Excerpt for Golden

“Who did this to you?” Ms. Thomas cried out. She continued without waiting for me to answer. “Golden, your face is busted up pretty badly, you are going to need medical attention. Ms. Jones call the paramedics and when they arrive, direct them to my office.” Ms. Jones didn’t say a word as she walked out and followed Ms. Thomas’ demands.
“Golden, please talk to me, Sweetie, you know you can confide in me,” she said as she held me in her arms.
It had been a long time since I had felt a warm, tender, caring touch and not a touch that would scar me or leave me with guilt and humiliation. I held on to her tightly and sobbed in her arms as I thought of all I had been through the past year. When I finally built up the strength and courage to talk to her, I pushed away from her and that’s when I saw the blood from my face all over her shoulder.
“Ms. Thomas, I’m so sorry for ruining your shirt. I didn’t know I was bleeding that bad.”
“It’s okay, Golden,” she said reassuringly. “What I need from you right now is for you to tell me what happened to you,” she said as she looked me in my eyes.
 Something about the sincerity in her voice made me believe she could help me, let me know she was trustworthy. Before I could stop my mouth from moving, I spoke, “I came here because you are the only one I can trust, there is no one else I can talk to. I need you Ms. Thomas. I have so much pain inside of me and I need to let it out before I go crazy. Uhhhhhhh”, I yelled as I felt the pressure in my chest.
“Ok Golden, just breathe. Take a seat and just calm down. Here, let me wrap my coat around you, you’re cold and wet from being in the rain. You don’t have to talk right now. I am going to get you to a hospital and I’m going to go with you. I don’t want you to work yourself up, so just relax” she said, trying to make me comfortable.
“Ms. Thomas, you don’t know the life I’ve been living and I want out. Promise me that I will never have to enter my home again! Please, promise me,” I begged.
“I’ll make sure you’re in a safe place, I promise you. Just breathe girl, before you pass out,” she said, full of concern.
She placed my head against her chest and gently rubbed the back of my head. I swallowed hard as a lump of fear rose from my stomach to my throat. What would I say to anyone who asked me what happened? I began to shake. I didn’t know what was going on.
The EMTs came into the office and checked my vitals before putting me on a stretcher and pushing me to the ambulance. Ms. Thomas stayed by my side the whole time. But I could never tell her or anyone the whole truth because he would kill me.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H94XACA/