Shattered_An Innocent Wife

In the Woods

I startled and looked at my back to find Michael leaning to the kitchen's door frame.

His face held a very meaningful expression. I know what he is gonna talk about. He will surely beat me for framing him. And before he could utter a single word I run out from the service door.

To my left were the never-ending fields and to my right was the barn house. Ben also lives there. So, I took the right side and made my way to the barn.

The door didn't have the lock for the last two years now. I just pushed the door and made my way in.

I was breathless but at least I am safe here. My eyes looked for Ben but couldn't find him.

The barn house is quite big. It also has a first floor that only covered the half roof. Ben and Peter live on the first floor while the ground floor is filled with heaps of barn and feeder for animal use.

And if Ben was not here on the ground floor it is most likely to locate him on the first floor. I made my way to the first floor by a wooden ladder.

The task was difficult because of my dress. But I don't care about it right now. The more important thing is to keep me safe from that driver. 

I made my way to the little refrigerator that Ben and Peter use and pour myself some water. Sitting on to Peter's bed. I finally managed to relax in long 10 mins.

I could hear the gadgets clicking. I knew he was repairing something like all the time.

After a minute he appeared from the window. His eyes show a surprise. It's not every day that I come here. And to top that wearing that beautiful blue dress that I should have changed eons ago. And I might have done it only if I haven't caught in the series of events I found myself in.

"To what I owe your presence here." He said while wiping the grease off from his hands.

I didn't answer his question instead I said. "What were you doing on the top?"

"I was repairing it. It needs some fixing. But did I mention that you look exactly like your mother? Minus your eyes color, you are her copy. And yea you are too skinny than her. She had fats. She just loved fast food a little too much." He said while eyeing me and his face showed that he was thinking of the past events when he too got to the fridge to get something.

He got to his bed and start talking about my mother. These were the same things he had already told me thousands of times. She was a journalist. Bold and beautiful. And how she was best in high school. And how much Ben wanted to work with her. And how she had so much rivalry in this town.

He kept on going until my eyes caught some movement outside the window. I peek over the window but the scene caught my full attention. I sat on the wooden floor near the window to saw Michael. The windowpane is quite large and I didn't want to catch his attention. He was loading the things in his vehicle.

Is he leaving? Thank God. He is leaving. I will finally be free to move.

I didn't realize when Ben came behind me and was watching Michael too.

"You should apologize to the guy," Ben suggested.

Oh! So Ben knows what I did. "I did what I was ordered. That's not my mistake." I said harshly and lied to Ben or me. Because I know it's my sin.

"So, what about helping me out. Just grab the toolbox near the window. It will only take 20 mins." He requested.

I agreed and when he got on the roof again I sat on the window. I patiently waited for him to ask for any tool but what I heard was his painful scream.

"What? Are you fine?" I yelled.

"Yea, I am fine. kid." I walk away from the window and let him in but what I saw retrieved a gasp from my mouth. His hand was dripping in blood.

"Let's go to the hospital," I suggested while grabbing a towel and wrapping his hand in it. My hands were shaking. And tears start forming in my eyes. I can't see him hurt.

"No, I think it will stop." He said.

"Are you insane? You are on blood thinning. It won't stop." I said with a frown on my face.

He nodded and in two minutes we got down and were out heading to the entrance of the estate. And no taxi passes from here at this time. I knew we had to walk until we are next to any home and ask for help from them. Or call the ambulance.

I was dialing the number for some ambulance when I noticed Michael's car getting to the entrance. He didn't stop. And I don't know why I was expecting him to stop for us. He was not too far and I yell.

"We need help."

His car stopped and he opened the passenger seat. I helped Ben to get into the seat. He was not looking at us. I feel like some crap for doing what I did.

"I am so sorry for what I did. Thank you so much for helping us." I said while making sure Ben's seat belt is secure and shut the door.

He started the engine and my feet took me three steps away from the car. He didn't give me a single glance and they left.

