CLOSER

mont

phie'

. For so long, my imagination has been the only thing keeping me going. Throughout the episodes of the abuse I had suffered during

ip., They cared for me and always comforted me whenever I almost gave up on living. My stepfather could rape me as much as he desi

beside me. My eyes were still shut but I could feel his intang

you today?" he

esponded, not sp

u I love you but you never said it back.

mmediately, I sat up and scrambled close to him.

y one I love," I said, trying to reassure him but his eyes held di

whenever he is in your room. It is he you desire and no

. But I had to placate him somehow. I loved him with all my heart and I co

nees, begging f

octor anymore. I'll be good, I promise you, Harry. I beg you, have mercy, Harr

oked back at me tentatively.

se to love onl

ad vehemently. He smiled like

ut I still have to go. I've

ripped

for my welfare as before. I

noooooo! Please d

o I wasn't surprised when I saw the doctor and his staff of nurses run into my room. They gathered around my bed, spitting all manner of medical jargon they had acquired in me

ours

, I remained lying down. Whatever they had injected into me must have been very strong and

tburst as hers. It was like she was being suppressed or suffering from indepth agony. Her screams were so bl

ger to listen than to speak. It was almost a monologue,

is broken. Her zeal to recover has been shattered by whomever did this to her a

time or more than that. From my stepfather to his drinking buddies to his poker club members and friends, it was a wonder

t or not. If she refused him, he would tie her to his bed, rape her and leave her hungry for days. If only I had known about him in time, I would not have come home and my mother would still be alive. I

to that monster. She had sworn that she had never wanted me to meet him but as it stood then, he was my only legal guardian. She en

d uncomfortably to get out of his hold but the glare he fired me froze all my attempts to escape. He kissed my forehead and took me back t

ue where I left off. You can

ushed herself off her bed, trying to get to me but to no avail. She died

His visitor- a female- finally spoke. Her voice

she is between the ages of 19-22. May

s

nica sounde

she has star

ace was grim i

incident, we are hopeful of a change. I also recommend yo

could hear their breaths pumping in and out. F

e speak to he

d him exit the room quietly. Knowing it was just I and Madam Veron

ther exhaled than spoke.

Getting better?" she wanted t

She seems very tired today, I thought. I constantly wondered why she was bothered about me. I was a nobody, owni

ing you a surrogate name, an alias, if you please, since you have ref

inged at the thought beca

f saying your name, I brought a writing

oint. The pen was exquisite with a golden tip and an equally golden logo across it. I handled the pen with care,

any page you like as lo

, this kind woman would readily have it spelt but I didn't wish to speak to anyone, including her. I could spell parts of the name tho

at me, her unspoken

m...I guess that's it. I can't think of an

kept staring at her for three minutes, she finally realized that I was no longer writing anything. She si

ow. Your meal is on its way. Goodbye," she ended, waving at me cheerily. I waved back at her but with