‘You okay?’
‘I’m fine. Been through worse.’
‘Oh, I didn’t need to know that.’ Her voice was almost level.
‘Did they hurt you?’ he rasped, and coughed weakly. They’d made him scream until all he could do was gasp and retch.
‘Nah, they just made me watch.’
He flinched, reached out to her impulsively; she saw the wounds the shackles had left on his wrists, and burst into tears. He held her as she bawled into the front of his shirt.
Eventually, she pulled away, sniffling. ‘Um. Sorry.’
He shook his head and whispered: ‘I know what that’s like too.’
‘I’m fine. Been through worse.’
‘Oh, I didn’t need to know that.’ Her voice was almost level.
‘Did they hurt you?’ he rasped, and coughed weakly. They’d made him scream until all he could do was gasp and retch.
‘Nah, they just made me watch.’
He flinched, reached out to her impulsively; she saw the wounds the shackles had left on his wrists, and burst into tears. He held her as she bawled into the front of his shirt.
Eventually, she pulled away, sniffling. ‘Um. Sorry.’
He shook his head and whispered: ‘I know what that’s like too.’