Accidents Happen

Chapter 11 - My Love is Vengeance, That’s Never Free

    “Hey! Wait!” I yelled at the door. “I’m changing for the shower. I promise two minutes, tops.” I suddenly felt naked in my bra and panties, with my pants around my ankle. I kicked my pants away, and was grabbing the towel when I heard the bolt shoot. I hadn’t even looked for a lock, now I felt dumb. I looked up and there was Enrique.

    He was leaning against the door, staring at me angrily.

    “Just two minutes, I promise. Just give me some privacy, please.”

    My heart was starting to pound. The danger in the air was palpable.  He pushed off the door and dropped his hands to his sides. His knuckles were skinned, like he had hit something hard. His dark eyes flashed dangerously. Each step he took forward was measured and frightening. His upper left lip curled into a cruel, mocking smile. The aura of a predator reeked from every pore. He was dangerous and had locked the door. I felt positively sick. He was still silent and coming at me.

    I scanned the bathroom. Only a tiny vent window; I couldn’t fit even if I could reach it. I jumped to my right into a shower stall, but before I could latch the door he had his weight against it, forcing it open. He squeezed into the stall and latched the door.

    “Enrique, what are you doing?”

    His lips twisted into a weird snarl-smile that sent icicles into my soul. He was going to hurt me, maybe even kill me. Jason wasn’t outside the door. Frank was out of earshot. I had no idea if anyone would help me if I screamed. I wrapped the towel around me in a vain attempt to cover myself more.

    “Well, look at you. Tramp extraordinaire. f*****g Jason all weekend. Now who? Frank, too?”

    My temper flared over my fear. “I didn’t f**k anyone. Don’t be a pig.”

    His eyes dilated, “Drunk a s skunk on Friday, wearing slut clothes. You went home with him. I know what happened.

    “We talked, Enrique. Nothing else.”

    “Bullshit!” He slapped me, hard. My ear started to ring and my cheek hurt. “Don’t lie, b***h!” He raised his hand to hit me again; I put my left arm across my face and tucked my face into my shoulder. He grabbed my right wrist and threw me off balance. I dropped my towel. He stepped into me and slammed me hard into the wall. My head hit the tile hard enough to give me a headache and cloud my vision.

    “Why not me? Why him? I know I’m good looking.” He held me to the wall, pressing my right arm across my chest and leaning into my face with his body weight. “Better looking than him. But you spent the last two nights f*****g like bunnies.” He shoved me fully against the wall, my head bouncing painfully off the tiles and my hips locked between him and the wall. The sheer rage rolling off of him paralyzed me. 

    “You could have ME!” He shouted in my face. “I have been in love with you since I met you.” He glared into my eyes. I swear there were red sparks against the chocolate color of his irises.

    “No, you didn’t,” I started my defense.

    I got no warning. His fist cracked against my cheekbone. I dropped my arm and put my left hand on my cheek. Enrique grabbed it and held it in his left hand. He pressed in harder with his lower body. I realized I couldn’t move. He had me fully pinned. His left arm and shoulder were pressed into my upper body making it hard to breathe, his left hip was pressed into my pelvis with his bent leg holding me against the wall. I literally couldn’t move; I couldn’t shift my weight, I couldn’t wiggle.

    “You don’t know how I felt. I watched you dress up for nobody. Put your body on display like Honoré or that loose Persimmon. You never gave me a chance. I am taking my chance. Right now.” He kissed me on the mouth so hard I tasted blood. Then I felt his hand on my breast. He squished it hard into his fist and yanked it back.

    I started to cry. I was terrified and had never felt pain like this. I knew he hated me, but now I knew how much.

    “Quit crying, b***h. This could have happened the easy way.”

    The tears kept coming. I was getting nauseated, too. He slapped me again. Then he reached down and yanked sideways on my panties. They held. He pushed against me harder and dug into his pocket. He came out with a switchblade and flicked it open. I closed my eyes, sure that he was about to s***h my throat open. Instead I felt cold metal against my hip. With a fast jerk, the side of my panties was open.

    When I opened my eyes, Enrique was looking in my face. The open knife was in his teeth, his dark chocolate looked black with how dilated his pupils were, he squinted slightly. He took my left hand in his right and pinned it over my arm to my right shoulder. He took the knife in his left hand and slit open the other side of my panties. I heard the schlink of the blade retracting. He grabbed the cotton remains of my underwear and tossed them aside.

