Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Betrayal (02/16/04)
TITLE: Beyond Betrayal By L.M. Lee 02/21/04 |
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“Go right ahead and scream lil’ lady, ain’t nobody gonna hear ya,” leered the alcohol.
“Help!” she shouted with all her strength, “Somebody, please help!”
Nothing came out. Her pleas had been smothered out by the terror gripping her throat.
“What…I can’t hear you!” he mocked her, “Now, don’t tell me you don’t want it. Every lil girl wants it. That’s all you lil b****s talk about…isn’t it?”
It was finally over. He lay passed out over her. Gathering all her strength she dragged herself out from under the sweat, tobacco and beer. Tip toeing quietly, so as not to wake him, she eased into the bathroom.
She washed and washed and washed. No matter how much soap she used, she still could feel him. She felt dirty, filthy and defiled.
She slumped against the bathtub wall, slid down, buried her head and wept. The bitter sobs shook her young body. Tears spent, she swore no man would ever make her cry again.
Her mother didn’t believe her. She accused her of the seduction, defending the boyfriend. The whole ugly scene played out in front of …her attacker.
She escaped to her room. She locked the door. Barricading herself in what use to be a safe secure haven filled with love and precious childhood dreams. Now it was the nightmare that haunted her nights. Her beautifully made canopy bed mocked her as it marked the betrayal. She no longer slept in it. Instead she curled in a ball on the floor, her softball bat beside her.
“Come on, you know you want it,” cooed the seductive voice. “If you love me, you'll let me. It'll feel so good.”
“Please, don’t,” she resisted, “I’m not ready.”
“Look you lil tease,” breathed the heat of arousal on her neck, “did you think that dinner was free?”
*Slap*
His face felt the sting. Rage ruled and reason raced away.
When he had finished he threw her out of his car. Her legs cut by the gravel. She clasped her torn blouse and stumbled the distance home in the pitch of midnight.
“No man will ever hurt me again,” she bitterly vowed to the nocturnal silence. “I’ll never believe it when a man tells me he loves me…ever again!”
“Hey, would you like to go to with me to the movies this weekend?” he asked.
She sized him up. He seemed different, but he was still a man. Men couldn’t be trusted she reminded herself. Men only wanted one thing. Too many had already taken that from her. No man would ever do that again. She had sworn it.
“No thanks,” she smiled.
“You sure?” he continued, “It’ll be fun. A bunch of us are going…why don’t you come.”
“You mean it’s not a date?” she quizzed.
“Nawh, I don’t date,” he offered, “too much pressure, it's more fun to go as a group.”
“Well, okay, I guess.”
“Great meet us at …”
She sat mesmerized as the images rolled out in front of her. She had heard the story, but she had never really thought about it.
The nails tearing through the flesh of His hands and feet with each slamming swing of the mallet. The shear agony of His body’s tendons tearing as He was hoisted up against the darkening sky. The jolt as every bone and muscle felt the impact of the Cross sinking into the ground.
She felt sick. Her stomach churned at the sight. Why had she agreed to come to this movie?
She looked at her friend. Tears rolled down his cheeks. He sniffled and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.
“Can you believe someone would endure such horror, just for me?” his whispered voice leaned into her ear.
How strange for him to take this so personally, she thought. She looked at the screen again. She had endure pain and suffering for the satisfaction of others all of her life. She understood the betrayal. She knew what He must be feeling.
“I know what you are feeling,” came a Voice.
“Did you say something?” she asked her friend.
“No.” he answered puzzled.
She looked back at the screen.
His eyes locked onto to hers.
“I know what you’re feeling,” the Voice came again.
She looked around. No one around her was talking. Only sniffles and muffled sobs floated through the building.
She looked back at the screen.
Those eyes.
“I know the shame, the disgust, the hurt, the pain … the betrayal,” the Voice quietly assured her. “That is why I took all the suffering into my body, so you would never have to. I did this because I truly love you.”
One single tear found its way down the slope of her face. It dropped onto the hand resting in her lap. It was followed by another. Then another. An uncontrollable flood of tears formed rivulets upon her face.
Silent, in the darkness of the theater, she allowed this Man to say He loved her. She felt her heart wash clean. A rinse came pouring through her tears. Hope sprouted in the tender soil of her spirit.
She had found the one Man she could trust … beyond betrayal.
© 2/21/04 Lissa M. Lee