~ Mental Ward at Mercy Hospital~ {chksng19}

The overhead lights were turned off. The glass window in the door had its curtains slightly pushed aside just enough to let a small stream of light in the room. She had no outside window to see out, which made the door the only exit to her room. The walls around her were stark white and completely bare. Her bed sheets were white to match the wall.
Everything looked so clean and undisturbed. No pictures on the wall, no decorations or anything personal. There were rules and somethings were allowed but she didn't really want them. She didn't really need them. Besides brining personal things and decorations gave others a glimpse into her world. That was not something she wanted.
The tile on the floor was white with light blue and pink specking to add a dash of color to the room. A slight warm breezed moved through the room, its source was a small vent in the wall close to the door. The nurses had learned to let her keep her room little warmer than what they thought was necessary. She had several serious fights with the nurses about having 3 extra blankets or keep the room warmer. After considering she might use the extra blankets as a weapon or to hide a potential weapon, doctors agreed on adjusting the temperature.
Krista sat quietly on her bed. Her eyes were staring at the wall beside her, but her mind was else where. In the silence of her room she could hear quiet conversations outside of her door and even further down the hall at the nurses station. None of that really mattered, it was just a soft but constant buzz. Her thoughts were somewhere between the voices in her mind and a vague awareness of her surroundings.
She noticed when the voices outside the door started getting louder. Male nurses arguing with another "patient". A smile slowly moved across her lips as she recognized the voice of the patient. It was enough motivation for her to actually stand up and move to the door. She pushed the curtains aside and had to pause and blink against the harsh lights of the hallway.
The confrontation was not that far down the hall, but she could not see Cian through the ring of male nurses. She could see one of them reaching toward him. Cian's voice was soft but carried the warning the other man was not to touch him. She could not see what he did but the nurse staggered backward. A flash of navy blue crossed her window and once it passed she recognized Doctor Pytka.
The thought of Doctor Pytka joining into the fight was just about enough motivation for her to actually open her door and step out for a better view. Before she could move, the doctor was staggering back and one of the other nurses catching him. Giggling softly she pressed her face a little harder against the glass window. She thought Doctor Pytka must have forgotten himself, because she knew he knew better.
Trying to recover he was holding his jaw but trying to tell the nurses to back away from Cian. Krista knew once no one was trying to touch him, Cian would calm down, but till then there was not enough muscle in the entire hospital to control him. Once they finally all stepped back, Cian slowly relaxed and moved out of a defensive position.
When Doctor Pytka could right himself he gave very specific instructions to two nurses to escort Cian back to his room, and that did not include touching him. Cian's room was down the hall from hers, so they had to walk past her room. She stayed in the window watching. He already knew she was there, to hide would mean she was ashamed and she was not. His green eyes met her brown eyes for a long moment and then he was past the door and the contact had to end.
Sometimes she got the feeling he would start a little show so close to her room just to get her attention. She rarely left her room so he did not get many chances to see her. It was her own doing she did not venture out to the recreation room or seek the company of others.
As she moved back to her bed she wondered if the show truly was for her or if she was just imagining things again. The nurses often told her the world did not turn for her. Krista slowly resumed her place on the bed watching the wall and going back to her thoughts, every once in a while her thoughts would stray to him. When she closed her eyes she could still see his eyes watching her.
The next time her thoughts were interrupted, her door was opening. She already knew it would be Doctor Pytka, she had heard his quiet conversation with a female nurse as he came toward her door. She did not flinch as the light spilled in the door but she was forced to closer her eyes as he turned on the overhead lights. A moment later she could hear the soft click of the door shutting. It made her wonder what this visit was going to be about. Slowly her eyes opened so she could adjust to the new flood of light.
"Must you keep turning the lights off? Your not a vampire, you don't need to live in the dark...."
Her head did not turn but her eyes shifted to look at him. Even him being across the room, she could see where Cian had busted his lip open. It looked like it hurt, but apparently he was feeling better since she did not pick up on any accent or hesitation as he spoke. A slow smile spread across her lips and he must have guessed why because he frowned at her.
It reminded her of the first time she found out about Cian. The good Doctor had come to see her and his lip had been busted open then too. She had pestered him restlessly till he told her what happen. Even then she had to wait another week before she had finally heard one of the nurses talking about him, and before she got her first glimpse of him. Like today she had stood at the window in her door and watched him walk past.
He had known she was standing there. She had read the look of curiosity in his eyes, and it must have been a reflection of what he saw in hers. In those few moments she recognized he wasn't "mentally ill" like many of the patients at Mercy Hall, he was like her. It wasn't like demon possession but something very inhuman lived behind those eyes. She knew because the something similar resided in her and it recognized him.
Since then she had gone out of her way, short of leaving her room too seek him out, to see him when he was nearby. The good Doctor, probably wish it was not so. Cian had bloodied his lip three times since then. It was one of the reason she was beginning to think he was showing off for her. He must have guessed she found it romantic.
Krista giggled softly to herself, finally she gave Doctor Pytka her full attention. Reaching out her hand to him her amused smile slowly slipping to more needing, like she knew why he had closed the door and the curtain on the small window. He stood near the door looking at her disapprovingly. The look in his eyes said he knew exactly what she wanted.
"Come on... Its been so long.... please... ummm.... do you want me to beg?"
She could already see the heat rising in his cheeks but that was his only reaction to her words. Slowly something crossed his face and she realized he was planning on ignoring her request. Watching she swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Don't say no to me... You started this.... your not just going to end it now...."
"The Board is beginning to have suspicions.... I am not loosing my license because of a......"
As his words trailed off she came off the bed, standing up in a blur of motion. She watched as he flinched. Somewhere deep down, he had to know she wasn't insane, that there was something else going on with her, but insanity was the only way he could justify it rationally. Once in a while she liked to shake up that belief. Then again, once in a while she simply forgot herself.
She moved toward him slowly. He held her eyes for only a moment before he finally looked away from her, as if he was ashamed. When she reached out to touch his face, he moved aside. Anger crossed her face and in response she moved to backhand him. Her wrist connected with his open palm, and she felt his grip tighten on her. For a moment she only stared at him wide eyed. He had barely been able to see her move before and he should not have been able to stop her.
Krista was still staring at him dumbfounded when he returned the favor with a backhand of his own. She did not try to stop him, her mind was still confused that he had been able to stop her. He let go of her as she stumbled backward from the force of the blow. She ended up on the edge of the bed holding her jaw. It wasn't broken but it hurt, normally it might not have been unexpected but her mind kept telling her it was suppose to be him reeling.
"I have had about all the games from you and your little shadow twin..."
Slowly she turned her eyes from the floor to look at him. She didn't have to ask who he was referring to her. It was not the first time the good doctor had referred to Cian as her "little shadow twin." She thought it was cute, she wasn't sure if Cian would have liked it, though it made her wonder what her nickname was with Cian. If Doctor Pytka knew she liked it, he probably wouldn't have used it anymore.
She could not think of anything useful to say, at least nothing nice, so she kept her mouth shut as he made notes in her chart. Knowing him, another incident of her "self-destructive behavior." By chance she found out from one of the nurses that she had a rather long running history of hurting herself to get attention. The dates just happen to coincide with days she had hit Doctor Pytka or he had hit her.
Krista watched him till he turned and walked out. He at least remembered to turn the light back off before he shut the door. Even after he was gone she sat and watched the door for a few moments. Just outside the door she could hear the good doctor he was going to take a lunch break then he would be back to finish his weekly check-ups.
After the earlier injury she guessed Doctor Pytka was probably trying to put off his visit to Cian. Krista knew the doctor did 4 patient check ups a day, Cian and her had the same day. Sometimes if she had an especially rough time with a nurse or argument with the good doctor, she would leave red marks on Doctor Pytka's wrist or give him a fat lip. It would make her giggle to know the doctor would be going to see Cian soon after.
She didn't do it to show possession or to tease Cian, she did it to get to Doctor Pytka. Apparently, like herself, Cian had a habit of asking where the bruises and marks came from. The good doctor hated talking about the injuries. And it was kind of an unspoken game between Cian and herself.
Doctor Pytka use to go to Cian's room first, but Cian didn't need a good reason to fight with the doctor. The good doctor must have figured that out and traded an guaranteed busted lip, for an occasional bruise. Since she was unable to see Cian's handy work he stopped hitting the good doctor, unless he could guarantee her seeing it. Maybe it should have bothered her that Cian said "hello" with bruises and blood. At least it should bother her that she had started to do the same thing. But she liked it, and that didn't bother her.
Her thoughts were disturbed by a nurse knocking on the door. The nurse did not wait for her to answer before pushing the door open. Krista watched her unmoving, waiting. The nurse wasn't new, because her eyes went straight for the bed without even trying to turn on the lights. Good nurse. The new nurses always exclaimed about the dark, turning on the lights and made a fuss until they noticed the dark look on her face.
Though the nurse's eyes stopped searching the darkness for her, she did not immediately speak up, maybe she was new after all. If the other woman was waiting for her to acknowledge her presence, she would be there for a while. Apparently remembering herself, or realizing this was the best she was going to get, the nurse pushed the door open a little further. "Are you ready to come out? Doctor Pytka seemed to think you would enjoy the exorcise and lunch with others."
Krista could not keep the dark look off of her face. Bad nurse. It wasn't really aimed at the nurse, since the nurse was only the messenger, but she needed to take it out on someone. The nurse flinched but did not move to leave. Seeing the patient look on the other womans face, Krista sighed and and concentrated on not hurting the messenger. Remember, hurt the doctor, not the nurses. "If I come out and be the good social patient, is going to sign my release any sooner?"
The look on the nurses face told her, she was use to working with the mentally ill, and in the woman's opinion Krista was in denial. She was not sure if the good doctor honestly wanted her to come out, or if he simply wanted her to strike out at someone so he could keep her longer. Growling softly, Krista climbed to her feet. The nurse finally backed up till she was barely in the room.
Before she stepped into the hall, Krista hit the light switch on, then gently closed the door behind her. She gestured for the nurse to lead her. In all the months she had been here, she had only gone to the cafeteria once, so for the life of her she did not know the way. The nurse gave her a once over, look and looked like she was about to say something. Krista gave her warning look and it was enough to keep any comments silent.
As the nurse led the way she realized that she would be going past Cian's door. It made her wonder if he was in or if he moved about. She couldn't remember the last time she had come this way for anything so she didn't know what signs to look for. She guessed it didn't matter. If she managed to catch a glimpse of Cian, and the good doctor ended up with a bruise later, Doctor Pytka would blame it on her.
The walk to the cafeteria was not as long as she had anticipated. Once they reached the cafeteria the nurse remained with her to "help her through the line." Finally growing annoyed, Krista growled at the other woman, and made a shooing gesture. Krista waited for the woman to argue, she was almost looking forward to hitting her. Smartly the nurse decided it was time to leave.
After picking up her tray and several spoonfuls of what the cafeteria people called "food," Krista found a table by a window. It had been a long time since she had seen outside and the sunlight was blinding. She pushed the food around on her plate, finally giving up on trying to eat, she pushed her chair out enough so she could perch her heels on the edge of the chair so her knees could be tucked against her chest.
She was not sure what they did to cafeteria food, but it was nothing like what was brought to her room. Even the smell was about half enough to make her loose her appetite. Somehow she did not think that just because she was refusing to eat, meant she could be excused back to her room. Doctor Pytka knew she didn't like to be social and she was beginning to regret she had not left a bruise. Bad doctor, no cookie!
Hearing a bird just outside the window her thoughts turned to the outdoors. Her Eyes following the little bird, and when it left, she would find another to watch. It was not more interesting than watching the wall in her room, it was just different. Unlike her room, she tried not to hear the conversations around her. Surprisingly the cafeteria was mostly empty but that did not make her want to notice any of them. If she had to spend her afternoon here, she would catch up on watching the rays of sunshine and the gossip of the birds.