I don't know why but my heartfelt at ease. Now my only worry was Ben's hand. I walk back slowly to the barn while holding Ben's cell phone. I realized that I forgot to give him the cellphone. I clean the blood from the floor and noticed that I need to change my dress.

I was about to leave Ben's room when Ben's cell phone vibrated.

The number was unknown but I picked up the call.

"Hello," I said.

"Hey, kid it's me. Ben. I forgot my insurance file there. I am sending someone. Can you see my cupboard and find that file. And yea I am sorry if you find it messy." He said with a sorry tone.

"Who is coming to get the file?" I asked with a little worry in my voice though I know it will be Michael.

"It's not Michael. So, don't worry. It's my friend Harry. You don't know him. He will be there in 10 mins so, please... Find that file." He requested again.

"Ok, I will look for it. You just take care." I said.

"I am so sorry to trouble you. Bye." He said and hung up.

I get to his cupboard and look for the files. There were dozens. I don't know why. But the files had all the transaction slips. Even the old ones from 20 years ago. I found the pics of my mother and father. There were Ben and Peter too. And there were other people too that I don't recognize.

She doesn't look like me. She is too beautiful. And have flawless skin. Not like my skin that is pale and has a lot of old scars of canning. I wonder if Ben had a crush on my mother.

I got carried away in my thoughts and only came back to reality when I heard an engine coming into the estate. I hurriedly find out the insurance file. Leave the mess there and took the wooden ladder to got down. Finally, I was out of the barn house. The person already waited for 5 mins So, I took long strides to get to his vehicle. I noticed that it was a range rover. I wonder who is Ben's friend.

No one came out or even open the door. The person didn't even roll down the window. I knocked at his glass. It felt so weird. And anxiety was settling in me. Finally, I heard the door being opened. I took two steps back. But the moment I recognized his face my eyes went wide and I dropped the file on the ground.

It was Harriot Cobe. He looks much older in his expensive suite. And though it's been two years I still recognized him without much difficulty.

"Long time no see, princess. Did you miss me?" He said while showing his toothy grin.

*****************************

Authors POV

He was tapping his finger on the steering wheel anxiously. It's been two years but he still remembers how sweet her lips tasted.

"If she is not what you mentioned. Man, I will kill you." Seb who was sitting in the passenger seat said.

But then both men look at their front. The girl dressed in a beautiful blue dress was coming hurriedly taking long strides. The file she was holding in her arm was hiding away her chest.

"You said she is a maid. But..." Harriot didn't let Seb complete his sentence.

"Oh, holy mother. She looks exactly like her mother. You guys should have seen her mother. She was the most beautiful woman on this earth." He said while taking her features in as she was standing outside the car door. She looked confused.

"If she looks like her mother then I don't agree with you, Harry. You two better do her hurry. We gotta leave for San." The man in the backseat ordered while taking a long puff on his cigarette.

Listening to his boss, Harriot came out.

The fear written on her face made Harriot smile.

"Long time, no see, princess. Did you miss me?" He shamelessly asked her. Not even realizing that he is 57 and she is far too young to be his granddaughter.

She didn't get the chance to come out of her trance when she saw the passenger door being opened too. A person that she had never seen before in her town came out.

He looked around to be in his early twenties. And was wearing a white shirt with dress pants. He had his glasses on and look like someone who had just come from his office.

"You said she was a maid. But her dress broke my fantasy." The person in the white shirt complained.

"Then don't Seb, let me have her all to myself," Harriot said while loosening his tie.

"No, man I am so hard. I just need a cunt. Anyone... " She didn't let Seb complete his sentence and run away. Her body broke into a sweat and she felt cold. She couldn't feel her legs with her. Everything seems so unreal. Even when her breathless self reached the barn house.

The moment she realized that the door doesn't have the bolt she cursed her stupidity. But still, she closed the doors and fixed a stick in the holes to keep it close. She took the wooden ladder and was halfway there when she heard the banging on the door.

