One Time (ONESHOTS)

The Start and The End

I have this funny feeling about this girl  in art class. She always have this weird reaction when someone would touch her suddenly, then she explained that she has sensitive skin. What sensitive? What skin? That kid just grabbed the hem of her shirt.

Then encounter her during a mixer, I saw her near the public phone. There's this one dude dragging her to the alley way that dark and deserted type? Curiosity got ahead of my rationality, but found no one.

The next day, news about a minor being abused in a park erupted. Everything about the victim was confidential, she didn't attend the class that day.

Two weeks passed by but she didn't attend class after that, there weren't any talks about her in the students but the faculty was a mess. She wasn't close to anyone in school so the faculty decided to visit her.

All we found was a battered body. I immediately called 911 for medics and the cops. Some of her wounds were oozing puss, the bruises were horrible and she was bound naked to the sofa bed.

The paramedics were shocked by this ordeal. The cops were sighing, they've seen cases like this many times. As I recall, she wasn't living with anyone; no parents nor guardian. They treated her body and questioned her many times but she was in a daze, ignoring everything around her.

We got to the hospital, the doctors gave her a full body check-up. They found that her private area was full of lacerations. They found many miscellaneous things in her during the x-ray. Nails, needles, a cloth and a fucking baby- a dead one to boot.

She hasn't opened her eyes and its been a week. Her health has been deteriorating, like she has given up already. This time around the authorities found the suspect, it was her uncle. It ain't surprising, right?

Her parents left her in the care of their relatives. Her uncle was eager to 'take care' of her, unlike the common response her parents readily agree and when they heard the news they just brushed it off.

I was just ready to leave when I feel a tug on my sleeve. There she was, awake yet hopeless. She might knew that she didn't have much to live so she told me to get a memory card and a notebook in her house, hidden in the floor boards. She said it might help her find justice for herself.

I did agree and got it on the same day, passed it to her lawyer and as her newly assigned guardian we read the notebook and watched the contents of the card.

After a month, her parents were convicted and so was her uncle. The news didn't spread but it gave her relief to see them behind bars.

The notebook and memory card were solid evidences against them. She was physically abused in an early age by her parents, sold, raped by her uncle until she got pregnant which was aborted many times. The memory card was filled by those horrible scenes, the angles showed it was taken from above.

It was given by the neighbor to her uncle saying " That was good, next time I want a close up". She was frightened but she can't do anything about it. She felt powerless and dirty.

'So that's why she always flinch, avoid wearing short sleeves, never participating strenuous exercises.'

I visited her and asked why she trusted me, she just smiled and said thank you. She closed her eyes and there was a loud beep on the machines attached to her. The doctors and nurses assigned to her were frantic on whats happening, trying to revive her from death but it was all useless.

---

On her funeral, the people who attended can be counted with both hands. After the ceremony, the lawyer handed me an envelop after saying his condolence.

As I got home, I sat on the sofa, calmed myself down and opened the envelope. There was a picture of me in my teenage years and a smiling little girl. It was HER! WITH ME! THE SENIOR ME AND A PRIMARY SCHOOL HER!

There was a letter accompanied with a ribbon. I opened the letter after staring at the familiar looking ribbon.

Dear Mr. Earl Delton,

If you are reading this, I already got what I wanted and is in eternal peace.

I never expected that I'd be able to see you again after 8 years. Knowing your family moved away after that incident.

You have always my hero, you'd come on time when people are bullying me. I felt safe around you and I started clinging to you, I'd always meet on the public library so you'd teach me after class.

On my birthday you gave me that ribbon and I've always treasured it. We had a plan to go the amusement park on that day but we were caught by my father. You didn't know that I've ran away from home when you met me on the library or on the playground.

He was about to beat me up but you protected me, receiving the blow. You faught back but he picked up a metal rod and hit your head. The patrol noticed the noise and my cries, when they arrived my father already fled leaving you on the bloody ground.

You were brought to the hospital and never came back. I was left in that shit hole and was sold to my uncle. I was expecting to be free from those abuse but I was caught in another pit. The rest, you know of it.

But despite all of it, I'm thankful for meeting you. You were and have always been my hero.

Sincerely yours,
Melody Williams