Page 49 of Ivy

“Listen to me, Carter. You need to be a big boy for me, okay? Be like Luke. Can you be my mini beast?” He hiccups but nods. “Good boy. I love you, Carter, always. Remember that, okay.” I need him to remember that I will always love him, because I have no clue what Tim will do to me.

“Love you too, Mum.” I look around as best I can. We’re in a small room, but it has a toilet and a kitchenette. Where the hell are we? The paint is peeling off the walls and it smells like urine. I crinkle my nose at the stench.

We both gasp when the door swings open and a drunk Tim stumbles in. My heart sinks even further knowing how aggressive Tim is when he is drunk.

“Oh, look, the bitch is awake. About fucking time, you whore.” He slurs his words, before taking another mouthful from the bottle of Jack in his hand.

“You fucking screwed everything up when you ran, you cunt. I needed you and the boy to make me look good, but you fucked off. I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING,” he screams at me, making me flinch. Carter screams in fright, and Tim turns to him.

“Oh, shut the fuck up, you little brat. Fuck, why didn’t we kill you when we had the chance?”

“TIM!” I yell, shocked he just told Carter that. Carter’s cries intensify, and Tim steps towards him.

“Tim, what do you want with us?” He stops and turns his head to face me. A sadistic smile crosses his face.

“I want what is mine. You owe me that much.” I owe him? What planet is he on?

“Owe you? We don’t owe you anything, Tim. If anything, you owe us for putting up with you over the years.” The second the words come from my mouth, I know I’ve made a grave mistake. Tim charges me and slams his fist into my face. My head swings to the right as pain shoots through my skull, and I taste the copper in my mouth. Carter screams from his corner, but I can’t turn my head to look at him.

“OWE YOU? You left me, you fucking cunt. You’ve done fuck-all for me over the years. I gave you everything.” He keeps saying he gave us everything. He gave us nothing but misery.

“SHUT UP,” he yells at Carter, which only makes him cry harder. I need to protect my boy.

“Tim, leave him alone. He hasn’t done anything. It’s me you want to hurt, so fucking hurt me, you bastard.” The words just flow from me. The pain and the anger are fueling the rage that is building. I know Tim will hurt me even more, but I will take a thousand punches and kicks if it protects Carter. My pride and joy. My heart.

“The fuck did you just say to me?” I thank God when he turns to me again. He eyes are like nothing I have ever seen before, and that’s saying something, as I’ve seen Tim in a fit of rage before now.

“I said, leave him alone. He has done nothing wrong here, Tim. It’s me you hate, so hurt me. Stay the fuck away from my son.” In a flash, I hear Carter scream and see Tim lunge for me. I brace for the punches, but nothing truly stops the hits or the pain I take from each one. I try to hold in any noise, desperate not to scare Carter any more than he already is. But my boy is a smart kid, so he knows that I am hurting something fierce right now.

I faintly hear him scream for me, but Tim’s grunts and the blood pulsing through my body are deafening me from his cries. I’m not sure how long he repeatedly hits me for, but eventually, he climbs off the bed, just as darkness closes in.

****

“Mum, please wake up.” Carter’s weak voice forces me out of the darkness. I slowly open my eyes and gently turn my head to see him. His face is streaked with tears, his eyes all puffy and red. My poor baby.

Only one of my eyes are opening. The other must be swollen shut. I take a few seconds to check for aches and pains. My upper body hurts like hell, and I think I have a few broken ribs. The effort to breathe is getting too much. It hurts every time I take a breath. I know the difference between bruised and broken ribs. I have had them enough to know the difference.

“I’m okay, Carter. How long have I been asleep?” I ask.

“It was light out, but now it’s dark, Mum. Will Luke be coming for us?” Oh, Luke. I bet he’s going crazy looking for us. I sob, thinking of never seeing the man that holds my heart again. I need to get us out of here.

“Carter, can you get out of your rope, honey?” I hear him scuffle around. God, I wish I could help him. I need to get us free from these ropes and away from Tim. We need to get home.

I close my eyes and slowly take in a breath, wincing at the pain in my ribs.

“Mum,” Carter whispers, but he’s close enough for my eyes to snap open. He’s standing over me. He gives me a watery smile and I mirror it.

“Oh, God, you are a big, brave boy. I love you, Carter. Can you help me out of these?” I gesture to my hands, and he nods.

“I can try,” he replies.

“Good boy.”

His tiny hands pull and tug at the ropes wrapped around my wrist. After a beat, I feel the rope get loose and I take a deep breath, forgetting about my ribs. I almost scream in pain, but I force the sound to stay trapped in my lungs.

“Yes! Got it.”

“Shhhh, Carter,” I scold him, then regret it when I see his smile drop. “I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean it. I just don’t want to Tim to come back in here.” He nods in understanding. Bless him. He’s six-years-old and doing things a child of his age should never be doing or seeing. I hate this for him.

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