My shift at the quaint downtown café was finally coming to an end. I had spent the last eight hours juggling orders, perfecting lattes, and ensuring that every customer left with a smile on their face. As the final customers trickled out and the bell above the door jingled one last time, I took a deep breath and glanced at the clock. It was 4:15 PM—only fifteen minutes before closing. i had to get dressed and go to get to the butcher in time. There was no left over food today so I really needed to get there for some food, I quickly threw my normal clothes on and tossed my work uniform into the wash pile in the back went to grab my bag but the present Nate had given to me earlier today flew out onto the floor. I quickly picked it up opening the box and pulling the necklace out, I still felt awful they spent so much money on this but ill wear it proudly. I undid the clasp put it around my neck and clipped it up. Almost immediately I felt strange a sick feeling falling over me.
"You on your way out to go to the butcher?". Stella asked walking in effectively snapping me out of whatever moment I was having.
"Yeah I am got to get there before he closes". I said putting the box into my bag unplugged my battery bank throwing it in the bag before putting the bag on and saying bye to everyone.
Its only 4:35 but its getting darker earlier now winter getting closer, so the streets are already lit up by street lights casting a eerie glow mixing with the orange of todays sunset. Finally I reach the butcher I pushed open the heavy door as the bell rung out letting Mathew know I had arrived.
"Oh afternoon Roza hang on I'm just finishing up here ill bag up your order and bring it out". he said walking off out the back.
I only get all the off cuts of that day at a reduced price, I cook up in my pot what I'm going to eat and feed the rest of the raw meat to the kittens. It saves money Linda gives us a free lunch at work when we work, so its not like I'm not eating well.
"Sorry that took so long, them kittens of yours are in for a treat today I had some left over chicken necks so I bagged them separately for you and I threw in a prime streak for you as a little birdy told me it is your birthday today". He said with a bright big smile.
"Thank you Mathew, I actually wouldn't mind a nice steak for dinner tonight". I paid him for the off cuts but like all day today wouldn't let me pay for the extra stuff, he said it my birthday its for free. I wish people would stop I get it they want to be nice, but this is just another day for me seventeen birthdays alone. I don't get to spend it at home surrounded by my loving family as I don't have one, my family loved me so much they left me on the streets as a baby. as I see it all anyone is doing is treating me like a charity case to make themselves feel better, but at the end of the day I'm going back to my shed alone to spend the night with the kittens like I do every night so I cant wait for today to just be over.
It was dark now its just passed 5pm I decided to travel the back way through the woods so I could look for thick logs for the fire tonight, I was using the hand charged lantern Stella had gotten me to light my way so I could see. My head snapped when I heard branches snapping from behind me, squinting my eyes to peer into the darkness looking for anything that might be a threat to me.
No one really comes out here there is so many stories of people going missing where they find there bodies years later, besides me and Stella I have never seen anyone else out here. But something right now wasn't right, I couldn't see anything but my body felt like it was warning me that there was danger near by, a gross sick feeling welling up in my stomach telling me to run but I didn't listen I had spotted a large log that would burn all night. So I swallowed shaking off the weird feeling and walked over to grab it, I kneeled down to check it out to see if it had rotted that's when I heard footsteps rushing towards me. Before I could even react to defend myself against whatever was coming at me, my head was violently ripped backwards by my hair.
I was swung around a few times before my face was smashed into the hard ground, a pained scream finally able to rip from my lungs. Before it was cut short when whoever was attacking me rammed there knee into my lower back to immobilize me. Fear filled every nerve when they started ripping my pants down my legs followed by my panties, I tried to fight back but the pain in my back and the fact they where sitting on the back of my legs made it impossible to even turn enough to try hit them. Pain pure pain they rammed there dick into me, I scream, wiggle I gripped the ground hoping the ground would swallow me. Why? Its my birthday I just wanted to go home to my kittens. Instead I'm pinned face down virginity stolen from me. In defeat I just laid there its not like I could have done anything else I just hoped he would finish and just leave.
It felt like ages, that he was raping me he had finished and stood up fixing himself, before looking at my battered body and kicking me in the side of the stomach. I cried out in pain bringing my legs up and covering my head with my hands, trying to cover the most vital spots his attacks kept coming kicking punching then it just stopped. he wrapped his fingers around my throat and lifted me up off the ground, gasping for air I scratch at his fingers.
