(TW)
Nora POV
„At some point he started to hit me. He was just threatening me at first to do so and he never did until he actually did it."
„How did he abuse you physically?" the judge asked and my eyes landed on Lizzie. Her emerald green eyes were glossing form a far and I could tell that she will cry because of what I have to say now. Because I never exposed myself in that way. Not even fully towards Lizzie. Even if I wanted it to it is way to hard but now I am forced to do so. I was always avoiding this trauma that haunts me day and night.
I know damn well that I can't keep looking at her when I will keep on talking so I looked down at my hands and how I played with them anxiously.
„He slapped me at first. But at some point he started to hit me as well. Especially in the face and stomach. He grabbed me tight whenever I tried to cover myself from his punches. His grip became so hard that he left his marks just as much as his punches did." I elaborated as I felt how ashamed I am. So ashamed that I can't even look at anyone.
„Do you have anything else to add?" he asked and I would normally let out a chuckle because of the way he asked as if it was nothing. But I couldn't do anything. I just cried in silence not wanting to be heard. I don't even want to be seen right now. I just want to disappear.
„H-he abused me s-sexually as well." I added and the room was silence before but the silence after I dropped this sentence was impeccable.
„How often did that happen?" he asked and my mind flashes back to the days where I wanted to die.
„Almost every day. Sometimes multiple times a day." I whispered from the back of my throat.
„For how long did this abusive relationship last?"
He asked me and had the courage to look up again.
„A couple of months...your honor." I replied and I could see how Lizzie's tears rolled down her face silently.
„We have pictures of you that have those marks on your skin. Can you elaborate us how they been taken and at what time and place you were in that relationship?"
„I-I've had the chance to escape because he was away for the weekend. I was at my best friends place. She took me in. Even after I avoided her completely. I fell apart that night and she saw and knew immediately that I can't go back to him. S-she saw my bruises as she walked in on me drying myself after the shower. She told me that I should report that to the police. This is why she took the pictures."
„You mean those right?" I looked to my left to the screen that went on and my heart sank into the ground. It showed me in my underwear with my skin exposed to the bare minimum so that my bruises would be visible. I didn't look into the camera.
My hair was still wet from the shower and I my eyes were red and puffy. My stomach had punching bruises just as much as my face did. His hand prints and harsh grips were spread around my arms, legs, especially thighs, and my waist. I had a bruise around my neck as well but that was already fading away at that time.
I touched my neck as I looked at the screen and thought back to that night where I just wanted him to choke me to death so that it would be over.
I was done looking at the pictures so moved my head to look at the people in the room who were staring at this screen where my exposed and bruised body was seen.
Lizzie's eyes were glued to the screen while she held her mouth closed in order to keep her sobbing shut.
Some other people in the room did the same. Some even looked away. Maybe because they didn't want to see my half naked body. Or maybe because they can't stand the fact that someone has done something to me in this way.
„How did you feel when you were in those situations of being physically abused?" he asked and I wiped away my tears that feel silently.
„I wanted to die... I-I just wanted it to be over. Sometimes I wanted him to hit so hard that I hit my head somewhere so that I wouldn't have to go through it again. I wanted his punch to be so hard that I'd break a rib. That it would pierce my lung. Or I wanted to suffocate from his grip. All I wanted was an end to my torture. That was my only wish. Because I didn't see a way out of it."
I explained as I was sobbing and trying to catch air.
Lizzie POV
„I wanted to die." her sobbing voice pressing those words out echoed in my mind on and on.
She's been through hell and I can't believe that she kept this trauma to herself for so long. I thought I knew her. But now I don't know if I do.
The way she has to expose herself in front of a full room is utterly disgusting and degrading.
She shouldn't be opening up about it forcefully in that way. She probably didn't even tell her therapist because I know she hasn't been there for a while.
„Miss Lewis. I am terribly sorry for what you had to go through. But there is one thing that just doesn't makes sense in my mind and if you would enlighten us all on my question." he began and Nora looked up at him.
„How come you never reported this abuse to the police? You had plenty of evidence. What is it that held you back from doing so? Did he had something to hold against you?" he asked and her crying eyes met mine and I feel like I don't want to hear the answer to this question.
...