Broken Shreds

Chapter Three - Did You Kill The Bad Guys?

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❝á la folie.
To insanity. ❞
— Unknown

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CHAPTER 3

> OLIVIA <

  IT TOOK ME three hours to get out of the shower.

   The hot water had turned icy cold but I didn't realize that until I'd started shivering from head to toe. I'd scrubbed every inch of my skin so hard that when I stopped, it was bright red.

   And I still didn't feel better.

   I called in sick for work(s) today and stayed in my bed, not able to sleep until the clock hit nine am and I forced myself up. Dad would be waking up any minute now and if he doesn't have his fix of apple juice, he'll have a fit.

   I'm half asleep when I walk into the kitchen but I come to a halt when I see Savannah sitting in the dining table. Her eyes widen and lips part when she sees my battered face.

   Shit.

   She gets up and moves towards me faster than I thought would me possible. ''What the fuck!'' she shouts. ''What - ''

   ''Calm down'', I force myself to say. ''Dad's up and I don't want him to hear us!''

   ''I gave him his apple juice'', she snaps and trails my cheek with the back of her hand. ''What the hell happened, Liv? Who did this to you?''

   I don't know what I should tell her. That I'd followed her, seen her get into that building and gotten myself almost raped in the process? Maybe not.

   ''I fell when I took the rubbish out yesterday.'' I try to smile reassuringly, but my split lip hurts. ''Like, really bad.''

   Savannah narrows her eyes. ''You're lying. Not because I, from all people, know what dozen of left hooks looks like when they land on your face, but because I was the one who took the rubbish out yesterday.''

   I cringe. ''I really don't want to talk about it. I'm so tired and um...'' I swallow and realize that I'm close to crying. ''It's nothing, really.''

   Yesterday seems still like a haze to me. Savannah. Huge Blonde. And... Seven.

   Savannah's eyes soften. ''Baby, avoiding the subject ain't gonna make you feel any better. Tell me and I'll do everything I can to help you.''

   ''I followed you'', I admit and blink rapidly the tears away. ''I wanted to see what you were doing at night and I followed you after you left. I saw you go into that... that building and I saw you with that watchman.'' My tone is accusing but I can't help it. ''I wanted to leave and started to walk away but then...'' The tears are falling freely now and I let myself fall on to the chair. ''This huge man saw me and forced me against a tree. He started undressing me and hit me when I protested. At some point I really thought that he was going to do it. Rape me. But he... he was stopped before he got to that part.''

   I look up to Savannah's pale face and realize she's squeezing her hands around the fragile dining table so hard it's letting out a squeak.

   ''You-  you got... raped?'' she whispers and closes her eyes. ''And because of me?''

   I get up, horrified. ''What? No!''

   ''Yes, Liv'', Savannah cries out. ''Because of me you're in this fucking shape!''

   ''Stop it'', I say calmly even though I'm anything but. ''Savannah- ''

   ''You should've never helped me. Should've left me die in that alley four years ago. At least then this wouldn't have happened!''