I’ve Got You

CHAPTER 4

The Army Doctor’s gentle, scarred hand took hold of Eris’s injured left wrist and held it up to his face. “This happened tonight” it wasn’t a question. Eris nodded, flicking a tear away from her cheek with her spare hand “just from being pulled along when we were being evacuated.” She lied. The Doctor shook his head as he turned her hand over in his.

“I was in that room, standing right behind you, in fact. I saw what happened”. He had a nice accent. A diluted southern American drawl. It was oddly calming. He stepped around her, peeling back her open hospital gown. “These didn’t happen tonight” again, it wasn’t a question. Eris felt the breath of his heavy sigh hit her exposed back as he cataloged the healing, greenish-yellow bruises from where James had lost his temper the week prior. Eris Stiffened “I fell” she mumbled

“You fell? Into the sole of a work boot? Repeatedly?” he asked skeptically marking out the shape of the bruises with the blunt end of his pencil. “None of your business what I fell in to” Eris snapped back. The Doctor fell silent. He jabbed her side. Eris winced. “Possible bruising of the rib cage. Maybe a fractured rib? We will order an X-Ray in the morning” He mumbled Securing her gown back over her slender shoulders. He came to sit in front of her, and motioned for her to sit as well. “Temperature” he said, holding up a modern looking forehead monitor. He held it to her head and it beeped twice. He studied the screen and noted down what he saw.

He was a handsome man, though a little scruffier than most other military personnel Eris had seen. Eris looked at his framed Doctor of medicine degree on the wall. His name was Grimm. No last name. Just Grimm. Eris scrunched up her nose.

Odd name.

He had pale skin and a mess of black hair. He was unshaven and had flecks of grey marking his stubble, and looked to be around 40. He had deep scarring that extended from the corners of his mouth to the middle of his cheeks, a Glasgow smile. Eris studied the scarring, wondering who had given it to him. She had never seen one in person. It wasn’t as severe as she had imagined one would be. But certainly attention grabbing. He had icy blue eyes and dark lashes that kissed his high cheek bones with every blink. He was terrifying to look at, but handsome all the same. Not unlike James in that way. He looked over his notes once more and read them out loud.

“Mrs Eris Winter, 28 years of age. Weight- 52.6 kilograms. Height- 160 centimeters. Moderate to severe bruising on back, chest and legs. Injured left wrist. Temperature within normal range. Gums pink, reflexes normal. Smoker, no alcohol consumption. Aside from healing injuries, clean bill of health. Weapons found in possession include hunting knife and medium sized baseball bat. Companions include husband James Winter aged 31 and son Dorian Winter aged 11.” He looked up at her. “Sound right?” Eris nodded.

Grimm sighed again. He seemed to do an awful lot of that.

“Mrs Winter, it is not my job to make assumptions, and it is not my job to tell you what to do. But I can offer you some advice.”

Eris opened her mouth to speak, but Grimm held up a hand to silence her, softening slightly when she flinched away from his open palm. “Mrs Winter, You are a young girl. I am assuming that because you became pregnant young and married young that you feel like this is all you will ever know. I’m sure you bring your son up with his best interests in mind-”

“I do. James is a wonderful father. Dorian doesn’t know about...” she swallowed, unable to continue.

“That may be so. But Domestic Violence will not be tolerated within this facility. Violence of any kind will earn those that instigate it a one way trip to the cells below. Your son will be sharing your room here, if you think for one moment you will be able to continue to hide your husbands behaviour from him for long, you are sadly mistaken. Now, you may be cross with me for this, but it is standard protocol here, My hands are tied. Your husband will be on constant watch”. Eris began to panic. Her breathing became shallow “no, please, you can’t! If he finds out I said anything!”. Grimm took hold of her injured hand as he began to bandage it. “Who says you said anything? You just underwent a physical exam. You didn’t have to say anything. I’m not blind. As I was saying. He will be on constant watch. I will not have a wife beater walking around this camp. Lieutenant General Yarran himself will not have a wife beater walking around this camp.” He stopped bandaging her wrist and stood from his seat. And rummaged through his breast pocket. He pulled out a small black device that looked like a miniature remote. It was no bigger than her thumb and had only one button on it. “Lieutenant General Yarran instructed I give this to you. Your husband will be on watch but if there is ever a time you feel you are in danger, press this button. The Lieutenant General will receive an alert with a pin on your location within the facility. Keep it on you. Keep it hidden”. Eris shook her head, but Doctor Grimm forced the small device in to the palm of her hand. “Not optional, I’m afraid. We take the safety of both civilian and army personnel very seriously here. You’re safe now, Mrs Winters... Now please, get yourself dressed and we will bring your son in”.

