The sun shone through the window as if the night had rolled into day without her noticing.
Struggling to get up Rollins held onto the bedside cabinet for support winching with pain she made her way into the Bathroom.
Turning on the tap to bath she slid to the floor and watched as spool spiral pools formed in the water, she used this to focus on while her mind struggled to accept what had happened the night before.
Crawling to the toilet she just made it as wave after wave of nausea washed over her and the stomach cramping heaves made the pain she felt even worse. Eventually the vomiting stopped and she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
Rollins pushed herself up from the basin and came face to face with herself in the mirror. The image looking back at her was pale and her lips cracked from the force there had been put under but apart from this the reflection looking back at her was just Rollins. She expected to look different, how different she didn't know, maybe 'rape' etched into her skin or two heads or something, she sure felt different but by looking at her no one would have known what had taken place in her apartment just a few short hours ago, maybe this was just some crazy nightmare!
As she towelled dried her body she couldn't escape what had happened as the towel came into contact with her most intimate parts and she gulped back tears that stung her eyes. Slowly she allowed her hand to replace the towel and she gentle felt herself, although she couldn't see she knew there was swelling and bruising, "this didn't happen" she kept telling herself as if repeating it would make the tell-tale signs on her body disappear.
About to climb back into bed and lick her wounds she stopped in her tracks as her phone rang. She Knew it would be work wondering why she wasn't in yet thinking of ignoring it she changed her mind knowing that someone would come by to see if she was ok.
"Rollins" she said into the receiver as she tried to control the tremor in her voice. "What's the excuse this time Rollins" her sergeant bellowed down the line, "this continual lateness is going on your file unless you get your butt in here right now". "Feeling a little under the weather today Serge", tears once again threaten at the harshness of his voice. She just couldn't cope with any other type of assault now, not even verbal. "You get your butt in today Rollins, dilute the alcohol your put away last night and be here in half hour or look for another career, you hear me"? And he hung up.
With her career on the line Rollins had no choice, she got dressed picked up her keys and headed for the office. The nearer she got the more she trembled, she had to grip the steering wheel until her knuckles went white to stop them from shaking.
As she entered the old building she walked straight into something hard "sorry" she mumbled as hands reached out to steady her. "Steady there Rollins" she heard him say and instantly her body froze. "Why so fast" said Chief Patterson, "do you have the devil himself chasing you"?
With that her head snapped up and she could see the warning in his eyes. Rollins composed herself as best she could "sorry Chief" she said in a near normal voice. "You could well be" he replied for her ears only and then winked as he left her standing like a rabbit caught in headlights in the middle of the foyer.
"I can't do this" she heard herself say as the room started to spin. Voices of concern faded out as her body final succumbed to the darkness engulfing her.