My heart pounded in my chest, and I swallowed hard. I took deep breaths, forcing myself not to panic.
I felt myself being pushed forward. The intruder did not loosen his grip on me. When we reached the foot of my bed, I found myself being pushed roughly to the mattress.
I struggled to pull myself up and put a distance between myself and my assailant. Two strong hands held me by the arms and whirled me around, so I was lying on my back against the mattress.
For the first time, I saw a glimpse of the intruder. I could make out his face in the little light that came from my windows.
I saw a rough-looking man who hadn’t shaved in more than a week. He was big, almost twice my tiny frame. He loomed over me, wearing a vile expression on his face. He pressed his body against mine, pinning me to the bed.
“Why, aren’t you a pretty sight?” he asked with a lustful smile on his face.
I felt panic slowly creeping through me as I realized his intention, which was clearly visible on his face.
“W-what do you want? I-I have cash in the drawer. Take it! Then leave me alone!” I managed to fake composure as I said those words.
“It’s not money I want,” he said.
Shit!
“There are guards in the house! You won’t accomplish wha—whatever it is you’re p-planning t—to do.” I tried to sound brave, but I knew that my voice shook with fear.
He laughed even louder this time. “No. No one’s here, sweetie. Just the two of us. They were all given the night off.”
“You’re lying!”
“Oh, you wish I was,” he replied. “No one is going to help you. You can scream all you want, and no one will come.”
“Just take whatever you want and then leave!” I said. I tried to talk sense to the man. “I have money and jewelry. Take them all and go. You want money, and I want to live. We both keep what we want.”
“Oh, for sure, I will get what I came here for,” he said.
“Please…” I said in a pleading voice this time. I knew exactly what he wanted.
Horror coursed through me. “Help!” I shouted this time. Hopefully, somebody had gone home and would hear my screams. “Dad!”
I never thought I’d call my father for help. But this time, I was desperate.
Children should be able to rely on their parents to save them from harm, shouldn’t they?
No matter what had happened between my father and me, he was still my dad, and it was his duty to protect me. And I was hoping for some miracle that he’d come home from his trip and would hear me calling for his help.
“Father! Help me!” I shouted. “Please!”
To my surprise, the man laughed. “Daddy’s not gonna come, baby girl,” he said. “Who do you think sent everybody away?”
I stared back at him in disbelief.
“No, he… he wouldn’t…” I could barely recognize my own voice.
“Oh, yes, he would,” he said. “He just did!”
I trembled with fear as the man let out a loud, evil laugh.
Was my father really that fucking evil?
The man took his time as he slowly looked out the window as if waiting for something. Or someone to show up.
My god! He might not be alone!
Realizing that I had to get out of this situation on my own, I struggled to get away, but he only tightened his grip on me, firmly holding my wrists over my head.
I knew he was having a hard time trying to subdue me, so I leaned toward him and bit his ear.
He yelped in pain and leaned back to touch his ear. My arms were now free, and I prepared to push him away, but he was quick.
“You bitch!” he said angrily when he realized that his ear was bleeding. “You wanna be a man? Come on, fight like one!”
I didn’t see the blow coming. He swung his arm, and his palm landed against my jaw. I thought I was going to pass out from the pain. But I knew that if I faded into darkness, I would permanently stay there. And if I ever recovered, I would wish I hadn’t survived at all.
“Fuck you!” I cursed at him as I used all my strength to push him away from my body. When I had enough room to wiggle, I managed to get one leg up, and I kicked him in his gut. He fell to the floor.
I scrambled to my feet and aimed for the door. During the struggle, part of my shirt got torn from my body, but I didn’t care. My main concern was to get away.
Adrenaline rushed through me as I reached for the door handle. I used the little time I had to run down the stairs and out of the front door. I prayed that my father’s unimaginable and unforgivable plan did not include locking the front gate.
My hand grabbed the cold steel handle of our gate; I was so relieved when it turned. I pulled the door open, hearing footsteps looming behind me.
“Come back here, you bitch! I’ll teach you a lesson you won’t ever forget!” the man shouted.
I took one step out of the gate, but I felt his hand grab my bare shoulder. I spun around and punched him in the nose with all the strength I could muster. He released me and yelped in pain. I quickly turned around and ran outside the house.
“Help!” I shouted to anybody. My father’s house was at the far corner of the street, at least one mile away from the nearest neighbor. I knew I had to run fast for any hope of escape.
“Help me!” I managed to run, but I could hear footsteps behind me.
I saw light coming toward me, and I waved my arms frantically, not caring that my top was torn and I was barefoot. I’d worry about the decency of clothing after I get myself out of this unfortunate situation.
A car was headed toward me. The driver slowed down and stopped on the side of the street. Whoever was in the car saw me coming, and I felt a glimmer of hope that I would be rescued.
“Help me!” I shouted.
The driver got down from the car and ran toward me. I didn’t see his face, only his black shirt as he reached for me and shoved me behind him.
Feeling a sense of hope that I would somehow be rescued, I sat down on the side of the road and covered my chest with my arms. I was bruised, shaking, and in a state of shock.
When I looked at the driver of the car, he was now engaged in a fist fight with the man who assaulted me. When the man fell to the ground, my rescuer mounted him and continued punching him as though he intended to disfigure him permanently.
“Stop it! Stay out of this! She’s my wife. She’s my wife!” Now the son of a bitch was lying to get my rescuer to stop hitting him.
“No, she’s not, you filthy son of a bitch! I will fucking kill you!” my rescuer finally spoke, rage all over his voice.
I realized that I knew that voice.
Nicholas!
I didn’t think I would be so happy to hear his voice again. I avoided his calls because I did not want anything to do with him. Now, I realized that there was no other person I trusted more than I trust him right now.
With him here, appearing right in the middle of my unfortunate predicament, meddling with my twisted fate, pulling me out of my domestic mess, I am saved.
I am finally safe.