BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: the scars you unraveled.

Natasha Browns’ POV I ran… I kept running, pushing myself to go as fast as possible, beads of sweat forming on my forehead. Everyone stared at me as if I were mentally ill. What else would anyone think after seeing a girl in a black singlet and black shorts sprinting at full speed, pushing and knocking people out of my way? I kept running… My legs were hurting, and my knees felt weak. I couldn’t bring myself to stop running. The beads of sweat had turned into streams, dripping down my face. I was running from my sweetest person, the one who always stood by my side—the person I called my favorite. Suddenly, I fell to the ground, tears welling up in my dark brown eyes. I was shivering, feeling nauseous; my breathing was harsh, and my chest pounded like it was going to burst. As I looked around, I realized I was at the roadside, lying on the ground, stagnant tears brimming in my eyes. I sought the devil I called my stepbrother, the predator chasing after me, his prey. The stagnant tears fell freely, and I burst into sobs, unconsciously attracting the attention of passersby, hawkers, and market women. They surrounded me, asking what was wrong, but all I could do was cry. My throat was sore, and I couldn’t find the words to respond. One passerby stopped, just like the others. My dark brown eyes met his honey-brown ones, which had a hint of grey. He bent down, staring at me, helpless on the ground. His gaze felt like it was boring a hole into my heart. I shifted my eyes away, not wanting to look at him for too long. “What’s wrong, miss?” he asked, and more tears streamed down my cheeks. “Your phone… give me!” I managed to say between my sobs. Surprisingly, he swiftly handed his phone to me, and I dialed “112” to call the cops. “Please tell them to leave,” I forced myself to say without looking at him, Hoping he understood that the crowd I had attracted was unintentional and that I needed some breathing space to gather my thoughts, I felt a wave of relief. “Okay,” he replied, standing up and doing exactly as I told him. One by one, the others slowly evaporated into thin air. “112, what’s your emergency?” a female voice emerged from the phone's speaker. “Please come to Lekki Garden Estate, Tiwa Street, House 14,” I said, my voice shaking. “What’s your emergency?” the female cop asked, concern evident in her voice. “I’m being sexually exploited by someone,” I replied, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Okay, you’re in good hands now. Help is on the way, alright?” “Okay…” My voice trembled, fear and pain evident as I spoke. Natasha!” His baritone voice called from afar, sending a cold chill down my spine. I turned to look at him, only to find that he was running toward me. I attempted to shift backward, but I was far too weak to move any further. He got closer, at least close enough to grab me and run earnestly away from everyone to fulfill his evil plans. I subconsciously succeeded in shifting backward, anger and rage evident on my face. I had never accepted defeat, and it wasn’t starting now. “Get back! Get away from me, you monster!” I yelled at him, tears I wasn’t expecting welling up in my eyes. He smiled—why was he smiling? Was he taking joy in attempting to r**e me to death? I looked around to see if the honey-eyed stranger was still beside me, but no, he seemed to have left a long time ago after taking the phone I dropped on the ground. Monster?” he asked, raising a brow—something he always did that reminded me so much of my father. Of course, his resemblance to Dad was striking, but their personalities differed; it was like the devil in contrast to an angel. At least from now on, Austin had never actually been like this. He was that one person I could always cling to, and who could cling to me. The one person who made people doubt we were from different mothers was doing all these things to me? It felt like more than betrayal. “Yes, monster…” I said slowly. His smile faded into a dark look of resentment and hatred, making my heart skip three beats. Even though I was older than he, he was stronger, and that terrified me. The fact that I couldn’t do anything earlier except run—even after attempting—made my skin crawl. “I’d show you what it means to be a monster!!” he yelled as he slapped me right on the cheek, and it felt like my cheek was going to swell. “Police, don’t move!” A police officer came running onto the scene, and the cold look on his face told me that fear had gotten hold of him. Sirens echoed as the police car drove toward us. “Don’t move, put your hands up!” the first officer commanded Austin as a second officer emerged from the car. “Is this the guy who tried to get c**************e of you?” a female officer asked, and I nodded, tears streaming down my face. “Me?