That's A Story For A Different Day
**This chapter has a depictions of rape. If you are sensitive to this subject then please avoid reading this chapter. Thank you.**
It just wasn't the same when she arrived back to the apartment. She was greeted by her D.O.C. drone at the door. She gave the drone a little tap as she stepped out of her boots and opened the bottle of rum. She began to drink large amounts of the wonderful drink on the way to the bedroom.
When she got into the bedroom she wasted no time digging through the side table drawer and retrieving four pills. She popped the pills into her mouth and downed them with the rum, finishing the bottle in the process. The covers were cold as she crawled underneath them. She mumbled to herself, "Why do I need a fuckin gun. Why the fuck does it matter." She was still rattling on about her argument with Octavio as she fell asleep.
Maybe if she wasn't listening to her music she would have heard the door open. Or maybe if she wasn't laying on her stomach she would have seen the light from the hallway creep into her room. She had just watched Octavio's latest attempt at The Gauntlet. She knew that he was disappointed that he didn't beat the record. Ajay had shot him a text but he hadn't responded yet. She was just a week away from getting out of this fucked up situation with her parents and once she left for the Frontier Corps she wasn't ever returning home.
She pressed her cheek into her pillow as she began to drift off the sleep. Her fingers tapped lightly to the beat of the music coming from her ear buds. She started to feel heavy, oddly heavy. Something didn't feel right to her. She yanked one of the ear buds out as she tried to roll over but she couldn't move.
It was too dark to see what was going on. She felt a warm breath on the back of her neck. Her mind began to panic as her body began to struggle but her arms were pinned down. "You can struggle all you want but I won't hesitate to knock you out." The voice was unfamiliar to her. Of course it could have been anyone from the party that her parents were hosting in their home on that night. She felt a single hand holding her wrists above her head as the other hand pulled the covers from her body.
Underneath the covers she was only wearing a black tank top and pink lace panties. "You're such a tease." She made out the voice to be a man's voice, at least she thought it was. She felt a hand slide along the middle of her ass to her pussy. The hand was rough and wasted no time touching her places that only Octavio had touched her. She began to struggle again until she felt something cold against her left shoulder and then a sharp pain radiated down her arm. Blood poured from her shoulder. "Keep it up slut and I will carve pieces of your flesh from you."
Ajay continued to push her body against the weight of whoever was on top of her and again another sharp cut of pain radiated along her skin and then another and another. Ajay continued to struggle but her assailant pushed their weight on her until she was almost suffocating against them. Her body began to shake underneath the man's weight.
Pain and trepidation set into her body, which caused a loud scream to erupt from her lips. The assailant's voice was stern, "Have it your way." It wasn't long before Ajay felt a sharp pain in back of her head. This pain wasn't unfamiliar and it caused her vision to pop with spots. Everything around her grew silent, like her head was being forced under water. Her eyes burned and swelled with tears before the world around her spun and she sunk into darkness.
Ajay's eyes were heavy as she forced them open. Her head throbbed as she tried to think and make sense of what was going on. The room was still too dark to see anything. She tried to roll off of her stomach but her body was too heavy. She felt like she was being forced into her mattress. She could feel her body being pushed downward and then with some recoil from the mattress it came back up and then it was forced back down again. Tears and blood streamed down her cheeks.
She cried silently as the assailant forced himself in and out of her. She laid there, paralyzed, in pain. Her body felt like it was being tore open from every movement of this man. After what felt like an eternity, she heard a load groan from the man on top of her. The man forced himself deep into her for a short moment as he finished. Ajay clenched her teeth together and closed her eyes tightly. She laid there and waited for the man to leave. It was all she could really do. It didn't take long for the man to leave and close the door behind him, leaving her in complete darkness.
When she was finally able to get herself together she sat up and fought the dizziness that suddenly came over her. She just sat there in her blood, tears, and bodily fluids. She got out of bed and threw on a hoodie, and pants. She didn't bother with her boots. She managed to wade through the darkness without running into anything or falling over.
She pulled the hood over her head and put her head down as she ambled through the crowd of people in her home. The lights were so bright that it made her head throb even more. Luckily the hood of her hoodie shielded her eyes and blocked out some of the light and prevented anyone from talking to her. The last thing she needed was to have some stupid conversation about meaningless rich people shit that she didn't even care about.
She fucking hated these events that her parents hosted. She hated them even more when she found out how her parents had been making their money, profiting off the war. Any chance her parents got they were always having some big event. The cool night air was the only comforting part of this whole nightmare. Ajay hurried down the street and walked several blocks until she ended up at the hospital.
