Deadly Obsession

by K. L. Humphreys

  “What did he say, Winter? How do you feel knowing everyone knows what happened to you? What are you going to do?” Question after question it helps to keep my mind focused instead of wondering.

  “He said basically the same thing as what he wrote in the letter, except he spoke to Soph and Scott as well, he told Soph it was a long time, she knows now that she knows him too.” I’m scared if she figures out who he is, that she may confront him I don’t want her or her babies getting hurt.

  “I feel free if that is the right word, it’s like a weight was lifted, I think it was their reactions more than anything else. Like they didn’t think I was a slut or that I made it up.” I hate feeling this way after Maddie accused me of lying I have an abhorrent fear that everyone will think I lied. I know how I acted after the rape wasn’t exactly healthy but for me, it helped.

  “I don’t know, I want to tell them who it was, I just don’t want any of them getting hurt. But what about the police, I never told them who it was.” I’m scared they might not be able to pursue it.

  “Winter, your mind blocked it. It happens. It was your way of blocking out the pain of having someone you knew, viscously assault you. The police will pursue it. You have made a report already; you need to amend it. You also need to tell them about what happened today.” I don’t want them to think I’ve been wasting their time.

  “Okay.” I feel stuck. I want to report him, but I’m scared of the consequences.

  “Don’t. Don’t shut down. We spoke about this; you have to decide your next move. Are you ready to fight? It’s your decision Winter, whatever you decide I will be with you one hundred percent.” I have tears in my eyes as I know that as much as everyone says they are with me all the way, they can’t actually be there all the time, and it’s in those moments the fear, doubt, and self-loathing start to creep in. It’s those moments that have the power to break me.

  “I want to fight. I want this over. I want to be able to live without fearing he will find me.” I know I will never be the old me, she no longer exists. I have come to terms with that. It was hard knowing I’ll never be that confident woman I once was.

  “Then fight. You can’t fly until your free Winter. Do you need me to come to New York?” I thank God that I have the most amazing friends.

  “No Kathy. I’ll be okay. Thanks, though.” Even though I miss her, I can’t be selfish and expect her to drop everything to be by my side.

  “Okay, but if you need me, call me, and I’ll be on the first flight.” We continue to talk for a while, and I assure her that I will call if I need her and keep her updated. After hanging up, I sit on my bed and steel myself before going into the living room. I know they all want to help, I’m not sure if I’m ready to discuss what happened, but I know that I have to. I get up and walk into the living room. They’re all sitting quietly, nobody is talking. It’s really eerie.

  “What’s going on?” Soph and Sammy had seen me walk in, but the others hadn’t and at the sound of my voice they all turn and face me. It’s Scott that answers my question.

  “You need someone around you at all times. I know you don’t want it. But we need it okay! We need to make sure you're all right. So someone will be with you at all times. Now for some reason, Skye wants to get rid of Sam. I don’t know why even a blind man can see he isn’t leaving.” I see Skye’s face go red, her eyes narrow. I don’t know what the hell happened while I was on the phone, but Skye looks pissed and so does Sammy.

  “Sweets, it’s your decision who you want to stay with you, no one is forcing anyone on you, and it’s totally up to you.” I can see that he wants me to choose him, I’d love him to, but I don’t want to be a burden.

  “Take that look off your face, you aren’t a burden to anyone. We want to stay with you, so decide which one of us you want.” Soph tells me. Of course, Soph knows what I’m thinking. The freak. I narrow my eyes at her silently telling her she’s weird.

  “I hate when you two start this weird shit. Stop having your super freaky conversations and Winter tell us who you want to stay with you.” I nod and look directly at Sammy his eyes are searching mine.

  “Sammy. I want Sammy to stay.” I say it quietly, not wanting to offend anyone. I see the relief in Sammy’s eyes. I know I’ve made the right choice. I have a favor to ask Luke, and I hope he agrees.

  “Luke, are you busy tomorrow?” He looks confused, if I need anyone I usually ask Soph or Scott, they’re close to my age, and I was closer to them growing up. I love Luke like my brother, and I hate the thought of him thinking I don’t.

  “I’m free in the morning. Do you need something?” He’s curious. I never ask for anything. I take a deep breath. Here goes nothing.

