Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2013 23:27:35 GMT -5
Flashback ~ May 12 2013 ~ Abandoned Chicagoland school of Wrestling - Chicago, Illinois
Cami's POV
My dreams are full of frightening images of being beaten by a woman who looks exactly like me. Calling me names that I didn't think I deserved. Spitting on me, stomping her boots into my chest.
I wake in a cold sweat. The room is dark still which means that it's still early, since light wasn't filtering through the window high above me. I Test my hand and realize that my nightmares are not nightmares at all. Reality hits me again. Just like it had every morning for the last few weeks. The handcuff chain rattles against the metal of the bench and the sound echoes in the empty school. Even though I'd been unconscious when they had brought me here, I recognized my school. The place where I had been trained to be a wrestler. In fact I could see my assigned locker from the place I as handcuffed to.
Ever since Doug had, had that heart attack he'd closed the school. Attending his funeral only a few weeks later had been one of the saddest days of my life. No one had rented the building. I expected an actual gym like Goodlife to take it over but here it was... still abandoned and because of that I was here, chained up like some dog.
My throat is dry. I can't remember the last time I got a drink. When I cough, there's blood in my free hand. Great. That last beat down from Cat I'm pretty sure broke two of my ribs. I knew my muscles were slowly going into atrophy from being forced into one position for so long. At least Trey let me walk when he came to check on me. He'd un-cuff me from the bench but he'd make me lay down on the floor with one knee on my sternum. Not that I think they were going to kill me...
I pause on that thought. Maybe Trey wouldn't. He probably thought Cat was treating me better then what she actually was. I could tell him but what difference did it make. It wouldn't be like he'd give her guff for it.
I had lost track of the days. I had no idea how long I'd been here, but judging by the smell coming from the bucket they gave me just a few inches away, it had been at least a day since anybody had come to care for me. A day without food. A day without water. I knew from my classes and just basic common sense that going a day without water was dangerous...but someone was always coming in. There was this old guy coming in sometimes that would give me a bottle of water and some pastries. I wondered who he was and why he never spoke or why he never questioned a girl handcuffed to a bench.
My leg suddenly cramps and I hold in my cry of pain. I needed to reserve what little strength I had. There had to be some sort of way to get myself out of here... even if there hadn't been an opportunity since I found myself in this position.
Once I manage to work out the cramp I feel myself passing out again. It happened often when I used too much of my energy. When I wake up, it's dark outside again. I take a deep sigh and then I hear movement. They never leave a light on in this place. I just hope it's not rats. But I hear whispers and then a muted cough and I know that they've returned finally to feed and water me but Cat and Trey were never quiet about they're entrances. Then a beam of a flashlight hits me and I blink up into it.
"Oh my God.. Cami..." It's a woman's voice. I kinda of recognize it. The woman rushes to my side and a bottle is put to my lips. The water is kinda of warm but it feels cold all the way down to my stomach. "Can you speak love?"
I finally recognize her voice. it's Kristy. From Beat-U. Gabe's student. I look up in the limited light from the flashlight and see her blue eyes. her hair is pulled back and she's dressed in a windbreaker. Her eyes look horrified at finding me like this.
I shake my head no. My voice is so raw from not being used that I didn't trust myself to be able to say anything, plus I was so delirious that I was probably imagining this whole thing.
"Gabe... she's in here..." she yells out, there is a little note of panic in her voice. someone comes into the room next, also with a flashlight. Once again it shines on me but I have the sense to not look up this time. he's on my other side in seconds.
"Cams... Cami...." I guess because I'm not responding he's saying my name over and over. Without even thinking I croak out something.
"Billie... my name... is..."
"Shhhhh... don't talk now." he's brushing hair out of my face. he follows my arm to where my wrist is . I watch as he pulls out a pouch from his inside jacket pocket and then crawls under the bench. I hear clicking and then the click is the one I hear every time Trey comes. The sound of the cuff opening. My hand falls limply to the cold floor and he cradles it in his own, looking it over for bruising, which I'm sure there is lots.
"Alright on the count of three we'll get her to her feet and then get her out of here."
Gabe counts, his voice sounding far away again. Yes, when I wake up, this will have been a wonderful dream. After they get me to my feet, my legs once again seize in cramping and my weight pulls me back down. With a growl he's got me up in his arms and carrying me out. Kristy offers me more of her water and as we're leaving he's whispering things to me. most of them I don't understand but one stands out.
"You're safe now..."
"What day is it..." I ask, my voice sounding rough and foreign.
"May 12." Kristy says, "Nearly midnight"
I give a slight smile.
"Happy birthday to me... for a few more minutes anyway."
Then I remember passing out again.
For the next few days, my body went into shock a few times but I was hydrated and healthy enough to leave the hospital for the show on the following Thursday, where I had had enough strength to confront my captors. I only continued to get stronger each day physically, but mentally... not at all.
Gabe was a sweetheart. Doting on me. Letting me stay at his place but there was always that underlining thing. That he cared for me much more than I cared for him and that guilt rested on my shoulders every day. Not that he would want payment for rescuing me but deep down, I felt like just because of that I should be with him...and it was because of that... was why I left. I'd written a letter one day and explained that I needed to go back home. To my mother, Gina Thomas. I needed to press charges against the people who did this to me.
Unfortunately, Trey wasn't picked up because there was no evidence that he was even behind it, despite Gabe's videos, but Cat was none too shy about admitting everything. She was sentenced to two years in jail and another couple years of community service. They asked if I wanted a restraining order too but I declined. if she came after me again, I would be ready this time.
I had decided that I would visit her in jail. Worst case scenario was that she'd spit at me and call me names like she had when I was at her mercy but she'd been remorseful for treating me that way. Her identical sister.
Days later I got my first tattoo. The words on my back:
She is Strong when she is weak
She is brave when she is scared
She is humble when she is victorious
Then... about a month later, I'd gotten the unicorn. I guess I felt that since Unicorns were rare and cherished, having an identical twin had ruined that perception of myself, not only that with all the cruel things she'd said I needed something to break up how the same we looked even if our personalities were completely different.
I guess, Kuk has been part of my recovery. Maybe it makes no sense to people like Jason. And maybe Chelsea and Missy want him back but the thing is.. he's with me. he waited for me...and I want to make this work. I am still not the Cami I was.. maybe I never will be but part of that is how I'm growing.
The reason why they picked me to be a leader in EoV.