When she got to the hospital all she could do was pace outside of the entrance for about an hour before entering the emergency room. Ajay knew she must have looked like a wreck when the nurse at the desk gave her a look of shock. She already felt disgusted with herself and the looks that she got from the staff didn't help. Ajay waited for a moment and thought that maybe she had made a mistake by coming to the hospital.
The nurse at the desk regained her composure, "How can I help you?" Ajay didn't really know what to say, so it took her a moment to get the words out, "I know it's not her department but is Lucy here?" The hospital was small so Ajay just hoped that there weren't multiple Lucy's. She also hoped that Lucy was actually working because she didn't really have anyone else. The nurse nodded and made a phone call.
Ajay walked back to the waiting room and paced some more. She nearly jumped when she felt a hand on her injured shoulder, "Ajay? They said you called for me." Ajay turned around and with her head down, "I didn't know where else to go. I don have no one." She raised her head up and to see Lucy's worried expression. "Let's get you into a room, okay?"
Lucy motioned for Ajay to follow her. She followed Lucy into an exam room and hardly noticed another nurse in the room with them. Ajay sat down on the exam table where Lucy pointed, "What happened Ajay?" The other nurse began getting Ajay's vital signs and listening to her lungs and heart.
Ajay pushed her hoodie from her head and only to hear the other nurse gasp beside her. Whatever was going on it didn't seem to shake Lucy. Nothing felt real in that moment as Ajay thought about how to explain what had happened. Ajay felt like she was standing beside herself, watching, as the whole ordeal unfolded. "Um. He forced himself on me." She felt like she was miles away as she spoke. The words that she was saying didn't feel real.
Lucy knelt down, eye level, with Ajay as she spoke. "I know this is a very sensitive topic but it's very important that I ask you. Did he rape you?" Ajay swallowed hard and nodded, "Yah." The other nurse left the room and Lucy continued to speak with Ajay, "Did he do all of this to you?" Ajay really didn't know what Lucy was talking about but she nodded anyway, "Yah." Lucy nodded and gave Ajay a moment before she continued, "Do you know who he was?" Ajay closed her eyes tightly. "Nah. I'm sorry." Lucy nodded, "It's okay. I'm here."
Lucy gently touched Ajay's hand and held it as she spoke to her, "Ajay is it okay if we collect samples for a rape kit. The police will need to be here but I will be here too." Ajay nodded because it was all that she could do. The other nurse came back into the room with some bags and supplies. "Ajay I will need all your clothing. The police will need it for evidence."
Ajay nodded as the other nurse began opening bags and Lucy helped Ajay peel off her clothing, putting each article of clothing into an individual bag. "Ajay, this is the only part that I really can't do. One of the officers will have to come in and photograph you. I can stay with you the whole time." Ajay nodded trying to hold back tears. She waited for her inner voice to kick in but there was nothing but silence. Terrible, irrational, silence.
The photographing took a long time. Lucy had to point out new bruises and marks amongst the old ones. They had to take detailed pictures of ligature marks that were left behind on Ajay's neck. Lucy helped part Ajay's hair where there was a laceration. Ajay's left shoulder and neck were the worst, with multiple lacerations from some sort of knife or blade. Ajay knew that she would need stitches at some point.
Lucy stayed with Ajay the entire time. After the officer finished photographing Ajay, Lucy and the other nurse began collecting samples on cotton swabs from every area of Ajay's body. After they collected everything they needed to collect, and the doctor examined her Ajay was finally allowed to get into a hospital gown after the doctor was done.
The officer took an official statement from Ajay, which wasn't much. She couldn't remember much because it was too dark and she had been unconscious for most of it. They did ask if it would be okay to go to her house and examine the scene. All Ajay could did was nod in agreement. She really didn't know what her parents would think or do if the cops showed up at their home.
Lucy stayed with Ajay while the other nurse retrieved some medication and supplies. "Ajay I am going to give you some medication so that you don't…" Ajay interrupted her, "I get it. What kind of parent would I be? I can't even take care of myself." Lucy frowned and stood up. Lucy gave Ajay a hug, "This has nothing to do with that." Ajay nodded in disbelief.
The other nurse returned and Ajay promptly took the pill the nurse offered her. "Ajay I need to give you stitches. Can I give you some pain medication first?" Ajay nodded again. Lucy began to prep some pain medication with a needle and syringe. "After I get done here the doctor wants you to have some scans done of your head and other parts of your body." Ajay knew what she meant by other parts of her body.
