Karen lends her best friend her favourite pair of pyjamas. As well as being cosy as fuck, the tracksuit bottoms and fleece long-sleeved top intend to conceal as much of Mads' violated body as possible. Karen hopes that this is the right thing to do for a rape victim, having never dealt with one before.
She puts on Madison's favourite film- Star Wars, A New Hope, and they sit down together, Karen behind her shorter friend so that she can comb and plait the girl's hair loosely. Once she has finished, the tears on Madison's face have mostly dried and her eyes aren't quite as red. She looks almost okay, in fact. Creping across the room and reaching into her cosmetics drawer, Karen pulls out a pot of expensive face mask that she had been planning to save for a special occasion.
"You want some of this Mads? It'll help you freshen up I hope."
She nods, and soon the two friends are watching Star Wars in silence, a pale greenish clay face mask doing whatever job it is supposed to do to their skin while Luke meets Leia or whatever is happening (she has little interest in the film itself, and can't comprehend much of it).
At some point, Madison starts crying silently again, her tears leaving dark paths down the face mask. Karen reaches for her friend's hand and squeezes it gently.
She doesn't let go. And neither of the girls intend to.
"I'll have to talk to the police won't I."
Madison says this just as the credits roll, taking Karen by surprise. Karen had been asleep, but only lightly so her friend's statement wakes her. Confused, and having only heard the last two words, she asks Madison to repeat herself.
"Don't worry- it was a stupid question. If Corey raped me, of course I'll have to talk to someone. It's just question of whether they take me seriously or not."
YOU ARE READING
Corey Mulligan, The Heart Thief - A Short Story
RomanceMadison Hayford grows up learning to love a world which left her living in poverty until she was well into her teens. And for the most part, she succeeds in spreading love and joy in every place she can reach. But Corey Mulligan, from the moment she...
