Sweet Southern Haven

The Abuse

{Noelle’s POV}

[This chapter contains themes of abuse, s/a, and the loss of a child, reader discretion is advised!]

“Mom always said that dad abandoned us..” I sighed, rubbing my temples. “Alright.. not the trauma I need to unpack tonight. I turned to Silas. “So.. you wanted to know about my scars right?” I asked, letting out a deep sigh slowly.

“I don’t mean to pry.. but you did say that only some of them were cigar burns.. what did you mean by that?” He asked, beginning to mash the potatoes.

“Well.. Parker liked to hurt me.. it was a thrill for him. He reveled in my fear, in my pain.. he especially loved leaving marks on me.. he’d burn me with his cigars.. he liked leaving bruises.. so he’d hit me with blunt objects often. He enjoyed leaving welts on my back with his belt.. and..” I stopped, not wanting to finish this sentence. Not wanting him to know my shame. All of this was bad enough, but.. I truly saved the worst for last.

“You don’t have to tell me Noelle.. not if you aren’t ready.” He said, only then did I look up, feeling the tears streaming down my face.

“He’d bite me.. hard enough to scar me with his teeth..” I whimpered. “He was awful..” I cried, wiping my eyes.

I looked up again, seeing nothing but rage staring back at me. “I’ll fu***** ki** him!” He seethed.

I laid my hand down on top of his, and shook my head. “No Silas.. he’s not worth the prison time.” I said, walking around him and grabbing the oven mitts, pulling the cornbread out of the oven. Perhaps it’s best if I don’t tell Silas everything.. if he knew every single depraved thing that Parker did.. he may actually hunt him down and ki** him.

He sighed. “I’m sorry..”

I shook my head, walking back around the island and sitting back down. “It’s okay.. this is an open space, and we’re supposed to talk.. no matter how painful it is.” I smiled softly, trying to reassure him that I’m okay. “I’m alright Silas.. so.. what else do you want to know!”

He sighed finishing the food and beginning to make our plates. “Why are you in witness protection? What happened to cause you to get placed into this program?” He asked, walking our played to the kitchen table and setting them down across from one another. We both sat down, and began eating.

I couldn’t help the moan that escaped my lips when I took a bite. “This is amazing!” I said, taking another bite.

A small blush tinged his face, before he chuckled. “Thanks, I’m glad you like it.” He smiled.

We ate, and once we were done we loaded the dishwasher, before walking to the living room, I made us each a cup of hot chocolate as we sat on opposite sides of the couch. “Alright.. so I supposed I do owe you my answer.. the night that I called the police on Parker.. he had been out with his friends and had way too much to drink. He stumbled in the front door.. his eyes cold, and dark as they often were when he’d come to hurt me.. but this time.. something was different. It was as if he had truly become a monster.. he climbed into our bed.. and climbed on top of me. I tried so hard to push him off me.. but he was too big, too heavy to move. I can still feel his hot breath on my face.. the smell of vodka.. he watched me squirm under him, enjoying that he terrified me. I finally was able to get enough momentum to push him off to the side. I dove out of bed and made a run for it. I ran through the house, and found a place to hide under the bed in one of the guest rooms.” I paused, taking in a deep breath.

“You can stop.. anytime you want.” He reassured me.

I shook my head. “I’m okay..” I whispered. “I could hear him rampaging through the house. Screaming for me to come out before he found me himself.. he told me if I came out now that my punishment would be less severe than if he found me. I stayed frozen under that bed, terrified, trying so hard to stay still, and silent. I knew that no matter what.. if he found me.. I’d be dead this time.. he was in a state like I’d never seen him before.” I gulped. “Then.. he found me.. he dragged me from under the bed, he had a baseball bat.. he swung it as I tried to run.. I felt blood began to gush from my head.. he grabbed me by the throat and pinned me to the ground before unbuttoning his pants.. he squeezed my neck so hard that he broke my clavicle.. my eye socket and nose were broken..” tears streamed down my face as I pulled my knees to my chest, hugging myself tightly. “He dislocated my shoulder.. and when he.. when he forced himself on me.. he dislocated my hip..” I shook my head, burying my face in my knees. “It was the worst abuse I’d ever suffered.. thats when I decided that I couldn’t stay with him anymore.. that staying with him.. was choosing to die, slowly and painfully.” I cried, wiping my face with the sleeves of my robe.

“Noelle..” Silas said softly, before I heard his cup get set down, I felt his hand across my back as he pulled me into a side hug, almost like a cuddle. “I’m so sorry..” he choked out, kissing the top of my head. “No one deserves to suffer the way that you have.. and on top of the abuse you endured.. you lost your child and both of your parents. You are so strong to still be standing here today. To smile, to laugh, to live your life. You’re amazing Noelle Bennett.”