The books made a loud thump when they touched the floor, I froze..

I knew that sound all too well.

Books.
Terror.
Utter heinous foreboding
Instincts started kicking in. Run.. run far away from here Annabel. I cried out, but my screams were
silenced by huge hands covering my mouth “your so beautiful little Annabella, we all want to have a taste
of you” Micheal's sinister voice roared in my heard, my body shivered with the memory, I tried to free
myself from their hold but they were too strong, they outnumbered me, three of them.. I was extremely
terrified.
“stop fighting it, I promise you will enjoy this” Francis muttered, he held me down his nails slicing my skin
drawing out blood. “no! let me go you scumbags” two were holding me down while Michael stripped me
bare.
No! Stop
I'm safe. I'm safe. Its not true
“Anna dear come back, your safe.. I'm here” my mother shock me hard to bring me back, I was far gone, all
my body wanted to do was to sprint. Cradling me on the ground I tried pushing her off me.. Let me go…
I fought so hard to be free oh How I wanted to murder the monsters that brought me pain and to think that
scumbag of a judge just declared them not guilty built up rage in my inner core, I felt like I was going to
explode. The urge to splint filled my limbs and I took off, exiting the house I charged into the streets like
the mad woman I was. Stop Anna your safe, go back. No I wasn't safe, the people that hurt me are still out
there, they were just proven not guilty and they will come back for me. Colliding into something hard I fell
to the ground and winced when I hurt my knee, the pain chased my nightmares back into their depths.. what
just happened? why I'm I here in the streets? Confusion filled my face I looked around me that's when I
noticed people staring and snapping pictures of me, I was going to be a trending topic all over social media
again as the mad woman that accused the sons of a prominent business tycoon of rape. Damn those
psychotic episodes, I wouldn't be here if I hadn't had another psychotic breakdown. My poor mother will
surely be distraught not knowing where I have run off to again. The doctors had specifically warned me of
such incidents when they diagnosed me with schizophrenia.. a lot of things triggers me and pulls me into
the darkness I fight so hard to come out of. I pushed myself up and charged again, my death will set me free
before those monsters find me again. It will also set my mother free of every trouble I brought into her life.

Beep! beep! beep!!! I heard the horn, I ignored it. Being run-over wouldn't be such a bad idea at this point,
my mother wouldn't let me overdose the pills the doctors had prescribed for my psychosis so maybe I can
find other means to end my sorry existence here. I have never been suicidal in my life before.. ever!.. but
everyone has a breaking point right? unfortunately I have reached my threshold.. I kept walking trying to
get to the other side of the road, my mind was racing, unable to stay on one concise thought.. I heard voices,
Michael telling me “we all want to have a taste of you little Annabella” my mother telling me “it is going
to be okay dear” even when she sounded so unsure herself and social media was the worst, I never knew
being judged by complete strangers would hurt so much God! I felt like my head was going to explode, it
was all just too much but from all that I only recognized one voice.. only one, telling me “end all of this
Anna” Striding on my heels to get to the other side, I tripped and fell right on the middle of the road, blood
dripped from my left knee staining my blue dress I pushed myself up oblivious to the physical pain of
falling, the emotional pain I felt was greater than any physical pain. I Got up and looked to my left that's
when I noticed the speeding vehicle just a few inches from me, I froze.. I couldn't move and my vision
became blurry, beep beep beep!! falling.. falling... and then everything went black.
⁂

