. He grinned and nodded. He pulled away again as the door opened. Janell and Trooper Sanchez walked back in the room and took up the same position they had before. I looked back at Pat and softly voiced, "are you moving?" He shook his head.

"No, doll. I'm staying right here unless you want me to move," he replied, pulling his left arm out from behind me. I grabbed onto his right hand and squeezed tightly. He adjusted his arm behind me again. "For that reason right there is why I'm staying put. You were having a hard time holding it together earlier; I'm just here to help. You won't be doing yourself any favors if you have another panic attack that causes your breathing to hitch any more than it already is. We already know how dangerously shallow it is; if you panic, it'll get worse and cause your body to fail on you. I don't want you to pass out because you can't breathe. Physical touch seems to help you calm down," he replied, pulling me back to his chest. 

"You have very wise friends," Janell praised. I blushed and looked down. "Tell me, son, the second that you feel her starting to go completely limp in your arms."

"Yes, ma'am. She warned us that her reactions are going to get worse, but I'll let you know if I think an interference is needed," Pat promised. I gulped and took a calming breath.

"Ms. Gibson?" Trooper Sanchez asked kindly. I nodded and looked around the room again. After Trooper Sanchez picked up his pen, he nodded to me. 

"Okay. Thanks. Um. Okay. Are you ready, sir? Where'd we leave off?" I hesitantly asked as I sucked in some air nervously.

"We're ready if you are. Please don't rush. I can come back another day," Trooper Sanchez explained. I bit my lip and shook my head; I wanted to be done. "Okay. You just told us about the gas station and them putting you to sleep," he reminded me as he pressed record. I nodded.

"I don't know how long I was asleep. I woke up in a room. I was tied to a bed, my shoes and socks missing. They had me answer questions then they put me to sleep again. The second time I woke up, I was laying on the concrete floor. I was kicked a few times but I couldn't open my eyes or move my body, even though I could hear everything they were saying. They left and about a minute and a half later I was able to open my eyes. Lauren, Adam, and Ryan were bound and gagged in chairs but appeared -for the most part- unhurt. It was a large room, empty with the exception of us. One wall was a two way mirror. I knew we were being watched but I had no idea by how many. I confirmed that my classmates were okay, by asking Adam to breathe through his nose and confirming where Ryan got hit. I stood up and told Ryan he needed my help first; I had to wrap his ribs which meant that I was going to untie Lauren so I could use her spare shirt. Ronnie and the driver came back into the room before I took a step towards them. Ronnie surprised me with a fist to my face. I screamed. He grinned viciously. So I made a point of not making another noise. He hit and kicked me several times. All four of us had answered two questions the same: I would take a bullet for everyone and Ryan would be the most missed." My voice cracked and tears continued to fall down my face. Pat seemed to be holding his breath behind me; he held onto my hand securely, but had relaxed his grip around my waist. Jess rubbed her abdomen as Tyler rubbed her shoulders. I took another breath and pressed on, "When they told Ryan he could leave, he got two words to say before he left. 'Live. Fight.' He collapsed on the ground and they took him away. We were sent into separate rooms." I released Pat's hand and rubbed my right temple. "I was slammed against the wall. I crawled into the closest room and fell asleep. I'm sorry I can't give you an accurate time frame; there was no way to tell time. No clocks, no windows to let the sunlight in, nothing. When I came to, I was in a sparse room. I couldn't see straight and I felt dizzy. The light was blinding. There was only a sink that offered me dirty water to drink and clean my wounds with and a toilet with a small curtain partition. The far wall was another two way mirror."

"Do you know who or what was on the other side of that mirror?" Trooper Sanchez interrupted. I shook my head and wrapped my fingers around Pat's hand again. Trooper Sanchez scratched in his notebook. Pat pressed his lips against my shoulder and stayed there. 

