Fallen From Grace

Fifteen

A/N: Trigger warning
Violence
Rape

She felt like she was a wish bone, being ripped in half by greedy hands. The pain she felt was intense and radiated throughout her body. Her screams muffled and petered out to pathetic whimpers. She had tried to fight, but it only made things worse. He liked when she struggled.

"That's right, take it you little slut. I know you like it." He grunted breathing hot stale air onto the back of her neck.

"You still think your God will save you?" He asked grabbing a fistful of her hair. Kristine whimpered in pain, her fingers grasping at the bare mattress, trying to grab hold of something.

"You're mine until I'm done with you, whore. No one will save you." His sweat dropped down and his hands gripped tighter.

"You're nothing but a useless hole."

Kristine heard the sound of his spit before she felt it in the middle of her back. Her eyes burned and tears streamed. How could this happen to her? What had she done to deserve something so horrid.

"Beg for your life little nun." In her mind, Kristine had run away. She refused to believe the things that were happening to her. She yelped as she felt a sharp slap to her backside and suddenly her air supply was cut off. "I said beg for it, you dumb bitch" He spit out.

Kristine didn't want to beg for her life. She wanted to embrace her death. She wanted it all to just go away and be over.

"You useless fucking slut!"

Another sharp slap, followed by another, over and over. Her screams of pain only encouraged him. She gritted her teeth and once again wished for death.

"I know you like it" He said again, gripping her hips tightly and roughly slamming into her. The sound echoing throughout the small room. He grunted and groaned and then finally he stopped. His seed warm and sticky on her body. He abruptly got off of her and she lay dejected, gasping for air as his hands finally released her throat.

Her body was roughly flipped and she had no fight left in her.

"Where is your God now?" He laughed and stood over her, pressing his foot against her cheek, laughing more at her feeble attempt to keep his toes away from her mouth.

Warm liquid splashed down and the scent of his urine filled the room. Kristine gagged and tried to wiggle away, only to feel his foot pressed into her chest.

"You're worthless and so is your God"

Kristine woke with a start, dreams of her horrors still plagued her. She had cried in her sleep and wiped under her eyes with the heels of her hands. She sighed heavily and groaned. She'd hoped the dreams and flashbacks would have stopped when she left the convent. She'd hoped she would find peace here on the mountain. Knowing there was no chance she'd be able to sleep again, she got out of bed and wandered to the kitchen.

Her first instinct was to get a glass of water, but she changed tracks and went for the vodka. She hadn't had nightmares the night she drank. She didn't know how to make the drink Danielle had made so she settled for mixing the vodka with left over cranberry juice.

Duke padded into the kitchen and rested his head against her. She pat his head and smiled at the dog. "You're a sweetheart" she cooed.

"I thought I heard you." Danielle's sleepy voice rang out behind her, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. "Oh fuck, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Are you okay?" Danielle quickly apologized.

Clutching her chest and breathing heavy, Kristine nodded. "I'm fine. Sorry. I'm feeling a little jumpy at the moment."

"Is everything okay?" Danielle asked looking from the drink on the counter to Kristine as she sat on the vacant barstool.

"Yeah, just bad dream is all." Kristine replied.

"Must have been really bad." Danielle said pointing to the drink.

"Heh. Well I kind of always have them. But I didn't that night I was drunk so I figured, why not?" Kristine chuckled dryly. Danielle frowned but didn't say anything.

"Can I do anything for you?" She asked softly.

"No thank you. You should go back to bed, it's late." Kristine said.

"I don't mind staying up with you."

"Really, I'm fine. It happens all the time now" Kristine said with a wave of her hand.

Danielle chewed her bottom lip for a moment before carefully responding, "Have you talked to anyone about what happened."

Kristine glared at the woman and sighed reaching for her drink and ignoring the question.

"I'm not saying that you should. Everyone processes things differently." Danielle said, sensing the other woman's anger.

"Did you talk to someone?" She asked after a moment.

"I did. Years ago. I hated it." Danielle laughed. Kristine gave a small smile and nodded.

"Elena made me talk to a counselor once. She arranged it without even asking me."

"That's fucked up. No one should force you to talk about it. If you decide it's something you want, it should be on your own terms."

Kristine chuckled at the blunt response then tilted her head in thought. "You don't have to answer this. But after what happened to you, what helped you feel normal again?"

Danielle blew out a long breath. That was a loaded question. "After, everything just happened so fast. And I was so young, struggling to make sense of everything. My father was dead, my mom went to jail. I was forced to live with an aunt who hated me. I didn't feel normal for a long time. Not until I was grown and on my own."

Kristine nodded, she could only imagine how difficult that must have been. "What did you do when you left your aunt?"

"I moved far away." Danielle chuckled.

"I don't think you ever told me, where are you from originally?"

"Upstate New York. When I first left my aunt's I lived in Pennsylvania for a while before I came here."

"Why did you pick here?" Kristine asked.

"I saw the city in a travel magazine and fell in love." Danielle laughed softly. "When I got here, I knew it was where I wanted to be. It' beautiful here. I lived in town at first, but it was always my goal to move out further."

"It really is beautiful...Are you happy here?" Kristine asked the million dollar question.

"Absolutely." Danielle grinned.

It gave Kristine hope to hear that. She knew she had a long road ahead of her, but she also knew that she deserved happiness and she would try her damndest to find it. Being here with Danielle was definitely a good start.

"I'm so glad you found your happiness." Kristine smiled.

"Me too." Danielle smiled back, meeting Kristine's eyes. "And I hope that you find yours. I'll do anything I can to help you along the way."

"Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me." Kristine replied softly.