Brynnlee Hunter's (AKA Brynn Greeley) POV
TW: violent themes, mention of assault
"Why did you make me do this!?" My boyfriend hissed at me as I struggled to stay conscious. Patrick had slammed my head into the floor in the many beatings yesterday afternoon. It all started after he came home unexpectedly and saw the packed suitcases.

I underestimated this man's insanity gravely. The worst thing that ever happened to me, besides my parents dying in a car accident, was meeting Patrick Jenkins. And the way things are looking, I'm probably going to join my parents soon enough.
My parents died when I was nineteen and I have always blamed myself for their deaths. If I hadn't been so stupid and locked my keys in the car after I went to a party in the middle of nowhere, they'd still be alive! When they didn't arrive for two hours and I heard sirens and ambulances, I knew something horrible had happened. They crashed about five minutes away from where I was at. Within the blink of an eye, I was orphaned and all alone.
For whatever reason, my parents were not in contact with their families. My father's parents were still alive and when they were informed of his passing, they didn't even come to the funeral and had no desire to meet me. The estate lawyer never found anything on my mother's family.
Patrick swept me off my feet seven months ago when he saw me waiting tables at The Lobstah Cafe here in Portland, Maine. I knew the evening I served him coffee and some clam chowder he was going to change my life. The fifteen year age difference didn't make much difference to me.
Within a month, I moved out of a small two bedroom apartment I shared with two roommates and in with Patrick. He was my first real boyfriend, my first everything. Then, everything went to s**t
Patrick was my salvation from loneliness. He held me many nights as I cried about my parents and from the nightmares I had about that awful night I lost them. I really thought I had found my person and was finally happy again. But just as quickly as Patrick came into my life and no sooner than days after I moved in with him, he changed.

One night, Patrick came into the diner and when he saw me serving a man, he immediately became hostile. He took me back home and slapped me so hard it left a mark. All because I smiled at the man as I poured coffee. I went to pack my bags, but Patrick begged me to stay and cried for forgiveness. I took him back, brushing the incident off as a one time thing. Two days later, Patrick told me to quit my job because he made more than enough money that I didn't have to work and he wouldn't have to worry so much about me. As soon as I quit my job and had to depend solely on Patrick financially, I realized just what a mistake I had made.
Patrick never wanted to give me money. Anytime I asked for cash for even toothpaste, it would turn into a tirade for how I can't do anything right, I'm good for nothing and useless. Nothing I did was enough for Patrick Jenkins. He wore me down emotionally slowly, tearing at my self-esteem until it was in shreds.
One night last month, I was desperate for shampoo and body care items. I took some money out of his dresser drawer and went out and bought the essentials I needed. When I came back home Patrick flew into a rage and hit me so hard in the back of my head I lost consciousness for a few minutes. He took me to the hospital and told them I fell down the steps. I was laid up with a concussion for three days.
The hits escalated into full beatings, and two weeks ago after Patrick beat me and said that they would never find my body, I knew I was in real danger. Patrick's job in exotic reptile trading was dangerous and he had ties to organized crime. I began making a plan to get out and contacted a woman's shelter. I was set to go today but Patrick came home early and found the suitcases. He has been holding me against my will, and has beaten me and assaulted me repeatedly for the last fourteen hours.