I took another breath and continued, "while I was there, I was given three rice cakes; I assumed one a day, but like I said, I couldn't calculate the time. I know I passed out several times. Ronnie and, I soon learned the driver's name, Lionel, came back often. Ronnie was the muscle. Lionel kept telling me he could make all the pain stop. I just had to lay with him. I scoffed at him and laughed at their attempts, thus upsetting them more." Pat tightened his embrace again and I swallowed some bile. I released his hand and grabbed the garbage can just in case. "At one point, Lionel was kissing my shoulder and I told Ronnie that I'd rather have fun with him, but it was getting ruined. Ronnie punched Lionel then tackled me. He sat on my chest and pounded my body. I just laughed. Somebody interrupted them just before I lost consciousness and I was thrown back into my room." I looked at Jess. She was still rubbing her belly trying not to make eye contact. Tyler looked concerned but vastly intrigued as to what I would say next. "The lady came in and introduced herself as Nurse Jay, explaining that she would take care of me."

"Can you describe her?" Trooper Sanchez interrupted again.

"She was in her late forties. Robust. Sausage fingers that poked and prodded. Rude, but efficient with her diagnosis. Red hair with silver highlights. Deep, rich brown eyes," I lied, hoping my cracking voice would be seen as me being emotional, not untruthful. Tyler hid his smirk with a hand over his mouth, but I noticed. Jess signed a small thank you under her belly, but she didn't meet my eyes.

"You can remember all that detail on the verge of passing out?" Trooper Sanchez exclaimed in shock.

"She's always had a intuitive eye. She notices the smallest details most of the time, even from a distance. With the exception of the syringe, I haven't seen her miss anything really," Pat piped up angrily from behind me. I leaned into him and he lowered his voice. "It's one of the reasons she's a great waitress." The officer nodded and gestured for me to continue.

"With Ronnie off my chest, I was able to find a few more minutes to breathe and my vision cleared slightly," I explained. Trooper Sanchez nodded and scribbled in his notebook again. He believed me! I let out a small sigh of relief as I looked over at Jess and Tyler; they too seemed impressed. "Nurse Jay looked at my injuries and gave me some aspirin and wrapped my ribs. That was the only time I saw her." I paused and took another deep breath as I swallowed more bile. My stomach was becoming more and more queasy. "Excuse me," I said apologetically before I got sick into the trash can. Pat combed my hair out of my face and held it away from my mouth. Janell finally moved off the wall and came to check me out. I held up my hand and stopped her. "Let me finish, please! It'll only happen again. I'm fine! I don't feel lightheaded or dizzy. I'm not losing control of my motor functions, just losing my breakfast. Please! Let me finish! The less interruptions I have, the quicker I can be done. I don't want to have to come back to the story. One time. Only once," I begged. She nodded and went back to the wall. Jess stood up and came beside me on the left. She took my hair out of Pat's hands and wrapped a ponytail around it. Pat rested one hand on my back, the other I couldn't feel. When Jess returned to her seat, I continued in a soft voice, "Ronnie and Lionel didn't come in as a front again. They each took individual turns with me. Always in the torture room, never in my small confinement. They had rearranged the room. It now had a mattress with lots of pillows and a tank full of water. Lionel always gave me a choice, and I chose the tank constantly. I called him several names, scum and pedophile was probably the nicest; it infuriated him that I wouldn't choose him. When he was done playing with me, he'd shove me back to my room in a fury. The temperature had been lowered and a random beeping played over the intercom. Ronnie only came in to torture me once more. It was with a bamboo rod - it was more like a sturdy wrapping paper roll. I could hear it whistle through the air before it connected. I laughed at him as much as I could even though it hurt. He wanted me to scream; I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction if I could help it." I rubbed the blanket where the welt across my lap was. 

"Where did he hit you with that bamboo rod?" Trooper Sanchez asked. 

