Pain woke me up again but it was deeper this time. The felt bone deep, it wasn't just my body this time around. It was soul deep. My body and soul felt like it had been broken, piece by piece.
I realized I was lying on the cold hard marble floor of the guest room. A quiet broken sob tore out of my soul as images from the previous night flashed through my mind, more than four men had… I couldn't even think of it. I can't believe they had done that to me, in a room we had talked about how beautiful our future with our child would be. And Veronica… a woman like me had also…
What have I ever done to deserve this?? I had been a wonderful daughter, a wonderful wife and friend. I have never hurt anyone for them to come at me like this… all this because of greed and entitlement towards my inheritance??
My mouth in a silent scream of anguish my body too weak to even make a sound.
Funny how with the way I had been so foolishly and blindly in love, if he had come to me concerning my inheritance and wanting full control then, I would considered it.
I needed to get out of here, maybe call Papa Enzo. God he warned me then but I was too weak… too stupid and naive.
I tried moving, my entire body screamed in pain; joints ached, my hips throbbed, and between my legs—my core—burned with raw, open agony. I didn't know how long they had violated me because I kept slipping in and out of consciousness. Minutes? Hours?
Then I heard voices and laughter as my brain fog cleared more.
Multiple males and a female voices, talking and laughing from outside the room.
Joe's voice rang out clearly. "Let's go out and end our party in style."
My heart stopped. "Our party" That was what he was calling what they did to me.
Then I heard footsteps approaching the room and quickly shut my eyes, letting my body go limp, pretending to still be unconscious.
The door creaked open.
"The bitch is still out," Veronica's voice drawled, amused. "Fucking whore enjoyed it."
Silence. Then her voice again, sarcastic and cruel. "Baby, should we tie her up again? I need to leave this house and get fresh air, everywhere is reminding me of what she did to my child."
"Sure thing my love." I hear Joe reply then the sound of kissing.
A leg nudged my side. I didn't move, just laid limply.
Joe's voice answered. "Nah, the bitch is still out. Even if she wakes up, she'll be too weak to do anything. We'll just lock the room. Come on, Zack and the rest said they'll treat us for the good time I let them have with her."
Their voices faded, then the door closed. I heard the key turn in the lock.
I continued to lay still listening as their foot steps got fainter, Then the sound of car doors slamming, engines starting and tires crunching gravel as they drove out.
Silence.
I opened my eyes slowly.
The room was dim, the air smelling funky of sweat and bodily fluids. I looked down at myself, I was in a sheer nightgown, semen and blood smeared on my thighs. I grabbed the edge of the bed and tried to sit up but slipped, the sharp pain in my body forcing me to the floor.
I landed hard with a dull thud, my breath catching. My body screamed at me.
Fresh blood started running down my thighs. The sight made me sob.
I took a deep breath and gripped the bedpost again and pulled myself up slowly. My arms trembled and my knees shook in pain.
As I stood, a sharp pain tore through my stomach shocking me with the intensity of the pain.
I screamed and fell hard.
The impact rattled my ribs, and black spots danced across my vision. I panted, groaning, curling onto my side, sobbing, tears mixed with sweat as they ran down my face. My hands shook as I began to crawl, dragging my broken body toward the door. Every movement lit fires under my skin, my core throbbed with the brutal aftermath of what they'd done to me. Blood and semen ran down my legs. I whimpered, the cold of the tiles a cruel contrast to the heat of my wounds.
I reached the bedside drawer and clawed it open
"God... please... it still be here.." I choked, sobbing, as I searched for the hair clip I remember dropping in it.
My hand touched something thin and cold. A sob of relief tore from my throat as I pulled out the wire hair clip out.
It took everything I had to crawl back to the door. My fingers barely worked, shaking as I picked at the lock. Time blurred, every breath tight. And then a click as the lock opened.
Freedom.
I staggered into the hallway, my legs nearly giving out beneath me, but I gripped the wall, dragging myself forward.
Walked slowly, step by step, body screaming in pain, until I reached the front entrance.
Then a sharp, tearing pain tore through my lower abdomen.
I screamed as my legs crumpled and I fell hard.
A gush of blood followed, soaking through what little was left of my clothes, pooling on the tile beneath me.
The doctor's voice rang in my mind.
"Ensure you do not do any strenuous activity after taking the medication."
"You can't die here," I whispered brokenly to myself. "You can't give up. Not here."
I grit my teeth and started crawling to the door. Blood trailed behind me.
I reached the front door, I reached up and gripped the knob using it to pull myself up with one hand and grabbed my key fob from the hook.
I let out a sigh of relief when I saw my car was still parked at the edge of the driveway. Right where I left it last night.
The sun was low in the sky showing it was late afternoon.
I stumbled across the porch, struggling to breath through the ripping pain in my stomach as collapsed against the car door, fumbled it open and slumped into the driver's seat.
My hands shook violently as I turned the key. The engine rumbled to life and I pressed the gate button programmed into my car system. The heavy metal gates began to creak open.
I slammed my foot onto the accelerator, the tires screeching against the gravel as I tore out of the compound. I didn't bother to close.
The world blurred around me, my head felt like it was stuck in a whirlpool as blood kept gushing out of my vagina.
I had to get far away from that place before they came back. Just far, far away.
My foot was heavy on the gas as I blinked trying to see through my blurry vision. Then a tearing pain tore through my stomach again.
I screamed. My hands slipping on the wheel as everything went black for a second.
When I came to, all I saw was a yellow school bus coming right at me.
I looked up at the driver's eyes were wide with shock and terror. I could hear the kids screaming in terror.
There was no way I was going to be responsible for the death of innocent children. Screaming I quickly swerved away from the road.
The car spun, tires skidding across the road as I lost control. My heart pounded in my ears as I saw the concrete wall rising up to meet me.
Time slowed.
This was it.
This was the end.
The impact shattered me. Metal crunched, glass exploded into my face as my body jerked forward, the airbag hitting my face with brutal force.
Fuck, I had forgotten to wear my seat belt.
Pain exploded outward like fireworks behind my eyes.
I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe.
Everything felt far away like I was floating.
My fingers tingled as I felt bone aching cold begin to spread, starting at my fingertips, curling upward. My entire body felt numb as I felt my heartbeat slow down.
"No..." I muttered weakly, trying to move. But my body wouldn't cooperate.
"No, I don't want to die here..." My chest heaved with effort. "Please... please, God... not here... not like this."
My father's face flashed through my mind. I clung to it.
"Daddy... please... help me..."
I footsteps and my door was yanked open.
Light spilled in, then a deep calm voice washed over me and I felt weird calm flow through me. "Stay still, ma'am. Help is on the way."
I turned my head slowly, trying to blink through the blood flowing down my face into my eyes, desperate to see.
But I saw were kind vivid green eyes.
I reached for him with all the strength I had left, my hand gripping his arm with a death grip.
"Please... don't call Joe..." I whispered, choking on blood. "Please... call Enzo... Joe... Joe did this... he did this to me..."
The man held my hand, patting it. "Don't worry ma'am I will make sure Joe doesn't come close to you. I will stay with you till I see Enzo"
My body trembled I relief as I let out a sigh of relief and relaxed.
The cold pulled at me, hard and fast, my vision dimmed.
"Why..."
My voice cracked.
"Why does everything always end in darkness for me?"
Then there was nothing.