41. A dark alleyway.

Elena.

Even though I have never been most of all my life, I knew that walking down a dark, cold alley way is never a good thing. It creates tension. It creates fear. It always makes my blood run cold and my feet move faster. Trying to get back into the light at the end of the tunnel, It makes us wonder if I get so scared by an alley, why do we continue to walk through them?

The answer was obvious, we want to get to our final destination faster. Surely though, a few more minutes the long way wouldn't be that bad? One where we'd feel safer, we would also walk normally even. We wouldn't keep looking behind us, making sure no-one was following us. Being safe was worth the extra time, right? After all we never know what's lurking in the shadows. Especially for someone like me who has been abused all my life.

If there’s anything at all that I have learnt, it is the fcat that passing through alleyways is never a good idea. Never, most of the time, the kids in my pack were always lurking around in there, waiting patiently for me to just pass through because back then, I literally had no choice since it was the only way home. I got ambushed a lot and it always ended with two or more bruises on me.

After running away from the venue of the party after seeing the one man that I just did not want to ever encounter again, I ran and ran against the blowing wind and cold night while still making sure that my mask was firmly on my face. I would not want to ruin myself properly in omne night, would I?

Now, I knew the route I was in like the back of my hand because I pass there with Diego numerous times to get stuffs and play at the park, but now that it was dark, it scared me. Especially since I had just seen the devil himself few minutes ago, so I sped up my steps when I reached the long alley. It made the hairs on my neck stand up. It made my heart beat faster, it made my feet more faster.

The alley had never given me any reason to react like this. I was always fine with it during the day. But now the sun had set, the moon and stars were out, I could see them perfectly, not a single cloud to block them.

I wrapped my coat around myself tightly as if doing this would make everything better. The click clack of my heels were the only noise to be heard. It echoed off the walls of the alley, creating an eerie atmosphere. As my heart started to beat even faster, my eyes started flicking everywhere. My breathing erratic and creating the illusion that I was smoking, due to the fact that it was freezing.

The paranoia that I used to get when walking alone down an alleyway, even in the day back at my pack when I was younger was what I was getting. I thought someone was following me, but a few feet up ahead someone was waiting for me and then I started to regret it all.

If only I had been courageous enough to just remain at the party and look for Camila instead of deciding to walk home in the middle of the night all alone. Heck, I could have even hidden in the car something if I had not allowed the fear of Salvatore to render me stupid. If only I hadn't been so scared. If only I had walked more slowly. If only I had not looked behind me. Well, then I might have noticed the soft glint of the knife in the distance. I would have seen the slight shift in the shadows. I would have been able to call for help or change directions. But you only think of these things when it is too late.

A man wearing a ski mask jumped out at me. Before I even had time to think, he swiped the knife at me to threaten me, enjoying watching me go livid and fearful at the mere sight of him.

He pulled the knife closer and I yell, “Please, please. I have a little money in the bag, please, just take it and leave me alone, please.” I plead as I stretched forth my bag to him.

“Hmmm... I think I will prefer to just take something else, I am not a thief.” He says and even from where he stood, I could smell the foul odour of mixture of tobacco and alcohol from his mouth.

My heart sank to my stomach on hearing him because I knew that if he was not a thief then he was worst. The tantrum began with my breath turning from quiet and regular to a panting gasp. I sucked at the air like it had suddenly become thick and was now almost too difficult to draw in. I became deaf to the eerieness of the silent night while rapidly back-tracking on my previously tough stance.

It was obvious that nothing I say or do at the moment could help me, but I was not just about to go down without a fight, not again. Not anymore.

“Please, please, don’t hurt me, please.” I try first.

“It does not have to hurt, beautiful lady, we can both enjoy this and you know it. I am good at all I do, you simply have to do as I say and this will all go so well, it won’t even take so long.” The man says and it makes me sick to my stomach as I realize where this was heading to but then I still went ahead to ask, just to be certain.

“What... what do you want?” I ask.

“Good girl, so how about we start with a blowjob?”

Hearing that from him made me gag in disgust and I took several steps back instinctively, but he only moved closer to me until I was my back hit the wall and now I was really trapped. I proceeded to scream but it didn’t last too long because his dirty hand was soon on my mouth.

“Awww, you had the chance to simply do as I say but you just had to go ahead and blow it up, don’t you, huh?” He said, his voice turning more scary and then he exploded, he went straight for me; pummeling, hitting, kicking, and biting.

And I kept wincing wondering if he was going to render me half dead before having his way with me or something. Before I knew it, I was on the floor writhing in pain as he tries to get my dress up. I lay on the ground, a little splatter of blood at separate areas around me. I was looking at the beautiful sky. The stars twinkling down at me.

And I wondered if the moon goddess just hated me so much to keep making me go through these.