    Then he hit me twice in the face and the world went black.

    When I regained awareness, I was being held by my shoulders against the wall. I had nothing on. Enrique was looking down. My stomach lurched but nothing came up. I must have made a sound, because his eyes snapped to my face. Suddenly, I felt a dull pain between my legs. He was thrusting violently into me. I felt something tear inside. My stomach lurched again, this time acid came up and out of my mouth. He hit me again. My vision dimmed, but I stayed aware. He kept pounding at my hips, grunting like a wild boar, until he shuddered and moaned loudly. Then he turned the water on, dropped me to the floor showered using Frank’s soap, and left with the water spray still on me.  I cried.

    I don’t know how much time passed, but there was a knock at the door and a male voice asked to pee. I couldn’t do anything but cry.

    “s**t,” the voice said, “I’m getting the RA.”

    Some more time passed, and three voices I didn’t know were in the bathroom.

    “The tie was on the door, but I knocked. She’s just crying.”

    “Do you know her?” 

    “I didn’t look. She’s in the shower,” Voice One said.

    “So she’s not with you? Did anyone hear a fight or a breakup?”

    There were negative mumbles

    “Okay. Any yelling?”

    Silence as a response.

    “You guys do a door-to-door. We need her information. I am going to call Cheryl, we need a female RA for this.”

    “Okay,” said Voice Two.

    “Got it,” said Voice One.

    I heard a number dialing. “Cheryl, this is Rick … Yeah. I have a situation and I need a female’s help. … Female crying in the fourth floor east men’s bathroom. … Not responsive to questions … NO! I am NOT looking until a female is present. .. Yes. Fourth floor, east Men’s wing. Thanks.”

    “Um … Lady in the shower? Can you hear me?”

    I tried to answer, but only a gasp and sob came out.

    “Okay. That sounded like you tried to answer. I have a woman coming to help. I am staying in the bathroom with you until she gets here. You are safe now. Whatever happened is over. Nothing else bad will happen to you tonight. Hang tight.”

    I heard the door bang open and swing shut.

    “Rick, where is she?” It was Frank.

    “In the shower.”

    “What happened?”

    “Don’t know. James had to pee, asked permission and hear the crying. We are trying to get her name.”

    “Her name is Charity.”

    “SO, Frank, what the hell kind of fight did you have with your girlfriend to do this?” Ricks voice was dripping with anger.

    “Hey. Whoa. No fight at all. I want to know what happened, too. She was getting ready to sleep - She goes to CU and couldn’t get back safely in the storm. She’s Jason's girlfriend and Enrique kicked him out. Jason went to get his stuff for the night, and Enrique sucker punched him. Jason’s in my room icing his eye.”

    “Crap. I hate drama. Is Jason gonna press charges?

    “Don’t know. He has a bump on the back of his head and is icing his eye.”

    There’s a knock at the door.

    “Guys, I am here.”

    Cheryl, come on in. Glad you were quick.”

    “Oh my God. She sounds awful. What happened?”

    We don’t know, but Frank says she is Jason's girlfriend and was just getting ready to sleep.”

    “What’s her name, Frank?”

    “Charity.”

    “Thanks.”

    There was a knock on the shower door, and “Charity, Can I come in?”

    I tried to answer, but only a ragged sob came out. The shower door opened and a heavyset woman with short auburn hair stepped in. 

    “Charity?” She stopped and stared at me. “Rick, get a big towel and call 911. She’s been raped.” She reached over and turned off the water. SHe hunkered down next to me and said, “Charity, you need medical attention. We have them coming. I want to ask you to press charges, but don’t answer right now.  Just know that we are here for you. Can I hold your hand?”

    I nodded, and sobbed again. I was starting to shiver, but didn’t feel cold.

    “Cheryl?” I heard Frank’s voice. “I have a beach towel for Charity. Is she okay?”

    “She’s not yet. Can you toss the towel?” She stood up and put her hand in the air. The towel hit it neatly. “Thanks.” She brought the towel to me, and said, “Can you stand?”

    I pulled my knees up with my feet flat on the ground. I shifted my weight forward and fell flat on my left side. I started crying harder. Everything hurt. My face, my abdomen, my body, my mind, my soul. I closed my eyes and let the darkness take me.