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“Emmy, I know you’re here. I can feel you. You’re better off coming out of your little hiding hole,” I yell.
Still no answer. Huh, guess she really doesn’t want to be found. Too bad, now that I can finally feel her presence again after seven years, I’m not about to let her go.
“I will find you, Emmy,” I call out, still getting no response. I stop mid step and continue to listen.
I listen to the sounds of the foliage, the animals, the wind. I block it all out and listen closer. That’s when I hear it. The tiny little sob. The sound that fucking guts me.
Why the fuck is she crying? She should never be fucking crying. I don’t like this. I don’t know how to deal with these fucking feelings. This is why I made her leave all those years ago. Fuck it.
I head towards where I heard the tiny sob. There, propped against a gum tree, is my Emmy. I approach slowly, sitting down in front of her. She doesn’t look up.
Five minutes pass, and I’m still sitting here on the fucking ground, waiting for her to look up at me. I want to see those blue eyes of hers so fucking bad. I want to see her beautiful face. Right now, I can’t see shit. She’s wearing a black cap, her long blonde hair hanging like curtains around her face.
I can feel it in my gut; something is wrong. I know it’s been seven years, but this is not my Emmy. This is not the bright, bubbly girl I spent years watching over.
I reach my hand out towards her face. My stomach drops as her whole body flinches away from me. She curls her arms around her legs. I drop my hand, my fist opening and closing. I’m out of my fucking element here.
This is the girl that never shied away from me. She never let me see fear, while all those other fuckers would beg, cry and plead for mercy. Not Emmy—she was capable of going toe to toe with the devil.
Now she’s shrinking away from him. From me. I don’t fucking like it.
“Emmy, look at me, please.” My voice is hoarse. I’m practically begging her to look up at me. The moment she does though, I wish she hadn’t.
“What the fuck? Who the fuck did this, Emily? I need a name right the fuck now!” I stand up and start pacing, my hands balling into fists. I can feel the blood rushing through my veins; never has the need to kill been this strong.
I stop and stare down at her. Half of her face is green and yellow. Some fucker has used her as a damn punching bag. Seeing her like this, curled into herself, bruised and broken… I can’t process it.
Taking a breath, I sit back down in front of her and grasp onto her hands. She tries to pull away. I don’t let her. I will not have her fucking scared of me. She’s not fucking allowed to be scared of me.
“Emmy, you know I would never do anything to hurt you.” I wait for her to acknowledge me.
A slight nod of her head is all I get. That’s all I need.
“I have to know if you’re hurt anywhere else.” I don’t want to hurt her any more than she already is. I have to know what I’m dealing with here.
“I’m okay, Josh. I’m not hurt. I’ve had much worse. I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have come here. I’m just going to go. I won’t bother you again. I promise.” Her voice is whisper quiet.
I tilt my head to the side and inspect her. I can’t see much. She’s hiding under a baggy hoodie and a pair of jeans.
“Babe, if you think I’m letting you walk away, you’re crazier than I fucking am. Come on, let’s go.” I pull on her hands until she’s standing.
Her back straightens, she picks her head up slightly, and I see a tiny glimmer of the Emmy I knew.
“I’m not going anywhere with you. I’m going…” Her sentence is cut off when I bend at the waist and throw her over my shoulder.
I’m an asshole. I should be more careful with her body in case she is hurt anywhere else. But I need to get her out of the fucking woods.
Emily starts pounding her tiny fists on my back. “Put me down, you asshole! I can bloody well walk, you know!” She gets more infuriated when I don’t acknowledge her screams.
Good, show me your fight, baby. You are not some weak little girl. You’re the strongest girl I fucking know. I will make sure that girl comes back, no matter who I have to fucking squash to make it happen.
Placing her on my dirt bike, I jump on behind her and kickstart the engine. We are off and speeding through the woods before she knows what’s happening.
* * *
Stoppingright at the back door, I jump off the bike, picking Emily up with me. She doesn’t fight me; she’s oddly quiet as I carry her up the stairs to my room and straight through to the bathroom. I step into the shower and press the button on the wall that makes water fall directly on top of us from the overhead rainwater showerheads.
“Ahh, what the hell, Josh?” Emily shrieks as I put her down. I hold her arms until she is steady on her feet.
