Rolex Ruby

Chapter 4 - Part 1

4

Ruby stared at herself in the cold, rusty mirror; it was a month since Callum had left. She was dreading going to school. It felt like a heavy weight was placed over her chest – she couldn’t breathe! Her eyes watered and hands shook trying to erase the past few months from her mind. She was tormented, tortured without any consideration by three beautiful monsters. Their taunts cut into her like knives. And then, that night...Ruby’s eyes streamed, ruining the thick, black mascara she’d just applied as the memory flooded back.

She placed a hand over the spot. A large purpling bruise was developing under her ribs; she stared at the scratch reaching down from her chin to her chest. She roughly pulled the top of her mother’s turtleneck jumper up to cover her scar. But no amount of make-up or clothing could disguise the blackness around her eye, the cut lip and bent nose; she looked away, unable to bear the sight of herself.

She knew her dad had contacted the school only to be told it was “outside of school and they had no authority on the matter”. The police had done their best but Ruby hadn’t properly seen her attackers – though she knew who’d sent the first.

Anger flared through her veins, how could they get away with it?

She’d been on her way home, walking the same street, just as normal, when a hand grabbed her and hurled her into an alleyway. A tall, lanky man climbed on top of her, whispering maliciously “Not in your leafy town now darlin’, need to bring you down a peg or two. Rolex Ruby.” Fear had ripped through her, her mind flashing through horrific possibilities as he grabbed her arm, his long fingernails tearing into the flesh. She cried out in pain. He punched her hard in the nose. A crunch. Blood bursting from her nostrils. But this time she couldn’t cry out.

Her mouth had been stuffed with fabric which she bit down hard on as she tried to shriek. Slowly suffocating as her nose clogged with blood, her eyes streaming. She didn’t have time to react as he lifted her from the cold concrete, hanging her before him as another harsh punch was thrown into her side sending her flying across the alleyway. She hit the hard, brick wall with a large crack as her skull splintered and the skin parted, knocking her unconscious.

Her attacker must have left her there. She’d awoken, an ear-splitting ringing reverberating around her head, her vision blurring the face of a dark figure staring with focusing red-rimmed black eyes. His dark lips peeled back from the crooked, white teeth. But it was a different flash of silver which caught Ruby’s attention.

The man held a knife, it’s dangerous glare glinting up at her. The smooth surface reflecting the moon as he shook it threateningly towards her neck.

 “Gimme, gimme money,” he stuttered, his sinister face crinkling with desperation.

“I... I don’t have any,” she replied, shivers disabling her from making any movement.

“Liar!” he yelled, the raspy voice felt like sand-paper in her ears as he forced the knife forward.

She lifted her chin as the tip of the blade slowly traced along her jaw line, “Really,” she struggled, “I don’t have anything.”

“I don’t believe you,” he thrust it upwards drawing a droplet of dark, red blood from beneath her chin.

She tried not to scream as her eyes scrunched up in searing anguish, “I don’t, I really, really don’t’!”

At every word she spoke, he’d slowly begun to rip the knife along her throat, releasing the crimson droplets from their pale case.

“Check my bag if you don’t believe me!” she cried in desperation, her arm flying out to the side.

He whipped away the knife, searching incessantly for the fallen bag, his only hope.

Eventually, he found the rucksack, tearing it apart hysterically. Only to find...

“Nothin’!” he screamed, torment pouring from his eyes, “No-th-ing!”

He turned angrily to face the fragile girl, his arm raised to strike. There was no one there.

Ruby had escaped. She ran back to the house, falling through the door and slamming it shut behind her back. She crumbled into a pile of terrified grief. Oblivious to her family encircling her, questioning her, hugging her. Nothing was real.

Peter had called the police. Lengthy interviews and questioning flooded her mind in a cloudy haze. Sleep deprivation fogging her memory, the deep black circles encased her eyes in darkness. A terrifying description repeated again; over and over again. Never ending. Nightmare.

The police found the second man, a notorious drug addict; a trial was pending... there was still nothing on the first dark shadow. She had never seen his face. His voice their only lead – his words a constant provocation in her tired, troubled ears.

The same shudders shook through her now. She didn’t want to go to school. She was scared. What was going to happen next?

***

Ruby descended the steps on the bus, anxiety eating into her heart. Her chestnut eyes roved the scene, looking out frantically for any possible assailant.

She jumped as a hand grabbed her shoulder, spinning round, she saw a friendly face.

Relief spread through her as a small smile lighted her lips.

“What’s up with you, look like you’ve seen a ghost!” Catherine asked in her usual manner.

“Would rather have seen that,” Ruby joked, raising her eyebrows.

“Why? What happened?” Catherine asked, concern presenting itself in her voice as she noticed the healing, dark red line poking out from the top of her polo-neck, the slightly bent nose and darkening around her friend’s caramel eyes.

“I... I was attacked the other week...it’s why I haven’t been at school,” Ruby couldn’t look at her friend; she didn’t want to see the startled look which crossed her face.

Yet Catherine’s features were stern, “Who did?”

Ruby sighed, “I don’t know exactly who. But I have my suspicions...”

“Have you told anyone, Rubes?”

“Can’t can I, they obviously want rid of me, school won’t do anything, police can’t. I don’t know what to do Cath,” Ruby’s nose crinkled as she tried to stop herself from crying.

“Come with me tonight, I think I know what you need,” Cath smiled, giving Ruby a quick squeeze, “It’ll be alright.”

“Alright, I’ll ring my mum and let her know,” Ruby smiled, dialling the number.