Cailyn Roberts’ 180 pound frame was no match for his 295 pounds that had raised her into the air. He threw her out of the living room and straight onto the dining room table knocking over the fresh flowers she had bought at the grocery store and placed in a cheap vase to give the room a touch of modishness. 

He flung the chair back behind him, which had been twisted under her writhing legs, sending it into the wall with a hard bash. His sweaty reeking torso covered hers in record speed. She knew what he was about to do. It had happened to her before years ago when she was barely 15.  It would have been impossible but it felt like the same man. This guy was just as strong with the same foul smelling alcoholic breath, but the only reason Cailyn knew it was impossible was because the first man who had raped her over 21 years ago was dead. He died in prison 10 years before. But this attacker felt the same and Cailyn felt just as helpless to stop him as she had as a child. 

 It was that thought which made her think of her own daughter. As Cailyn struggled to free herself from her current assailant, she felt his rough lips and tongue jab and lick her neck as well as her now bare breasts. She felt one of his thick gorilla like hands trying eagerly to rip through her pants to get inside of her, it was then that her mind went to her eleven year old daughter who was bless fully still at school. It was only after 1pm and she would not be let off the bus until well after 4pm. So even though Cailyn knew that this man would rape her, probably beat her within an inch of her life or even kill her, he would be long gone before her little Lacy would be home. And with that assurance she didn’t struggle anymore. She let her head fall to the left and she closed her eyes tightly against his violent invasion. It will all be over soon. 

 “That’s right, bitch. Take it like the fucking whore you are! Take it!” his voice raspy and coarse. He slapped her viciously across the face and grabbed her cheeks brutally between his fingers. Then he ran a hot sticky tongue from her nose up to her forehead. Cailyn let out a pain filled grunt of desperation, and then she heard it, metal inserting into metal and a mechanical turn. He froze his assault at once. He took the hand from her face and reached into his jacket pulling out a nine 
millimeter. He held it at the ready cocking the trigger. His head swiftly jerked towards the front door. 

 The most horrific sound in the world entered into Cailyn’s ears, the sound of a school bus’s thunderous roll down the street and the unlocking of their front door. Lacy was home! Cailyn began to struggle violently under her attacker’s strong grip. She screamed at the top of her lungs “Get out!” and then came a bone crushing strike across her face. He had hit her with the butt of his gun. Cailyn saw a flash of white light, one second of a ringing numbness coursed through her head and before she fell unconscious, her limp body descending to the floor, she saw her daughter staring at her as she stood frozen at the still open door in confusion and fear and the man closing in on her. The world went dark. It returned hours later.

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 “Lacy!” Cailyn shouted in her mind but from her lips only a barely audible whisper. There was someone sitting beside her and she felt strapped down. She was aware of movement and then the sounds came, the undeniable sound of a siren blazing from all around her. She was in an ambulance. The darkness took her once again. 

 When her eyes reopened an intensely bright light made them squint instinctively against it. Murmurs along with clicking and clanking noises came from all around her. The smells were peculiar, acrylic, acidy, and sweet or was that the taste of blood in her mouth and from her own body? Doctor she’s conscious. Came a female voice on her left. Not for long. Apply the mask. Let’s get to it. Answered a male voice from her right. Cailyn’s nose and mouth was covered by something rubbery, hard, and plastic. Darkness returned. 

Naomi James picked up the wilted vase of flowers and set a fresh vase of yellow roses, her sister’s favorite, on the table near the window. After arranging them so the light would shine through the blinds onto them perfectly in the mornings and within direct eyesight of her sister’s hospital bed, she set up the newly arrived get well cards onto the window sill. She didn’t bring the sympathy cards, those she left at home in her bedroom drawer. She would give those to Cailyn at a much later date. But before Cailyn could read those cards or even see the sunshine shining down on her flowers she would have to waken from her coma. For two months Naomi had replaced each wilted vase of flowers with new ones so when her sister did wake up, and she will, she would see her favorite roses and smell their fresh fragrance. Like her own home, Naomi preferred the smell of flowers to disinfectants and bleaches, the smell that permeated through this hospital. There was no air freshener on the market that could replace nature’s natural delicate scents. 

