FIFTY-TWO

I heard movement at the entrance and quickly scrambled up. I didn't know what to do or how to proceed. My first instinct was to hide. To hide from Valens. To hide from the world. To hide from the reality setting in. I wanted to somehow hide from myself too. I wanted to hide from the disgust crawling on my skin. I wanted to hide from the anger consuming me. I just wanted to disappear.

I also wanted to sleep. I wanted to close my eyes and open them to see none of this actually happened. I wanted to sleep and wake up to see all of this had been a terrible nightmare and not the reality I was about to face.

Who would I tell? How would I bring it up?

I didn't even have the complete details. I could not say for certain how it happened or why it happened but it happened. Those pictures were proof of the violation. Proof of the lack of empathy, the wickedness, with which I'd been treated.

"Sagira?" I heard Valens' footstep approach and suddenly I was scared.

I wasn't properly dressed. I didn't