I sat rigidly on the worn-out wooden bench, my emotions churning within me like a tempestuous sea. My jaw clenched, and my knuckles turned white as I tightly gripped the edge of the seat. Anxiety consumed me, but I fought to keep a stoic façade.

With each passing second, my impatience grew, mingling with a deep concern for Ellie's well-being. Thoughts raced through my mind, wondering what could have caused her delay, and if she was safe. My eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of her, my worry escalating with each person who passed by.

I forced myself to take slow, deep breaths, attempting to quell the waves of anger and shock threatening to overcome me. I knew that unleashing my emotions wouldn't help the situation. Instead, I focused on maintaining a composed exterior, even as my insides churned with worry.

Time stretched on, each minute feeling like an eternity. My mind raced with a torrent of possibilities, imagining worst-case scenarios. Was she hurt? Lost? My heart ached at the thought, and I longed for the moment when I would see her and find out that she was safe.

Though frustration and concern battled within me, I reminded myself to remain patient. In the midst of my turmoil, I held onto the hope that Ellie would appear, her presence bringing solace and answers to the questions tormenting my mind.

As my thoughts continued to spiral into a whirlwind of worry, a figure emerged from around the corner, causing my heart to skip a beat. It was Ellie, but something was different. Her normally confident stride was replaced with cautious steps, and her eyes darted around the park, searching for any signs of pursuers. Instantly, concern etched deep lines onto my face, mirroring the fear reflected in her eyes.

I rose from the bench, my legs feeling unsteady beneath me. "Ellie," I called out softly, trying to mask the urgency in my voice. She turned towards me, her body tense and on edge, before finally recognizing me. A flicker of relief crossed her face, momentarily easing the tension in her features.

Her pace quickened, and she hurried over to where I stood, her eyes never ceasing their vigilant scan of our surroundings. I reached out, gently grasping her trembling hands, silently conveying my support and reassurance. The touch seemed to ground her, as her shoulders relaxed slightly.

"Are you okay?" I asked, my voice laced with genuine concern. Ellie's breath hitched, her gaze locking with mine as she nodded, unable to find words amidst the lingering fear. It was clear that something had shaken her, something she wasn't ready to share just yet.

Wrapping my arm around her, I guided her back to the bench, offering a comforting presence as we sat down together. We remained in silence for a moment, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air.

Knowing that patience was key, I gently squeezed her hand, giving her the space and time she needed to gather her thoughts. Whatever had transpired, I wanted her to know that I was there to listen and support her, no matter what. As the minutes passed, the tension gradually began to subside. With a deep breath, Ellie finally turned towards me, her voice quivering but determined. 

Ellie's voice trembled as she struggled to find the right words to describe the horrors she had endured. Her eyes, once filled with vibrant energy, now reflected a profound darkness and pain. I could feel her reliving the terrifying moments, as if the memories were etched into her very being.

"They... they wanted to make an example out of me," Ellie finally managed to say, her voice choked with tears. "They wanted to ensure that I understood the consequences of defying them. That night was meant to be a constant reminder of their power over me, a reminder that they could hurt anyone close to me."

"Who?" I asked softly

"Lorna."

Her housekeeper. Her friend. Her person.

Her blonde hair fell in disarray around her face as she tried to steady her breath, her tears flowing unchecked. "Lorna... she was more than just a housekeeper. She was like family to me, always there to support me, to provide a sense of stability. And now, I don't know where she is. I don't know if she's even alive," Ellie's voice wavered with a mixture of sorrow and anguish, her vulnerability laid bare.

"Where did they take her? Hospital?" I asked, trying to mentally see if Claud or anyone I knew could quickly find out for me where she could be.

Ellie shook her head, her blond hair down and moving in front of her face. She lifted a trebling hand and moved it away from her face. "No. They didn't take me either. I doubt they will take her.

My back stiffened at her words. "Why would they take you to the hospital?" I asked slowly in a low voice. 

Ellie took a deep breath, her voice barely above a whisper as she revealed a piece of her painful truth. "Because... they wanted to send a message," she choked out, her voice filled with anguish. "They wanted to remind me of my vulnerability, to show me the consequences of crossing their path.

My heart sank as I tried to comprehend the magnitude of Ellie's words. The cruel intentions of those who had harmed Lorna were becoming clearer, and the realization sent a chill down my spine. "Who is they?"

Ellie looked down at her hands. "My father and his guards." Her tear-filled eyes met mine, her gaze reflecting a mix of gratitude and anguish. "I'm scared, Nate," she confessed, her voice quivering. "Scared for Lorna, scared for myself. I can't bear the thought of losing her, of losing someone else I care about."

"What happened when you left my house?" I asked her straight up. I felt like she was skirting around something. Something that led to her being a shell of the Ellie i used to know.

She moved slightly back, a wall falling in between us. "Nothing." She said. "I need to go back to the office. My father is probably looking for me now."

I grabbed her by the wrist just as she pushed her self off the bench and she let out a small wince. I dropped my hand as if I got burned. "What the fuck?" Thoughts that were brewing at the back of my mind came to the surface and I stood up, slowly grabbed her hand and pulled the sleeve of her top up.

I felt the bile rise up in my throat at what I could see in front of her. Her once beautiful skin was marred with angry welts and bruises. Scars that were scabbed but some still bleeding. What the hell.

I dropped her arm and lifted the hem of her shirt, looking down and seeing a angry bruise covering the whole of her stomach. I clenched my jaw in hopes of containing the fury that lapped in every one of my cells.

"Where else?" I asked softly my voice barely above a whisper because that was all that I could handle.

"Everywhere." She replied.

I felt my breath catch in my throat as Ellie's words echoed around me. Everywhere. The weight of those words hung heavily in the air, an unbearable truth that demanded action. Suppressing the fury that threatened to consume me, I locked eyes with Ellie, my voice filled with a mixture of concern and determination.

"They had a doctor try to heal me a bit so I wouldn't die. One more second and you would have heard of my funeral." Ellie said in a straight tone. As if death was nothing she was afraid of. As if death was another part of her journey, a stop she could have made but eventually did not. 

"But he was not allowed to heal more than my father told him to. So I could feel everything as I walked and breathed. A reminder he said. A reminder of what happens to ones that do not listen."

"For days I could not move from my bed to eat or even use the toilet. The doctor fixed that problem so was getting fed from a tube. Even now, I can only have soups. I don't think I will ever eat again."

"They watched me get my stitches removed. They wouldn't touch me of course but they watched. They watched when the doctor checked if I was- " Ellie abruptly halted her words,  her voice trailing off as painful memories flooded her mind. Her words now hung in the air, unfinished and heavy with emotion. Her eyes glazed over, distant and haunted, as the weight of of that time bore down on her. "If I was pregnant. They went beyond violation there."

The pain and despair mingled, intertwining with the raw, seething anger that churned within me.

But I held back my words, fighting the urge to unleash the torrent of emotions that threatened to consume me whole. Instead, I let the shirt slip from my grip, the act symbolizing the relinquishment of control. My clenched fists trembled, my insides aching for an outlet, a release for the fiery fury that consumed me.

In that moment, silence prevailed, thick and heavy, as I battled against the destructive force simmering beneath the surface. The unspoken words hung in the air, an unrelenting testament to the storm brewing within me.

"Can I-" Ellie met my eyes, fresh rounds of tears glimmering in her eyes. She sucked in a deep breath. "Can you help me?" She asked tentatively, broken and all lost of hope. 

"They won't survive the end of this week."