"Mainly my back. And down the back of my legs," I replied, still rubbing my welt. Jess had tears in her eyes and Tyler looked furious, but at the same time guilty. I didn't dare look at Janell or Trooper Sanchez. I had a feeling Pat's face matched Tyler's as he withdrew his hand from my back. I shook as tears overtook my body again. Gently, Pat wrapped his arms around my waist again as he held me to his chest and embraced me, resting his head on my shoulder blade. I heard him take another sharp breath as I continued, "like I said, I kept laughing at him as he hit me. It enraged him to the point that he threw his rod across the room and left. As I sat up, Lauren came into the room." I looked at Janell. Tears were flowing down her face too. When I mentioned her daughter, her hand flew to her mouth again. "She helped me. Gave me two pillows for my room and the bamboo rod for a crutch so I could move around. I wouldn't have been able to make it back to the room without it." I smiled gratefully at Janell. She gave me a small smile in return. "The next time I left the room, Lionel was pissed off and drunk. He demanded that I take off my clothes yet again and I continued to refuse him. He slapped me and hogtied me before throwing me into the water for the third session. He would touch me inappropriately and kiss me throughout. Every time he offered me an out; I just had to consent to sex. I constantly chose the water." Pat tightened his embrace on me. I leaned forward again and threw up more into the wastebasket. Tears streamed steadily down my face. I took my tissue and wiped the spit off of the corner of my mouth and threw it into the garbage. My voice was hoarse and cracking, but I pressed on, "I counted up to 70 before I lost track of how many times he held me under. I watched as the last time, he shut the lid, stood back and watched. The air quickly left my lungs. I struggled to sit up and get some air, but decided to just give up instead. I was tired and wanted to be done. I couldn't fight any more. I met his eyes one last time. He grinned in a most evil way as my world went black. Death seemed welcoming and I was done fighting." My audience gasped. Jess and Tyler were acting like they had no idea what happened and looked stunned. Mrs. Malloy looked like she had seen a ghost. Trooper Sanchez was silent, not even his pen moved. Pat removed one arm from my waist. I looked over my left shoulder and noticed he had it bunched in a fist by my hip, but he wasn't touching me. I leaned into him and held his right hand, giving it a little squeeze. He returned the motion. That gave me the strength to finish. "When I came to, Adam was giving me CPR. Ronnie ran in with a knife and I thought we were both in trouble. Too tired to fight, I just rested my head on the floor, waiting for the inevitable: death. It never came; I wanted it to. He cut me loose from my ties. Told me that we could stay in that room while I dried off. Lauren joined us shortly after. I must have nodded off for a minute because when I opened them again, there was food and sports drinks set up for us, but I couldn't remember anyone bringing them in. Lauren and Adam made sure I ate something, assuring me it was completely safe and that I wouldn't be drugged from it. I got sick shortly after, but I ate. As I went back into my room, I whispered good-bye to them because I was certain I wouldn't survive another attack. I could feel this rib was pressing into my lungs, it wouldn't take much for the lung to be punctured." I pointed to my left side and looked down. Janell and Jess were sniffling now. Tyler came to the side of my bed and grabbed the tissue box, offering them both one. His mouth was set in a firm line and his eyes glistened too, but his cheeks were dry. He came back and offered me a tissue too. I shook my head. Pat squeezed my hand and rested his head against mine. He took in a slow deliberate breath; I copied him and squeezed his hand harder. I turned back to Trooper Sanchez. "Lionel did come back one final time; I was ready to give up, but I would fight until my last breath. He drug me into the room by my hair, pinned me to the wall, and held a knife to my throat. 'Sleep with you or you'll kill me? How'd that work out for you last time?' I had taunted. He growled and cut off my tank top. I used the wall for leverage and pushed him off of me. He was successful in taking my shirt off completely. Nurse Jay had wrapped me in an ace bandage when she checked out my injuries, so I was still covered, but I felt exposed. He dropped my shirt and the knife on the ground. His shirt followed shortly after." Pat buried his head in my hair on my shoulder and wrapped his left arm around me again. I closed my eyes and focused back on that moment. My stomach retched again and I quickly leaned forward and dry heaved. When I could calm down, I finished my story as I continued to cry, "he came back toward the wall. I put my hand up to stop him. He yanked on it and I went flying. I heard the pop and lost all feeling in my arm. I stayed on the ground not moving. I bargained to give him what he wanted; to be his permanent sex toy for the safe release of Adam and Lauren. He approached me again and took his pants off, saying that he'd bring them back after he was done with me," I sobbed. Janell let out strangled cry. I looked over at her, but she wasn't looking up. I took a deep breath and pressed on. "When he was close enough, I kicked him in the gut. He stumbled backwards but still kept coming. I tried again. He caught my leg and snarled at me 'you wanna play dirty? Let's play dirty.' He... broke... my... leg with... his elbow," I sobbed, the words barely came out audibly. Pat pulled me closer to his chest, but I could tell he was crying too; his breathing could be matched easier now. Tyler's cheeks were now wet and Jess had moved to standing up, her head buried in her brother's shoulder as her body shook with sobs. "I remember... trying... to sit... up as he.... reached... knife. Pain too great... Blacked out... Woke up here," I sobbed as I turned my head into Pat's neck. Pat wrapped both arms around my shoulders and held me tight, making sure he didn't apply any pressure to my left shoulder. Janell came over and too the garbage bucket off my bed, immediately disposing of it. Trooper Sanchez gently patted my hand.