Reaching up she planned to throw the ladder away so they can't get up here.

No, they will just pick the ladder and can easily come up. Her thoughts echoed.

The door this time banged so loud. Clearly indicating that someone kicked it to break it. She looked at the stick which seemed so weak that it can break at any time.

She hurriedly comes down and looked for somewhere to hide. There were big barrels on the far end of the house. But it was behind the heaps of barn. She jumped over and somehow get to the barrels. She was still getting behind the barrels when the door got busted.

She hid her sweaty face in her palms. They sound drunk and desperate when they start making voices.

"What are you doing man?" Seb asked Harriot when he saw him stripping out of his clothes.

"Boss said to make it quick. You go find her. I am doing her first." Harriot replied.

"Come out you little cunt. It won't be nice if I had to find you." Seb cooed making Harriot broke into a laugh.

By keeping her hands tightly on her mouth she tried her best to muffle her sobs. His footsteps sound close. She looked behind through the slits between the barrels. Her face got pale and her hairs were sticking to her forehead. The guy in the white shirt was so close to the barrels. She held her breath while a tear fell on her cheek. It was also when she realized that there was a large window to her right.

The moment Seb got a little away from the barrels she tried to make her way to the window silently. But the bolt on the window was rusty and stuck. She sat close to the window and tried to open the bolt.

The bolt got open but made a squeaking sound. They look towards the source of the sound. She didn't waste a single second and got up. A smile crept to their faces when they saw her behind the barrels. But before they could take a single step she opened the window and got out of it.

She ran. Faster. The route out of the window made it longer for the entrance. She was still 50 yards away from the main entrance when she saw a car appearing from the left side of the estate. The moment that car passed under the street lights she recognized this to be Michael's car.

She screamed his name on the top of her lungs. "Michael!!!" She screamed so loud that even those men knew where to find her.

She knew he can't hear him from this far. But only ten steps. If she could take only 10 or 20 steps more she might be in his earshot. And she did it. She hurriedly took almost 15 steps more and was about to scream Help when she felt a hand covering her mouth.

The car that appeared from the left side disappeared to the right side in front of her eyes while she wriggled in a very stronghold. Her hot tears fell on that hand. The man grabbed her waist and lift her above the ground while her teary eyes were watching the car getting too far.

He was not coming here. He was just passing. Her hopes crushed.

The very next thing she noticed about the person was his leather jacket that was rubbing against her back.

Panic ensued. She realized it was some other man. Before she could register anything that man turned around. She noticed Harriot and Seb.

She was so thin and malnourished that handling her was a joke to that person. He loosened his grip on her mouth and was about to throw her to the half-naked Harriot when she said.

"Please, please please please........." She kept on ranting.

"Please what?" He asked in a very deep voice while giving a small light bite on her cheek.

"Leave me..." She said in a very hoarse voice while sobbing and breaking into tears. That person tight his grip on her waist. A little bit too much. Like he wanted to crush her with just his one hand. She grunted in so much pain. She grabbed his hand to make him lose his grip.

She was still pinching or pulling his hand to lose that savage grip when he threw her to the Harriot in the very next moment.

"If you can't handle this weightless b***h what possibly you are capable of." That person said.

But Sydney was so occupied in trying to get herself free from Harriot's grip around her waist. She didn't even look at that person. Harriot stink of sweat. Grabbing her from her hair bun Harriot made her face bump into his hairy chest and kept her there. She felt nauseous.

"Sorry boss, I will make it quick." Harriot apologized.

"Yea, make it quick. You have only an hour." The person in the black leather jacket said and got busy with something on his phone.

She knew pleading won't work but she still did. She kept on saying "No" without stopping for a single second. While Harriot grabs her hairs making her bun lose open.

Harriot was always intoxicated by her soft Auburn hairs. So, he fists them more savagely and drags her to the barn. She cried in excruciating pain while shaking in fear of what was going to happen.

