Reliving life

Chapter 8

It was 11 months ago and it had been just like any other day. School had started a month ago and we'd all fallen back into the rhythm it brought with it. Wake up, school, study, see friends, sleep, repeat. It was repetitive and you couldn't help but secretly want to grow up in order to get out into the real world.

I laughed softly as I thought back to how stupid I had been. I should have been happy being at the age I was. I shouldn't have wanted to feel older. Maybe then it wouldn't have happened.

Hanna got us some fake college ID's and we decided to attend one of the parties Hollis College was holding. We each lied to our parents about who's house we were staying at before we headed to a frat house.

It wasn't really any different from one of Noels parties except everyone was older than us. Hanna got to talking to a couple of guys and I stayed with her but I wasn't really feeling it. Something felt off about them but I just put it down to me not having drank enough. Spencer and Aria had found some girls to talk to about college life etc and had disappeared outside.

One of the boys Hanna and I were talking to went off to get more drinks and I felt the sudden urge to just go home. I should have listened to my gut. The guy returned not long after and handed us our drinks but after the second drink that he gave me I suddenly felt a lot drunker than I should have been. The room started to spin and I could hardly string two sentences together.

I shook my head as I built up the courage to continue. I could feel her staring at me but I avoided Alison's eye contact.

I decided to go home before I got any drunker and seeing as the others were all having a good time still I left on my own. I had no money for a cab and couldn't call my parents because they thought I was at Spencer's house. I couldn't think straight so I decided walking home alone was a good idea. I stumbled along the pavement as I made my way off of the campus and onto the streets.

I was 10 minutes away from home. I was so close.

I closed my eyes and put my head into my hands. It was taking so much strength to relive this story. But I felt the need to make her understand. She sat quietly on the bed next to me listening intently.

He had followed me the entire way, the guy from the party. He had been waiting for his opportunity. And as he grabbed me from behind and forced me into an alley I realised the drinks must have been drugged. Even after that realisation I didn't even worry about myself, all I could think about was whether Hanna was ok. I don't know what time it was, I wasn't even sure what time I had left the party but the streets were deserted and it was still dark out.

He pulled me into a building and shut the door behind him. Then he pushed me to the floor and tied my hands together. He tied the rope that was tight around my wrists to a metal railing above my head. I was hanging from my wrists and the ropes were starting to cut into my skin. Finally he blindfolded and gagged me. Although I don't think I could have screamed for help even without the gag.

I started to shake. Alison instantly put her arms around me. Holding me tight and still not saying a word she pulled my face towards hers and looked me in the eyes. I started to relax slightly as I stared into her beautiful blue eyes. I nodded to her before taking a deep breath and continuing.

He ripped my dress off of me and he raped me. Over and over. It seemed to go on for hours but I have no idea of the actual timescale. I kept thinking to myself if only he would kill me so I wouldn't have to go through this anymore.

"Emily you don't have to continue if this is too hard for you" she said as her hand stroked my cheek.

"I need to face this. I haven't spoken about it since it happened. Maybe if I do the nightmares will stop" I replied matter of factly. The emotion long gone from my voice as I relived the horror I had endured.

I heard him do the fly up on his jeans and I thought it was over. All I could concentrate on was the pain in my wrists as I felt the blood drip down my arms. I didn't even hear him cock the gun. But I heard his laugh as he cut off the gag and blindfold. He wanted me to watch him do it. He wanted to see the fear in my eyes before he shot me.

One shot. I felt a burning sensation in my stomach.

Two shot. Then another pain in my left leg.

Three shot. Then in my right leg.

Four shot. Before finally I felt the pain in my stomach again, higher than the first.

I screamed out in pain before blacking out.

"How did you survive?" Alison asked quietly, almost too afraid to ask the question.

"Apparently an officer was doing a foot patrol around the town as there had been a few burglaries in the area on previous nights. He heard the first shot and ran towards the sound after calling for back up. He entered the building we were in and saw me tied up with the guy facing away from him stood in front of me. He shot and killed him. And I was taken to hospital and treated just in time. I'm lucky to be alive apparently. But I don't feel lucky. I wish I had died that night. The nightmares are unbearable and I have had them every night since it happened."