Cian had enjoyed his little tussle with the Doctor. Not enough to get into lockdown or the strait jacket for, just enough to leave a mark. It was checkup day, and my little Rusty Blackbird needed her mark to know I was still playing the game. Her grayish color and the line over her eye was kind of like the birds my father used to drag me along to look for in the woods, before he took off and left me on the street.

The game with the Doctor had started a while back, since I had caught my Rusty's eye. I fell into that eye, deeply, and got lost in those green depths. She was amazingly like me, that eye said. She was not mentally ill, she just had a dark side, as I do.

I had discovered my dark side to be much like my father's. I had watched him kill animals in the wild in cold blood; just twisting the necks of birds and other animals which disappointed him. He was a huge man, as I am, tall and broad with trained speed due to his Green Beret times in 'Nam. My training came from a Dojo in Wisconsin near home; my dad had wanted me to "be a man". I started to take pleasure in his killing... and he left before I could kill him.

The dark side had led me to many fights on the streets, and finally to deep brooding silence. I was deep in my thoughts for many months, and woke to realize that I was in a mental institution. For the longest time I fought... I still fought. But I picked my fights, and watched for the opportunity to hurt the doctors who kept me in this prison. The day would come when I could get out. When I could take my Rusty and get out for good.

Doctor Bruce Pytka was a Cleveland Polack in my mind; he wasn't Polish as I am, he was a Polack. Stupidly slow in his mental activity. Almost a slave to the system he worked for, unchanging day-to-day. It was funny to tease him, to hit him *just* hard enough to get my release and not to make him mad. And he had shown my mark to my Rusty today.

I saw Rusty go by on the way to the lunch room! She NEVER leaves her room. And Doctor Pytka was coming into my room. And my cousin Chester was visiting right after the doctor was done. He was bringing his woman Marta along. Could today be the day?

The good Doctor asshole was walking into my room, acting as though he had never seen the pictures of birds on my walls before. The biggest one I had was from National Geographic, and it was of a Rusty Blackbird, perched on a reed in some marshland somewhere. It was right opposite my bed, where I could look at her. I smiled at him.

"Sorry about the lip, Doc. Those damn nurses were getting pushy again; you know how I can't stand being pushed. They push me so far, touching me, and I get so nervous. When you let me out, I'm heading for the North Woods, up in Canada somewhere, as far away from people as I can get."

Doctor Polock smiled and made some notes, and I saw Chester and his woman outside the door. I decided: this is the time. Gesturing at Ches to come in, I grabbed the doctor and took him down with a kick to the chest. Taking his keys, I stood up and told Chester, "I'm breaking out. Help me!"

