A Final Fall novel Chapter 7

I knew that Claire wouldn't believe me. My word against Sean's. And I was alone, powerless. I had to find another way.

That night, when Ashley came to me, her touch hesitant, I didn't resist. I let her undress me, revealing the tapestry of scars that covered my body.

My once-smooth skin was a landscape of pain. Whip marks, cigarette burns, cuts, each a memory of a different torment.

But the most horrifying sight was the brand on my back: "Pathetic," seared into my flesh like a cattle brand. Ashley gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

Her eyes, usually so cold and distant, were filled with a horrified fascination.

"Did they... Did they do this to you?" her voice trembled.

I nodded, taking her phone and typing out my message.

"They whipped me until I bled. They dragged me by the hair, threw me in the toilet, held my head underwater. They burned me with a branding iron..."

Ashley's voice broke. "Your hand..."

"They severed the tendons."

"Stop it!" Ashley cried, burying her face in her hands. "I'm so sorry, Leo. Why didn't you tell me? I would've helped you."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify