Chapter 6: Still in Shock

The next day, Miranda was still in that state, staring off into space. It was her mother who woke first and with a hangover could not believe what she was seeing.

She went to the washroom and washed her face to satisfy herself that she was seeing right.

She came into the room again and still saw her daughter sprawled on the floor, blood and semen on her thighs, her eyes focusing only in one direction. She was motionless and at first Mira thought that she was dead.

Mira went to her and felt her heartbeat. It was very slow as though she was gradually moving away from this world.

She looked listless and stoned like a statue, as though she had lost the will to live.

Mira needed no fortune teller to tell her what had happened to her daughter.

She wept. She knew who had done this. She had suspected this for a long time but had hoped that Ken would overcome his perverse desire for her daughter.

Even the other day, when Miranda had complained to her, she had not totally disbelieved her but she had also thought that exposing him that way would get Ken's mind off her daughter and put him straight. That had been the reason she had decided to speak with some of the people Miranda worked for to see if she could live there with them. That way, she would be out of Ken's reach.

She had also tried to keep away from alcohol to better protect her child but how had she got herself drunk last night that she had not heard her daughter screaming for help or fighting to protect her dignity.

Ken did not even have the courtesy to close her legs and cover her up, making her look decent. He just left her exposed that way.

Mira cried. She cried and cried as she washed her daughter up after ascertaining that she was still alive.

She dressed her up and took her to a doctor that she could afford to pay but when she looked into the bag where she kept her mother and especially the one she was paid the previous day, she found it gone and knew that Ken had taken the money with him.

How could this man be as heartless as this?

She looked in other clothes of hers and saw a few pennies and with that she went with a Miranda who could not speak but kept following her like a robot to the doctor's.

'Miranda my love, I am so sorry. I should have listened to you but how could I know that Ken was as devilish as this? I feel hurt. So hurt and angry, I could murder him. But did I really not hear you scream?' Mira asked her daughter, not believing that she could have been so out that she hadn't heard her daughter's scream for help.

Miranda who had been staring off into space since Mira woke and cleaned her up, looked at her mother and then looked away into space again.

Mira was really scared. Had the experience affected her daughter psychologically?

'Mirabel, I am sorry. Please forgive me. But could you be more responsive? You are scaring me to death. Give me a sign so that I know that my daughter is really there and not just a shell or shadow of what she was'.

But Miranda kept staring off into space.

They arrived at the doctors and the amount, he asked for was not available.

'Treat her. I shall get the money for you by this evening's, Mira pleaded.

'This is not a charity organization. I have been philanthropic enough. People now take my kindness for granted and never bring back what they owe. I shall not go back on my policy. The money for the treatment or you get away from here with your daughter.

'But you are a doctor and should save lives, please save my daughter'. she pleaded.

'I shall once you get the money'.

'Okay with the little with me, could you just give her any medicine that could help her?' she asked.

The doctor took pity on the woman. He saw these cases almost all the time. It was mainly the fault of the girls. Tempting the men without knowing that there was a limit to a man's endurance. They always asked for it and when they got more than what they bargained for, they started looking for treatment but this particular girl was different. She did not look like she drove the man who had raped her to it but then appearance could be deceptive.

He gave her some drugs and advice on how to take it and collected the money from Mira and they were on their way back home, with Mirabel still staring off into space.

They got home and Mirabel still staring off into space sat when her mother asked her to.

Mira quickly opened the pot and was glad that her daughter had prepared something last night. Else she did not know where she would have got the money to cook something. She quickly heated it and dished a little for Mirabel who could not eat it herself and Mira had to feed her. Mirabel's eyes did not stop staring at something only her seemed to be seeing.

The doctor had told Mira that Mirabel was staring off into space because she was still in shock but that she would be okay. She should keep her warm and massage her feet and hands,to give her warmth and the drugs would ease the pain she might be feeling in her body. That was the much he could do for them.

Mira gave Mirabel the drugs as the doctor had instructed and she led her to sleep in the flat bed which was the only one they had in the room.

She massaged her feet and palms,trying to generate heat into her body.

Mirabel gradually came back to herself and as she remembered all that happened the previous night, tears poured down her cheeks.

Her mother saw this and was glad that she had at least started recognizing her surroundings once again.

She was sad though because Mirabel's tears made her imagine the ordeal she must have passed through.

Ken must have raped her repeatedly.

She knew that she was late for work and she would have loved to stay home with her daughter to care for her but she remembered that there was no more money in the house and they had to eat.

She had already been paid but she could speak to her boss and tell him about her daughter's health and hope that he would either give her some money on charity or as salary advancement.

She spoke gently to Mirabel explaining all these to her. Mirabel made no comment and Mira covered her up well and dashed off,believing that she would be back before Mirabel missed her.