Keeping the keys in the bowl next to the door, Alia entered her apartment, the apartment she shared with her best friend, Kiara. Kiara came out with a cup of coffee in her hand saying, “You have got deliveries”

Alia had a big smile on her face. She thought it must be from her boyfriend, Lucky who does internship with her in the same company. She unlocked her room and saw her room full of roses. Terror swept her. Looking at the roses, she knew he found her. Demons of past have finally caught up with her. She picked up the card with her hands which were still shaking. It said:

Hi darling,

I know missed me…

She started breathing heavily. Tears were running down her cheeks. She hurriedly closed the door and ran out of the apartment. Kiara followed her and found her on the staircase terrified. Alia hugged her tightly like a little child who has seen a nightmare come to life. She murmured, “He is back. He is back, K”

Kiara was stroking her hair saying, “Dear, it is fine. I am here”

 

At night, Alia had trouble sleeping. The feeling of those eyes keeping a watch over her every move gave her chills. She hugged her knees tightly and had her eyes fixed at the rose which Kiara forgot while cleaning up. She gathered courage to stepped down from her bed and pick it. Squeezing it in her hand, she said, “I am not afraid of you. I am not”

Her phone beeped. She looked over her phone scared. She was relieved to see Lucky’s name flashing. She knew talking to him will make her feel safe. After he talked to him, she felt grateful for there was someone who can make her smile in any situation. As she was about to doze off to sleep, her phone beeped. She looked over and panic made her heart beat faster.

Darling

Does he know your little secret??

XOXO

Yes, her nightmare has returned. She was sure of this.

 

Keeping herself contained in one corner, she couldn’t focus on her work. She ignored Lucky and kept a safe distance from everyone. Her heart used to beat faster whenever her phone beeped. She knew he will not rest unless he had destroyed her whole life.

When her boss called her in his cabin, she thought she might have messed up something. Sliding in her chair, she said, “Sorry sir, if I had messed something. There has been a lot of things going on in my life.”

He gazed up from his laptop at her saying, “Miss Alia, I am sorry we can’t work with you anymore”

She asked, “Sir, may I ask what did I do wrong?”

He had his eyes fixed at her, “You didn’t tell you had drug problems. I just received a medical certificate which said you were an addict.”

She shook her head, “No, it was my past. You don’t understand. I used to be drugged. I didn’t do it on my own”

He handed her an envelope, “I can’t do anything now. You can leave now”

She took the envelope and left the room.

 

Alia took out a box which was kept in back of her cupboard. She was scared to relive her past but after he had made her life fall in pieces in just one day, she knew she had nothing to lose. When Lucky broke up with her today over a message which she was sure he had sent him, she knew she had to face him now. When she finally had her life back together, he came back and ruined it.

He…she saw his photo. Smiling with her mom on their wedding day. Alia was against this wedding because her mother never saw the face that she saw. Yes, he was her step-father. She remembers how he used to punish her for something or other. When her mother fell sick, she knew her life is going to be more terrifying. And when her mother died, life became worse for her. He used to abuse her day and night, drug her to keep her mouth shut and make her eat the leftovers. She was a body without a soul, a body which urged for drugs because her system would crave for it; for if she took it, she would not feel the pain at night, as he liked to share her night.

All those images flashing in front of her eyes, all the unspeakable things that he did to her, all the pain and suffering that a fifteen year old had. She took the rose in her hand and knew what it meant. One rose meant one guy, two roses meant two guys and so on. When she was given roses by him in morning, she understood what was going to happen at night. She was grateful for her teacher who made him go to jail and took her under her wing.

All those images made her feel dirty. As she came out of the shower, she messaged him to come and meet her.

 

He stood there in the basement of the building with those eyes fixed at her. When he looked at her like that, she used to feel uncomfortable. But today, she was not scared. She had nothing that he could destroy. He walked close to her and took her hand in his saying, “I knew you would never forget your daddy. Oh, my little girl”

She shouted taking her hand away, “I am not your little girl”

He cupped her face saying, “Sweetie, you know I look for your best. That guy was not good for you. You don’t trust your father?”

Anger was rushing in her veins. She pushed him back screaming, “I am not your daughter. You are not my father. You have ruined my life. You ruined me”

She looked over and saw an iron rod lying there. Every atom of her body wanted to kill him for whatever he did. He said, “You know I can kill you easily if are having thoughts about harming me”

She hinted a smile, “Too bad that I am already dead. I died the first time you ruined me”

She took the rod and hit him in his leg, “Well, this is to all those men who think women are just dolls to play with”

She hit him again, “This is for sharing that doll after drugging her”

She was going to hit him again when Kiara called out, “Alia stop!”

Turning around, she saw Kiara standing there with cops. Alia rushed to hug her as cops arrested him.

 

“HE” didn’t have a name because he can’t be identified with one person. Not everyone is like “him” but some people can be identified with “him”. Alia faced her childhood fear and hit it back with more force.

Fear will only make you fearful till the time you decide to not be afraid of it.