A quick pat on the back and I knew I was covered from behind. We ran together into the lunchroom, and there was my Rusty, all alone by a window. I ran to get her.

"Rusty, we're breaking out. Come with me!" She jumped up and nodded, smiling.

Chester had found an empty dish cart, and lifted it over his head, tossing it out a window. State budget cuts had left little funding for repairs, so the screen outside the shattered glass tore easily. The four of us jumped the ten-foot drop and rolled to our feet. A quick run to Chester's two Harleys and we were gone.

Lost in her own mind and thoughts, Krista was barely aware of the comotion around her. Looking awy from the window and birds the first thing she noticed was three people running straight for her. Her first instinct was to fight. The would want to touch her and talk to her just like all the doctors and nurses. There was no way she would put up with that. Cian was almost to her when her mind focused enoughto realize it was Cian.
Escape? Was he serious? Escape how, there was no way. Even as she thought that the window was being broken out.This was her one chance. Krista knew if she let this oopertunity go by there would never be another. The good doctor would keep her hear as his little fuck toy. He would continue to feed her ***** and medicine to make the voices worse, keep her mind broken.
Before she really knew what she was doing she was running for the window with the rest of them. As empty as the lunch room was there was nothing between them and the window. Some how she did not hurt anything serious in the drop from the second story window. A few shards of the broken window managed to draw blood but it was not life threatening or worth a second look at, at least not at the moment.
Hesitating only a moment at the bikes she climbed on behind the other woman. Her hands gripping the back of the seat and putting as much distance as she could between her body and the womans without risking falling off. The woman heistated but Krista leaned in so she could be heard. "We dont have time to argue about me falling off.... Go..."
Thankfully the argument ended there. Krista knew she was not anything to this woman and there was no reason for her sti here and argue until the police arrived. Besides it was not her body that would be the one falling off. They were out ofhte parking lot and several blocks away before Krista really looked around and took her first breath of freedom. Watching the scenery fly by her eyes occasionally wondered to Cian a few feet away on the other bike. It almost felt surreal and sh was afraid she was going to wake up like she had every time before and still be in that damn room.
It did not matter where they were going as long as it was far far from that hell hole. The wind soon cooled down as moer and more trees appeared along the road. The ride became bumpy when they finally moved off road. By the time they stopped and cut the engines, it was all Krista could do to hold on. Sliding off the bike she was nearly frozen and her body had been jarred around in ways it had never experienced.
The first thing she did was move away from the three of them. Krista did not move far, but far enough that she felt like she could breath then she let herself collapse to her knees. It killed her to back away from Cian but she needed a moment. Knowing herself well enough to know she was just as likely to lash out at him as to accept any help.

The ride passed in a blur, always sticking to back roads and rough highways. We conferred as we rode; he knew we would need to be out of sight for a while, and they were willing to do almost anything needed for us.

Soon enough we were in the woods, on a logging road which ran back and forth across the state borders here. We would be safe. We kept on until we got to a small cabin Chester and I had visited together as a boy, years and years back. Nobody had been here in a while, to judge by the forest debris around the building, and the road was so overgrown, it hadn't seen any vehicles in a couple years. So much for worries about Forest Rangers or Fire Patrol.

My little Rusty Blackbird about fell off the bike when we stopped; I understood the rough ride would have bothered her... my ass felt as though it were about to fall off. But she backed away from us about thirty feet. I could see a blind fear in her eyes I had never seen in her through the door glass, but had seen in others. She was terrified I would touch her or try to do something like hugging or such. Quietly, I told the others to help me get into the cabin.

We carefully checked the cabin for any signs of entry at all. The padlocks on the doors and windows were rusty and ancient; this place was untouched for many years. Marta was pretty good at jimmying the locks, and we were into the cabin in short minutes. The three of us grabbed anything handy and began to clear webs and dust, to try to make the place livable. Must have belonged to some elderly folks in later years; everything was covered in that hard plastic old folks seemed to love.

After an hour or so of cleaning, Rusty came into the door. Marta greeted her.

"Hi! I'm Marta, this is Chester, Cian you seem to know. What's your name?"

Hearing the footsteps recced she had almost felt sad to be alone. Why, she was not sure. It had taken a while for her body to stop vibrating and even her temperature to come up enough that her teeth stopped chattering. Krista had actaully ended up laying down on the ground in a patch of sun for a few minutes.
It still amazed her that she was really here. This was really happening. And she owed it to Cian. Up till today not a word had been said between them yet when he could have run by himself and probably been better off... he had actaully come for her. It was clear he had not needed her with him to escape but he had risked the few extra minutes to make sure she was free too. Maybe all those thoughts and little looks were not simply her imagination after all.
Standing in the doorway unnoticed for a moment, she watched them move around. Still trying to tell herself he was real. Having mostly recovered from the initail shock of her freedom she was more curious than worried about these strange people. ".... Krista..."
Krista mostly kept her eyes on Cian. After a moments hesitation she went on."The good doctor seems to think that Cian and me have some kind of sick game going with him as the toy.... He does not believe me when I say that we have never spoken a word to each other.... One day his lips was so fat when he came to my room.... he had a slight slurr as he ranted about knowing the nurses must have been in on us sneaking out of our rooms to meet..... When he is like that there is no talking to him.... I really think he needs to try some of his own medicine.... "
Unconsiously Krista moved her jaw to lightly brush aginst her shoulder, feeling the fresh bruise there. maybe the last parting gift from the doctor. "Of course that was not such a good idea to tell him...."
Slowly she forced herself to look away from Cian to Marta. "Sorry... I am being rude.... please excuse me... I am still coming down from withdraw... I tend to be out of it for a few days..."
The drugs were one of a few dozen treatments he had tried with her. Typically the drugs did not work in her system like they were suppose to. It was her opinion the good doctor no longer wanted the drugs and medicine to do what it was suppose to do. He much prefered watching the drugs take a serious toll on her mind. Each pill he promised she was one step closer to never leaving him. Krista conceded he was probably right.
"... the good doctor promised the latest round of drugs would be out of my system soon enough... Even promised I would not be such an anti-social bitch by the weekend..." A faint smile came to her lips as she remembered the converstaion. "but then he has been saying that since I was admitted...."

I looked at Rusty, err, "Krista", when she came in and made her surprising and slightly disjointed speech. A mixture of circumstances and unit gossip helped me understand some of what she was talking about, and I explained to Marta and Chester what had been going on. They were surprised to hear that someone could be kept virtually a slave like that, and could be physically abused by a doctor.

"Like, I thought that was illegal or something," Chester responded. "Most Docs seem kinda nice. When I dumped my bike a couple years back, the sawbones did a good job with the cuts and broke leg." Marta nodded in agreement; she was a person of few words.

"That doctor has no business treating people," I answered. "He hits people all the time; I used to make a practice of hitting him to make up for it, but never could get any decent revenge."

I walked towards Rusty. "You were a victim of his hits for sure; I can see that fresh bruise. How bad did he hurt you otherwise? Has he been hitting you a long time?"