"What's this?". He breathed out grabbing my necklace in his other hand and ripping it from my neck before he threw my body back to the ground.
"No give that back!". I tried to pick up my battered body to grab it, I wasn't going to let him take that from me to. He looked at my pathetic attempt at getting it back huffed and started walking away.
pressure built up in my chest with each step he took, tears steaming down burning a path down my face. The further he got the angrier I got till I let out a primal scream. The necklace lit up shooting out of my attackers hands, and back towards me it flew above my head getting brighter and brighter before I was completely enveloped by light.
All I could do was stand there on my shaking legs shielding my eyes, once the light died down the necklace fell into my hands. I looked up realizing that I'm no longer standing in the woods in the dark with my attacker right in front of me, I'm still in the woods just not my woods this place almost looks magical. I realized my clothes where still bunched up around my feet so I pulled my panties and pants back up so I wasn't just standing here exposed, I put my necklace back on and started walking around to try find help.
Wish I new where I was I want to go to Stella's right now get in the shower and scrub my skin raw I feel so dirty, I don't understand what happened but there isn't any point freaking out and getting worked up that will only make things worse.
"And who please tell are you?". Asked a mans voice from above me.
I spun around startled tripping over backwards as I was about to fall I ran into something hard but warm, hands reach out to help stabilize me.
"No stop don't touch me get back!". I screamed out getting worked up I started hyperventilating.
"Hey, hey calm down I didn't mean to scare you". He exclaimed putting his hands up so I could see that he had no bad intentions.
"I seen you just appear over there, I wasn't going to get involved with you but I seen that pendant around your neck and decided why not you know". He said while eye balling my chest where my pendant sat.
"I um, I need help I need to go to the police I was raped I ah don't know where my attacker went bit I'm not safe". I told him while franticly looking around to make sure it was still just the two of us.
"Raped huh, why do you expect me to help you over being raped, that happens here all the time no one gets help". He looked at me puzzled at why I had asked him for help.
"Yeah about that where exactly am I? I know I'm not home but if I was drugged and taken somewhere there might be a change I'm close to home I could ju".
"I'm sorry". He said cutting me off. "But your not home little miss, from what I witnessed over there you where teleported here via that". He walled up to me and placed a finger on the pendant.
"What? Teleported my pendant". I couldn't say anymore as he placed his finger to my lips to quieten me down.
"Hush little miss, so many questions to little time I'll bring you back to my place you can shower get cleaned up. My sister Shauna can help you find some new clothes I will fill your belly and when you are cleaned up relaxed and calmer we will figure out what to do". He said turning around and walking off gesturing for me to follow him.
Yeah I feel stupid I was just raped apparently teleported to where ever this is, a strange man finds me and now I'm following that man back to his house. What can I honestly do since I'm here and I don't know where I am I have to trust someone right?.
"You can call me Sirus, what shall I call you I'm sure you would like to be referred to as something other then little miss?". He asked like reading my mind.
"Are you someone I can trust?". I asked him.
I know it's a pretty dumb question even if he was a bad person he isn't going to willingly tell me he's bad, though it's worth a shot.
"What really is trust? Do you trust your friends and family with your life, your secrets your inner most darkest desires. What if your friend killed you or told your secrets or exposed you, would you still trust them?". He said challenging me.
He's right I would no longer hold trust in them.
"My name is Roza". I said quietly.
I saw him briefly stumble when I said my name, wonder what that was about?.
We where walking for what felt like forever, with the shape my body is in. I have dirt under all my nails, all my nails are damaged from scratching at the ground trying to get away. My clothes are all ripped and covered in dirt I looked at bad as I felt, I really hope there is actually a shower at the end of this never ending walk.
"We are here". He may have said them words but I think I made a mistake following him, I'm looking at a huge clear bubble that's sitting on a bed of rose vines with roses on it that are bigger then me. That definitely isn't a house with a shower, I watched as he walked up to the bubble, and placed his hand on it. Suddenly two rose vines popped out of the ground in front of him, weaving together to form stairs up to the bubble. He started walking up a hand rail of rose vines meeting his hand as he moved, I just watched in disbelief as the bubble sorta opened up to let him through.
