“So, Dawn? That’s your option, right, if I’m understanding correctly.”
A quick nod as I wiped a stray tear away. Really, other than her being a female, I had a good feeling about her. She stuck up for me and I think I’d be okay for a longer period of time in the same place as here. It wouldn’t even matter if I had to sleep on a floor to be with her. I’d do it. I’ve slept in worse places.
“She’ll be overjoyed to know that,” Sarah gave me a smile when I glanced up again. “Once the doctor clears you to be released, you’ll leave with Dawn then. I believe she has a room all set up and ready for you. And being out in the country like that could do you good.”
Chapter 7
Checking out of a hospital seemed to take years. Papers for every little thing. Like when Dawn needed to call a doctor if certain symptoms appeared. And then signed promises to get me to see certain doctors for my healing to officially begin.
So many papers. A huge folder was filled, which Dawn had taken and read through each line, and probably will do again by the way she asked so many questions about things she hadn’t understood.
To me, it all went over my head. I didn’t see the reason why some of the things were a huge concern. I’ve made it this far dealing with a lot of those things that I apparently needed a doctor to check on. But I didn’t say any of that.
Dawn was happy I chose to go with her, surprised, too. She said she had been sure I’d pick to stay closer to the place I knew. But I didn’t know this town. I didn’t know these people. And I certainly didn’t want to stay here any longer.
What if the man who dropped me off was told to come back and pick me up? What if he had orders to take me back to where I came from?
I didn’t want to go back there, which I had been sure to write down in that notebook. I didn’t want to go back to where I came from, ever. I didn’t even want to think about it.
“Never, Koda.” The promise was as real as Dawn being a human.
Thankfully, Dawn muttered more to herself than to me as we pulled out of the parking spot. My one bag that she had bought and filled with clothes and other things I’d need was in the back seat. I wasn’t sure what was all in there, but if she thought I’d need them, I’d find a use for them.
What bothered me was finding out exactly what all the doctors had done to my body while I had been forced to take drug induced naps. I was used to such things, but knowing about it was what made my mind go unsettled.
Other than the normal, or so they said, blood drawn for diseases or other health issues, they had done x-rays and some scans that made no sense to me. Of course, they had to since the bruising was so bad, and even Anna had been confused when I declined more pain meds from my ribs.
But the thing that bothered me the most was if they did a rape kit, where Anna had explained it was to test for other’s DNA inside me, while I was not aware. If they did that, whatelse could someone have done? People weren’t to be trusted.
A part of me didn’t think Anna or the doctor who wasn’t in often enough for me to remember a name, had done anything like men so often did. Plus, neither of them had a dick as far as I knew, so I highly doubted they did anything to my body. But still, the idea was there and there would have been nothing I could have done about it.
Not like I’d have been able to do anything when men have done it to me before.
The only thing, I guess, was that by doing that rape kit, according to Anna, was that they could run the DNA found in a police data base and find out who hurt me. In turn, they could maybe save others who had the same fate as me.
They talked like they knew where I came from, and what I’ve done. Maybe they’d seen more willing slaves come in who talked. I wouldn’t know. Nor would I ask such things.
Looking out the window, watching as the buildings turned to houses, I leaned my head back against the headrest.The landscape became blurry as tears clouded my vision.
I wanted to go home. I wasn’t sure where that was, or what it consisted of. But I was tired. Tired of being a slave. Tired of wondering what pain would come next. Tired of wondering how much more I could take.
“You can sleep, hon. It’s a long drive home.”
Would her house feel like home? I didn’t know what one felt like. Some said it was about the people you surround yourself with, but none of them but Dawn was my choice. Maybe, she’d be my safe place once I figured out what was going to happen next.
“And before you think it, you won’t ever be too much for me.”
I huffed a breath through my nose wondering for a moment if she knew me better than I thought. A few hours wasn’t much time to learn to read my thoughts, since I couldn't even read them half the time.
Her statement would be something we’d just have to wait and see. But I’d do what I could to stay with her as long as I possibly could.
The idea of going into foster care was something I’d do anything to avoid. I wouldn’t survive it again. But, at least Sarah had been clear that if I went that way, the police and possibly the social workers, would be doing more checks on my well being. With past history, certain things would just have to be more open to certain people to make sure I didn’t get put back into certain hands.
Wiping a tear off my cheek as they trailed left a tickle behind, I knew without a shadow of doubt that I didn’t want to go back tothat. Go back to the pain and abuse. Go back to where only my body was wanted. Go back to being nothing.
If I did, I’d take matters into my own hands. It wasn’t like it’d take all that much effort on my part anyhow. It was something I should have done by now, once I really stopped to think about it.
Sighing, I shifted in the seat, watching the landscape change once again. The houses disappeared, and only left fields and trees.
