**Shattered Innocence**

As Ashley slowly pushed herself up from the floor, her body screamed in agony, protesting the brutal treatment she had endured. Every muscle, every bone, every fiber of her being ached with a deep and abiding pain. She stumbled forward, her vision blurring, and her hand instinctively reached out for support, but there was none to be found. The room spun around her, and she felt herself being pulled towards the closet, driven by a desperate need to comfort her child. "Mommy," Jackson whispered again, his voice trembling with fear as he sensed her presence. "It's okay, Jackson," Ashley croaked, her voice barely above a whisper. She tried to speak clearly, but her words were slurred and her cheek felt thick and swollen. She winced in pain as she moved closer to the closet, her hand reaching out to touch the door. As she opened the door, Jackson cowered further into the corner, his eyes wide with fear. Ashley's heart broke at the sight of her child, so scared and vulnerable. She forced herself to sit down next to him, trying to offer what little comfort she could. "Jackson, it's okay," she repeated, her voice cracking with emotion. "Mommy's here. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." But as she spoke, Ashley's thoughts were consumed by her own injuries. Her cheek was broken, and blood oozed from a gash on her skin, trickling down her face like a crimson tear. She gingerly touched the wound, wincing in pain as her fingers made contact with the sensitive skin. And then, there was her baby. Ashley's hand instinctively went to her stomach, her heart racing with fear. She couldn't feel the baby kicking anymore, and a wave of panic washed over her. Had Gerald's brutal assault harmed the child? Was her baby okay? Ashley tried to push the thoughts aside, focusing on the present moment. She had to keep Jackson safe, and then she had to find a way to get help. But as she looked down at her son, she knew that she couldn't move, not yet. She had to stay with him, to comfort him, and to keep him safe from the monster that lurked outside. For now, Ashley sat there, her body broken, her heart shattered, and her future uncertain. All she could do was hold her son close and pray that somehow, someway, they would both make it through this ordeal alive.