#Chapter 76: Homesick

Ella Sobs shook my body and tears blurred my vision as I cradled my chafed wrists, the ropes having left their brutal imprint. Each throb was a piercing reminder of the dark ordeal I had just survived. God, why did I take the subway tonight? Why didn’t I call an Uber, or even call Logan to take me home after the work party? I wasn’t sure how long I sat there. It wasn’t until my legs felt stiff from sitting on the floor that I realized that I needed to move. Pushing through the pain, I rose shakily, the world seeming to tilt and blur around me. My reflection in the living room mirror showed a woman with smeared mascara, disheveled hair, and eyes haunted by terror. The fear in my eyes was jarring, alien. This wasn’t me, or at least, not the me I recognized. Driven by a need to wash away the evidence of my attack, I shuffled to the bathroom. The sterile lights bathed the room in a glaring brightness, making my head throb more acutely. But I focused on