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I lie perfectly still in his arms and let myself enjoy my daive into it I wonder for a brief second if Star used to be a cohten up

"What?"

"Nothing"

He set , "What? I felt you tense"

"It’s nothing I was just wondering soirl or has she always been the puppy dog that follows you around? Did you ruin her?"

He laughs and rubs his eyes He looks exhausted "Oh Emma You drive me insane Can’t you just leave it alone? It’s private"

My brow knits, "I can yeah" I cliain and I cry out

He winces, "Sorry I keep forgetting"

Iand be sweet and I forget what you’re really like"

He looks like he’s holding his breath but then he speaks "She was raped savagely I to a fifteen-year-old girl I was escaping and I saw them I tell everyone I met her at the breeder farms but that’s not entirely the truth of it She was in the back of the truck with four of the lot There were a few of the I’ve ever seen"

I shiver and gag a little The women ere kept behind Their faces will hauntat the back of the truck I remember the screams

"I saved her I saved them That’s it"

"How?" I feel like an ass I wish I could take it back

"I killed therateful ever since"

Grateful…Gross… "Grateful?"

"She thinks I’oes where I go She cooks for ry words fly fro She doesn’t act like any victim I’ve ever seen The women I’ve seen ere raped are timid and shy She acts like a whore She’s always half naked and hanging off you"

"E to say but it’s the way it seeht in front of theiant steps and holds ht into the wounds on htly, "Why would you say such a horrid thing If I ever hear you say that again…look atand scrape unshot

He tilts rip and run I head back to the ca and so have I

When his hand grabs my non-wounded arround He growls at Wills throat

I wrapdown my arm, where Mona has butterflied it His eyes notice the red liquid seeping throughyou" His words sound broken somehow They don’t h the tears I don’t see him clearly I still see thevoice filling the sirl like Star She always needs you to rescue her I’ I like the most about your brother He just wants to be with me He doesn’t want to try to run et to the camp, just stay there I don’t want or need your help"

For the first time I see pain on his face, real pain

I don’t feel the satisfaction I think I will The ache in my heart feels like it’s fractured I feel dizzy I turn away from the pain I’ve caused and walk to Mona who can repair my arh

xxxx

Seeing the camp and the exciteh Sister’s reuniting Husbands and wives e and tears This should be the payment for the pain but my heart feels barren and dry

I spin in a circle and watch the villagers running at loved ones and strangers alike Tears of joy and excitement are everywhere, at every turn

A pair of dark eyes watches hs and shakes his head He points at his tent and then h I a at Will and jus her Tears build a dam in my throat

Marshall slams me on the back in ould be a friendly pat on a man’s back My tiny back aches from it "You are a real pain in my ass I should have killed you when I had the chance I’ I knew you were trouble the minute I met you Too daet inside

I stand ready to receive the only real tongue-lashing I have ever endured Part of me wants to cry The other part refuses and forces the snotty lookat ht red and he set away?"

I’ nice Nice-ish