"Are you coming Roza?". He asked looking at me like I'm the crazy one.
I slowly walked over to the stairs I could see all the thorns, but I took a deep breath in and started walking up. Surprised that I was floating above them I walked through the opening in the bubble and my jaw hit the floor.
The space inside that bubble is incredible, Sirus led us through to the kitchen area I seriously couldn't drag my eyes away, the furniture was crafted from the delicate petals of blooming flowers and vibrant green leaves, woven together with threads of shimmering silver. Streams of glistening gold flowed through the air, creating a surreal luminescence that brightened the space, while vibrant vines adorned the walls, blooming with luminescent blossoms that pulsed gently as if alive.
Besides the amazing around me my situation started slowly creeping back into my mind my spirit dimmed by the ordeal that had left me feeling fractured and lost. I started gazing blankly at the captivating surroundings, their beauty a stark contrast to the empty feeling I now feel. Just then, the door creaked open, and a rush of energy filled the room as Sirus entered, followed closely by his sister Shauna.
I instinctively knew something was wrong but at this point I'm just going to go with the flow, I don't think freaking out over there was half a woman half deer animal standing next to Sirus was going to help anything.
"Roza this is Shauna my sister". Sirus said looking at me with a worried look.
Both Sirus and Shauna exchanged glances at eat other.
"Let me brother" Shauna told Sirus she squeezed his arm and walked closer to me.
As she got closer so did the deer half of her I didn't quite know what was going, she stopped moving when my body moved on its own flinching at every tap sound her hoofs made.
"I think I know what's wrong with her brother, you said she teleported here didn't you?". She turned around asking him.
"Yeah I was just there sleeping, I was awoken by a God awful bright light. When it cleared she was standing there". Sirus told her shrugging his shoulders.
"She is most likely not a creature of this world then, seeing all of this maybe overwhelming her". She told him turning back to look at me with a sad smile.
In the next second a magical green glow erupted from her chest and her deer body turned into a humans.
"OK let's start again". She said excitedly and closed the rest of the distance between us. Her cheery personality settling my nerves reminding me of Stella.
"So I'm Shauna, I'm a doenix and Sirus is a fire fox everyone here, um here in Crytelia can change there appearance as you saw. I can answer any questions you have but let's get you cleaned up while we so do yeah". She grabbed my hand gently and helped me up and lead me away and guided me through an archway covered in vibrant blooms.
The bathroom unfolded before me like a dream spun from the finest threads of magic. A huge bathtub carved from crystal shimmered with iridescent water, and the air was fragrant with the scent of jasmine and lilacs. A waterfall cascaded from a sculpted stone, the water shimmering like liquid diamonds.
Shauna helped me out of my clothes, carefully pulling the fabric off of my cuts where the fabric had clung when my blood dried.
She held my hand as she led me to the shimmering cascading waterfall, I tensed expecting cold water to rush over my bare skin, but this water is hot, inviting with every droplet that glide over my skin I feel lighter. The waters washing away the dirt but also the shadows that are clinging to my spirit, I turned around when I felt soft hands tracing up my hips.
Shauna had joined me in the shower, I'm so light and feel so free under the droplets of water that all of this feels so normal, Shauna is running her hands over my naked skin removing any stuborn dirt. She rubbed a sweet smelling liquid into my hair it was so heavenly she pulled me out with her wrapping a warmed towel around my body
Shauna walked off leaving me here so I started drying myself off, I got to my hair and screamed.
Shauna come running in like a bat out of hell slamming into a wall. "What's wrong what happened". She took a fighting stance chest heaving with every breath.
"My hair". I said looking at her shocked holding my hair out showing her.
She lowed her guard dropping her stance, looking confused.
"My hair it was black, this.... this isn't black this is almond brown". I said looking at my hair.
"I'm sure we can figure it out soon, here I grabbed you some clothes". She said walking back out picking up clothes all over the floor.
"I'm sorry, haha I didn't mean to make you throw them everywhere". I said taking the clothes from her.
"I'll be out here when your done". She said leaving me in the room again.
I slipped the softest material on that I have ever felt in my life, it feels like air dancing on my skin.
Once I adapted to the new sensations of the Fabric on my skin Shauna had given me I walked out of the room.