Chapter 5 Frozen

CHAPTER FIVE

AUDREY'S POV

I have never felt pain as I did that night. I was stunned, frozen and broken.

A stranger I didn't know, manhandled me, called me by another name, beat me up, assaulted me and left after realising what he did. I could never get back from that. Ever. I wanted

I remember laying down on the hard cold floor of that park late at night. My skirt was ripped at both sides, my scalp hurt from being pulled by my hair. I knew every part of my body was bruised and aching. But one thing was sure, I wanted revenge. And I would get it.

I lay there for a while crying till I couldn't cry anymore, I was lifeless from now. I could hear my phone ring but I didn't care to pick it up. My soul had left my body. There was no Audrey anymore.

Throughout the ordeal, he kept on calling me Freya and accused me of playing with him and his emotions. I'm sure I had never met this man before in my life.

"Please don't do this sir, I beg you" I wasn't naive, I knew what was to come.

"Shut the fuck up Freya, you used to love this" he yelled in my face.

"I don't like anything, leave me the fuck alone you sick fuck!!!" I yelled out. And the very next second, his fist collided with my jaw.

"I might have played the fool for you or better still what you portray yourself as"

"Get off of me you creep" I cried out in pain and anguish.

"Please I haven't done this before, please let me go". I tried to reach out with my hands to try to make out a face but all I got was facial hair. That's all I knew, facial hair and lavender scent.

That was the last thing I got out before I was hit across the face and assaulted.

"Little lying bitch!"

I tried my best to get up and fix myself, key word "tried to" it was the most difficult thing I had ever tried to do. I willed myself to do it.

I picked up what was left of my torn clothes, I got up bearing the pain all over and picked my purse and phone up.

"Is this Audrey Ray, on the line?"

"Yes, who is asking?"

"Gloria Ray, your mother slipped and fell and was rushed to the hospital by your neighbor"

My heart started racing, cold sweat broke out all over me. I couldn't breathe anymore. This was officially the worst day of my life.

I rushed to buy new garments from a department store close by.

"Auds?". Dylan was here.

I turned around and met his horrified and shocked eyes and his facial hair. He hadn't shaved yet

"What happened to you Audrey, what happened to your face, did Joseph hit you?". He was shocked and made to walk towards me, but I took three steps back. I didn't want any physical contact now, actually ever.

"Excuse me, Dylan, I have to go" I said sounding harsher than I intended to

I didn't wait to see his reaction or hear what he had to say next but I knew he was watching my retreating back.

"Good morning, where is the patient Gloria Ray admitted?"

"Go right down the hall by the left and you'll see room 212"

"Thank you"

I met Penelope, the lady who lives next door, crying at the door.

"Miss Penelope"?

"Audrey darling" she cried and ran to me.

I took everything in me not to push her away but I didn't want to seem rude by doing that, she was the one who helped my mom.

"Where's my mom?" I asked her

"Audrey dear" she cried out looking up at me.

I really wasn't in the best of moods today

"Where is my mother?"

"I was too late, Audrey I'm sorry, I wasn't there when she needed me" she cried out holding onto me tightly

"What do you mean, you were too late, I was told you took her to the hospital" I spat out angrily

"I guess she was feeling dizzy and was about to rest upstairs but- but she might have missed her step and slipped, I was walking my dog and heard the vase break, I called out at the door but none of you answered, I went back yo my house to feed my dog and allow it rest. My conscience was restless and decided to peek through the windows but I couldn't see anything. I tried the door and it was unlocked, I walked in and saw her there, on the floor bleeding, I'm so sorry Audrey, I failed you both" she choked out crying. I didn't realize I was already crying.

"Audrey darling wait"

I pushed her out of the way, and walked into the room forgetting the pain on my body and I wished I hadn't. She was already covered up. I was too late, my mother was dead now. I had no reason to live now. I was dead inside.

I lost the reason for me to live, the only reason I get up everyday, the reason I work three jobs.

"Mom, wake up, I'm back now". I shook her a bit

"Mom let's go home, you know we can't afford to pay hospital bills now" I felt a tear drop

"Mom, mom it's Audrey" I cried out, touching her beautiful face that has seen a lot of hardships.

"Audrey calm down, you're gonna hurt yourself" I felt Penelope pull me away from mom.

"No, I want my mom!I need my mom now!" I yelled at her but she didn't get angry, she just held me tighter.

I buried mom and all through I felt nothing.

When people paid condolence visits, I felt nothing.

When everyone asked if I'd be okay, I felt and said nothing.

When Dylan stayed over to keep me company, I never spoke a word and didn't feel a thing.

I was numb and broken now. I was dead inside.

It's been three weeks since the funeral. I hadn't spoken to anyone, not even Penelope. Joseph came over and had the nerve to touch me. I was not the old Audrey anymore. I was different now, something had changed within me.

I went to visit my mother's grave and on my way back my phone started ringing.

I tried getting it out of my bag to see the caller but I didn't realize I was standing in the way of an oncoming car. Till I heard the violent screeching of the car. And I fell on my butt.

"For the love of God, don't you look where you're going?". I couldn't believe my eyes.