[ ] indicates character thought... {} indicates ‘other’ thought...
Caroline climbed out of bed and headed straight for the kitchen. Feeling thirsty, she went to the sink and turned on the tap. That’s when she saw them, sitting in a container on the windowsill. A single word passed through her mind as she pulled one out of the wooden holder.
[Knife.]
She ran her finger across the blade, watching curiously as a thin line of blood was left. Ignoring the small wound, Caroline made her way back to the bedroom, clutching the weapon tightly.
Sandy was there, fast asleep, lying on his back. She brushed the hair from his face and kissed him lightly on the lips. Then she stepped back and surveyed the body.
Without a second thought, Caroline rammed the knife deep into his chest. A small moan escaped from his throat as a trickle of blood snaked down his chin.
Caroline let go. She watched him die vacantly; she didn’t care. Just then, a hand grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. Looking up, she saw Petrov smiling at her wickedly.
“Remember my dear, this is our little secret.”
He leant down and kissed her, forcing her to the ground. His hands roamed Caroline’s body roughly as he pulled her pyjamas off her passive form. Biting her neck, Petrov violently thrust into her, satisfying his hunger for self pleasure.
Unmoving and dull, Caroline let him violate her body as it jerked with every cruel jab, over and over and over again. Distantly, she could hear someone call her name, echoing in her skull.
[Caroline... Caroline!...]
“Caroline, wake up!” Sandy shook his partner’s body gently. She was having another nightmare. He didn’t know what it was about; she refused to tell him. Instead, she let him comfort her.
Suddenly, the jerking and tossing stopped, as Caroline gasped loudly and bolted upright. Sweat beaded across her forehead, and her body shook as her mind replayed the dream; again.
Sandy put his arm around her, and she sagged against him, silent tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Do you want to tell me what the dream was about?” Sandy asked quietly.
Caroline shook her head no. She couldn’t tell him. She couldn’t tell anyone. The words kept rebounding through her mind. “Remember my dear, this is our little secret.” What would he do to her if she told? She shuddered at the thought of Petrov having his way with her; again.
Although it was just a dream it felt oh so real. The tingling throb as she cut her finger. The sound of the knife plunging into Sandy. And the pain- the agonising pain inflicted by Petrov; to which she was helpless to respond.
Was it real? Caroline tried to think. In the back of her mind she felt a tinge of discomfort. A dull ache that seemed to be everywhere. [Think Caroline, think. Where does it hurt?] And slowly the pain began to localise; finger, neck, breasts and... and she didn’t want to think about where else. It was... embarrassing. [Petrov. He had sex with me. Or was it rape? It hurts. Does it really hurt, or am I just imagining it?]
Sluggishly she climbed out of bed. Sandy was saying something. What was it? Her mind seemed to be fogged up and blurry, yet she knew exactly where she was going, and what she was going to do. There wasn’t anyone in the kitchen yet. At five in the morning, you wouldn’t expect there to be; not in this household anyway. Caroline went to the sink and leant heavily on the edge, forcing herself to stare at the tap.
{They’re right there, Caroline. Go on, take a look. You know you want to. All you have to do is look...}
Caroline’s gaze gradually made it’s way to the windowsill, where the wooden container was sitting there, full of knives. She found herself reaching up towards them and grasping for a handle.
CRASH!
She stepped back suddenly, taking in a sharp breath as the knives fell off the ledge and onto the metal surface of the sink.
[What the hell was I doing?]
Sandy came rushing in, upon hearing the loud noise.
“Caroline! Are you alright? What happened?”
“I... I, uh, I...” Caroline stammered.
{What did you do? Tell him.}
“I just knocked the knives off the ledge, that’s all.” She told him.
Sandy sighed in relief.
“Oh, that’s ok then; as long as you weren’t hurt.” He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and hugged her. “I’ve been worried about you lately. Those dreams have really shaken you up.”
{They’re just dreams. You’re fine, and you don’t want to talk about it; do you?}
“I’m fine, Sandy. They’re only dreams, nothing to worry about.”
Sandy squeezed her tightly. “I know, but still... Remember I’m *always* here is you change your mind about talking.”
“Yeah, I know and I appreciate it. Thankyou.”
Sandy smiled and kissed her on the tops of her head before heading to the shower. Caroline stood and stared at the knives spilled over the sink.
{Well, are you going to pick them up, or just look at them?}
[Look at them.]
{Pick them up. You can’t just leave them there, can you? Someone could hurt themselves.}
[I... I don’t want to...]
{Do it! Pick up the knives and put them away!}
Caroline stretched her arm forward to collect them. She took hold of the largest one there, and found herself not putting it away, but bringing it closer to herself.
{Be careful with that, it’s sharp...}