Nanowrimo Bits - 11/17/19 (Patreon)

A snippet from today's Nanowrimo -- 

It took Flannery two blocks to start shaking, and another half block to start crying again. The power and courage drained from her, leaving her feeling weak and emotionally confused. Her legs gave out from under her, and she was lucky Elwood was there to catch her. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice tight with panic.

Flannery shook her head, gasping for air. “I don’t – I don’t know!”

Flannery yelped as she felt herself get hoisted off the ground and into Elwood’s arms. He held her face to his shoulder, and her tears and snot immediately soaked into his shirt. She felt bad about that. 

“Hang on, Flannery, I’ll get you back home,” he said, already running. “I promise.”

Elwood was good at keeping promises, it seemed. It didn’t take him long at all to get Flannery back to Granny’s shop (she chalked it up to having a super long gait along with the fact he was absolutely booking it down the street). She was grateful it was empty at the time, so only Granny had to see her in this pitiful state.

“Flannery!” Granny came running up to Elwood, her face pale with terror. “What happened?”

Elwood passed Flannery along, Granny holding her close. Flannery clung to her grandmother, sobbing uncontrollably. The weight of the horror of what she’d just experienced crashed down on her. Someone had taken control of her own body away from her. Someone had taken her ability to defend herself, leaving her completely vulnerable to whatever they wanted to do to her. The realization was terrifying, and Flannery didn’t know how to handle it. Even if she had broken through this time, who was to say she could do it the next time? What if Elwood hadn’t been there? What if she’d been alone? What would they have done? They felt entitled enough to her to try and control how she lived her life, what else would they feel entitled to? 

Granny whispered soft, soothing things to her that Flannery couldn’t even process. She looked to Elwood, confused and frightened. 

“Flannery,” Elwood called softly. “Can I see your phone? I’d like to call your friends, if that’s okay? I think you need them right now.”

Flannery shook her head. Even with all the thoughts that were warring inside her head, she knew she didn’t want any of her friends to see her like this. Granny, however, disagreed.

“Use the landline,” she said. “Call Fae. Her number is right next to the phone. She’ll get the people who need to know here.” 

Flannery shook her head even harder, but she couldn’t get the words to come out. She gripped at Granny’s arms, probably hard enough to bruise the poor old woman. 

“Flannery!” Granny chided. “Please, you need to let them help you. You’re hurting, and I don’t know what to do. Please, let them help you. If not for your sake, then for mine.”