One

“How is she?”
“Better. I gave her medicine to lessen the pain but she still wakes up when she hurts.”
“What happen this time? I couldn't understand what you were saying in the phone.”
I could hear their voices talking amongst each other through the foggy haze that was my mind with a lot of effort from my part. Everything hurt me; moving, breathing, even listening to them. But the stinging pain in my back was killing me and so made it hard for me to remained unconscious. I wanted to sleep. To disappeared in the dark abyss that sleep brought with it and forget about the pain. I wanted to be numb. The voices kept on speaking to one another unaware I was mentally awake. I wanted to reached out and let the male voice laced with concern know that I would be okay, that I have survived all of this before. But even when I tried to calm the weeping woman besides me I couldn't. My limbs lifeless and refusing to listened to the commands my brain was sending them.
“She stood up to her father again to spare the life of a man.”
“He punished her?”
“Tied her up to the bedpost and from what you can see made of her back a map of bloody marks with a belt.”
“What happen to her face then?”
“Mr. Barton let one of his men have a little bit of fun before he started his work with her. He wouldn't listened to me.”
I could hear Martha sobbing as if she herself had felt my pain, a tremor to her voice, and my eyes fought to opened their eyelids. My nanny was in pained and I wanted to console her. I didn't want her to feel guilty.
“I didn't do anything to stop him. I begged him. Pleaded with him to stop hurting her but he wouldn't listened to me.”
“There is nothing you could have done Martha. You did your best, are doing your best right now, by taking care of her.”
I wanted to scream in pain when I felt my body being shifted but all I could managed was an agonizing groan.
“Mr. Nicholas what in the world do you think you are doing?” Martha sounded horrified. “You can't lift Miss Renata like that you'll hurt her! Please don't throw her over your shoulder like that. Mr. Nicholas!”
So that's what he was doing.
I would have laughed if I have had the strength. Unfortunately I couldn't even lift a finger.
“I'm taking her with me.”
“Mr. Nicholas you can't do that. If you take her with you, you'll both end up dead.”
There was a note of disbelief in Nick's voice. “Can't you see she is as good as dead if she stays here? How many more times will she have to get punish in order to save a stranger's life? How many more times will she have to get beaten in order for you to see that this isn't a safe place for her to live in?”
There was a long paused before Nick sighed and spoke again.
“Come with us.” He encouraged. “If you stay they will kill you. Besides, Ren needs you.”
“They will kill all of us if we set foot outside of this house. Don't you understand?” Then. “Mr. Nicholas please be careful with her back.”
“I know Martha. I'm also doing my best not flash anyone with Ren's goodies.”
“How are you doing to put her inside your car?”
That was the last I heard before I passed out.