"He mostly gets what he wants from me, so he rarely hits me these days...." Krista watched Cian walk toward her. A slight smile coming to her lips. For a moment forgetting about the other two people in the room. Leaning her head against the door jam. "There are always exceptions. He does not like me laughing at his bruises and bloody lips.... He would probably have killed me if I said out loud that I thought it was cute...."
Moving her hand to her jaw. Krista watched him carefully looking for a confirmation that he really had been doing it for her. " I really dont mind the beatings.. I am kinda use to them by now... Doctor Pytka attributes it to my psychosis getting worse.... Another reason to keep me admitted.... "
By now he was close to her. Not close enough that he could touch her yet but it was only a matter of steps. It made her wonder if he would really close that distance between them. Krista was not sure how much he knew. She had no doubt he was stronger mentally and physically than many of the patients. She also guessed he was not stupid enough to take the meds that the doctor handed out like candy. "Besides a few bruises are the least of my worries.... And a few other of the women in the ward..... There is no revenge great enough to make up for the games and drugs.... "

"Krista". Nice to finally have a name for her. I watched her, carefully assessing her responses and such. She seems a fragile soul, but needed her freedom so badly, I had to bring her along. Besides, we shared something deeper inside... a darkness, an inner depth. Exploring that will be good for both of us.

I listened to her, venting some of her pain about Doctor Asshole and the folks at the hospital. She looked as though she was opening up a bit, calming down. She needed some reassurance that things here would be safe for her. Chester was kind of scary looking, and while Marta is a pretty woman, she's muscular and a little coarse.

"Rusty, err, Krista," I said, getting closer to her, seeing her clearly head-to-toe for the first time, "would you like something particular to drink or eat? Chester and Marta are going grocery shopping for us, and will bring back anything special you like." I walked slowly, looking for signs that I was scaring her by coming closer.

I was about two feet away from her and saw her eyes widen a bit. "I'm glad to finally meet you, Krista. I hope my nickname for you doesn't upset you. May I take your hand and take you to a seat? Or perhaps, just a short hug? I've been waiting so long... had a picture of a Rusty Blackbird on my wall to help me think of you. I thought you and I, that we, might someday be friends."

Rusty... It was the second time he had called her that. Although she was not completley sure why. Oddly enough she had found herself responding to it just as if she knew it was her name. It did not cross her mind that he might be thinking about someone else.
Looked at the couple for just a moment . "I am not picky... Besides just about anything is better than hospital food...." Krista's eyes flickered back Cian.
"So you wanna be friends?" There was a little reluctance inher to touch him. Afraid her skin would crawl like it did with many people. But she did not let her reluctance show in her body language or face. Krista actaully reached her hand out to him. Her smile widened as she pulled him closer."Since you rescued me from the good doctor... I think we can be friends..."

She had reached out and taken my hand! A good sign, I think. My Psych professor had said that enough trust to touch someone was a good sign.

I took her hand gently, and went closer to her. "The Doctor hurt us both: we'll have a lot to talk about." We went over to the elderly couch and sat down.

"Y'all got a lot to chat about, so Marta and me'll be going to the grocery. Umm, Cian, you got your bank card handy?" Chester looked embarrassed.

I pulled out my wallet and handed him my Platinum AmEx and Gold Visa. "These are the ones in my 'John Wilson' name, should be no concern with tracking us. Try to keep your spending under $100,000, OK?" He laughed and left with Marta.

"So, Krista, besides the hitting, can you talk about why you are so mad at Doctor Pytka? Or do you want to talk about it at all. We can just sit here and be close, if you want."

Krista watched as the couple walked out. Taking a deep breath, she felt some of the tension leaving her body. She curled up in his lap, her head resting on his knee. It was still hard to believe that she was not in the hospital.
"I am not mad at him for hitting me, I am use to the fucking and pain. Its the fact that he just keeps trying to make things worse.... Promising he was never going to sign the release form...."
Closing her eyes. "I would have thought he would get bored of me...He has a unfatherly interest in his daughter... I guess I have a resemblance to her.... but he hasnt actaully lost interest, though he has backed off since some of the staff is becoming suspicious of him with certian patients...."
Pausing for a moment, she turned slightly so she could look up at him. "Has he brought his son in to meet you yet? He has an intermship under his father, I think he is at the hospital once or twice a week." The smile on her lips grew a little wider. " I dont suppose the good doctor would want his son to see you hit him. Of course maybe the apple does not fall far from the tree..."

Now she had snuggled close, putting her head down on my lap. Obviously, she doesn't realize what that does to a man who has been unwillingly celibate for three years. I had to concentrate hard to prevent the 'gallant reflex' from raising.

It was nice to be close to someone, though; the Doctor's comments on my A-21 form kept me from participating in any mixed activities beyond meals. Just being able to socialize with her and Marta was a real treat. And the hug I got from Marta seemed to promise so much more... although maybe that was just my horniness speaking. I really am in bad mental shape, needing physical contact from the opposite sex.

Her words stopped my mind in mid-flight; fucking? No *wonder* she bore such animosity towards Doctor Polock! Her anger was based in that pain, the rape pain.

The Doctor was interested in his daughter? Sexually? Wow... I wonder how she learned that, pillowtalk, maybe? Another facet of that jerk's sick mind. I KNEW he was not sexually normal, the ways he touched me sometimes. And now he had his son joining him in practice. For the sake of so many others, I hope his mental problems aren't inherited.

She had run down from her rapid-fire discussion, leaving me an opening to get in a word or two. "No, I've never met his son, never even knew he had kids. He is always just barely professional with me; afraid, I suppose, that I'll clock him again. He always spent as little time with me as possible, just enough to make the government minimums as 'treatment'."

I pulled her up next to me, her head on my shoulder. "It's nice to be able to look into your beautiful eyes at last, without that door glass being in the way. And to see how pretty and shapely you are. You're a foxy, desirable, and intelligent woman. I'm looking forward to getting to know you better as we become better friends."

My wording had been so careful; I didn't want her to think I only had a sexual interest in her, that I was just "Doctor" version 2. She *is* intelligent, and with a little help in dressing and makeup, she can be quite foxy.

That made me stop and think. "What size are you? Shoe size? Dress, jeans, shirt? You're going to need some changes of clothes here." I could call Chester; Marta left her phone in case of emergency, and she could do some shopping for both of us. Glad I gave them the plastic.

Krista had waited to feel him stiffen or tense as she talked, but he didnt. Either he was good at hiding his feelings or he really was not digusted. That made her smile. She had laid down on his lap to avoid unfairly tempting him but she did not resist as he urged her into a sitting position.
"I dont socalize well or I would have come out of my little cell sooner.... Besides the good doctor might have thought if I could come out for you, I would come out under normal circumstances." Krista snuggled in against him. She enjoyed the feeling of his warm body against her. "Actaully the only I came out to day was the good doctor thought he would punish me for being pissy with him..."
Krista's nose wrinkled slightly as she tried to think. "I am not postive, its been so long since I wore anything than the hospital issues. The only thing I am sure of is I wear size 10 shoe... I use to be in 10 jeans, maybe large in shirt.... Some of the drugs make you loose your appetitte, others your so high you dont care...."
Turning her head, she lightly nipped his shoulder. Then laid her head against the spot. "So do you descirbe all your good friends foxy and desirable? Or just the ones your not going to make beg?"

