I took a short break to get away from all the stress and pain, before returning to remember another short story of the time where Gertrude broke down to me about everything in the basement.
I was lying there, lifeless and half conscious after a long day of beatings when I heard footsteps come down the stairs. Normally I'd jump, or react right away. But I was just so tired, scared, and in pain to even try to fight for myself so I just layed there tied to the pole. Then, I feel anything or heard any yelling, just water carelessly running.
"Hey Sylvia?" I heard a voice, Gertrude's voice, and my heart began to race. She kneeled down with a water bucket.
"I'm not gonna hurt you okay?" I saw her face and was trying to cry, but I was too dehydrated that my eyes just dried up again so I had to close them.
"I'm not gonna hurt you." She says one more time, before dunking a rag into the bucket, ringing out any extra water and applying it to my purple and bruised face.
"I know what's it like to be sick Sylvia." She whispers while gently touching my face with the rag, and it actually felt so good to get some moisture to my face, as my tears have stopped producing for quite some time now.
"I've been sick for so long." Then the wet rag touches my lips, and I felt my tongue try and hang out to touch the water.
"I can't discipline my kids the way I should." Then she continues to talk about herself, but I had no choice but to listen and enjoy my dirty rag face bath.
"Sometimes, when I take my medicine it's like I don't know what I'm doing." Then Gerdy said something I'd never forget.
"And I care for you, so much." I couldn't believe that even for a second. If this was her way of showing care? I don't even know what it looks like when she doesn't.
"The thing with Paula is, she's a lot like me." Her voice broke, and so did my heart.
"Then along came Stephanie.. And all the others, and John left." My first thought was that this woman needed help, and I want out of here so bad, because I feel so limp and useless.
"And here I am! Just, doing everything I can to keep my family together." She got more and more gentle with me.
"I want something better for Paula." She sounded like she was about to burst into tears, lucky her.
"And I need to protect my children.." Then finally, she did break down.
"Do you understand that? These kids! They're all I've got." And she broke down even more, but I tried to move my head down but that didn't even work out very well.
"Thank you for understanding Sylvia." Was all she said to me, and I found the strength to thank her back for the rag wash.
YOU ARE READING
Sylvia- An American Crime
Non-Fiction(Based off the Film and True Events) The story of An American Crime, but through the eyes of only Sylvia Marie Likens. This sixteen-year-old was tortured and killed by the hands of Gertrude Baniszewski, her six children, and other children.
