Day - ONE

The damage

After Seven Years

The vase was shattered below on the floor into tiny little pieces. The blood splattered towards me on the white fury rug.

I wine glass was tumbled upside down. Aside there lay I bawling my eyes out the vandalisation was more to my own self image than it was to my body.

I slid down my robe and stood in front of mirror gazing down towards my body the finger prints were on my body tracing from above to below.

Then I focused towards my own reflection my mouth was cut from the corner above it puffy purple eyes, my bruised body it all reflected on the fact that few minutes ago I was so vulnerable to defend myself.

The damage that is not only be an external one but shook my core. My hair tangling out I was grabbed by them and thrown towards the glass table and the vase that felt down broke into several pieces.

I screamed out loud and cried my eyes out in agony I have suffered , in the impotent response I should have in the reflex. I screamed and cried out the more I cried the more my body ached from the pain each bruise on my body wanted to tell it's tale of torture but world doesn't seem to be unreliable this time. I began to think everyone may play trick on me , have unfair advantage and ruin me for their own malicious practices.

There was a knock on my door but door was already opened. With crackling sound I saw a female figure standing with her eyes out in disbelief she gazed me at my naked form standing in front of mirror seeing her own reflection and staring at it zoned out with the eyes where her soul left her , her body trembling and feeble in this form.

My head turned towards the guest arrived to see her neither was I amazed by the fact that she atleast was courageous to see me that way neither was I embrassed by her to watch me in that state. I wasn't.

Her steady steps approached the room she took out a blanket walked towards and covered my body using it.

She put her hands on my shoulders.

' Who did that to you? ' words came out of her mouth . That was it without uttering a word all the silence that had leapt me for last few minutes took turned into tears. I leaped forward and hugged her I was crying like a small kid.

After few hours , Rebecca knew what went in there , every detail description of time of torture. She ask me to clean up and take a hot shower which I respectfully followed. My body ached while bathing and I was hardly able to drape myself in the towel. It was painful.

I sat there drapped in towel using ice packs to my bruises and antibiotics to the cuts with the tender hands.

Rebecca was cleaning the vase which was shattered below.

' Would you like to eat something ?' She asked in concerned voice while collecting the chunks of vase together to throw it in dustbin.

' No.' In a one word I replied I looked at her with saddened eyes.

There was paused silence between us. The lot was better left unsaid because the words currently were source of misunderstandings and none of us really was willing to speak anything of the misfortune which we both now were well acquainted about.

' Sophia , all I want to say to you at last is when you will stop self blaming yourself for the mishap the first victory would began.' She smiled at me pitying me at my state whereas I was inspecting her words with my eyes.

I put my head at back and with corner of my eyes. I saw Rebecca cleaning and tidying the room as if nothing happened there she took the bloody stained rug outside the room , cleaned the vase chunks and was keeping books in piles on the shelves as they were usually kept.

I put my head back and closed my eyes dwelling upon the day I had. The flashbacks were enough to haunt me like nightmare in daylight but something happened I had no longer urge to cry further to complaint further I was blank in my reaction.

' Alarick , would arrive at any second . Cover your face with makeup, wear a scarf and put on sunglasses.' She suggested I went to other room and wore a baggy dress which would not touch my wounds.

While I got out she changed the bedsheet.

' Rebecca.' She was interrupted by my voice but I have a most serious business to be taken care off.

' Throw this bedsheet. Anywhere. Just throw it.' There was fury and rage in my voice I had my fist clenched remembering each episode that took place on this mattress.

I covered my face with scarf and wore sunglasses.

Bell rings.

Both me and Rebecca exchange looks to each other. I sat firmly at my place taking the Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte I start to impersonating someone who was reading.

Rebecca opens the door. I saw a man having prominent features , well trimmed beard , well done hair , wearing black gym clothes from head to toe. A familiar face.

' Hey , Alarick.' greeted Rebecca. He smiled at her.

He came towards me and I put down the book. He handed me bouquet of red roses. I smiled at him. He leaned to kiss me on my cheeks. I closed my eyes.

' Quite cold. Isn't.' He glare at my scare and sunglasses and made comment.

Rebecca was rapid enough to answer than me.

' Yeah. Maybe she is feeling cold. It depend from person to person.' Rebecca affirmed and nodded towards me.

My eyes flicker to Rebecca and a shiver ran down my spine.

Alarick sat at the couch in front of me.

Suddenly I noticed Alarick staring at me with his usual admiring gaze at me.
The way he stares at me sends me butterflies in stomach. I looked at him and grinned like cheshire cat.

I tried to hide my finger where a piece of vase digged deep and was causing tremendous pain.

Alarick looked at her then back to me.

' I --- must leave. Alarick will take care of you.' With that Sophie departed leaving me with heart pounding loud. I stared at door and Alarick looked at me in with puzzled face.

' Take care of you. ' He looked at me with his unraveling mysterious eyes and concerned face.

' I am not bit well.' I put my finger on eyes trying to cover my cut lip and my hand tend to cover my face while doing so from his sight.