C O M P L E T E - first draft.
7x featured story.
Undiscovered Gem, Romance Ambassadors, January 2025.
Ambys 2024 Favourite - Mystery & Thriller
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I don't register what comes first--Mum's screams and curses, or the searing pain that perforates...
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September 9th
C A R M E N
After I finish my shift at the dance school, I take extra care to make sure all of Dad's notebooks are inside my duffle bag before leaving. I say goodbye to Mindy, who is finishing up tidying the studio after today's class, before embarking down the staircase and out into the car park.
I reach into the pocket of my gym leggings and click the button on my car key to unlock it. However, I freeze when walk to the passenger-side door to put my stuff inside. Numbness courses through me from head to toe as my eyes glue themselves to my car's bodywork.
My car... my beautiful, ruby-red Mercedes.
Somebody has vandalised it.
The once pristine crimson paintwork now sports deep, ugly scratches—likely caused by a key or stone. Each gash engraved into the side of my car pieces together to spell something.
'Rapist sympathiser,' the scrapes in the paintwork say.
I sidestep as I heave shaky breaths to observe the rest of my car, starting with the bonnet. Someone has scored more accusations into the metal there.
'Carmen Ellis blames victims.'
I run to check the driver's side of my car. Sure enough, there is more.
'Carmen Ellis is scum.'
"Why..." I whimper, my bottom lip quivering and eyes welling up. "I don't... why—"
"Carmen?" a familiar voice sounds from behind me. I turn on my heels and meet eyes with Mindy, who stands around a metre away. She frowns as the tears trickle down my cheeks. "What happened?"
"Please tell me you have cameras here, Mind. I — I don't know... why would someone..." I ramble.
She comes to stand next to me and observes my car just as I did. A pained sigh leaves her as she shakes her head. "I'm so sorry, but we have never had cameras here. It's not something I could afford."
I bring my hands up to wipe my wet cheeks as I choke out another sob. "I... don't know how much more of this I can handle."
"Oh, Carmen." My boss drops her handbag to the floor and encases me in a hug, pulling my head into her chest. She rubs the back of my hair soothingly, not seeming to care that I am soaking her shirt with my tears.
Again—Mindy not having her own children is such a cruel reality.
"I promise things will get better," she tells me as she pulls away and gives me an earnest look. "I wish I could tell you when or how, but it will. I am so sorry this is happening to you," she adds as she wipes my cheeks with her thumbs.
