Chapter 13: A Shock for Emma!

Benny searched the Diner, the Surf club and finally the beach, growing more and more angry by the minute. Finally he caught sight of Kane and his younger sister, standing under the jetty, nestled in each other's arms. As the man watched, Kane whispered something in Emma's ear and the young girl giggled. Unable to take it any more, Benny sped up, almost breaking into a run.

The two teenagers were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't notice Benny approaching until the older man grabbed Emma's shoulder and physically pulled her away from Kane.

"What are you doing, Benny?" Emma said, shocked and angry. "What is your problem?"

"Him, he's my problem," Benny spat, keeping a tight grip on his sister's arm and glaring at Kane. "Do you know what he did, Emma? Do you know what he is?"

"What are you talking about?" Now she sounded confused. "Kane, what is he talking about?"

"He's a monster," Benny told her, taking a step back and pulling Emma with him. "He raped Dani Sutherland, Emma. He raped her."

"No," Emma shook her head and looked at Kane. "Kane…it isn't true, is it? Please tell me that it isn't true."

"It's true all right," Benny snarled. "Shelley told mum and she just told us. Why would she lie about something like that?"

"I don't know," her voice was trembling now. "There must be a…"

"No," Kane said quietly. "Shelley wasn't lying. I did…I did rape Dani. Please…just let me explain…"

"There's nothing to explain," Emma shook her head and backed away from him even further. "You make me sick! Just…just leave me alone, Kane."

She turned and fled across the sand. Benny started to go after her, before stopping and turning back to Kane.

"You heard what she said," he said, his tone quiet but menacing. "You stay away from her, Kane Philips. If you come near her or any of my family again, then I swear that I will kill you. That's a promise."

He turned and hurried off after his sister, leaving Kane standing alone, staring after them as a single tear leaked from his eye and ran down his cheek.

Back at home; Emma refused to say anything to anyone. She just grabbed Jordan from Jess, went upstairs to her room and cried, cried as though her heart was breaking. Kane had lied to her, lied to make her fall in love with him. He was nothing but an evil rapist, just like the man who had raped her. And she could sympathise with Dani, could understand the feelings of pain and anger and guilt that the other girl must have suffered. And she understood why everyone in the bay hated him so much, but what she couldn't understand was why no one had told her.

Jess and Susan both tried to talk to her, but Emma told them to go away. She was coping fine, she told them, and she didn't need them. But she was not coping, not at all.

After several hours of almost silent crying, the young girl went to have a bath and her eyes fell upon the medicine cabinet. Without thinking, her insides still numb with pain, she reached for the bottle of sleeping pills. Telling herself that she would only take two, to help her sleep, she opened the lid and tipped half of the bottle out onto her palm. Then, her mind still clouded, she quickly put them into her mouth and swallowed them. Her thoughts now entirely taken up by death and why she always attracted the wrong men, Emma grabbed her razor and slashed at her wrists. For the first time in over a year, she didn't think of anyone, not her family, not her son. She felt so terrible that all she wanted to do was die. It wasn't until she became dizzy that she realised what she had done. She collapsed on the floor and darkness overtook her…