She was scared to death when Harriot threw her on the heaps. She found him sliding down her sleeve. In just two seconds he tore her thin sleeve from her left shoulder and sank his teeth on her flesh. That Seb guy stripped out of his clothes while that man with the leather jacket was standing near the door of the barn house.

Her two arms came forward to her chest in a reflex. In an attempt to make a much-needed barrier in between him and her. But the moment his bite got savage she screamed. "Help!!!"

She knew no one was at home. And she knew no one ever came for her rescue. But not this time. She knew she can't get through this time. She won't be able to live with this incident. No matter what.

Not caring about her screams Harriot was so busy in caressing her soft and very thin frame. She was all bones. Excluding her mature curves, she was all bones. So his hands gripped her hips and knead them. Her hand came forward to his face tried to keep his mouth away. He startled a little by her action. She took the opportunity to turn around. Giving Harriot an opportunity to tore the back of her dress.

But the thing Harriot noticed was a surprise for him. Her back was filled with lashes. With only three or four fresh lashes her back was filled with old permanent marks.

"Oh, Christ, who did this?" Harriot asked. Sydney was so scared and sobbing so badly that she didn't even hear what he asked.

Harry too didn't care about her answer. He gripped her from her arm and yanked her up. She held her dress to her chest that felt too loose that she knew it will fall if she loses the grip.

Harriot supported her weight by keeping his arm on her belly and showed her scarred back to Seb. She tried to get his hold off her body while keeping her face bowed so her hair could hide her face.

Seb had a look of confusion at first. But then a smile showed up on his face.

"Somebody sure did some art," Seb said with amusement. Seb's comment caught the attention of their boss and the moment his eyes fell on her scarred back his eyes darkened.

That boss reached behind her in a matter of seconds. He didn't take her from Harriot's hold instead he caressed her back and leaned close to her ear. Making Sydney stop her struggles. The aura of the man emits authority.

"Let's play a little game bitch." He whispered in her ear making Sydney lift her shoulder to her ear to avoid his mouth.

"No, please no... I beg." Sydney said in a cracked voice while trying to hide her face by keeping her gaze on the floor.

"No, it's simple. All you got to do is not to scream for 1 whole minute. And we will leave you." He said while throwing his arms above in a dramatic way.

This made Sydney look at the man. And what she saw was pure evil in his eyes. She cried profusely. Hot tears were dripping down her face while her lips were trembling in pain and fear.

"Please, I beg you. Please..... " She kept on saying please while her hairs swayed down around her face.

What that man saw was pure Innocence. That was meant to be tarnished.

"Let us begin the game Harriot just hold her tight." Saying that he get to her back and retrieve a pocket knife. Sydney, who didn't see the knife was oblivious to his actions but she heard the laughs of the other two men.

Keeping her one hand on her dress she kept the other on her mouth. But she didn't give up on getting herself free from Harriot hold. But the moment she felt cold metal on her back she became all still.

He started his work from the scar that seemed the oldest one. And carved it fresh with his knife. The cut was not too deep but it was still deep enough to retrieve the droplets of blood that started dripping down on her back.

Her neck tilted back and her mouth hung open. But she tried her best to stop her throat from making any sound. The pain was too much to bear. Her eyes went all red and her lips trembled in true pain. The hand that was on her mouth before came to hold Harriot's arm that was around her belly. She squeezed his arm with so much strength that Harriot cursed her.

49 seconds passed and they were loosing. His boss seemed quite amused. But then he made his game dirtier. He put his knife to her fresh lash. And the moment he started the cut there, a very loud audible gasp left her mouth.

The boss tsked. "You lost." She started jumping out of Harriot's hold.

Their boss took two or three steps away. He placed his knife to its old place and left saying.

"It was fun but I will be waiting in the car. And you two better finish it soon and get back."