…” he pretended. “I’m her brother. She’s been drinking. I’m just trying to get her home safely. Also, she’s been going through a lot of mental stress; I think she’s misremembering things.” His voice was loud and defensive. “Don’t worry, you’ll be just fine,” the male officer said, laying his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t touch me!!” I yelled, yanking his hands off my shoulders. What had happened to me was enough to inform me that I couldn’t trust any male person. “What do I even want to r**e in her body!!” he yelled at the police officer “You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can or will be used against you in the court of law “the officer replied gently The police handcuffed the devil in disguise and took him inside the car. He was visibly scared, but that wasn’t all that was going to happen to Austin. It wasn’t over; I was going to prove to him that he messed with the wrong person. He woke a sleeping lioness. “It’s not over until it’s over, Austin,” I whispered into his ear and the female police took me away, her slim hands holding mine. He just shouldn’t have messed with me, Natasha Browns. ________________________________ “Natasha!” she yelled as she barged into my room, her intrusion jarring me from the task of shoveling the last set of clothes into my traveling box. I had anticipated her entrance, but I certainly wasn't prepared for such an abrupt entrance. The look on her face suggested that her ire was directed at Austin. “What am I hearing, Natasha?” she demanded, her voice tight with controlled fury. She sank into the cushioned chair beside the mahogany table that stood in the middle of the room, her breathing loud and heavy, as if she were wrestling with an outburst of anger. “Your son attempted to r**e me” My voice was still but still revealed disappointment and pain “Is that why you called the cops!? Is that the reason you called the police for my son!?” Her voice was shivering with rage and I froze at that spot, boring holes into her head with my eyes, was she insane? “I said your son tried to have c**************e of me and you’re saying this? Well let me make this clear to you, yes, I called the cops and got him arrested for what he tried to do to me .” I said blankly “Natasha, He’s your brother for crying out loud,” she said slowly “No, no! He isn’t, my brother would never think of what he tried to do…don’t you get it? I would have lost my life right at the spot .” I said slowly and she flinched “Are you out of your mind?! Just tell me, Natasha, are you? What did he even want to r**e in your body, ehn? Tell me!” She yelled and it had to sink into my brain that I was on my own and had no support, it digested in my brain that she was supporting Austin’s evil deeds because he’s her son and I’m not her daughter, tears welled up I’m my eyes, pain evident in my eyes. “You’re complaining? Do you realize that it is you who will draw tattoos on your belly, that it is you who will wear a jacket over a b*a, and it is still you who will have triple piercings on your ear and teeth? It is you who will go to a friend’s place for sleepovers at night?” she said and the tears in my eyes fell slowly down my cheeks “Are you judging this situation based on my lifestyle? Do you also realize that I’m still a virgin, and your son was trying to defile me?!d Do you!!” My voice went from low to high pitch in response to the fury I’d been controlling that ended in an outburst. “I see that you’re not just stupid but rude, just like your father.” she blurted "Funny you mention my father; he always taught me that it takes one to know one. Care to reflect on that?" I said quickly and she slapped me hard on the face “How dare you talk to me that way?” She said and my heart hardened in anger, I never accept defeat, and I won’t, not even from this lunatic who called herself my mother “You want to play it that way? Oh, you think you can just slap me like that?!” My voice revealed anger as I held my right cheek “How dare you talk to me in that manner?” She asked again “How dare you talk of my father that way “ I replied and she paused “I promise you you’d regret it! I mean, you won’t know what's coming… You slapped me over my right..? I’d just take care of you, but just know that the i***t you call your son will pay for every bit of this” I said smiling and she turned cold at the open threat uttered by me, I smiled because I knew just what I was capable of doing, the smile that assured me revenge would take place, I took my box of cloth out of not just the room but the building, leaving my step mother in shock and coldness I called Inaya my roommate at the hostel to inform her that I would stay at her place for the night and she agreed willingly. She lived in a two-room apartment with her younger brother during each holiday School was starting in two days so I had no worries.