Through the Dark | ✓

Fourteen

**Warning: Chapter 14 & 15 contain brief descriptions of a rape. Read at your own risk**

Danielle got off the bus and headed home. All she thought about was how she would pay her student loans when she goes to college in 3 years, she has to begin looking for jobs as soon as possible. Yes, she has to begin now since her family doesn't provide anything for her, especially financially. She turns to her street and her home comes into sight. As she gets closer, she notices her father's white van parked outside.

"That's strange" she thought. Her family was never home this early, especially her dad.

She opened the door and walked in, greeted with the smell of chicken. "Hello?" She said out loud, confused because she was the one that always cooked.

"Dani, you're home. Come in, dinner is all ready." Her mother calls in from the kitchen. Something isn't right.

She slowly walks to the kitchen, seeing her parents making dinner, "what's going on?"

"Nothing sweetie, go sit in the dinning room." Her father turns, then continues chopping some lettuce.

Confused and worried, Danielle walks to the dining table and sits patiently waiting for her food. She didn't know what to think, were they finally regretting how they've treated her for the past 15 years?

The front door slam interrupted her thoughts. She got up and walked to it.

"Hello." A man, maybe in his 40s, stood with an evil grin on his face.

Dani didn't know what to do, she was scared. "Uhh, h-hi." She stuttered immediately showing her nervousness. The man slowly approached her and put a strand of her hair behind her ear. Chills formed across her entire body as his finger skins her cheek, her heart pumping quicker as each second passes.

"Mr. Rampart, everything is ready. And it seems you have met our daughter, Danielle, she will be the one accompanying you this evening." Her father says.

Dani stood there, hearing these adults converse and her pulse quickened even more when they mentioned her name. What did they mean? Who was this man?

She looked over at the man, who nods at her. He grabs her hand and pulls her toward the stairs. "Wait, what's going on? Where are you taking me?"

"Behave Danielle, you're doing this for your family." She hears her mother say, noticing the hint of anger in her voice.

"NO, GET AWAY FROM ME," she tries taking the stranger's hand from her wrist, but he's too strong. "LET ME GO!" Tears fell down her cheeks as she continued to scream.

"NO!!"

-

"NO!" She sat up and felt the sweat slide down her face, tears following it. The memory of that day haunts her dreams regularly. Her sobs getting louder and louder.

"Danielle?" She hears a voice coming from across the room.

She brings her legs up to her chest and begins rocking back and forth, her arms wrapped around her knees. "DON'T TOUCH ME, LEAVE ME ALONE!" The figure of that perverted man appears in front of her.

"Danielle, it's me, Mr. Harris." She slightly calms at the mention of his name.

"M-mr. Ha-Har-ri-s?" He slowly approaches her, knowing she is still nervous about her nightmare. Luckily he had gotten up to use the restroom, otherwise he wouldn't have heard her scream.

"Yes." He finally reached her and to his surprise, she hugged him tightly. Her cries continued and so did the embrace. "Now, now. What's wrong? Bad dream?"

She didn't immediately answer, she let herself calm down for a bit and when she had let the tears out, she finally spoke. "I wish it was just a dream."