I made the quick phone call, and settled back down. She was running on about the drugs and bit me on the shoulder, then settled her head there, looking me closely in the eye.

"So do you descirbe all your good friends foxy and desirable? Or just the ones your not going to make beg?"

That one knocked me back, unsure as to how to answer. I tried to remember the place she had been for years, the kind of treatment she had received, the lies she had been told, the drugs she had been subjected to.

I decided on the obvious. "I describe only the one I know before me as being foxy and desirable. That's you." Hoping against hope she didn't take it as being a line, or just sexy bullshit. I really DID feel that this woman and I could be close, maybe even in love some day.

Figuring the best defense was a good offense, I leaned my head forward and kissed her on the lips; not long, just enough to let her know what it was. More than a grandmother kiss, less than a 'cinema' kiss good night.

Her reaction surprised me, to say the least.

The question had been trying to bait him so she could find out how far this might go. If friendship really was the most she could expect from him. At his words, a smile came to her face. It was nice to have some one compliment her. Doctor Pytka never bothered. Of course he could simply take what he wanted from her, what she wanted did not matter.
Krista tried to lean into the kiss but it ended entirely too soon. A soft moan escaped her lips. She made an attempt to hid the dissapointment and need from her face. Her green eyes opened to look at him. She was breathing a little heavy.
"If you dont want to play with me right now, dont tease me Cian..... I do not have the self control to behave...And I will end up forcing you to hurt me before I back off." Krista's voice was soft watching for his reaction.

*PLAY* with her? I wanted to fuck her silly! She is hot and sexy and desirable. I decided that while Chester and Marta were gone, this was the time.

"Would you like to play here, or would you prefer the bed?" I kissed her again, for real this time... no grandmotherly peck. She was surprised and held back for a second, then gave as good as she got, a deep, long, sensual kiss. Her hands began unbuttoning my shirt, and I was busy removing her hospital gown. But I moved slowly, I didn't want to go too far with her too quickly.
She had been hurt; I was not about to push.

She kept undressing me, unbuttoning my pants once she got my shirt off. I kicked off my shoes, and waited to see where things went.

Krista hesitated at the kiss almost afraid he would change his mind or he was just messing with her mind like the doctor. After the doctor's earlier refusal left her tense and in need of a realese. "Location does not really matter to me...."
She felt impatient as she tried to get his clothes off of him. It was hard to resist digging her nails into his skin. Whimpering softly. Her eyes flickered up slightly to his eyes. A faint teasing smile on her face. "I promise I am not a china doll... You dont have to be gentle, I wont break easily...."
Krista moved to straddle his legs, leaning in slightly to catch his lips. After breaking away from the kiss leaned in further, bitting his neck. She was careful not to bite too hard but it took a lot of restraint.

I stood up, deep inside her, and carried her to the bed. Tossing her down, I fell down next to her and pulled her back on top. It seemed like a good time to let the woman drive... especially as I didn't want to get bit again in a sensitive place. She rode me like a whirl-wind, hopping and rocking and up and down. It had been quite a while for me, but it seemed as though it was a lifetime for my little Rusty one. When she finally climaxed, it lasted forever.

Almost literally falling off, I caught her and landed her snuggled on my arm. I turned close to her and kissed her at length. Coming up for air, I laid back. She bit me again. Getting up and moving between my legs, she started working on me, trying to get me hard again. With her varied efforts, it really didn't take long... to get long, if you'll excuse the pun.

This time I got on top; I knew this one would take longer, and I wanted to linger and enjoy it a bit. I held her down a bit because she was squirming all the time, then turned her over and changed to the old doggie style.

Her body showed some odd marks on her back, scars of old beatings, perhaps, and some small scars like burn-marks on her bottom. There was a story behind it, I felt sure, and it would take some long discussions to pull it out and let it die in the light of day.

Krista practaically screamed everytime he thrust into her from behind. She used the bed to muffle most of the noise. Her nails dug deep into the sheets to keep her body in place. She moved her body slowly, her hips at different angles, feeling the different frictions. Some angels making her scream louder than others. Shifting her body slightly her climax was so unexpected, her body tensed and she forgot to breath for several seconds.
Still feeling dazed when she realized he had stilled behind her. Moaning softly she eased herself down on the mattress letting his body remain laying on her. One of her legs hooking his to encourage him to stay with her. Finally feeling relaxed in a a way she had not in a very long time. A soft whimper escaped her lips when he fianlly moved his weight off of her back and she pressed her body close to his as he laid down beside her.
Take half a moment to look over at him she noticed a mark from her teeth on his chest and her smile grew wider. Pushing her hair out of her face she laid her head back down closing her eyes. Her skin was already cooling but she did not mind, he felt fairly warm against her.
"I didnt mean to mark you like that.... I dont always realize I am doing it. If you dont like you will have to try to stop me in the future..." Her voice sounded less than apologetic, actaully she sounded more content. ".... Or mark back...."

A deep sigh eminated from me, and I turned to look at Krista.

"Girl, if you bite me again, I may just spank your ass instead of making love to you." Fortunately, no stitches would be needed.

"Now that that nerve-wracking first time is out of the way, I think perhaps we need to get to know each other a little better. I'll start."

"My father raised me until I was a young teen, and left me on the streets of Chicago. He was a big hunter, a big fisherman, big into himself, no love for anyone else. After some years of fighting on the streets, going to school on my own without registering, auditing classes at a college at the same time because the rooms were open and warm in the evening, I was eighteen and got my first job at a Radio Shack. Access to the parts and information about electronics got me curious. I started building things. Sold a couple to a guy from Seattle. You might know them as "track-pads" on laptop computers. Made a few bucks from lots and lots of different computer companies. Had to go into hiding, so I came up with a couple 'unknown' personnas.... and that got me in trouble. I was picked up just for visiting a friend's house one night; there was a fight, and I was declared 'destitute and incompetent' by the local cops. I fought, and fought when they put me in for observation. Eleven million dollars in banks around the world, more rolling in every day, but I couldn't prove who I was. It frustrated me! I struck out at the Doctor who wouldn't listen. That kept me there. What kept you?"

"I have always been kinda different from my family. One too many fights in school and the last straw was a argument at home. Parents drove me to the hospital the following day. Claimed I was suicidal so I got admitted for a 72 hour observation. Unfortunatly for me, Doctor Pytka was assigned. He saw the opening with my family, that they would do anything to cure me. I am one of those people that a lot of drugs dont have a good effect on. I cant say how many different drugs he has tried just knowing he is futher fucking me up."
Taking a deep breath she was enjoying the relaxed feeling. The doctor rarely cared about her enjoyment. Actaully he rarely could trust her so she was usaully put in restraints of some kind.
" The good doctor became more curious in me when he found out I am not big on being touched or making new friends. He blamed it on me being sexually abused at him. I hit him, hard enough he had a serious bruise. Bad mistake because that only confirmed his theory in his own mind. I think almost a month must have passed before he was really pissed with me. It started with a riped shirt but after that he could not control himself. He really freaked out after I started bleeding. Sometimes he use to call me by his daughters name. In the beginning I use to bite him so he prefered to keep me gagged. Though I am sure he was just imagining me calling him daddy.... But at that point he really could not afford to let me tell anyone. I think he started with me, but I know he has been with a few other girls. Most of them were lucky and had family to get them out after a time."
Krista moved enough to pull the blanket up over her body. Closing her eyes she snuggled into the bed.
"By now we both know I am probably not safe to be around normal people on my own. I dont care enough between right and wrong.... Which leads into a whole lot of problems.... My family can't control me and the doctor can't, since I dont socalize well the doctor pretty much promised I could never be released into someone's custody..."

