Disclaimers: I have no rights over Sailor moon and gundam wing. Please no sue!
How does one escape a living nightmare? One that starts out as a dream, a fantasy, but when you least expect it, turns into a black void, a nothingness. A nightmare that consumes your entire being and suffocates you until you are no longer able to breathe and it inevitably destroys you. This nightmare is dangerously real, it takes what you thought were your dreams and turns them against you,leaving you alone and frightened. Come and experience one woman's journey through catastrophe, self-discovery and the one thing that will ultimately heal her battered soul.... love.
Serena Chiba silently stepped out the ageing food suppy store and let the sunlight beam down upon her. Her hair down from her normal odangos and hanging freely catching the sunlight head on and making her hair shine like the sun. Hesitantly she pulled up the collar of her turtle neck a little higher before walking to the parking lot. It wasn't cold enough during the day to be wearing a turtleneck, but that was the only thing she had that covered up the bruises on her neck,and not to mention on her arms.
Her normally bright blue eyes dulled to a dark blue, one that contrasted with the beauty of her pale skin.Her baby, Rini ,had blue eyes, they were Serena's eyes, and not his.She was thankful they were not his.Rini had her father's haircolor though, pitch black. Black , black reminded her of something tragic, evil, something to be afraid of, like her husband, Darien.It was he who caused all this pain and suffering, but most of all the bruises on her body. Bruises that she must keep hidden, otherwise people will get suspicious and ask questions.
Serena knew from experience that suspicion is bad. People finding out equals another savage beating from Darien. And heavens knows she doesn't want that, its common sense after all. But it gets frightening, living in timidity for fear that she will trigger some hidden monster inside him and all hell brakes loose.
She walked to the nearest bus stop a block away and sat in the bench, letting the uncomfortable paper bag shift from her lap to the floor, waiting for the bus. The only reason why she didnt just leave right now was the fact that Rini was in the house with Darien. He was afraid of her leaving so he kept their daughter with him to make sure she wouldnt pack up and leave him behind. She honestly dreaded going back, but she wouldnt leave her only daughter with that monster alone.
The bus arrived and the doors swung open. She cursed inwardly at the thing and sighed. She always felt going through that door was like going through the gates of hell.
'Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many who go by it.' ( 1) She thought. 'This is my road to destruction.' She would have laughed at that but, she believed it. This bus would take her back to hell.
Climbing aboard the bus she chose to sit in the very back, next to the window and hoped no one would sit next to her. Not with these bruises on the borderline of being visible. She laid her groceries on the seat next to her and stared out the window, letting her eyes quickly gaze over the landscape as she passed them.
Upon the first stop, a young couple walked in the bus and took a seat in front of Serena. Normally, she wouldnt pay attention to them, but this time , she couldnt help it. She couldnt hear, but she saw the young man whisper something into his love's ear and she giggled happily and gave the man a kiss.
She could feel the beginings of a tear in her eyes as she saw what she was missing in her life. She wished she had what the young woman had, to be in love like that, to have someone treat her like they loved her, not like Darien does. She couldnt remember the last time someone looked at her like that,she missed the simple things like holding hands and giving each other stolen kisses when they thought other people werent looking.
She sighed. Laying her head against the window, Serena closed her eyes and tried with all her might to stop the tears that threatened to spill. All she could do was breathe and wait for the bus to start the ride home.
' This is it. This is the last stop......MY stop.'
Serena walked out on the three metallic steps and blindly placing her foot on the dirt ground. Reluctantly, she finally stepped of the bus. She didnt move from her spot until the loud,whiny creek of the doors closed, snapping her out of her trance.
Helplessly, she watched as her only escape to freedom drive off, leaving her to choke on the rising dust clouds. Suddenly, the skies darkened and the temperature dropped, making Serena shudder involuntarily. She could hear the thunder rumble quietly in the distance and she knew it was going to rain and frowned.
" Great, just the thing to make my day just a little bit worse."
She picked up her pace, obviously not wanting to get caught in the down pour. She knew she wasnt fast enough and could hear the thunder getting closer now. 'Damn, I knew i should have brought my umbrella.'
She panicked and tried to speed up, but it was useless. She was too weak and she knew it, Darien's beatings finally got to her. Go figure.It soon began to drizzle lightly and Serena reached out her hand and stared at the tiny droplets of water as they fell from the sky and landed on her frail hand.Lighting and thunder proceded to strike and she started walking once more, almost home.