  “Yes. I want to go to the station, I want to amend my statement and report the calls as I have one recorded now. I would like it if you were to come with me since you know most about the law and stuff. You don’t have to, though, I’m sure someone else will go with me. If not, I’ll go by myself.” I’m rambling and shifting my feet from side to side, I’m nervous, and I’m looking at the floor.

  I notice a pair of black shoes in my line of sight, and I look up into the teary eyes of Luke. He holds out his arms and waits, his face looks as though he’s waiting for rejection. I walk into his arms and hug his waist. His arms wrap around me.

  “Of course, I’ll go with you. I can’t physically go into the room as it will be a conflict of interest. But that is where Soph will come in. I’ll stay in the waiting room; I’ll answer any questions you have. You have to prepare yourself Wints, they’re going to make you re-live it. I need you to be aware that it will open those wounds you have managed to glue back together. It’s going to hurt, and you’re going to have to name the fucker who did this.” He’s whispering in my ear; I nod into his chest as he continues to hold me.

  “I know, I’m prepared for that, I’ll tell Sophia tonight, that way it’s out there,” I say against his chest, and I’m not sure if he could hear me as it was muffled against his t-shirt.

  “I think that’s a good decision, I would advise you to also tell Sam and Scott as it’s better to say it once than a hundred times. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to be here too.” I should have thought of that.

  “Yes of course, but I don’t want everyone here, just Soph, Nathan, Scott, Sammy and you. I know that’s not fair on Skye, but you guys are my family, and you deserve to know first.” He tightens his arms around me.

  “Want me to get rid of the rest of them?” I just nod, I don’t want to say anything just yet. I feel bad that Skye has to leave, but I do owe my family an explanation.

  “Okay, time for everyone to go, I want the family to stay for a few minutes, we need to discuss how we're going to tell Dad.” With that, Asher, Dwayne, Oscar, Skye, Connor and Ryder all got up and say goodbye to everyone. Once they leave, Luke guides me to the chair, which Asher vacated. I’m so grateful; I don’t want anyone near me when I tell them.

  “Okay, Winter has decided that we’re going with her to the station tomorrow. She wanted to tell Soph and Scott what happened, I’m here because I don’t want to be blindsided tomorrow and well Nathan is Nathan. So Soph doesn’t have to repeat it and well Sam you know why you’re here,” Luke tells them quietly and Sammy nods, I can’t take my eyes off him, he’s standing against the wall, he’s staring right at me. He’s giving me courage by just being here. I take my eyes off him and look around the room, Soph is on Nathan’s lap there on the sofa, he’s already comforting her, Scott is also sitting on the couch while Luke takes one of the other empty seats. They’re all waiting on me. I take a deep breath and look once more into Sammy’s eyes, knowing this could end us before we even begin. I pull my legs up to my chest and recount the worst night of my life.

  ~*~

  We’re in Venice, the nightclub on the corner of St James and Madison. It is busy, and everyone’s having a good time, Maddie has been at the bar for at least twenty minutes, I can see the flirting from here, I’m glad
she is letting loose, she never actually comes out, I usually have to bribe her. I finish my drink and get up to go to the bathroom.

  When I come out, I search the bar. I want to call it a night, but I can’t find Maddie at the bar. I search the club for her, I do a double take at the exit as I see her waving goodbye as she leaves with the guy she was flirting with for the last twenty minutes. I sigh, and head for the exit.

  The fresh air hits me as I step onto the sidewalk, I start making my way down Madison Street, I live almost at the end of the road. I have a long walk ahead of me, but it’s a beautiful night so I don’t mind.

  I’m almost home, and I feel the rain, and I’m thinking of having a hot shower and going to sleep. When all of a sudden I feel someone’s hand on my back, pushing me into the alleyway. I go to scream, but it gets muffled as a hand gets placed over my mouth. My heart starts racing, and I start trying to get away, I can smell tobacco it’s really strong, I’m pulled against a hard body, and I know it’s a man, I can feel his erection against my back, bile rises and I have to swallow it back. I need to get away.

