Author's note: I apologise for this scene in advance if it upsets people, the subject of rape is never pleasant but I feel it is an important part in the story in explaining Sarah's pain and certain things she does later in the story. For those who are affected by things like this, please do not read this chapter, I do not wish to upset anyone, the story will still make sense without it. Feedback on this chapter would be much appreciated, as I'm still not sure about it. Thank you.

16 VISIONS IN DARKNESS

She could feel herself falling. Her heel got caught on the stairs and she tripped, banging her head as she landed, but she barely had time to register the pain before she was on her feet again running for her life. She hardly dared to glance back but as she reached the top of one flight of stairs and doubled back to go up the next flight she saw them only a few meters behind her. Two men, large, angry. Not giving herself time to think about the consequences of them catching her she sped off up the steps, desperate to get to her car before they reached her. She could see the door now just a few more steps. Her freedom seemed imminent. If she could get to her car she could escape, hell she'd run them over if she had to. Just a few more feet. Finally she reached the door, it was only as she crashed into it, banging her arm as she did so, that she remembered it was pull. She'd barely got her hand on the handle before she felt someone ripping it away, followed almost instantly by a heavy handed smack across the face. For a second all she could think of was how close she'd gotten to freedom and then she was forced up against the wall. Reflex's kicking in she lashed out at the attackers. She got in one punch at the first man's face before the other had her arms pinned up against the wall of the stair way. Using her feet she kicked that one in the balls only to be stunned by the first guys fist in her face, her stomach, his boot in her leg. Staggered by the immediate pain her legs lost their hold and she fell to the ground only to be hauled back up by her hair. The second man had now recovered from the blow to his groin and seconds later she felt her nose shatter followed by a few ribs cracking. Still struggling to escape she soon felt her arms raised above her head, whilst at the same time one of them restrained her legs. By this time she couldn't see due a gash on her forehead pouring blood into her eyes. Even so she never stopped trying to get free for a second, she could feel the blows raining down on her body, and still she fought, until a sudden movement on her trousers made her freeze. She felt the zipper being undone, the trousers being lowered. Instantly she went into a mad frenzy of movement in an attempt to break away from her captors, only to receive more heavy punches and even a few kicks in her ribs, her stomach. She felt her pants being pulled down and impossibly her movements increased in her panic. But the men were too strong, there were two of them, one of her. They were bigger, they were stronger, she was helpless, but she never stopped trying to escape. She never stopped moving. Never stopped fighting. She never gave up. Until she felt the hand on her thigh. As felt it begin to move higher she felt the first stirrings of despair, and then she felt her soul break as he destroyed her from the inside…

She woke up screaming. The nightmare still fresh in her mind. She knew what had happened, and for the first time since waking up, she felt the pain of what they'd done. She felt violated, dirty, disgusted. She hated herself, hated the pain. She was consumed with grief and despair. Her soul was filled with a darkness she knew could never be erased. She longed for a release from the pain, anything to stop what they'd done to her. The anguish rolled over her causing her to burst into tears, but no amount of tears could purge the sorrow from her. She longed for a knife, a blade, anything to help her stop this, to end this now. She wanted it over, wanted it finished, forever. She had no will to live after what they'd done. They'd destroyed her, destroyed what was left of her heart, her soul, her will to live. There was nothing left, nothing strong enough to get her to overcome this pain. Yet slowly she felt a calmness steal over her. The tears stopped, the pain receded, and slowly she felt herself fall back into unconsciousness, the kind that doesn't come with nightmares, the kind that doesn't come with pain, the kind that is empty of everything. A release for the soul.