Orpheus

13

She was alone in the dark when she woke up, hunched over, naked. There was nothing around her, other than inky darkness.

'Where am I?'

She got up from the floor that she could feel yet not see, stumbling a bit. She felt cold; so extremely cold, yet she could do nothing.

"Stop!"

It was her voice, and now Riley found herself under the dark covers of her bed. No, not the pull out couch she had slept on for years; this bed was far older, and held much more painful memories.

"You know you want this Riles! You just don't know it yet!" said a male's voice, his hands rubbing all over her in fervor.

She wanted to scream, yet she found herself unable to. The hands now ripped at her clothes. She tried stopping it, half-dazed in shock of what was happening. In anguish, she kicked at the man, who she heard fall onto the floor with a deafening thud. She quickly scrambled up, her clothes tattered, and looked over the edge, letting her eyes adjust to the dark and saw...

"No..." she muttered to herself "No no no no..."

On the floor no longer lay the male she expected to see; instead 'twas Ethan, his head swollen in a nasty shade blue and red.

Her surroundings morphed as she stood in the hospital room, alone, Ethan on the bed. The only sounds were the raggy breaths from his oxygen mask. Though she had seen this for years in real life, it stabbed her heart to see Ethan like this again. In a daze, she walked over to the bed and placed her hand on her son's shoulder, tears streaming down her cheek.

"Mommy," Ethan's eyes suddenly shot open. Riley could only snap her hand back in fear. "Why did you leave me?"

Riley had her fear overcome her. She turned and ran for the door; the doctor would know what to do, yeah, he'd know...

Her hand grasped the handle and she thrust open the door; harsh light blinded her as an arm gripped her from behind.

"Riley," Her son was gone; it was the male now, holding her back. "You know you want this."

She tugged at her arm, trying to break free.

"Riley!" The male continued. "Riley, listen to me!"

She kicked him in the groin; his grip slacked. She ran ahead into the light and didn't turn back.

"Riley! RILEY!"