  I don’t get a chance to do anything as my body is pushed into the wall. My face is pressed up against it, I feel my face scrape against the wall. The stone of the wall against my belly is uneven and there’s a piece jutting into my stomach. It’s better than the alternative, having my back pushed against his erection. I’d rather scrape and hurt myself from this fucking wall than have that thing touch me again. I feel dirty.

  “It’s been a long time Winter. You’ve gotten even prettier. I’ve missed you.” I still at his voice. It’s familiar to me, but I can’t quite place it. I can feel his breath on my neck, I’m bucking against him trying to get away, every time I do he’s groaning in pleasure as if it’s turning him on. I manage to lift my foot and slam it down on his, the grip he has on me loosens, and I manage to break free of his hold. I start to run away, but these fucking shoes are too high to run in, I know if I stop to take them off I’ll never escape. The rain is pouring now. I’m soaked.

  I’m running, and I’m almost at the entrance to the alley when I’m picked up and swung around, the scream that was lodged in my throat is now free, I scream like a fucking banshee hoping, praying someone will help me. My prayers are never answered, as I’m thrown to the ground, my knees taking the brunt of the fall, tears leak out of my eyes from the pain radiating through my legs. I hear a zipper and my heart drops, I know what’s about to happen. I start crawling, I need to get away. I feel my legs scraping against the concrete of the ground, but I don’t acknowledge the pain as I continue to crawl. My heart is beating so hard, I don’t want to look behind me, I hear him coming and I speed up my crawling my heart is in my throat.

  My leg is pulled, and I cry out, he flips me onto my back. My head bouncing off the ground as he does so. I won’t go down without a fight. I use my other leg and kick as hard as I can. The heel of my stiletto catches his chest, ripping his shirt. He hisses in pain. I see him raise his hand, it comes down and lands a vicious blow to my face. I cry out yet again, it stings.

  “Winter. I didn’t want it to go down like this. You’re meant to be nice babe.” What does he mean? I don’t understand why he’s doing this to me. I kick yet again, this time, I use the heel more, it again hits him in his chest. He rears back, and I scramble away. He stands up, and the light from the lamp post catches him. My breath catches as I see the scar on his chest. I know instantly who it is. Sophia gave him that scar when we were in middle school, he was being a bully to Maddie, calling her ugly and pulling her hair. Sophia threw a rock at him. It hit his chest and he started bleeding. He came back to school with a funny L-shaped scar.

  “Why David? Why are you doing this?” he stares at me, and I see the lust in his eyes. My heart rate is skyrocketing. I can’t slow my breathing down.

  “Because you want it. I know you do. You like me, and you want me.” Oh my God. I scramble back further, and I let out another scream. Please, God, someone hear me. It was the wrong thing to do as his fist connects with my face. I feel the blood flowing out of my nose.

  He pulls me down so I’m lying flat on my back against the ground. He has a tight grip on my hip. I can tell by his punishing grip that I’m going to have a serious bruise. He uses the other hand to pull my dress up. I start struggling. I can’t let this happen. Please don’t let him do this. I start screaming, and his hand comes and covers my mouth. He leans in close, and I get the smell of tobacco again, it’s everywhere, his breath, hands, body.

  “Babe, stop screaming, I’m not even in you yet.” Then he winks at me. Why is he doing this? Why is he winking at me? Does he think this is a game? I’m so scared. I can’t believe someone could be so evil and creepy. It’s almost as if he’s living in a different world. The smell of him is something I don’t think I will ever forget. It’s a stale smell of tobacco, I don’t smell anything else just tobacco, and it makes me wonder if he bathes in it.

  He pulls up my dress, making my breasts exposed. I feel the rain pelting down on them as he starts fondling them. I flinch at his touch. His touch gets rougher and rougher as I continue to struggle against him, he doesn’t seem to want me to struggle. I can’t help it, his touch is making my skin crawl, I know if I don’t fight back I’m in trouble. I don’t know how I’m going to get away. He releases my breast, and I move, I need to get away. I manage to get a few feet away before I’m dragged back, this time, he forces me to my knees and pulls my panties down to my knees. I can hear the material stretching as it gets pushed down.