Eris’s legs shook as she returned to James, Doctor Grimm following close behind “What did you say?” he demanded, his voice low, his beautiful mouth curled up in a sneer. “I said I fell. He didn’t say anything else about it. I think he knows its none of his business” Eris whispered back as she took Dorian’s hand in hers. “Your turn, baby” she cooed. Dorian rubbed his tired eyes

“I just wanna go home” he grumbled

“I know mate” she mused “But this is going to be our new home for a little bit. Not forever, just a bit. We’ll get some rest when we’re settled in. You’ll feel better in the morning. We all will.” Doctor Grimm approached the trio. Arms folded over his chest, glare fixed over Eris’s shoulder at James. With his scarred face, icy stare and imposing frame, he was truly the stuff on nightmares. James swallowed but refused to look away, curling his lip up in an arrogant sneer. Doctor Grimm smiled “not to worry My Winter, you’re next. I won’t keep them long”.

James fumed as he watched his wife and son walk away from him. That Doctor was going to be a problem.

Once Eris, James and Dorian had all received clearance to enter the facility they were led to their room by a silent, fresh faced, soldier. She looked stern, but pretty. Her blonde hair was cropped short, just below her ears, she had wide, strong shoulders and a rather impressive physique. Eris found herself feeling envious, and a little inadequate in her presence. The soldier carried her service weapon over her shoulder, not looking back at them even once. “Sorry, Miss?” Eris asked in a quiet voice. The soldier quirked her head in Eris’s direction to show she was listening without stopping or slowing. “The others that were in the jeep we came on... Are they the only others that managed to escape our building?”.

“Yes... I read through the report myself. 98 contaminated civilians were found. Yourselves and the 6 others that arrived on Jeep number 406 were the only uncontaminated individuals from your building”. Eris’s stomach knotted. “The children... There was a family with six children on the floor above us. Dorian played with them on weekends... Were they... Contaminated?”. The soldier bowed her head

“No... They were dead”. Eris felt shards of ice shoot through her veins. Breathing became difficult. Eris placed her hand on the wall for support. “Ma’am, are you ok?” the soldier asked, turning her pretty face to find Eris frozen to the spot.

“But they were just kids!... They had a new baby! I-I held her yesterday-”. Bile rose in Eris’s throat. Darkness crept in to the edges of her sight. There was a loud ringing in her ears and she fell.

She was unconscious before she hit the floor.

***

Eris woke in a bright, plain room. Bare except for a double bed -which she currently occupied- against one wall, and a single bed against the other. The walls were grey, the sheets were beige. The window was barred. The afternoon light streamed in through the barred windows. There was one bedside table and no other furniture. “Dorian is in the mess hall with an officer getting lunch” James all but whispered. Eris sat up and looked over to him. He sat on the floor by the door, knees pulled up to his chest.

He was gazing towards the window. “Why didn’t you go with him?” Eris asked “Get some food in you”

“Not hungry”. Silence settled between them for just a moment before James laughed without humour.

“In times like this Eris, I need you to be strong. To be tough. I can’t be tough enough for all three of us. I’m scared too, y’know?”.

“I know. And I’m sorry bu-” James snapped his head towards her “Sorry?! Do you have any idea how embarrassing that was for me? Having to clean up your spew and carry you here like you were a f*****g child?”. Eris stared at her bandaged hand in her lap. There was a slight pause before James regained composure and spoke again. “That Doctor dropped off some paperwork about an hour ago... Orders for an X-Ray on your ribs... And pain medication for your hand... He thinks one of your ribs may be fractured”. Eris said nothing. Her nerves were shot and she didnt want to risk her voice cracking and betraying her. But she did notice that since the adrenalin from the previous night had worn off that her ribs had become awfully sore. More sore than it was when their fight had taken place. The running and carrying Dorian must have aggravated the injury somewhat. James stood, coming to sit next to her on the bed. He put a hand on her knee. “You know I never meant it to go that far, Eris”

“Didn’t you?”

“Excuse me?”.

“That wasn’t the first time you’d hurt me that badly, James” James clenched his jaw and Eris held her hands up in surrender.

“It’s okay... I said it was okay already. Can we please just not talk about it anymore?” James Agreed, and reclined on the bed next to her. The truth was, Eris had heard the same apologies, the same excuses and the same promises at improvement countless times over the years, and she was too tired, and too stressed to even pretend that they still held any meaning to her.

“I think I’m going to go find Dorian and get some food myself”

She mumbled, stretching as she rose from the bed, and immediately regretting it when a sharp pang hit her side.

“Don’t talk to anyone, Eris, You hear me?”

“Yes” she sighed “I hear you”.