Lucy and the other nurse stitched Ajay up and then she was sent off for CT scans. Ajay laid alone in a small room. She didn't bother with the light or the television, she just laid there in the dark. She didn't even want to be in her own body at this point. She tried to pretend she was somewhere. She knew that Lucy couldn't stay with her the whole time. The doctor had explained to her that she wanted Ajay to stay the night or two observation. She knew that someone had come to check on her several times because she could hear the door to her room open and close every once in a while.
Eventually the night bled into morning and Lucy came back to her room, "Hey Ajay I went to your house and got you some clothes and your phone." Ajay sat up from the bed. "Don't worry. I didn't say anything to your parents. They don't even know you're here." Ajay nodded, "Thank you." Ajay and Lucy were interrupted by the doctor who came in to give Ajay and update about her scans. "Well Ajay it looks like you have a mild a concussion." Ajay wasn't surprised about that information.
The rest of the information cut right through her and made her heart ache almost instantaneously, "I usually don't say this with certainty but you are not pregnant." Ajay thought that was a good thing. The doctor continued, "The scans showed a lot of trauma to your uterus and ovaries. It's very unlikely that you would ever be able to get pregnant. Were you ever in any kind of accident?" Ajay tilted her head downward as tears began to pour down her cheeks and into her lap. Lucy got up and whispered something to the doctor. The doctor nodded and left.
Ajay sat and sobbed while Lucy sat down next to her and rubbed her back. The room was silent except for Ajay's sobbing. Once Ajay calmed down Lucy got up, "I have an idea. Maybe a shower will help?" Ajay nodded and followed Lucy towards the bathroom. Lucy turned on the shower and got everything ready, "Do you want me to help you?" Ajay shook her head, "Nah. I got it." Lucy offered Ajay a smile, "Okay. I will be right out here if you need me." Lucy gently shut the bathroom door behind her as she left.
Ajay pulled the hospital gown off and looked at her bruised and battered body in the mirror. Tears began to fall from her cheeks again. Besides the areas the nurses had cleaned, she had blood all over her face and body. Her long redish, brown hair was matted with areas of blood. The more that she looked at herself in the mirror the less she recognized who she was. She climbed into the shower, unable to look at herself anymore.
The water was warm as it ran along her skin. She stood there for a long time and let the water run over her. She watched as the rust colored water as it circled down the drain. She waited for the water to turn clear but it never did. She finally got the courage to wash her hair and then her body. She scrubbed her body until it hurt, until it was bleeding again. She wanted to scrub away what had happened to her but she knew she couldn't. Her whole body was aching; physically and emotionally.
After she was done with the shower Lucy helped her get dressed into her bra, panties, a loose fitting top, black leggings, a hoodie, and her favorite boots. "Ajay do you have anyone to talk to about this? If you don't I have some resources." Lucy waited patiently for Ajay to answer her. Ajay nodded, "I do." It was a lie. She didn't like lying to the only person that helped her but she knew that if she told her she didn't have anyone, then Lucy wouldn't leave her alone. "Okay. Do you want me to stay the night with you?" Ajay shook her head again. "Nah. I'll be fine."
Lucy nodded and gave Ajay a hug before she left. Ajay sat in her bed and turned on her phone. She had a few missed phone calls from Octavio. She really didn't know if she could talk to him right now or how she could even begin to explain to him about what had happened to her. She didn't want him to look at her any differently. She didn't want his pity. She was in such a fragile state right now but she never wanted him to think of her that way. She pushed her thoughts away and continued to scroll through her phone, but as soon as she did Octavio's name popped up on the screen as he was calling her.
Ajay accidently clicked the 'answer' button. Her anxiety shot through the roof as she placed the phone against her ear with a shaky hand. "Che?" Octavio's voice had a little concern in it. "Silva?" She almost sounded broken, even though she tried not to. "Are you okay?" His voice was a little less concerned when he heard her voice.
She felt like it was a loaded question. She really didn't how to answer him. She knew she was overthinking it, "What's up Silva? You never call unless ya want something or it's important." Octavio laughed because he knew that was true, "Si. I almost broke the record. I was so close Che. I can feel it. I am going to beat that record and show everyone. My padre, all of my followers will be so impressed…."
She cut him off because she just couldn't have this conversation with him right now, "Tavi." Octavio stopped talking immediately, "Ajay?" She swallowed hard, "Please stop. I can't right now." She hung up the phone and turned it off completely. She never, ever, called him Tavi. In fact that was the first time she had referred to him as 'Tavi' in all of the years of their friendship. He had also never called her Ajay. She really didn't know how to feel when he called her 'Ajay' but she really didn't care right now. She was beginning to feel numb. She sunk into the bed and laid there in a ball on her side.