  I start to pull away; I can’t let this happen. He grips my hair and pulls, my head snaps back and tears form in my eyes. I drop to the ground and scream as he pulls my hair. He’s using his strength, he pulls my hair and lifts me, I can feel my hair ripping out of my scalp. I need to get away from here. It’s impossible. He lifts me by my hair so I’m against him, I squirm, but the hold he has is punishing. I yet again fall to the ground, this time, he just yanks me back to him and puts me back on my knees and slams my head onto the concrete. I’m in shock and I still. He makes his move.

  His hand goes around my throat, and I know I’m never getting away. I know he’s going to rape me. He doesn’t wait any longer. He pushes into me, and it tears me open. The pain is indescribable. I feel as though my vagina has been split open. My scream is so terrifying, even to my own ears. His hand around my neck grips tighter and tighter every time he brutally pushes inside of me, taking his own pleasure while I’m dying slowly with each thrust. My knees are also taking a battering as they are being dug into the ground with each thrust, I feel stones in my knee, but I don’t care, at this point I just want it to stop. I want to curl up and die. His grip is so tight it’s making it hard to breathe. Black spots start blurring my vision. I know I’m going to pass out. He doesn’t notice as he continues his brutal assault. My last thought before passing out is that I hope he kills me.

  ~*~

  I’m sobbing, my head is lying on my knees, my body’s bucking every time I take in a breath. It’s painful. I hear someone else sobbing, and I look up and see that Sophia is sobbing as hard as me.

  “Soph.” It comes out strangled and muffled due to the crying, but her head shoots up, and she looks to me. She gets up from Nathan’s lap and walks over to me, she reaches out her hand in a silent question. I nod, she can touch me.

  She doesn’t waste any time in climbing onto my lap and folding me into her arms, we’ve calmed down and not crying as hard as we had been, but it’s still bad.

  “I should have been here for you. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. I’m so proud of you Wints. I hate that you are going through this. I want you to know how fucking amazing you are, I’m so proud hon. So fucking proud.” I look into her eyes and see love shining through.

  “I didn’t stop fighting, I didn’t. I promise. I fought until I blacked out. I didn’t stop fighting.” I keep repeating it over and over again. I don’t know why I keep saying it. I need her to know that I didn�
��t give up. Her arms tighten around me. Convulsing as she sobs at my statement.

  “I know hon. You were so fucking brave. I have never been so fucking proud of anyone in my life as I am of you. I’m in awe of you hon. How you managed to survive. Many would have given up. Not you! You fought, and you are still fighting. It’s a fucking honor to have you as my sister.” I start sobbing again. Coming from Soph, that is the best compliment I will ever get.

  “She’s right, I’m fucking proud of you, you are the bravest woman I know, and that is saying something because I know Soph. I’m sorry you went through that, but Soph is right you are a fucking fighter, last time you were fighting alone. This time, well, this time, we’re fighting with you.” I look up at the man I have come to trust, the man I know I have feelings for and see that his eyes are wet. Sammy is staring at me with such intensity that I have to look way, as I do my eyes are locked with Luke’s, he stands and walks over to Soph and me.

  “I’ll be back in the morning. Thank you.” I look at him, why is he thanking me? He must read my expression and answers my silent question. “Thank you for telling me, I know it can’t have been easy. So thank you, and I want you to know that we will get this fucker. He won’t hurt you again.” He leans down and kisses my cheek, I can’t help it as I flinch as his lips touch my cheek. My eyes fill with tears; I hate that even around my family I can’t be normal. Luke doesn’t say anything just nods and walks out of my apartment.

  “Who is David?” My head whips around to Scott’s broken voice. He has tears running down his face. Seeing them. I break down again.

  “You said I gave him the scar; why don’t I remember that? I don’t remember him!” Soph still has tears in eyes, but she also has hatred in them and anger. “The only David I know is Maddie’s ex,” I look at her and I see her eyes widen at the understanding that yes he is the same person. “Oh my God! That fucking asshole. I’m going to kill him. I’m going to rip his fucking balls off! I can’t believe Mads told him you were interested in him; he was creepy even when she dated him. Why would she do that?” Soph asks the same question I have asked myself so many times over the past few years, I always come back to the same conclusion I have no idea.