Chapter 9

　　She feels her back against the wall and she flinches as he barks at her. She doesn't know why she is so scared of him or the reason why he hates her so much.

　　"Keith, please!"

　　"My Dad told me never to let a girl beat me in anything and I am going to teach you never to come for me." He threatens.

　　Before she can make any move to defend herself, he grabs her by her hair and pulls hard.

　　They might be only early teenagers, but he is so much stronger - maybe because he is bigger and eats good food. She hardly eats at home.

　　"Keith, stop! Help!" She screams.

　　He hits her head against the wall and that's how she loses most of her strength. She falls to the ground and he gets on top of her.

　　She starts to sob and tries to fight him off with her feeble hands, but it's not working at all.

　　She goes for her shirt and rips it apart like it's a piece of paper. The poor shirt is so old.

　　"Keith! Keith!" She hits his chest with all her might - only if it was enough, he doesn't feel a thing.

　　Her small breasts are still protected by her brown bra and she holds her hands over them, seeing that's what he would go for next.

　　He slaps her across the face and grabs her by the throat for trying to resist him.

　　He uses his free hand to push her skirt up and begins to feel around for the elastic band of her pants.

　　"Keith! What the fuck are you doing?!"

　　Edna looks through her tears and she recognizes Malik at the door.

　　He looks shocked at the sight he is beholding and he rushes at his brother and throws him off her.

　　"Malik, stay the hell out of this. It's not your concern." Keith warns through clenched teeth.

　　"Are you fucking kidding me right now?!" Malik flares. " You want to rape a girl?!"

　　"I want to teach her a lesson and how I intend to is of no concern to you." Keith stands up and dusts his hands. " Let me be, or I am going to tell Dad that you have been goofing around my affairs."

　　"Shut the hell up!" Malik points a warning finger at him.

　　Malik goes down on his knee to see if Edna is okay. She is so weak that all she can do is lay on the ground and cry.

　　She holds her hand over her small breasts, trying to shield herself and keep what is left of her honor.

　　"Hey, are you alright?" Malik asks. He helps her assume a sitting position and takes off his jacket and wraps it around her.

　　"Malik!" Keith warns him, but he doesn't listen.

　　"Go, Edna. Go home." Malik tells her.

　　She struggles up to her feet with what strength she has left and runs in a zig-zag path towards the door.

　　"You can't run forever, Edna. I am going to get hold of you again." Keith calls after her.

　　She doesn't listen as she runs out of the bathroom.

　　The school is deserted. No one is in the hallway and she keeps running.

　　It's getting darker in her and she doesn't even know what is going on, but she doesn't stop. It's getting scarier, but she keeps on running.

　　A pair of strong hands grip her and she screams in fright.

　　The silhouette comes to light and it's Keith. He has the most sinister smile on his face.

　　"Gotcha!" He shakes her roughly. " I told you I will get you!"

　　"No, Keith!" She screams and jumps out of her sleep.

　　It's only a dream and she is not in her former high school anymore.

　　She is on a private plane and was taking a short nap when she had that dream and now she is awake.

　　She is sweating so much and she looks like she has been drenched with water from her head down to her toes. That's not water though, that's all sweat.

　　She looks around in fright. Keith is not going to jump out from a corner, is he?

　　"Edna?"

　　"No!" She screams and jumps out of her seat.

　　It's not Keith, it's Malik. He is standing at the door with his hand on the door. He looks puzzled as he looks at her.

　　She tries to arrange her hair and appear less crazy to him.

　　He comes into the room and she grabs her bag so that she can take out the valium from her bag. Her hands are shaking as she tries to get the cap off.

　　"Edna, are you okay?" He walks towards her as she takes a few steps back, avoiding his eyes. Maybe that's because he looks so much like his brother.

　　"Yeah, I am fine. Just had a little nightmare." She nods as she speaks fast. Too fast.

　　She reaches for the bottle of water beside her, but Malik takes the valium from her.

　　"Please, give it back." She begs. Her heartbeat is rising and she needs her drug.

　　"You just took one of these a few hours ago and I think that's enough for today." He pockets it. " Now can you tell me what's wrong with you?"

　　"Nothing." She says in defense. " I just had a nightmare and I need that to calm me down."

　　She stretches her hand for him to return her prized possession, but he doesn't.

　　"A nightmare?" He asks. " And Keith was in it?"

　　She sighs. How the hell did he know that? Maybe she screamed out like she did when she usually has nightmares.

　　Keith has been in her nightmare since she has been a little girl. He has been the one tormentor of her life.

　　"Keith wasn't in it." She lies.

　　She doesn't want to let Malik in on her bad marriage. She doesn't want to wash her dirty linen in public.

　　" He sure was." Malik insists. " I know you more than you would admit, Edna. Why won't you stop lying to me?"

　　"Please, the drug."

　　"I am not giving it to you."

　　She is so frustrated right now. Her life is hard enough and now he wants to make it harder for her.

　　"Please, Malik.."

　　"What was so scary in that dream of yours that I heard you scream from the other cabin?"

　　"Nothing."

　　"How about this? You tell me about it and I will give you back your valium."

　　"That's not fair." She bemoans.

　　"You don't have any choice." He tells her. " How badly do you want it?"

　　She looks at his hand in his pocket. She needs it so terrible and even though it is not that fair of a deal, she takes it.

　　"Fine."