Her Broken Rainbow

Maintain the Pain

“I hear your name and man it burns a hole

I swear I hate you but I can’t let go

The kind of damage that you can’t console” 

~Maintain the Pain 

Miranda Lambert 

The next few days are spent in the gym working with my trainer. Skylar even helps me work out after his classes. I’ve spent hours going over the self defense moves I learn with each session I have. Ric said I am doing a great job already but my paranoia has only risen since the day at the museum. I no longer stay locked up in the house but I am still staying with Alaria and Nick. I’ve taken a part time job at a plant nursery nearby. It’s the only place I don’t actually work directly with customers and can have my bodyguard there with me. I hate how I’m constantly followed and watched like some helpless damsel in distress. I need to show him I’m stronger than he thinks but Nick says this is a way to keep an ace in our pocket. Never show your hand regardless of whether you're bluffing or not. Weakness is an enemy’s greatest weapon. 

“Alright that’s enough for today Raenn. You did good.” Ric hands me a towel and water bottle. 

“Thanks. I really appreciate the training.” I say before taking a swig of water. Looking at the time I release I have to get back and get ready. “I have to get going Ric, thanks again. Same time tomorrow?” I ask. 

“Same time, be safe and have a good night Raenn.” He waved me off and headed to the men's locker room. I gather my stuff and head to the women's to shower and change. Laying my towel on the bench I strip out of my work out clothes, leaving me in a sports bra and boy shorts. Shoving everything in my locker I head to the showers. A sound catches my attention and I see a lady walk out of one of the locker aisle and towards the door, smiling as she passes. I smile back and continue into the tiled area. I turn the water on and hang my towel on the hook outside the shower stall. The squeak of a shoe on tile catches my attention and before I can turn around I’m knocked down to the ground with the weight of another body on top of me. I wiggle out from under as the person loses their grip against the tile. I stand and whip around to come face to face with the one person I’ve been too scared to see. 

Carson’s aged some from the 13 year old boy I remember. His jet black hair is cut short in a buzz cut. His face has thinned out and those eyes. I’ll never forget those eyes. If he hadn’t already turned crazy I’d have probably been a bit attracted to him. His eyes are a light green, so light they almost look white. He has some exotic features I’m pretty sure from his dad but mixed with the knowledge I have of him, it only makes him look insane. The look of a psychotic person is one no one should ever stare down in a situation such as this. My body is frozen in place and he’s standing in front of me with a look of victory. 

“Well, well. I’ve been missing you, something terrible, beautiful.” His voice drips with the same disgusting sweetness I remember. 

“Touch me and I’ll break your f*****g face Carson.” I ready myself looking to the doorway of the showers wondering if I saw any other women in the gym who might come in. Would I be able to run across the floor and not slip? I don’t see a weapon, screaming might help. I can hold him off long enough for someone to come for me. I’m standing across the stalls from him barefoot, I don’t know that I’ll make it without slipping on the wet tiles.

“Now, now. Don’t be like that. Come on beautiful, you know how this works. You’re not getting away from me this time. You are mine and I will take what’s mine.” His words shake me a little but I don’t let him see that. 

“I promise you the only thing you’ll be doing is collecting your teeth off the floor bitch.” I step to my right closer to the door. He jumps in the same direction trying to match my movements in anticipation. 

“I’ll get to you faster than you’ll get to that door, beautiful. Just make this easy and I’ll even let you get dressed.” His eyes travel down my body, reminding me I’m only in a bra and underwear. “Even though this outfit is pretty sexy, it would be even better on the floor.” 

Creepy crawlies run from my feet to my head making me physically cringe at the implication behind his words. It’s a now or never scenario again and I know what I have to do. I take off towards the doorway and begin screaming at the top of my lungs as I do, hoping this is enough. I don’t make it far before I’m tackled to the round and a hand smacks my mouth closed. I thrash as much as possible, biting one of his fingers and freeing my mouth. I scream again before his hand attempts to shut me up again. I throw my elbow back and hit him in the face, a crunching sound making its way to my ears. Maybe I broke his nose. He rolls back which gives me enough room to jump up and take off again. Once on the carpeted floor of the locker room I speed up as fast as I can to get to the door. I hear him coming from behind me, mentally preparing myself to be tackled again. I’m knocked off my feet as the door to the locker room crashes open and the sound of footsteps rushing in can be heard. Leaping to my feet I run towards whoever is entering at that moment. My bodyguards tush in, one continues on in the same direction Carson ran while the other ushers my back to my locker. I dress quickly and gather my stuff as he escorts me out and to the manager's office. My heart hasn’t stopped beating and I can’t fully catch my breath. He was in front of me. He grabbed me, touched me. He was so close and I almost lost. I wasn’t prepared and I let my guard down. This was too close for comfort. I knew the guard wasn’t going to catch up to him, there’s a door that leads from the showers to the pool area and another that leads to a sitting area outside for sunbathing. He can easily jump over the small brick wall surrounding the tabled area. I sit in the office as the guard recounts my story to the officers. My heart won't slow and my nerves are like tiny spiders crawling inside my skin. I can’t comprehend the fact that this was such a close call. If he hadn’t made a sound coming into the shower, I don’t know that I’d have made it out. 

