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Chapter 2

“You're scared, aren't you? Don't be afraid, we won't hurt you. You are being treated in hospital at the moment, do you remember that? A few days ago you were hit by a car, do you remember? We want to help you, so that your wounds heal quickly?" Said James, trying to remain patient so that the girl would calm down again.

Eli cried while covering her face, her hands covered in cuts and bruises. Every time he saw her, Doctor James felt sorry, his gut feeling said that this girl had received physical violence from the people around her, but of course he couldn't come to that easy conclusion if he hadn't been able to hear the real truth from the girl's mouth.

Doctor James touched Eli's feet which felt cold, he touched them with his soft and warm hands. Eli raised her face slowly as her body felt a warmth she had never felt before. Eli looked at the face of the man in front of her, the man wearing glasses who smiled sweetly at her. There was no evil intention at all that radiated from every line on his face.

"It's okay, everything will be fine." Doctor James always says the same thing to make Eli calm down. Yes, this isn't the first time this girl has thrown a tantrum every time she is given medicine or an injection.

Eli sobbed, her mouth unable to say anything other than sobs that sounded very painful and heartbreaking. She has been in this hospital for almost two weeks, but she has never said a word other than a cry for help and a pathetic apology.

"Forgive me...! Please forgive me, Dad...!" Eli's voice was faint, every time she cried those were the only words she said.

Doctor James sat beside Eli, he tried to approach the girl carefully. Eli, who was still afraid, tried to stay away from James. Eli shuffled in the corner of the room right in the part where the light didn't hit.

"Doctor James?" Said one of the nurses who didn't want the doctor to sit on the floor accompanying his patient.

“It's okay, I'll handle it. You guys can rest for a while!" He said with great tenderness.

"Okay doctor, if you need anything just call me or Joey, we'll be here soon."

"Thank you."

When the nurses left, Doctor James still faithfully accompanied Eli to sit in the corner of the room. He began to understand that the patient he was treating was currently experiencing serious trauma or a very heartbreaking life.

All of this can be seen from the wounds all over her body, bruises, cuts and cigarette burns, blows with blunt objects and the like from the girl's head to her feet.

Apart from that, her body looked very thin and weak as if she was malnourished, her pale face and long, unkempt hair also illustrated how hard the life this girl had previously led. It all made James really want to help him.

James took her hand and placed it right on his chest, he didn't know why he did that, but when their eyes met something he couldn't understand entered his soul, something he had forgotten for a long time.

"Trust me, I won't hurt you!" He said softly while smiling warmly. Eli looked at him doubtfully, especially at his arm which was held tightly, Eli didn't understand why the fear suddenly disappeared.

Eli was still reluctant to speak, her body was still shaking violently. It's true, it's not that easy to trust other people after all kinds of bad things happened to her and all of that was caused by the people around her. She was crying, her tears were flowing but she was holding back her tears. She thought back to her mother's angry face, the scary eyes of her father and the hateful expressions of her siblings. Eli didn't forget it all that easily. She was too traumatized and too afraid to get up.

James stopped his smile and took a deep breath, he would not give up that easily to take sympathy from his patient. Healing someone's physical wounds is not as difficult as healing emotional wounds, especially if the wound is already rotting, a wound that makes all memories feel like a nightmare.

“Come on, you should rest in your bed. If you stay here your body will get cold!" He said while continuing to hold Eli's trembling hand tightly.

Eli restrained her body from moving an inch from her place and followed Doctor James, she didn't want to believe or had absolutely no intention of believing in anyone other than herself.

“I understand you're still afraid of me, it's okay. But you definitely want to heal? If you stay there you won't be well again, so get into bed and rest, I won't-" Before he could finish his sentence, Eli immediately bit his hand with all her might.

“W-what are you doing?” James grimaced softly from the painful attack on his hand.

He didn't dodge, he continued to look at this girl who was still biting his hand with tears in her eyes.

“What actually happened to her?” He thought. The feeling of surprise turned into pity.

This girl was crying more and more and the look on her face showed that she deserved a beating because she had made a mistake. The habit of often being treated harshly made it seem like this girl expected herself to be hurt and that was how it should happen.

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