"Ms. Gibson. Thank you for your time. I'm sorry you went through this. Based on the other testimonies we received, none of you kids know where you were. I have a few more questions if you can handle it," Trooper Sanchez asked politely. I couldn't be mad at him. He was just doing his job. I took some calming breaths, trying to copy the same speed as Pat. I gently patted his arms and he released me. I sat up and took another deep breath. Tyler offered me another tissue and this time I took it. Janell offered me a small bowl. I nodded at Trooper Sanchez to continue and he pulled some pictures out of his notebook. He positioned the table in front of me and set out the pictures, they all appeared to be off of a photo identification card. Two of the pictures were Ronnie and Lionel. My stomach lurched again, but I refrained from getting sick. The other two people I did not recognize. One was of a woman in her twenties, possibly thirties. She had curly blonde hair, gray eyes, and small, thin lips. The other picture was of a man in his fifties with silver hair, round cheeks, a silver and black mustache, and hazel eyes. This man scared me and I had never met him before. "Do you recognize any of these people?" Trooper Sanchez asked?

I pointed to Ronnie. "Hired muscle. Bamboo rod. Ronnie." I pointed to Lionel. "Getaway driver. Wannabe statutory rapist. Lionel." I then dry heaved into the bowl Janell had given me. Pat kindly stroked my hair until I calmed down. Trooper Sanchez immediately removed Lionel and Ronnie's pictures. I looked at the other two pictures again and pushed the guy forward. "I don't recognize either of them, but if you put a red wig on him and shaved his facial hair, you get Nurse Jay. Or something close to it."

Trooper Sanchez nodded and collected the pictures. "Thank you, Ms. Gibson. You should know, Ronnie saved you. He ended up killing Lionel. He then took the four of you here so he could turn himself in. Adam and Lauren identified her as the one who brought in the table of food. She was arrested shortly after they woke up. She was trying to visit them I guess. They recognized her and got immediate help." I glanced at Tyler and Jess. Their eyes were wide with surprise, but they showed no other emotion. "As for this guy, the vehicle Ronnie crashed is registered to him, but nobody recognizes him so we're thinking it's a stolen vehicle. You were very brave, Ms. Gibson. Your testimony will insure that Ronnie stays locked up for good. I'm happy you're safe. Thank you," he finished as he collected his things and left, Janell was on his heels. Pat moved to get out of my bed. Tyler moved back to the cot and sat down.

