ᴛᴀɪɴᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ʜᴇʀ

ꜰɪꜰᴛᴇᴇɴ

_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

''Stop'' I cried. He ignored my pleas as he have his way with me. I lay there unable to move limb, my tears streamed down my cheeks. The feeling of him inside me was disgusting.

_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

"Kira, wake up. It was just a dream," a voice called softly, shaking me. My body trembled, and tears welled up in my eyes. Without thinking, I leaned forward and hugged Leah tightly. She held me close, her warmth grounding me as I cried. The weight of everything—the police, the assault, the trauma—it all felt too heavy to speak of. I couldn't find the words, not even now. Leah rubbed my back gently, her presence a quiet comfort.

"It's over," Leah whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "He'll get what he deserves, Kira. Trust me."

I sniffled and pulled away, curling into a ball on the bed. I covered myself with the blanket, hoping to shield myself from the world. My mind began to replay the memories, the horrible thoughts I couldn't scrub away. No matter how many times I tried to wash my body, it was as if I could still feel him—his presence, his touch—and it hurt. My fingers lightly traced my flat stomach. A baby, I thought. Ciel's baby. The thought of it both filled me with sadness and confusion. We weren't ready for this, but there it was, and now, it felt like it had vanished. I wondered if Ciel hated me now. I never wanted to look at him like this.

Leah's voice broke the silence, a small attempt to bring some light into the dark. "I made pancakes," she said, trying to coax me out of my thoughts.

"How about we have a movie night today?" Leah suggested, her voice bright, almost playful. "Just like when we were little, we'd build forts with the cushions, and Auntie would yell at us for making a mess." She chuckled, but I didn't respond.

Leah's tone softened as she continued. "Come on, Kira. You have to eat something. You haven't eaten since you got out of the hospital. That was two days ago." She sounded almost desperate, her concern for me evident in her voice. "Plus, you need to take your medication."

I groaned, unwilling to leave the comfort of my blanket cocoon, but eventually I gave in. "Okay," I mumbled, my voice barely audible. I swung my legs off the bed and stood, unsteady on my feet. Leah was right there, steadying me as we made our way to the bathroom. She helped me undress, her touch gentle as she guided me into the bath. I curled into myself, trying to make myself as small as possible as she quietly scrubbed my body. I didn't speak; I didn't know how.

Once she finished, she helped me get dressed. We went downstairs, where Leah handed me the pancakes she'd made. I forced myself to eat, but it felt like it was all just a routine—something I had to do to get through the day.

A knock on the door startled me, freezing me in place. I held my breath, unable to move. "It must be Aunt Judy," Leah said, standing up to answer the door.

"Hello?" I heard Leah say as she opened it. "Come in, I guess."

The two police officers from the hospital entered the kitchen. The female officer spoke first. "Miss Johnson," she said, her voice steady, but her eyes full of sympathy.

I nodded slowly, the weight of their presence pressing down on me.

"We're here to let you know that the man who attacked you—we still haven't found him, but we're continuing our search," the female officer explained.

I froze, her words sinking in like a stone. It felt like everything had stopped, my heart heavy in my chest. I couldn't focus on anything else. After a few seconds, I tuned them out completely, not even hearing them leave.