Harriot was not listening to what his boss said while leaving because he threw Sydney on the heap of barns and hurriedly hovered over her little frame. Getting her fabric down to her chest he was about to take her in his mouth when she started throwing punches and kicks at him. For a moment he got back. She had her eyes closed with her face buried to her left side in the barn but whenever she felt his presence she tried to slap him away.

Harriot stayed a little back to jump out of his pants. While Sydney tried to hide her front in her palms. The moment she felt him above her again she tried to use her legs to curl herself but this time he slapped her across her face so hard that for a moment she couldn't feel her cheek.

He tried to get her legs straight but to keep her legs curled she resisted with all she got.

He got impatient and angry. He again slapped her with so much force that her lips got a cut and eye had a swelling. This also made Sydney cover her face instead of her front. She couldn't feel her face anymore. It just felt like some weight. Her lush and plump breasts were there to fulfill his lust. So, he didn't waste a single second. Her senses went somewhere else when that man took her n****e in his mouth. Everything seemed moving. And she was giving into the darkness.

No, I got to save myself. I can't lose. Not this time.

She tried to open her eyes just to see that creepy smile hovering over her face. The image was kind of blurry. His one hand was on her knees making her legs straight.

He crushed her under his weight. His lips were nuzzling in her ears when he started saying.

"You look like your mother. That b***h was my fantasy. I was this close to had her when she..... *kissed the skin on Sydney's neck*.... kneed me in my jewels..... At that time I never thought I will be having her dear daughter instead."

The mention of her mother made her awake. She lifts her one leg up and with all the force she could collect, kicked him. Like mother like daughter. He was taken aback. She let herself fall from the side of the heap and run. She ran with her one hand on her swollen cheek and with others holding her dress to her chest.

This time she didn't run to the entrance. Instead, she ran towards the fields. She ran without looking back. On the other hand, it took Harriot At least five minutes to let that pain subside. And Seb was stark naked. He took some time to have his pants.

The moment they got out they saw her going towards the fields. She hides in fully grown fields. But she kept on changing her place.

It was so dark in the fields. Even the moon was so dim. They could only hear her rustle. And after a moment even the rustling sound stopped.

Seb cursed under his breath and screamed at Harriot for being a di*k.

"She was this thin and weightless. How could you lose her man?" Seb growled.

Their boss heard some commotion too and got out of the vehicle. And the moment he came to know that she got away again he was beyond furious.

"We are going to San, now! And I don't give a f**k about her or your di*ks." Their boss roared and get to the backseat. The engine started and they left the estate.

Sydney who didn't know that they had left kept on walking. Even when the fields ended and she found herself on the road.

She was taking long huffs of air when she heard an engine from afar. She got scared thinking about who it could be. She hurriedly crossed the road and went into the woods.

The darkness was too thick. Nothing was visible. And after taking a turn she forgot where to turn to. But a thought. A thought that they might be searching for her kept her walking.

The darkness became too deep that she couldn't even see her feet. She could only feel the dry leaves and twigs with her barefoot. She felt dizzy. Her dress was too loose. And back was naked with all the blood dried up from the cuts. It stung and pained a lot. The lashes she got from Mariah in the morning were hurting again.

One wrong step and she tripped. There was no path ahead so she ends up falling. Her hands went to her face in a reflex. She could have given to darkness. But her body fell into the lake ahead. Waking her up fully. She tried to get out of the water but the water was too deep. And she never learned swimming. Her hands and feet moved aimlessly. And though she knew there was no ear to listen to her screams for Help she still tried to scream for help.

Her sound though a little loud but was too short as the water gets into her mouth shutting her up. Her body tried to cough out the water but only more water made its way to her stomach.

She was too weak and drained already. So, she gave in. Give in to the darkness. She felt herself drowning. But couldn't feel anything as her body shut herself. At first, she became unconscious. Then her body started running out of oxygen. Her brain took her to the place where she was once happy with her father in his shop. She was young again and laughing while taking pop tarts.

It was not just leaving the world behind. It was an end to her never-ending miseries and the start of eternal peace.