Page 79 of Fighting for Ella

The pain wouldn't go away, and Ella couldn’t focus on anything else.

There was a part of her brain that knew she had to. Knew that something bad had happened, and she needed to snap to it and be aware of her surroundings because she was in danger.

But it was too hard to focus on anything around the relentless pounding inside her skull.

Groaning, she tried to look around her but all she could see was black.

Thick darkness that felt more like fog.

Turning her head to try to see if she could see something in a different direction, the arrow of pain that speared between hereyes and then directly down her entire body had her groaning and trying to stay as still as possible.

No. You have to move.

The voice whispered through her mind.

It was strong enough that Ella willed herself a little strength and managed to shift her head again. Just a fraction, but it made no difference, darkness was there too.

Everywhere.

Consuming her.

Maybe …

She’d gone blind?

Was that why her head hurt so badly?

Had she injured it and it had done something to her vision?

Fear pulsed inside her, shoving aside a little of the pain. She had to know how badly she was hurt. Had to know if there was a way to fix it.

Lifting her hand took several attempts to get it up off the … ground?

It felt like the ground. Hard and unyielding, definitely not something soft like a bed or a couch.

Somehow, she managed to lift it and bring it to her head. Pressing it to the epicenter of pain, a spot on her right temple, she felt something wet and sticky.

Blood.

Had to be blood.

Definitely injured.

But how?

Why?

Where?

What?

The questions rumbled around inside her head but there was no answer to them. Ella had no idea what had happened to her.

Still, the persistent nagging of her subconscious urged her to wake up. To do something. She wasn't safe.

It was screaming that at her, but she still didn't know why.

“Have to move,” she mumbled aloud. Her voice sounded too loud, and she winced as the sound reverberated inside her.

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