"Please stay," I begged. Pat relaxed back into the bed and held onto my waist. "You help me calm down, and I need that right now." Mentally, I added, "no more masks. I don't want help calming down or going to sleep if it means more drugs! Please don't leave me, Pat!"

"Of course, doll. Whatever you need. I'm here for you," he promised kissing the top of my head. 

"I'm so sorry you guys had to hear that. I'm sorry that I can't even keep my emotions in check. I'm sorry that I'm afraid. News of Lionel's death does little to settle my nerves. That guy, his car. Is it his operation? They kept talking about a boss. I don't feel safe," I sobbed. To Jess, I signed using finger spelling "Is that your dad?" She shook her head no.

"You're safe," Tyler insisted. "There's no way you're going to be hurt again. You heard the officer. One assailant is dead the other behind bars. Rest, Annette. You've earned it. Jess, you should rest too, and let her brother know how she's doing. My little niece or nephew needs a happy, healthy mom." Jess grinned and gathered some bags. Tyler looked at Pat. "Would you like some help or can you manage on your own."

"I can protect her here. Go ahead and help your sister. I'm not leaving," Pat confirmed. I snuggled in closer and closed my eyes. The sobs finally slowing down.

"I'm sorry to put you in this position. Thank you for helping me feel safe," I whispered. Suddenly, I felt cold and I shivered uncontrollably.

"It's a position I offered to be in a week ago," he whispered back.

"I have something for you, Annette," Jess interrupted. I opened up my eyes and she held up two things. "Would you prefer the fleece blanket right now, or the cotton robe? You're not allowed to be chilled." I smiled and pointed at the blanket. She unwrapped it and draped it over my legs.

I signed, "you and Tyler acted like you never heard that story." She smiled sadly.

"We didn't. He came in at the end. We didn't watch on screen very much; we just saw the aftermath. I did see a few times on the other side of the mirror, but I never knew everything," she signed back. "It was difficult for us too." She tucked the blanket up to my chest; Pat helped. I sat up suddenly wiping tears from my eyes, then grabbing my chest in pain. 

"Pat! It's not fair to you to deal with my cold flashes! You'll overheat!" I exclaimed as Jess played with the bed. He chuckled, shifted, and pulled me back into his chest. 

"I'll leave when you go to sleep. For now, I'm a comfort pillow. It's okay. Just relax and go to sleep. You need to worry about yourself for a change, doll. I'll be fine." 

"He's got a point, Annette," Tyler added. "When you felt him tense up behind you, you leaned into him and calmed him down, even though you were so worked up. You need to worry about yourself. Rest." He met Pat's eye, "do you have your phone?" Pat nodded beside me and patted his right hip pocket. Tyler pulled his own phone out of his pocket and began typing. "1284 is you, right?" Again, Pat nodded. "This needs to charge, so I'll go charge it. You have this number now. Call or text me when she wakes up. I'll be back after a bit and I'll bring a pizza," he promised as he put the phone back in his pocket and left with Jess, both with their arms full of bags. They looked at me and gave me a warm smile. "Proud of you, 'Nettie," Tyler murmured as they ducked out the door. I smiled and relaxed into the nook of Pat's neck. I scooted over slightly so I wasn't right on top of him and he would have an easier chance of getting out when I fell asleep, he just pulled me closer. I looked in his eyes.

"You're doing it again," I stated. He gave me a quizzical glance as he pulled the blanket up to my shoulder as I shivered again. "Looking at me like I'm a porcelain doll that's going to break any second. Makes me feel self conscious." He grinned and bopped my nose with his finger.

"That's because you are a fragile porcelain doll. Now sleep," he ordered. I removed my ponytail as I snuggled into him as he positioned his left arm behind my shoulders and rested his right hand on my waist. 

I closed my eyes and murmured, "if that were true, I wouldn't be here right now; I'd be in the morgue." He pressed his lips to my forehead. 

"Guess that's true. Now hush. Sleep. I'll be here when you wake up, doll," he promised in a whisper and I drifted off.