I held her close. "Can you tell me where the scars on your back and bottom came from? Is that more of the Doctor's work? They look to have been serious when they first happened." I looked her in the eye. "Am *I* safe around you?"

"I'll tell you the truth, Krista, I've never been big on being part of society either. The only people who ever treated me well were teachers and librarians." Laughing. "The librarians loved me: I'd read and sit quiet in the corner from when the library opened until it was time for school, then from school time until I had to leave. They thought it was great that a 'poor little boy' was working so hard to learn, that I would "be able to pull myself out of poverty." Little did they know I was living in the back of an old movie house, and eating one meal a day from what movie food I could steal from the open storage when they closed. I picked a lot of hot dogs out of the trash!"

"He really thought you called him 'Daddy'? That guy IS psychotic." Laughed again. "What a neat revenge on him it would be for you, if you could make him fuck his own daughter!!"

".... I could not say exactly what they are from... I am sure my charts say self inflicted... and some might be....There has been a few times all he has to do is lightly touch me and it hurts.... I have had some pretty bad trips on the drugs... I have weeks at a time I cant remember anything.... "
Krista lightly nipped his chin a faint smile coming to her lips. "Your touching me and I am not trying to hurt you.... That is promising.... I honestly cant say if anyone is safe around me... Although at this point I think your kinda stuck with me....I promise you, you cant do any worse to me than what the doctor did.... You are welcome to try though...."
Hearing him mention the doctor fucking his own daughter made her eyes go wide. "Don't play with me like that.... get me all excited again.... you have no idea how long I have wanted to hurt the little bitch... she is partly at fault for his fucking obsession of me...."

I pulled myself into a sitting position, with my back against the headboard.

"Are you saying you really would WANT to get revenge on Doctor Polock? I'm mad enough at what he did to ME to want to hurt the guy. I can't *imagine* how much suppressed anger you have to have inside! Gads, making plans to do it would be a real hoot... a great fantasy. Would you honestly want to go through with it and do it?"

Rolling off the bed, I pulled on my shorts and shirt. Chester and Marta would be back soon, and I wasn't sure how Marta would react to me being naked.

"Rusty, you might want to slip on a few clothes. There's damn little privacy here in the cabin, and there will be even less with four of us here. Chester might get upset seeing my spunk leaking out of you..." I knew hard words would not shock or upset her by now. "I want to talk further to you about this revenge idea. It could really be fun."

She got up, clearly disgusted. "Do we have to wear clothes?"

"Why would he be upset? He has Marta..."
Krista was clearly puzzled. Still laying in bed she watched him dress. Standing up she went to find her lost clothes. Pulling on the hospital order kahki pants and the white top. She might be use to the clothes but she really hated them reminding her of that hell hole.
"I have been thinking about the little bitch for a long time now.... I dont know anything about his wife but I would guess she is less than adequate in bed..... And his son, he is young, if he continues to study with his father I am sure he is going to be perverted too....."
Krista sat back down on the edge of the bed watching him. She still was not completly sure if he was serious or just playing with her. She had seen him hit the male nurses and the doctor on a number of occasions but that had always been provoked. Or appeared provoked. It was a different story to go to someones house and torture them for shits and giggles.
" The family might be savable but the good doctor deserves to be hurt.... I cant even imagine how the other patients are going to suffer for my escape..." Her thoughts stopping her for a moment "How did that happen anyway.... I mean before the broken window and storming into cafeteria? Were you planning this?"

"Krista dear, the sight of a naked sexy woman upsets most men; they get turned on, and the woman usually is not available sexually, as you would not be because Ches is Marta's man. The openness you are comfy with, they might not be. It's appropriate social behavior."

"I've been planning to escape a long time. That's why Chester and Marta rode seperate bikes today, so I could double on one. The actual plan was kind of nebulous; we were going to take it on the fly. The fact that you were free to come along was a remarkable bit of serendipity. And damn good luck for the both of us... or we'd never have found each other." I'd finished straightening out the bed, to remove the worst of the 'evidence'.

"About this revenge thing; please put all the facts together in order, if you can. I really am serious about this! As far as I am concerned, abusers are like murderer-rapists or such; they steal so much more than just a sexual favor. They take a mind, and that is worse than rape OR murder."

We had established the Doc was an ass, and a rapist, and an abuser. I needed the whole story about the son and the daughter... they we could make some plans on exactly what we wanted to do, and how we would do it.

Actaully expecting some answer along the lines of the couple frowning on him attmepting to rape her or her trying to seduce him. The answer he gave her was actaully fairly reasonable. Even logical. It had been a long time since she heard logical.
"What do you need to know?"
Krista moved off the bed and back to the couch so he could make the bed. She didnt bother telling him they both smelled like sex and his friends would probably smell it too. Smiling she watched him move around the cabin for a few minutes. She stared at him until he came over to sit next to her. Once he sat back down she gently straddled his lap. There was some distance between their chests so it was not completly sexual.
" The daughter is suppose to be going to the local college, something to do with computers. I guess she has an angelic reputation as school, even during high school. Not many boyfriends... But the good doctor seems to think she is purposely acting like a slut around him. Forcing him to look at her. He has talked about her being in her underwear... I think he was probably spying on her... but maybe he is not completly delusional.... For a while he talekd about bringing in some of her panties and underwear, to force me to wear... Before he had a chance though he started to deny me... something about attracting too much attention to himself."
Smiling as she talked, she occassionaly leaned in to nuzzle him or kiss him.
"The son.... He is older than the sister, he seems perfectly professional. Maybe overly interested in my bruises and "self inflicted" wounds but that might be his field of study.... Any juvy record was not doubt sealed so finding out about a violent childhood might be harder.... We could ask him... the Docotr never talks about him to me.... Probably jealous I will think about his son instead of him..... he could be interesting to talk to.... Maybe tell us more about the wife and Alicia..."

The picture was coming clearer now. It seemed the way to get to the Doctor was going to be through the kids... and maybe the wife. It would be interesting to get my friend Chris, who is a private detective, busy on this. I felt sure he would dig up the kids' records, their report cards, and the first drawings they did in Fourth Grade, if I asked him to. But that would have to wait, as I heard the Harley noise outside; Chester and Marta were back!

I eased Krista off and opened the door, sure their arms would be full of stuff. Good thing Ches had a classic Hog with a sidecar; it was stuffed to the cover with bags from Shopko and Walgreen's and the grocery, getting us the stuff we needed.

"Any problems with shopping? Questions? Suspicious glances?" I was concerned as he handed my plastic back.

"Huh? Oh, hell no. They look at the platinum and don't care that I'm a biker or nuthin'. Picking out clothes for you was easy, we've always been the same size. Krista was harder, but Marta picked out a variety of stuff. She can pick what she likes."

Sorting through the stuff, I saw razors and shampoo and stuff as well as tooth brushes and paste and clothes. He had picked quiet colors for me, and some plaid shirts for Hog-riding, along with a jean jacket. Somehow he had found a Sturgis cap for me. Always had an eye for detail, did Chester.

