Heaven On Fire

Twenty Eight

The house lay shrouded in darkness, the only illumination coming from the soft glow of the moon filtering through the curtains. Saoirse slept peacefully in her crib, her tiny chest rising and falling in the rhythm of slumber.

I lay beside Saoirse, the weight of exhaustion pressed down on me like a leaden blanket, my mind drifting in the hazy space between wakefulness and dreams.

But even in the depths of sleep, I couldn't shake the sense of foreboding that hung heavy in the air, a premonition of danger lurking just beyond the edges of my consciousness.

Suddenly, I was jolted awake by a sharp intake of breath beside me, the sound cutting through the silence like a knife.

My heart leaped into my throat as I turned to see Benjamin looming over me, his eyes dark with desire, his hands roaming hungrily over my body.

"Benjamin, anong ginagawa mo?! Tangina, ayoko." I whispered, my voice trembling with fear.

But he paid no heed to my protests, his grip like iron as he pinned me beneath him. I struggled against him, panic rising within me like a tidal wave, but he was relentless, his desire consuming him like a wildfire.

"No, Benjamin, please," I pleaded, my voice barely above a whisper. "Not now, katabi natin ang anak natin, ano ba!"

But he paid no heed to my words, his touch rough and demanding as he pinned me against the bed. Panic surged within me as I struggled against him, my protests falling on deaf ears as he silenced them with a brutal kiss.

Tears stung my eyes as I fought against him, my body wracked with pain and shame as he took what he wanted, heedless of the damage he wrought.

"Stop," I pleaded, tears welling in my eyes. "Putangina, ayoko ko nga sabi, putangina..."

It only tightened his grip on me, his movements growing more frenzied with each passing moment. I felt a sense of helplessness wash over me, a primal fear gripping me in its icy embrace as I realized the depth of his intentions.

"Please," I whimpered, my voice barely a whisper. "Please, Benjamin, di na ako makahinga maawa ka saken."

I gasped for air, the weight of his body crushing me beneath him, as he ravaged me with a brutality that bordered on savagery.

I felt a part of myself shatter into a million pieces, the shards of my shattered dignity scattered to the winds.

In that moment, I was nothing but a vessel for his desires, parausan ng libog, my own needs and desires pushed aside in favor of his insatiable lust.

Eventually, the ordeal came to an end, Benjamin spent and sated, his breathing heavy as he collapsed beside me.

I lay there in the aftermath, my body trembling with a mixture of fear and revulsion.

He offered no explanation, no apology, only a dismissive grunt as he rolled away from me, basta nalang niya ako tinalikuran at bumalik na sa pagkakatulog.

Tears streamed down my cheeks, silent rivers of anguish that I dared not let escape my lips.

Holding Saoirse close, I nestled her tiny body against mine, seeking solace in the warmth of her innocent embrace.

The weight of Benjamin's brutality pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket, his touch still burning on my skin like a brand.

With trembling hands, I brushed away my tears, the touch of Saoirse's soft skin a balm to my wounded soul. In that very night, I made a silent vow to protect her at all costs, to shield her from the horrors of the world with every ounce of strength that I possessed.