They say your life flashes right in your eyes before you die, the images of the people you love, all the happy
moments makes the pain more bearable or maybe no pain at all.. but why do I still feel pain in my chest?
Does that mean I went straight to hell? Because I distinctly remember my pastor preaching that
there's no pain in heaven. That explains it all.. hell.. maybe I'm being punished for stupidly believing I was
invincible, strolling around alone at that hour was totally stupid, even though I was coming from the library
a short distance to my hostel I should have at least had company, everyone knows monsters live in the dark,
monsters like Michael and his minions.. and this is my punishment.. hell.. The smell of beef stew filled my
nose, beef in hell.. not so bad.
Opening my eyes I felt a severe migraine, I couldn't see clearly however that mahogany desk right on the
corner of hell does look expensive. Taking in my surroundings I noticed the elegance of the room, the blue
walls shone bright with the light emitted by the small chandelier, the room had a feminine touch.. hell or
paradise? I still feel pain in my chest so probably not paradise, so what is this place? Shoving the comforter
off my body I pushed my self up from where I laid, the mattress was soft and the bedding smelled nice, I
winced when I felt my knee sting, wait that still stings? Looking at my surrounding one more time that's
when it all dawned on me, no no no! It's just a dream, I mean people still dream when they die right? except
this is not a dream because I'm wide awake in an elegant room and unfortunately alive, alive..? Why I'm I
still alive? Where I'm I? a lot of unanswered questions.. but I will not waste anymore time searching for
answers, surely there's another way to end this. I glanced at the night stand, maybe I might be lucky and
find a knife or a couple of pills I can overdose, looking around I found nothing. Ooh! No.. I just cant live
another day.. I need to end this to be at peace.. looking around one more time uhaa! I saw it.. my way out.
Grabbing the sheets from the bed I tied two together making sure the knot was tight, I dragged the night
stand to the middle of the room and stepped on top of it. I threw the sheets into the air trying to connect
them to the chandelier, I'm going to do this.. hanging myself will be so easy.

“Annabel! what are you doing? get down from there” the small unfamiliar voice spoke with concern and
fear, I nearly fell down to the ground from shock of the sudden intrusion, looking down I locked eyes with
the woman standing below me.

“No! stay away from me ma'am” tears flooded my cheeks, I didn't even bother asking who this woman was,
I didn't care, I just wanted to end my misery.. wait is this her house? Was she the one who took away my
chance at eternal peace?

“I know your hurting, and trust me I understand, but you can't end your life without a fight”

“You don't know anything, you don't know how it feels to be treated like filth and for people to use your
body like an object, to take turns with you until you completely lose your sanity” my voice broke, tears
filled my eyes blurring my vision. “and for the whole world to judge you and ridicule you just because
you're a middle classed girl with no resources to defend yourself.. do you know how that feels?” I cried, I
completely broke down in front of a stranger..

“Your wrong, more than anyone else I understand what your going through, I understand all that and
more” she said with concern in her voice but I also heard something else, I looked in her eyes and I saw
it, my reflection.. is it possible that this woman feels everything I'm feeling? Who is this woman?

“who are you?” I never cared to ask before but now I wanted to know who this woman was, why she
mirrored my own pain, the rage in her eyes, I knew that.. I have lived it for the past four months.

“I am attorney Grace Kalipinde, I have been following your story and your case, when the judge gave his
verdict today I knew I had to step in, we will have to reopen your case Anna and I will be representing
you in court” this sophisticated woman wants to represent me? I cannot afford her and anyway whats the
point? Everything is over now.

“I'm sorry ma'am but I cannot afford you and anyway its all over now so let me just die, no one will care ”
I said even though I knew someone would care, my mother would care..

“you don't need to pay me Anna, honestly this is something I need to do” I sensed it, I knew it.. she wants
to use me, she wants revenge or maybe closure and she is using me to get that. I didn't think I could trust
her but I can use her too, use her so I can get better.. therapy didn't help me before, You have to go
through it to understand and this woman has so I will use her, take all that she has to give and get better.

“how are you going to do it? These are wealthy people, they use everything they have to their advantage,
that's why the case was dismissed in the first place, honestly I cannot get my hopes high again.. it will
hurt too much when they get shuttered once more” I hated myself that I was even considering this, I still
had inner battles, demons I faced everyday and if I didn't end things here I would end up murdering
someone because of my frequent psychotic breakdowns
“the truth always finds its way Anna, I promise we will win this case” she said looking at me with hope in
her eyes, I couldn't help it but trust this complete stranger with my life. She held out her hand gesturing
me to take it.. I knew the consequences but I took it anyway.

“how did you find me?”

“I was coming to your house to offer my help however I saw your pictures all over social media looking
lost in the street so I searched for you and brought you home” this broken woman wanted to fix my case
while fixing herself in the process.. we both had our own demons and we would help each other fight
and be free of them. We both needed closure, I needed to heal so I can finish my studies, those monsters
did not only take away my sanity but my whole future while they still continued with their lives, their
education but not anymore, they belong in hell and that's where I will send them with the help of this
sweet stranger.

The End..