Keep the Storm Clouds Back

Drop Dead Gorgeous

When I woke up I was surprised that it was morning. I was sure that Jim would’ve woken me up in the night for whatever it was he had planned. But my worries were soon put to rest when the shed door slammed open and Jim stood in the doorway.

He flashed a smile. Then he closed the door behind him.

“Guess where Steven is right this very minute?” Jim teased.

I scowled at him, letting every feeling of contempt I had show through the expression on my face. But the fact that he mentioned Steven’s name put a slight dent in my hard exterior. Every time his name was said I melted a little. The mere thought of him made me feel weak and dazed.

“Well I’ll tell ya. He’s in my back room right now looking all through the closet and the bathroom and everywhere for his dear little Sandra. Oh and good news…the weather’s clearin’ up a bit so I expect Steven’ll get bored with this search thing pretty soon. Then the band will be on their way again, without another thought about you.”

I knew that wasn’t true. I kept silent though, partly because of how cold I was and also because I didn’t want Jim to think he was upsetting me.

Jim crept forward. It was a disgustingly creepy move, almost like a limping hop, but with that evil, giddy look on his face. I flinched as he neared me, only a few inches between us. Sitting on the floor, I shivered and he noticed.

“Are you cold my dear?”

He pulled off his brown oversized sweater. It looked like it hadn’t been washed in the entire time he owned it. There was a dark ring of dirt around each cuff and the neck. Jim tossed it to me and told me to put it on. When I didn’t move, he did.

The next thing I knew Jim was on top of me all in one quick motion. His weight was bone-crushing despite how frail and thin he appeared. I was pinned to the cement floor, Jim hovering above me. He took a moment to gaze down at me, looking intently at my eyes then my neck. He closed his eyes slowly, and then lowered his face toward me until his lips met my neck. I struggled to shove him off, but he only wrapped his legs around mine, anchoring himself to me. I moaned as I plunged my hands into his chest. He ignored this and seemed completely unfazed by any defense I put up. No matter how I kicked, punched or screamed, he persisted, his lips violating my skin.

“Get the hell off of me!” I yelled.

“Shhhhh…” he whispered in return.

I felt his hand slip under my cardigan and then under my shirt, until the tips of his fingers were met with the hem of my bra. I felt his fingers go under that too. I gasped as he touched me, a tear rolling down my cheek. I thought of Steven and how happy he had made me in the short time I’d spent with him. I thought of his beautiful hugs, how his lips felt against mine. I thought of anything but Jim, anything but what was happening to me.

But even my hardest attempts at mentally using Steven to escape Jim were overpowered by his hand unbuttoning my jeans. And when he tugged at the zipper, I was fully aware again of what was happening. My escapism techniques had failed.

“Oh my beautiful Sandra…you feel like heaven, my dear” Jim whispered into my ear.

I was full-on crying now, like a child. I was sobbing loudly, barely able to catch my breath. I wished that anything would happen to remove me from my surroundings. I suddenly wished to be dead, I was I’d be free from Jim.

I could feel just how excited Jim was becoming when a lump pressed against my thigh. It was barely noticeable, but I felt it. And I knew what it meant for me. Jim pulled his hand out of my pants and then reached for the fly of his own.