I struggled to stand up, but my legs were trembling and they gave way once again. Taking a deep breath, I stood up onto my knees, and then slowly to my feet, yet I was only up for a matter of seconds. For a forceful kick in my back sent me flying down yet again. I groaned and looked behind me to see who had delievered this harsh blow. Seeing Nick standing at my backside with his gun made me quiver with fear. "Get up," he told me with an unusually quiet tone. I made no attempt to move, but continued to stare at him. "I said, get up!" he quickly lost patience and pulled me up by my hair. I grabbed at his arm for support as he began to roughly drag me away from the pier. "Where are you taking me?" I dared to ask from under his firm grasp. "Shut up, I don't want to hear you," he stuck his gun into my side and tightened his grip around my neck. I was taken through the city again and to a back street I didn't recognize. Beginning to worry more and more with each step, I surprised Nick and tore away from him. I ran around a corner and into a dimly lit alley. Hearing him after me caused me to panic and pick up speed, but I slipped on a puddle of grease and fell onto the concrete. My efforts to return to my feet were shattered when Nick found me and held me down with his foot. He took out his gun and aimed it towards me face. I squirmed as he pressed harder and harder on my rib cage, making breathing increasingly difficult. Realizing that I could pass out or suffocate if something wasn't done, I raised my arm and batted at the gun until I had successfully knocked it from his hand. I heard it skid accross the pavement and then plumit into a sewer opening. "You f*cking bitch!" Nick screamed after seeing his prized possession lost. He bent over and punched me contiually in the face until he lost interest and turned the beating over to his feet, directed at my stomach and chest. He shoved me face first into the brick wall at my right and returned to kicking my now limp body. "Hey! What the hell's going on out there?!" a man's gruff voice suddenly brought Nick to a hault. "Don't think I won't call the cops! Get your asses outta here!" the man continued, although he couldn't see us through the dark alley. Nick stood still and quiet for a moment, but then began to retrace his steps backwards leaving me in my own blood on the damp ground. I moved not until the sound of his footsteps was completely out of range. My intense breaths were choppy and held a slight whimper. I carefully stood up, grimacing at the terrible pain it caused. After stumbling down a few blocks unaware of where I was heading, I stopped to take note of where I would go next. Of course I knew the one place I could go and still be content- Taylor's.
I cautiously approached the house, rounding the side and into the backyard. I stopped abruptly when I saw Taylor lying in the hammock, staring up at the sky. Just the sight of him brought a tear rolling down my blood stained cheek. I weakly cleared my throat to bring notice to myself. "Sid?" he called. I remained silent, standing where I was. He furrowed his brow as he got up and came closer to me, but his face softened after seeing me more clearly. "Oh God," he whispered as I collapsed into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably into his chest. "Oh, God," Taylor repeated, not knowing what to do. I allowed him to lead me to the backporch and inside the house to the kitchen. Mr. and Mrs. Hanson both rose from the table where they had sat drinking coffee, when we entered. They looked unsurely at their son and then to me, clinging to him like a piece of clothing. "We've gotta do something," I heard him say to his parents, a plea for help embedded within. I stole a glance up over the crook of Taylor's arm to see Mr. Hanson turn to look at his wife and then nod.
Even to this day, I still can't say I remember much of the remaining events of that night. It all comes to a blank after being driven to the hospital and wheeled into the Emergency Room. From what I could gather, I had been separated from Taylor soon after, for I awoke in another room of the hostpital, alone and with a cast on my right arm. The scars that would be left from that night would go much deeper than skin.
[Chapter 20]