" Oh no. Please let me make it on time. Please let me make it on time. Please let me make it on time......." She chanted outloud over and over to herself. The burden of her groceries didnt make it any easier for her but she clutched the paper bag to her chest painfully anyways.
" Please let me make it on time. Please let me make it on time....." She countinued to chant, hoping to God that he would hear her cries and take pity on her. No matter how much she pleaded, it seemed as if the rivers of heaven opened up on earth and soaked her surroundings, giving energy to the dry and parched earth. It did quite the opposite, and frustrated Serena even further.
" Aww shit! damn you. Damn you! Damn you!!" she cried to no one in particular. She sped up, her tears of frustration mixing with the rain. When she wasnt blinded by her tears or frustration, she saw she was walking right in the middle of the road and immediately set back on the dirt sidewalk. Afterall, she didnt want to be hit by a car!
' Yes, I would just add that to the already horrible things that I have going on in my life right now.' She thought dryly.
And wouldn't you know it, just when she thought it couldnt get any worse, her right foot slid through damp mud, sending her falling forward. Instictively she put her hands out to brace the fall, but the mudd was too damp, just making her slip face frist into the mud instead.
She sat up, in pure shock she just gazed at her groceries, spread messily on the ground, soaking up the mud and water. Her left eye started to twitch and water, her fists clutching and unclutching at her sides. She threw her head back and let out a loud wail. She just cried and cried. God, it felt soo good to cry, she hadn't cried out like this since she was what? Fourteen? Fifteen?
" WHY DOES THINGS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO MMMEEEE?????!!!!"
She pounded the ground furiously, cursing at the rain, cursing the mud, the groceries, and finally, cursed at herself for the mess she got herself into. She didnt even like shopping, darien had made her go get food.
" WHY ME? WHY ME?! WHY! WHY! WHY!"
She couldnt cry anymore, her throat hurt from all the crying and her legs started to fall asleep from kneeling on the ground for so long. It was still raining, the drops rolled off her face and her clothes were so soaked that she started to shake. Every once and awhile, a car would pass by, but none would stop to help.
' Screw them. I dont need anybody.'
She could faintly hear one coming down the road right now. She didnt care, she didnt have enough energy to care.It came closer and closer, it seemed to sped up and then...... nothing.
' What? Where did it go? Oh,well.'
She returned to think about how Darien is going to react when he finds out that what little money he gave her was wasted because she dropped the food in the mud.
' He's going to freaking kill me. 'Gonna freaking kill me.'
The car that she heard previously suddenly came into view, the screeching tires slicing through the silence. The headlights temporarily blinded her as the car was on it's way to passing her. She noticed a large puddle of the side of the road and sweatdropped. She quickly tried to move out of the way.
' He's going to fast. Going to splash me. He's going too fast. Going to......."
The car hurrily sped by , causing a wave of dirty water and mud to splash against her.
" ...........Splash me." She finished her thought, looking down at herself and finally exploded.
" YOU JERK! WATCH WHERE YOUR GOING!!!!! WHY DONT YOU COME OVER AND DO THAT AGAIN!?!" She yelled, her voice hoarse and her arms flinging wildly in the air, making quite a scene.
She finally got a good lok at the car. A hunter green Explorer. Why did that car seem familiar? The said car slowed considerably and then stopped and stayed in its place for a few seconds. Making a considerably sharp U-turn, headed its way back to Serena.
' I didnt mean for you to come back literally.Oh God, what if its some crazy psycho killer? What if he's going to kill me right here? I might never see Darien or Rini again. That would be so horrible! Well, Not seeing Darien again isnt that bad after all, but what about Rini?'
She was down right petrified. She croutched down and refused to look up. If they're going to kill her, then do it while she's not looking. The car slowly backed up until it was close enough to Serena that if the driver were to open the door, he could easily reach out and touch her. Neither she moved nor did anyone in the car move for the first 20 to 30 seconds. She heard the window rolling down and waited for the person the take thier gun out and shoot, but nothing happened.
"Serena? Is that you?......."
'That voice. I know that voice! Who is th...Duo!'
" Duo?" Serena asked confused.
" Oh my god Serena, oh my god,I'm soo sorry. What are you doing here? Why are you out in the rain? I'm so sorry I didnt know it was you."
Duo raced out of his car and opened an umbrella and tried to prevent her getting wet anymore than she already was. He took a good look over her and made sure she wasnt hurt or anything. He placed the umbrella in her hands and ran back to his car to take out a large beach towel. He draped the towel around her and rubbed her shoulders tring to get the circulation going.
