Wicked Things by Yolanda Olson
Hollis
The next morninghurt like hell.
Even more than having to live through what I had endured, but pain has always made a person stronger, and I considered myself unbreakable at this point.
Unfortunately, the only thing I learned last night was that even the strongest foundations have cracks in them.
I rubbed my semi-raw my throat, as I walked painfully toward the bathroom with an arm wrapped around my waist.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they had broken my ribs, but I wasn’t going to go to the hospital to find out.
Too many questions.
Too many stares.
Too many unsavory whispers.
I flipped on the light switch, and promptly turned it off when the high watt illumination sent a thunderclap through my skull.
Today was going to be rough.
I went through my morning routine as quickly as I could before I hobbled back toward my bedroom to lie down again.
I didn’t have anything to do, and nowhere to go; however, I didn’t want to stay stuck in the house, either.
It would only make me keep reliving last night’s assault and I’ve already done that one too many times.
With a painful breath, I turned onto my side and closed my eyes.
If I’m not awake, then I won’t have to think about it anymore.
“Aren’t you sexy!”
I rolled my eyes as I made my way toward the bar and sat down on an empty stool. I had to brush off the stupid compliment or end up in a precarious situation.
It took the bartender maybe five minutes to notice me staring at him, but when we locked eyes, he grinned and made his way over to me.
“What’ll ya have?” he asked cheerfully as he set a small, square napkin down in front of me.
“The strongest thing you’ve got,” I replied without so much as cracking a smile.
I wanted him to know up front that I wasn’t one of those girls that he could get drunk and take home for a quick fuck. I was a lot smarter than that, and I knew when to stop drinking.
It’s why I always ordered the strongest any bar had to offer first.
It was an easy way to desensitize myself quickly, but immediately start setting a limit for what I could and couldn’t handle for the remainder of my time there.
He came back moments later with something that smelled like acetone and set it down in front of me. My eyes watered almost instantly but I maintained my composure as I handed him a ten-dollar bill and instructed him to keep the change.
“What’s your name, girlie?”
I did my best not to cringe at the sound of the same drunken voice that catcalled me when I walked in.
Taking a deep breath, I glanced at him, then reached for my drink.
The sloppy grin that spread across his lips told me that I would be in trouble if I wasn’t careful.
“Hollis,” I offered quietly with a small nod.
“Wake up, Hollis.”
“What?” I asked in confusion.
“WAKE UP!
___
“Wake up, wake up, wake up!”
I sat up startled, alert, and in a hell of a lot more pain than I was in before I drifted off.
Wrapping both arms around my torso, I grunted as I swung a leg over the side of the bed.
After a few steadying breaths, I chuckled and got to my feet as I glanced around the bedroom floor for my Chucks.
I was so afraid of what I knew was going to happen next, that I had forced myself awake.
I yelled at myself through the bastard that started it all, and now I knew I had no choice but to get my injuries taken care of.
Once I saw a face, I never forgot it, and the only way I was going to be able to pay them all back was to make sure that I would strong enough to do so.
