Chapter 6: What Prison Left Behind

Evelina’s POV

The food tray sat untouched beside my bed.

I had already told the nurse I wasn't hungry, but she kept coming back. First with soup, then bread, and now a bowl of rice with something warm on the side.

"Please eat a little, Miss Evelina."

"I'll eat later."

"You said that earlier."

I looked at the tray. "I had breakfast yesterday."

The nurse stopped trying to convince me. She picked up the empty glass and left, but she returned a few minutes later with Doctor Hart.

"You're still refusing food?" she asked.

"I'm not hungry."

Doctor Hart pulled a chair closer. "You don't have to finish everything. Just try a few bites."

I didn't answer.

She looked at the tray, then at me. "Would you rather have something else?"

"No, thank you."

She didn't argue. Instead, she sat beside the bed and waited until I finally picked up the spoon.

I managed two bites before putting it down.

"That's enough for now," she said.

I thought she would leave, but her eyes moved to my arm. My sleeve had slipped down while I was eating.

"May I see that?"

I pulled the fabric back over my wrist.

"It's nothing."

Doctor Hart didn't reach for me. "I only want to look."

I hesitated, then slowly pushed my sleeve up.

There were old marks along my arm. Some were pale. Others were darker and harder to hide. I had stopped looking at them a long time ago.

The doctor examined them without touching.

"These are old."

Alistair's voice came from the doorway.

"What do you mean, old?"

I hadn't noticed him enter. He was standing behind Doctor Hart, staring at my arm.

"Months," the doctor replied. "Some, years."

Alistair stepped closer.

"How did she get those?"

"I fell," I said.

He looked at me. "You fell?"

I lowered my sleeve.

"Evelina, those are cigarette burns."

Nobody spoke.

I knew what he was looking at. I remembered every one of them. I also remembered how many times I had been told to keep quiet.

Alistair moved closer again. "Who did that to you?"

I turned my face away.

"Answer me."

"I said I fell."

"Don't lie to me."

I almost laughed, but there was nothing funny about it.

He had spent two years believing I was guilty. He had never come to see me. He had never asked what happened inside that prison.

Now he wanted answers because he had finally seen the marks.

I pulled the blanket over my arm.

"Can I rest now?"

"Evelina"

"That's enough, Alistair."

Theron's voice came from behind him.

He had entered without making much noise. His eyes moved from Alistair to me, then to the food tray.

"Don't force her."

Alistair turned. "I'm trying to find out what happened."

"Then stop demanding answers while she's clearly uncomfortable."

"She's my sister."

Theron didn't raise his voice. "Then you should know when to leave her alone."

Alistair's jaw tightened, but he stepped back.

Doctor Hart stood and gathered her things. Before leaving, she reminded me to eat when I could. I nodded, though I wasn't sure I would.

Theron stayed near the door.

"Do you need anything?"

"No."

"Food? Medicine? Another room?"

I shook my head.

He didn't keep asking. He only told the nurse to make sure I had what I needed, then left with Doctor Hart.

Alistair was the last one outside.

He looked at me once more before closing the door.

I waited until his footsteps disappeared.

The food was getting cold. I picked up the spoon again and forced myself to eat another bite.

I still had one reason to stay in this house.

Mother.

I wanted to see her get better. I wanted to know she could take her medicine without struggling and sleep through the night without pain.

After that, I would leave.

I didn't know where I would go yet. I only knew I couldn't keep living here as if nothing had happened.

A little later, I heard voices outside.

"Those marks weren't from one accident," Doctor Hart said.

Alistair answered, but I couldn't make out his words.

Then the doctor spoke again.

"You should find out what happened during those two years."

I sat quietly on the bed.

For once, they had seen something they couldn't explain away.

But I wasn't going to tell them what they had refused to ask about when I needed them most.