" Serena....... You're shaking."
How does one escape a living nightmare? One that starts out as a dream, a fantasy, but when you least expect it, turns into a black void, a nothingness. A nightmare that consumes your entire being and suffocates you until you are no longer able to breathe and it inevitably destroys you. This nightmare is dangerously real, it takes what you thought were your dreams and turns them against you,leaving you alone and frightened. Come and experience one woman's journey through catastrophe, self-discovery and the one thing that will ultimately heal her battered soul.... love.
Serena Chiba silently stepped out the ageing food suppy store and let the sunlight beam down upon her. Her hair down from her normal odangos and hanging freely catching the sunlight head on and making her hair shine like the sun. Hesitantly she pulled up the collar of her turtle neck a little higher before walking to the parking lot. It wasn't cold enough during the day to be wearing a turtleneck, but that was the only thing she had that covered up the bruises on her neck,and not to mention on her arms.
Her normally bright blue eyes dulled to a dark blue, one that contrasted with the beauty of her pale skin.Her baby, Rini ,had blue eyes, they were Serena's eyes, and not his.She was thankful they were not his.Rini had her father's haircolor though, pitch black. Black , black reminded her of something tragic, evil, something to be afraid of, like her husband, Darien.It was he who caused all this pain and suffering, but most of all the bruises on her body. Bruises that she must keep hidden, otherwise people will get suspicious and ask questions.
Serena knew from experience that suspicion is bad. People finding out equals another savage beating from Darien. And heavens knows she doesn't want that, its common sense after all. But it gets frightening, living in timidity for fear that she will trigger some hidden monster inside him and all hell brakes loose.
She walked to the nearest bus stop a block away and sat in the bench, letting the uncomfortable paper bag shift from her lap to the floor, waiting for the bus. The only reason why she didnt just leave right now was the fact that Rini was in the house with Darien. He was afraid of her leaving so he kept their daughter with him to make sure she wouldnt pack up and leave him behind. She honestly dreaded going back, but she wouldnt leave her only daughter with that monster alone.
The bus arrived and the doors swung open. She cursed inwardly at the thing and sighed. She always felt going through that door was like going through the gates of hell.
'Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many who go by it.' ( 1) She thought. 'This is my road to destruction.' She would have laughed at that but, she believed it. This bus would take her back to hell.
Climbing aboard the bus she chose to sit in the very back, next to the window and hoped no one would sit next to her. Not with these bruises on the borderline of being visible. She laid her groceries on the seat next to her and stared out the window, letting her eyes quickly gaze over the landscape as she passed them.
Upon the first stop, a young couple walked in the bus and took a seat in front of Serena. Normally, she wouldnt pay attention to them, but this time , she couldnt help it. She couldnt hear, but she saw the young man whisper something into his love's ear and she giggled happily and gave the man a kiss.
She could feel the beginings of a tear in her eyes as she saw what she was missing in her life. She wished she had what the young woman had, to be in love like that, to have someone treat her like they loved her, not like Darien does. She couldnt remember the last time someone looked at her like that,she missed the simple things like holding hands and giving each other stolen kisses when they thought other people werent looking.
She sighed. Laying her head against the window, Serena closed her eyes and tried with all her might to stop the tears that threatened to spill. All she could do was breathe and wait for the bus to start the ride home.
' This is it. This is the last stop......MY stop.'
Serena walked out on the three metallic steps and blindly placing her foot on the dirt ground. Reluctantly, she finally stepped of the bus. She didnt move from her spot until the loud,whiny creek of the doors closed, snapping her out of her trance.
Helplessly, she watched as her only escape to freedom drive off, leaving her to choke on the rising dust clouds. Suddenly, the skies darkened and the temperature dropped, making Serena shudder involuntarily. She could hear the thunder rumble quietly in the distance and she knew it was going to rain and frowned.
" Great, just the thing to make my day just a little bit worse."
She picked up her pace, obviously not wanting to get caught in the down pour. She knew she wasnt fast enough and could hear the thunder getting closer now. 'Damn, I knew i should have brought my umbrella.'
She panicked and tried to speed up, but it was useless. She was too weak and she knew it, Darien's beatings finally got to her. Go figure.It soon began to drizzle lightly and Serena reached out her hand and stared at the tiny droplets of water as they fell from the sky and landed on her frail hand.Lighting and thunder proceded to strike and she started walking once more, almost home.