Glancing over at Marta and Rusty, I saw the distance between them. She still had to learn to trust some; that would take time. "Krista! Why not let Marta help you shampoo and trim your hair? She did it professionally for a while, and used to do my hair now and again." That was usually a bridging point for women. Maybe some girl-talk would help.

After some alone time with Cian, it was easier to deal with the couple when they returned. A good part of the tension had been drained by their physical activities. Thankfully unlike most women, Marta did not automatically reach for her hair. For a moment she gave Cian a less than friendly look. Not that she expected him to back down. Turning back to look at Marta she tried not to scare the woman away.
"Touching my head is a good way to get hurt.... I am sorry.... its nothing personal..... " Her voice was soft, trying not to make it sound like a threat. Picking up the bags of clothes they did go for the bedroom so she could change. She choose a dark pair of jeans and black t shirt. Krista had no problem changing in front of Marta. There were no recent marks on her body to show the fun Cian and her had had recently. She did find the seam of the kahki pants were soaked, probably a mixture of her wentess and his cum. The clothes were not extremely tight fitting, confirming she had lost some weight. That was fine by her though. They would do until Cian was willing to take her out in public.
".... thank you...." Still not ready to be touched, she avoided physical contact without making it look like she was avoiding Marta. Having had lots of practice with the nurses she knew enough how to make it seem they were interacting when she really wasnt. "Lets leave the hair for another day."
Nosing through the rest of the bags of supplies she found one with extra linens. Finding a blanket in the one, a smile spread on her lips as she pulled it around her shoulders. She was not really cold but it made her feel better to have the materail around her. Krista soon found a seat on the couch again, curled up in the blanket content watching the others for a few minutes.

Krista came back in with no change in her appearance, other than her outer clothes. She had wrapped herself mostly in a blanket and went straight back to the couch, where she sat down in the far corner, facing the room. I was a little pissed; she needed to look different than she did in the hospital, so we would not get stopped by the local Gendarmes when they felt bored. *sigh* No wonder Marta gave me a dirty look on the way out! I imagine she was threatened somehow.

This girl was going to make life challenging!

I set about doing something I had not been able to in a while, cooking a meal. Forty minutes later, we had a fine dinner on the table. I invited everyone over to eat.

When we finished, it was way past dark, but I wanted to take a walk in the woods, towards a place I had always enjoyed for its solitude. I'd gone there so often, likely I could find my way blindfolded, but I took along a flashlight just for security. I needed to get out of the cabin a while, and sort out my thoughts.

Halfway to the stream, I heard footsteps behind me and spun around. Krista stood behind me, still wrapped in that double-damned blanket.

Supper had seemed comfortable to her. There was not much she had to add to the conversation so she had mostly listened. Rape and torture was rarely conversation to have at the dinner table. It was appearant they had some history together. Being years without TV and news she didnt know much about the pop culture or current going ons. Since Doctor Pytka had promised to keep her admitted, it had not mattered before now.
Even as he stopped to turn and stare at her, Krista kept approaching. Noticing the look on his face was less than happy to see her. She barely seemed to care. Brushing agianst him, she moved to put a little difference between them. Trying not to crowd him.
"Marta and Chester...... Will they be staying with us for a while?" There was a slight curious note in her voice as she continued.
"If your really thinking about hitting me... go ahead and do it...." That was usaully Doctor Pytka's solution. Not that he was the good doctor but the method within her own had become an acceptable way to deal with her strange outburst. "If you would rather be alone I can walk away..... I dont mean to intrude on your thoughts...."
Krista's thoughts and feeling did not show on her face. She knew it had likely been something they had discussed but she had missed the conversation. The last thing she had really known was talking about revenge on the doctor and that conversation had completly stopped when his friends arrived. Taking his cue she had been fine with the dropping the subject. She was still sane enough to realize that torture and revenge was not for everyone.

My concentration was broken now, so I didn't walk away.

"Yes indeed, Chester and Marta will be here for a few days at least, *until* we can safely leave without being recognized. Tomorrow morning, I'll be coloring my hair, putting in clear contacts with different eye color, and growing a goatee." I made the point strongly. "I haven't worn Walmart or Target clothes in years, so it effectively changes my class. That and the other parts of the disguise will help hide who I am. That's part of why I wanted you to get your hair done. We won't get anywhere near the bad ol' Doctor if you don't look different." I just had to tie it into her goals. "And until I can buy a good, cheap car.

"Please, stop thinking I'm going to hit you. I am not the Doctor. And I do not believe in hitting. I care about you, dammit!!" She had me upset with that part. I'm a man, not an animal who needs to hit all the time.

I turned, and started to pace. "I'm really with you on this revenge thing. I believe the man needs some horror of his own, after all he has caused others. But we can't do this wildly; we will have to plan, carefully, and be able to carry it off without suspicion. If we get identified too early, we'll be in jail or back at Mercy... and at HIS mercy. Not a place I ever want to be again!!"

Change. For months at a time there would be no change in her life. The little room, nurses coming in at a regular and set schedule, the doctor appearing on time. She knew everything the nurses would say, and even the good doctor. Nothing really changed. It was not that she was incapable of adjusting to change. At the moment though she was completely lost. Now she felt like she was at the center of a whirlwind. Cian was the only thing that was still in her life.
Krista stared at him as he paced. After a few minutes she walked forward, waiting for him to stop in front of her, going up on her toes slightly she lightly nipped at his chin once. Then turned and headed back in the direction she had come from.
In many ways he was not like the good doctor. Yet she still knew when she struck a nerve. To see him at a loose of what to do with her she had thought the invitation to hurt her would have been enough. Now she could see it had only made things worse. At a loose of what to do to make the situation any better she simply walked away. It hurt her to do it but in her current state of mind it was the best she could offer.

I strode after her quickly, grasping her by the shoulders and stopping her.

"Krista, you can't walk away from me on this. Have you heard or understood a single word I've said? If we can't communicate, we can't do this thing!"

I looked in her eyes to see if there was any hint that she was paying attention, that she was somewhere in the real world right now. Because she was frustrating me, and I was about ready to forget about the revenge thing and walk away. I was willing to risk my life and freedom to punish Doctor Asshole. But I wasn't doing it unless I had a chance of success... and right now I had none.

"I hear ya clearly....." Krista did not struggle in his hold. "I am still a little out of it right now.... the true bitch about Doctor Pytka is that he doesnt even have to be in the room to fuck with me..... Give me another day or two for my head to clear and finish coming out of this withdraw.... I will keep out of everyones way till then...."
Staring at him she was waiting for some kind of answer to indicate that was good enough or not.
"If we have not killed each other first.... The way we both hit him and the others, he has to know we would be explosive together.... I was not known for my patience or being stable... In his opinion if I dont get my medicine it only becomes worse. He has to be expecting any retalition to happen quickly and soon if it will happen at all..."
Taking one of his hands, she nuzzled it slightly then bit his wrist lightly. Her eyes watching his face. "Should I head back to the cabin or....."

I pulled her close and kissed her, hard. Both our hands were busy, playing with this and that.