It was getting harder for me to breathe. "Patrick please, something is wrong. You have to take me to the hospital. I'll tell them I don't know who attacked me, I swear!" I managed to groan out. Patrick stared at me, realization on his face about just how far he's gone. He left the living room and when he came back, I realized with terror what he had in his hand.
I tried to scream but couldn't. I was literally staring a rattling death right in the face.
"A timber rattlesnake venom is potent and most of all fast. Even though you betrayed me, I will give you a quick death now." There was no emotion in his voice at all. I looked at this man I once loved, his dark brown eyes showing pure evil and his long brown hair in tangled strands around his face. Patrick had the rattlesnake in tongs, and I watched the snake quirm and strike at the air. He lowered the snake to where I laid on the floor. Suddenly, I felt a sharp burning sting in my left ankle.
"I loved you, Brynnlee. Goodbye." Just like that, Patrick opened the door and left the apartment locking the door behind him. I was alone, beaten almost to death, with a dangerous snake lurking somewhere nearby.
Daylight was creeping through the blinds, and I used the remaining strength I had left to listen out for my neighbor who should be coming in off of night shift from the brewery up the road any minute. I prayed to God to stay alive long enough so that my neighbor could hear my screams and get the police here.
Jane Herrow was a smart woman. She noticed me one day doing laundry and saw the bruises. She didn't buy my excuse where I got them. She had been checking in on me when Patrick wasn't home. Patrick couldn't stand her, calling her a nosy old biddy any chance he got.
I felt an unbearable burning throughout my body as the snake venom coursed through me. I was in total agony and my breathing became even more labored.
Please God, don't let me die like this!! PLEASE!!! Finally, I heard footsteps on the landing and heard my neighbor mutter to herself. I took a deep breath and screamed.
"HELP! HELP ME PLEASE!!!" I coughed after that and tasted blood in my mouth. I turned my head and spit out a stream of it, and then I heard knocking on the door.
"Brynnlee, do you need help?!"
"YES CALL...." I started coughing uncontrollably. A minute later, I heard Jane talking to 911 through the door.
"Hi this is Jane Herrow...my neighbor is calling for help it sounds like she's injured.....she's coughing really bad and sounds like she is having trouble breathing...please hurry I'll stay here with her she can't come to the door!!" Jane tapped on the door again.
"Brynnlee, they will be here in five minutes! Hang on sweetheart they're coming!" But I know my death is certain. Patrick beat me so badly that the snake venom will end me fast. I can already feel numbness and burning all over me as I drifted in and out of consciousness.
"They're here!" Jayne shouted to me. I heard her tell them they need to kick the door in. They used a ram to bust the door down and I heard a rattle.
"SNAKE!" I heard one of the police officers scream and then I heard a gunshot.
"Grab the metal case and put this f*****g thing in it!" One of them said, though his voice was muffled. Suddenly two officers were at my side.
"Get the paramedics up here now we have a female down! Ma'am, were you snakebit? Blink your eyes one for yes two for no if you can't speak." The officer to my left asked me and I blinked once.
"There are two puncture wounds on her left ankle." The second officer said.
"She's been beaten. Ask the neighbor if she knows her name." The first officer asked.
"I'm right here, her name is Brynnlee!" Jane's voice cracked with emotion.
"Brynnlee, did someone hurt you?" I blinked once. An officer brought a picture of Patrick and me that we had on the end table by the door. I cringed as soon as I saw it.
"Was it the man in this picture?" Again, I blinked once and the two officers exchanged glances.
"Are there any other dangerous reptiles in this apartment?" I blinked yes. Suddenly more men entered the apartment and began to work on me.
"Her name is Brynnlee, ID card in her purse reads her last name is Hunter. Age 20, lives here with the man in this picture. We found her like this and killed a snake as soon as we opened the door."
"Blood pressure is 72/30, possible collapsed lung, right pupil dilated. Did I hear you guys say you killed a snake!?" A medic muttered as he shined a flashlight in my eyes.
"Yes, she has two puncture wounds on her ankle. The carcass is in the metal box on the counter." I heard one of the officers tell him.
"We'll take it with us. The hospital will need it to know which antivenom to give. Did she say who beat her?" The medic asked them.
"She confirmed it was the man in this picture." One of them answered.
"Radio Portland Memorial, tell them to get a trauma bed ready and to start calling for antivenom!!" The lead paramedic shouted at someone. After that, I saw a white light and began to walk towards it. Right when I came close to the break, I saw the two faces I've wanted to see again for the last year. My father's handsome face beamed back at me.
"Mommy!? Daddy!!" I cried to them.
"Brynnlee, as much as we love you and want you with us, it isn't your time sweet girl. You have so much to live for and so much to do still. It's time to go back." My dad said softly.
"I don't want to! It isn't safe anymore! Please take me with you!" I wailed to him. My mother came over and hugged me. Her red hair still smelled like the shampoo she always used. I saw nothing but love in the greenish blue eyes we both shared.
"My beautiful daughter. Please stop blaming yourself. The crash wasn't your fault." That made me sob even harder and I felt my mother's arms close around me tighter.
"You are going to do great things. There is a man, a wonderful man, whose soul will only want yours. You are safe, my child. We love you so very much." Suddenly, I opened my eyes again. I looked around and realized I wasn't in the apartment anymore, but in the back of an ambulance. The center of my chest was very sore.
"She's back!" The medics high fived each other and I heard sirens blaring as the ambulance pulled to a stop. The crew quickly wheeled me out of the ambulance on a stretcher and into the hospital where a team of nurses and a doctor waited. Everything was happening so fast. A nurse leaned over me to put an oxygen mask on me. She had kind blue eyes just like my mother.
"Brynnlee, we're going to take care of you. You're safe." Tears of relief fell down my face.