" Oh no. Please let me make it on time. Please let me make it on time. Please let me make it on time......." She chanted outloud over and over to herself. The burden of her groceries didnt make it any easier for her but she clutched the paper bag to her chest painfully anyways.
" Please let me make it on time. Please let me make it on time....." She countinued to chant, hoping to God that he would hear her cries and take pity on her. No matter how much she pleaded, it seemed as if the rivers of heaven opened up on earth and soaked her surroundings, giving energy to the dry and parched earth. It did quite the opposite, and frustrated Serena even further.
" Aww shit! damn you. Damn you! Damn you!!" she cried to no one in particular. She sped up, her tears of frustration mixing with the rain. When she wasnt blinded by her tears or frustration, she saw she was walking right in the middle of the road and immediately set back on the dirt sidewalk. Afterall, she didnt want to be hit by a car!
' Yes, I would just add that to the already horrible things that I have going on in my life right now.' She thought dryly.
And wouldn't you know it, just when she thought it couldnt get any worse, her right foot slid through damp mud, sending her falling forward. Instictively she put her hands out to brace the fall, but the mudd was too damp, just making her slip face frist into the mud instead.
She sat up, in pure shock she just gazed at her groceries, spread messily on the ground, soaking up the mud and water. Her left eye started to twitch and water, her fists clutching and unclutching at her sides. She threw her head back and let out a loud wail. She just cried and cried. God, it felt soo good to cry, she hadn't cried out like this since she was what? Fourteen? Fifteen?
" WHY DOES THINGS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO MMMEEEE?????!!!!"
She pounded the ground furiously, cursing at the rain, cursing the mud, the groceries, and finally, cursed at herself for the mess she got herself into. She didnt even like shopping, darien had made her go get food.
" WHY ME? WHY ME?! WHY! WHY! WHY!"
She couldnt cry anymore, her throat hurt from all the crying and her legs started to fall asleep from kneeling on the ground for so long. It was still raining, the drops rolled off her face and her clothes were so soaked that she started to shake. Every once and awhile, a car would pass by, but none would stop to help.
' Screw them. I dont need anybody.'
She could faintly hear one coming down the road right now. She didnt care, she didnt have enough energy to care.It came closer and closer, it seemed to sped up and then...... nothing.
' What? Where did it go? Oh,well.'
She returned to think about how Darien is going to react when he finds out that what little money he gave her was wasted because she dropped the food in the mud.
' He's going to freaking kill me. 'Gonna freaking kill me.'
The car that she heard previously suddenly came into view, the screeching tires slicing through the silence. The headlights temporarily blinded her as the car was on it's way to passing her. She noticed a large puddle of the side of the road and sweatdropped. She quickly tried to move out of the way.
' He's going to fast. Going to splash me. He's going too fast. Going to......."
The car hurrily sped by , causing a wave of dirty water and mud to splash against her.
" ...........Splash me." She finished her thought, looking down at herself and finally exploded.
" YOU JERK! WATCH WHERE YOUR GOING!!!!! WHY DONT YOU COME OVER AND DO THAT AGAIN!?!" She yelled, her voice hoarse and her arms flinging wildly in the air, making quite a scene.
She finally got a good lok at the car. A hunter green Explorer. Why did that car seem familiar? The said car slowed considerably and then stopped and stayed in its place for a few seconds. Making a considerably sharp U-turn, headed its way back to Serena.
' I didnt mean for you to come back literally.Oh God, what if its some crazy psycho killer? What if he's going to kill me right here? I might never see Darien or Rini again. That would be so horrible! Well, Not seeing Darien again isnt that bad after all, but what about Rini?'
She was down right petrified. She croutched down and refused to look up. If they're going to kill her, then do it while she's not looking. The car slowly backed up until it was close enough to Serena that if the driver were to open the door, he could easily reach out and touch her. Neither she moved nor did anyone in the car move for the first 20 to 30 seconds. She heard the window rolling down and waited for the person the take thier gun out and shoot, but nothing happened.
"Serena? Is that you?......."
'That voice. I know that voice! Who is th...Duo!'
" Duo?" Serena asked confused.
" Oh my god Serena, oh my god,I'm soo sorry. What are you doing here? Why are you out in the rain? I'm so sorry I didnt know it was you."
Duo raced out of his car and opened an umbrella and tried to prevent her getting wet anymore than she already was. He took a good look over her and made sure she wasnt hurt or anything. He placed the umbrella in her hands and ran back to his car to take out a large beach towel. He draped the towel around her and rubbed her shoulders tring to get the circulation going.
" Serena....... You're shaking."