* Although the first four chapters of this novel are considered non-consent/reluctance, which will be the main sexual actions occurring in this whole novel, this chapter itself does not contain any actual nonconsentual sex.* Hope you enjoy...
"Well, I won't bore you with the details, but if he wakes up tell him not to make anymore phone calls, unless they are to me. And if he doesn't wake up, wellโฆI'll be back in a week or two, try to stay alive until then. Chow." With those final words she casually stood up and left the room, leaving me tied to the bed as your head continued to bleed, creating a growing stain on the floor.
Anger and terror warred within me as I lay there, helpless. Slowly, with fierce determination, I tried to pull my wrists free of the ties, until I could feel them become slick with blood. Swallowing any pain I continued to work at my wrists, trying desperately not to look at your prone body. I tried not to let myself wonder if you were dead or alive, mainly because I couldn't decide which I would prefer, and what the significance of either decision was.
I lost track of time as I struggled, slowly tearing away my flesh until my wrists could slide out of their restraints. When finally my left hand pulled free, leaving pieces of flesh behind on the ties, I sat for a little while, stunned, my mind momentarily unable to process the fact that I was finally free. It wasn't until I untied my right hand and looked at the raw meat that was once both of my wrists that I realised I only should have worked on getting one free, so that the other wouldn't be injured. Of course, hindsight is always 20-20 and I never was all that good at planning ahead.
After trying unsuccessfully to stand numerous times, I finally allowed my legs to submit to the pain shooting through them from being still so long and sank to the ground beside the bed. Unsure where else to go, what else to do, I crawled on my hands and knees towards you. My legs became cold, damp and sticky as I crawled through the blood that had was congealing in various places around you. Ignoring the gash on your upper thigh that looked like it had just recently stopped bleeding, as well as the patchwork of bruises that covered you like a shirt, I moved forward until I was able to gently cradle your head in my hands.
Fighting to steady my breath, I felt your skull, fervently praying that whatever head wounds you received had already stopped bleeding. For the first time in what seemed like forever the gods heard my prayer and I felt my hands skim over a mass of clotted blood near the base of your skull. Then I realised that stopping bleeding was not necessarily always a good thing... Unconsciously holding my breath I let my hand rest against the side of your neck, trying to feel for a pulse. Unable to find one I began to press my hand against your neck, desperate to find one. I had to stifle a gasp as you moaned against my hand, your throat vibrating softly, making the search for a pulse redundant (as well as making it obvious how useless I was at checking for signs of life).
I knew I had to escape, but my consciousness made me wonder if, despite everything, I could mercilessly leave you here to die. God, I knew it was foolish, but caressing the few strands of your hair that weren't matted with blood, and seeing the bruises that covered your whole upper body, not to mention the slash on your thigh and various other abrasions, I knew my answer.
Without a second thought I quickly went to the bathroom and soaked some towels in warm water, filled up a small pail of water, and grabbed all the medical supplies I could find. I didn't even consciously realise that I was once again able to walk as the adrenaline poured through my body. As an afterthought I rinsed my tattered wrists, hoping they wouldn't become infected - god knew I had enough problems already in my life.
With a patience I didn't know I possessed I slowly and carefully pulled you further into the bedroom and away from the coagulated blood. I then rinsed the blood from your hair and cleaned it and your head wound as best as I could, trying not to allow myself to get sidetracked as I felt its silky thickness. After rinsing a few blood splatters from your face, I was unable to stop myself from lowering the cloth to your lips, watching as the water moistened them. You made a small sound in the back of your throat, but whether it was from pain, enjoyment, or delirium of some sort, I had no idea.With military precision I washed down your chest and arms and began washing your legs.
As I neared the wound on your upper thigh I slowed down almost completely. With a feather-like touch I brushed the cloth against your leg, afraid to reopen the wound. I was so focused on your leg that I gasped in shock when I felt your hand encircle my wrist just above where the flesh was torn.
"May..." Your voice was barely a rasp of sound whispering from your throat as your hand continued to lightly grasp my upper wrist.
Unsure what to say I fumbled for words in my mind. Just when I was about to speak I felt your grip begin to lessen and your hand fall away before your eyes slowly slipped shut again. All my concentration from before was gone though, leaving my hands shaking as I hurridly finished cleaning your wounds. Only seconds after I was finished, utterly exhausted, I collapsed into unconsciousness on the floor beside you, barely able to push the towels out of the way before sleep claimed me.
The feeling of your hand softly stroking the side of my face slowly roused me from my slumber. Opening my eyes I was immediately confronted with your face, mere inches from mine.
"Thank you." Your voice was filled with emotion as you whispered those two words.
Unsure what to say, still struggling to wake up, I tried not to enjoy the feeling of your hand as it moved from caressing my face to tracing sinuously abstract shapes across my ear lobe and down my neck.
"No one has ever done that for me before...Why...why didn't you just leave?" I could hear the amazement and the confusion in your voice as you tried to understand.
Unsure what to say I fell back on a half-truth, "I didn't have the strength or the energy to leave."
Even as I said the words I knew they weren't true and I felt compelled to continue, "and I...I just couldn't leave you. After what they had done to you, I wasn't sure if you'd...that is, I...You needed my help."