"OK, Rusty. We can take a few days to put things together. I have to take a trip to town tomorrow, but otherwise we'll just put things on hold until the medications drop off. Let's take a walk." I led her further down the path we were on, to my meditation place.

"This is where I always went to think when I was a kid. It's relaxing." And indeed it is. There is a naturally-illuminated cave that a creek runs out of; it lights the area around the mouth with a bluish glow. The creek never freezes all the way down, it's deep but warm; lots of fish doing fishy things in the clear water. The area was full of ferns and moss, and the ground was bouncy underfoot. The natural shelter of the area made it a special place; the music of the waters, a melodious one.

"Krista? Come swimming with me!" I stripped off my things and waded into the water, turning to watch her follow, hesitantly. I took her hand and we slowly and quietly moved into the cave... we didn't want to bother the fish.
200 feet or so into the cave the world was lit with the blue-white bio-luminescence of the creatures on the walls or the minerals, whatever it was. The air was warm and moist from the natural heat of the stream.

She turned to me, awe-filled eyes darting here and there, not sure what was happening. It was a whole new world! We walked up onto a bank along one side, just big enough for two people to lie, and made love there together for the first time. In the cabin had just been a release, just a fuck, compared with this. The magic in the air helped, I think. Her eyes glowed silver, her skin was blue and warm and she rolled around in the soft moss as we changed positions like characters in cheap porn. She bit me here and there, I bit her back. We shared the mystic nature of the place, and each other.

Going back to the cabin took too little time; we were hand-in-hand but locked deep in our thoughts. Some of mine involved, "what have I gotten myself into" remarks, but most were in the realm of "what a special woman!"

Silence fell as they walked toward the cabin. There were of course the natural sounds. The occasional owl. Night bugs chirping. Wind blowing in the leaves. But there were no voices, no human movement. It was the first time in a very long time that the human world was silent around her. The silenece felt comfortable. It helped calm the storm of voices and thoughts that usaully flooded her mind. Of course his presence went along way in doing that too.
Krista could not remember the last time she felt at peace. Not drug induced spaced out, but actaully at peace. Even before her admittance to the hospital there had never been a real sense of comfort in her life. In a way, in the back of her mind, she was still waiting to wake up from her dream. This would have been the perfect time for one of the nurses to come in and accidently wake her. This would have been the perfect time because to wake up in hell again would have been a serious blow to what little sanity she had left. She kept waiting for that waking moment not because good things could not ahppen to her, but from past experince she had learned she was going to wake up from the illusion.
As they reached the cabin, she sat down on the porch steps. Krista knew they would be going in here within a few minutes. She was actaully almost looking forward to sleep. She was not so naive to think that the nightmares and dreams would not find her here. But at least for once she would not wake to nurses holding her down. Lifting his hand, she nuzzled it lightly then bit his wrist softly. Looking at in his eyes as she did it, a faint smile came to her lips.
"I think this will be the first night in years I am not completly dreading sleeping...."

Plunking my butt down on the stairs next to Krista, I just stared off into the darkness. She cuddled up to my shoulder, resting her head on my chest as I slid my arm around her. It was still warm for the time of night this far north, but cool enough to snuggle a bit.

There were some quiet noises from inside the cabin, sounds of shower-taking, toilet, footsteps. Soon it was quiet. We sat and I thought deep and wandering thoughts. About the day, about the orphan I had 'adopted', about the lover I had discovered inside her. The escape merited no thought; it would never be a problem for me... I could buy my way out of the trouble.

Sounds in the woods took me back to my youth, happy and sad and angry. Hunting the foxes and squirrel and white-tail, fishing for the Walleye and Muskie, sharing time with my Dad in the early years happily. Sad as I got older, hurt, ignored. Angry when I ran away up here to avoid his drinking and abuse. I tried to shut the bad from my mind, and the sounds of the night creatures helped. That and the warm bundle inside my arm.

Looking down, I gently spoke to her. "Krista? You awake?" She did not move, did not stir. Gathering her in my arms, I carried her into the cabin, to the couch which someone had made out into a bed for us. I laid her down and pulled off her shoes. She stirred a bit in her slumber, and I pulled the blanket over her. Stripping to underwear, I moved next to her but did not sleep for a long time. Just couldn't calm my mind.

As soon as he laid her down, Krista was fully awake. She did not open her eyes, simplying laying in his arms for a time. Feeling his skin pressed against hers was almost an invitation to play some more. Forcing herself to lay still and be content. It was not too long before she fell back asleep agianst the warmth of his body.
Somewhere far away in the darkness she could hear screams Hands on her. Too many to count. Some hurt, nails digging in, scratching her pale skin. Others simply held her in place with vice like strength. No matter how she struggled and fight she could not get herself free. Hands pulled her body this way and that. Sometimes trying to manipulate her so that she did things she did not want to do. Sometimes they simply just tried to pull her apart.
Waking with a scream, she struggled on the bed against hands trying to restrain her. Eyes wide she stopped struggling as she realized she was not in her room. Actaully she was not in the hospital at all. Disoriented she went completly still giving herself a moment to adjust. As the realization sank in that she was free from the good doctor sank in. Collapsing back on the bed, a slight smile coming to her lips.
For a moment she stared at Cian, nothing else really mattered. "... hey..." It came out softly just above a whsiper. The single word sounding somewhere between inoccent childlike and happy seductive.

Krista woke me, screaming from a bad dream. Startled, I first held her tightly to keep her from hurting herself (and me!), but then I just laid next to her waiting for her to calm. Her body bolted upright, looking around and orienting herself. She laid down again, rolled towards me, and looked up into my eyes. "Hey", she said in a voice straight out of a Vegas call-girl's playbook.

I looked down at her, and helped her wiggle out of her clothes. We made love quietly, conscious of strangers in the next room, giggling like high schoolers. This one didn't last long, we were both too tired; we fell asleep in each others' arms.

The next sign of life from either of us was after the sun was up and shining in, as we squirmed into our underwear so we could dash to the bathroom. Once we were dressed, Marta and Chester came out; obviously they had been up a while but were being courteous. We tossed together a pancake and real North Country Maple syrup breakfast, with genuine America's Dairyland butter. About thirty cakes later, I sat down from cooking and told Krista that the dishes were her job, since I cooked. She shrugged and looked cornered a minute, then saw my smile and understood, I think.

While we gathered up the plates, I told Krista, "I have to ride with Chester into town for some supplies and such... should not take over three hours. Just take it easy, maybe get to know Marta a bit more." I kissed her on the lips, hard, then bit her neck. "Back by noon at the latest."

Chester tossed me my jean jacket and we got aboard his Hog, spraying a few stones as we headed towards the main road. An hour later, a used car dealer was grinning about the schmuck he had just fleeced, and I had a two-year-old Explorer with all the toys and four-wheel drive. Now if it rained we wound not be stranded at the cabin or limited to pushing the bikes to the road. Twenty minutes in a hardware store, half an hour at Wal-Mart, and a visit to Piggly-Wiggly and we were set for days. Lots of camping supplies, food, cooking utensils, and miscellaneous bumf and we were back on the way to the cabin. The car needed tires, so I stopped at a Firestone store on the edge of town and reshod the beast.

We beat our noon promise by about 20 minutes, and walked into the cabin with arms laden with packages. I was more than pleasantly surprised by the sight which greeted me.