I sent a text to Sky who is on his way to pick me up. As I wait I think, why didn’t he use the same stuff on my mom as he did me. When he tackled me he would have been able to just inject it into me and I would have never screamed. That’s what alerted my body guards was my scream. I don’t know how he got past them to begin with. 

“Raenn, baby girl. Are you ok?” His voice reaches me but still sounds so far away. Sky comes to kneel in front of me, his hand on the side of my face brushing my hair back. A stinging sensation breaks me out of my daze and I flinch. 

“Ouch, that hurt.” touching my hand to the side of my face, I find blood coating my finger tips. “s**t, I must have hit my head on the tile floor when he tackled me. I didn’t even feel the pain.”  

“He touched you?” his voice was laced with distaste and anger.

“Yeah, he tackled me to the floor a couple of times during the whole scuffle. I didn’t feel it at the time.” He takes some tissue from the desk and blots at my wound, trying to see how severe it is.

“Well it doesn’t look like you’ll need stitches. The bleeding looks to be slowing down. We’ll clean it at home, come on.” He lifts me up into his arms bridal style and I curl into his embarrassment, laying my head against his shoulder. As we exit the room an officer stops us. 

“We have everything noted but we'll still need you to come down to the station and sign an official statement Miss Waterson. We found a few things to indicate how he got in, he was hiding in one of the larger lockers in the back, not sure for how long but security footage should give us an indication. There was also a needle on the floor of the shower stall you indicated you were standing near. We’ll have the contents analysed to see what exactly was in it. It appears he dropped it when you started fighting back.” I shudder at the realization that he could have very easily knocked me out. 

“He only dropped it because he lost his footing. I didn’t even see the needle.” I reply quietly. 

“Is there anything else needed from Raenn or can I take her home now?” Sky asks the officer. 

“We have everything for now, the rest will be handled with the gym owner for security footage. We will be in touch soon, Miss Waterson.” The officer nods and walks off. Skylar carries me to his car and sets me in the passenger seat. I can see some of the security guards following, getting into one of the suvs parked nearby. Skylar directs his car in the direction of Alaria’s house and we make it there in under a few minutes. This being one of Nick’s gyms it isn’t far from their house. Being on unsteady legs I allow Sky to carry me once more into the house to the kitchen, setting me on a stool at the center island. “Do you want something to eat or drink?” 

“Yes and no. I feel hungry but I also feel like if I eat I’ll chuck it up afterwards.” I reply honestly. 

“Here, then let's clean your head and see if you need to be seen.” He grabs a first aid kit from the pantry and walks over to where I”m at, sitting in a stool next to me. Soaking a cotton swab in peroxide and gingerly taps it to my head. I shrink just a bit from the sting but it doesn’t last long. 

“He was so close, Sky.” I whisper as he continues to work. The look in his eyes will forever haunt my thoughts. I feel arms wrap around me and I bury my face in his chest. The sobs wrack through me as I can no longer keep them in. My world was shattered the day Carson came into it and will never be the same again. Skylar let me cry everything out into his shirt without saying anything. He rubbed my back and soothe my fears away. After I had nothing left, all tears were shed. It was now time to pick myself back up and move on. I know these moments will get to me but I can’t let it stick for long. Cry it out and get back up. He will slip up soon and he will rot behind the bars of his prison cell. 

“I need to get ready for tonight, we have a movie night with the gang, remember?” I ask Sky. 

“You’re still down to go?” He shoots back cautiously. 

“Yeah I can’t let this keep me hidden. I’m better than him. Besides it’s Movie night and we’re going to the 88 drive in. I haven’t been in so long. I think it’s a wise decision to go, I doubt he’ll try again so soon and you;ll be there with me to protect me.” A smile stretches across my face and I’m hoping it’s portraying pleading happiness instead of what I’m feeling, ragging fear. I feel like I’m half begging my parents for permission to go out with my friends. 

“I’m just making sure you’re ready to back out there after today.” I nod my head and hug him close before leaving to begin my routine to get ready for tonight.