 Not only had Naomi prepared the smells for Cailyn but also what she would see. The hospital room was filled with photos of the family, especially of Lacy. She had brought the quilt that Cailyn had always had at the foot of her bed and her books and DVDs she enjoyed watching. When Naomi spent the night, which was more often than her husband Michael liked, she would fall asleep with a movie playing. You know just in case Cailyn woke up in the middle of the night she would see something familiar. And the sounds of jazz playing softly near her were also important. Naomi knew that Cailyn could still hear and a part of her was still conscious so all of these things were important and it was her job to make sure everything was as perfect as possible for her little sister. 

 And let us not forget her prayers. Those Naomi would say aloud so Cailyn would hear the words of God inside of her mind while her soul was sleeping. The Lord’s Prayer as Jesus had spoken was what she recited every night before she fell asleep or before she went home for the evening, every night for 2 months like clockwork. 

  “You know the doctor said that she may never wake up, Naomi. We have to face that.” Michael had said to her one night as he prepared to leave her at the hospital to spend the night once again. Naomi was holding Cailyn’s flaccid hand and had her Bible open as she continued to look at her and not at her husband.

 “No I have to face that. All you have to do is go home Michael.” She said flatly at him. Michael reached out to touch his wife’s shoulder but decided against it and headed for the door without another word. “Michael.” Naomi had called out, now looking up at him. Michael turned immediately hoping that she had forgotten to give him a hug or wanted to show some sort of affection towards him, and maybe even apologize for her last statement. 
“Yes baby?” he asked gently.

 “Make sure Royce finishes that report for school and don’t let Mika talk on the phone all night.” She barked, staring at him blankly waiting for a basic response. Michael grimaced slightly then recovered and nodded. She turned her attention back to her sister. He also turned and left the room and gestured to their 15 year old daughter and 10 year old son to gather their things. 
 

 “Is Mom sleeping here again?” Royce asked slipping his book bag over his shoulder. Michael nodded.
 “Why don’t they just pull the plug?” Mika snapped under her breath. She saw her father shoot her a very threatening look and she decided to be quiet. As they passed by the room she looked in and saw her mother sitting by her aunt’s bedside and felt sorry that she had said anything but her mother seemed to care more about staying here than being at home with them and she missed her. Mika wondered if her mother even misses them.

 Now as Naomi finished arranging the flowers and cards she went to wash her hands in the attached bathroom. She peeked out when she heard footsteps. She figured it was the nurse but it was Jules Petri, Cailyn’s hippy friend. 

“Helloooo?” Jules called out in her annoying sing songed voice; at least it was annoying to Naomi. Naomi deliberately didn’t answer but dried her hands and came out of the washroom. “Oh Hi, Naomi.” Jules said smiling brightly. 

 Naomi critically eyed her attire which was always fascinating. Jules frequently looked like a toned down gypsy with her casual suits or tonic outfits layered with Indian or Middle Eastern looking scarves and adorned with plenty of southwestern jewelry. A mish mash of new age crap, Naomi thought laughably. Probably started as a way to piss off her WASP parents and then just stuck. Jules had dyed her long naturally brown hair a jet black and had it permed slightly to don deep waves. It made her look a little exotic but Naomi was not fooled.

 Jules dropped her purse in a nearby chair and walked over to Cailyn kissing her on the forehead tenderly.  She looked up and admired the roses. “They’re beautiful, Naomi. You keep it so nice in here.”

 “Yes well one’s environment reflects their mood and I want Cailyn to only experience cheerfulness.” Naomi stated in a rather acidic tone.

 Jules nodded at that. “Good idea.” She said trying hard to hide her sarcasm. Didn’t work, Naomi heard it quite clearly. “How have you been holding up? You look a little peaked.” Jules asked trying to shift the conversation.
 

 “I’ve been fine. My children are healthy and so am I. My sister is still alive. I am blessed.” Naomi pumped a dab of lotion from a dispenser she placed on one of the bedside tables and rubbed it on her hands not once smiling.

 “That’s good.” Jules knew that Naomi hated her but she was Cailyn’s best friend and wasn’t about to leave her and if she had to have these kinds of encounters each time she came to visit her friend, which is what Naomi seemed to require, then endure she would. Jules sat down in the chair closest to Cailyn’s bed. “I’m going to sit with her for awhile and talk. You can take a break if you wish.”

 Naomi’s jaw clenched. She wanted to blurt out for Jules not to use any witchcraft or whatever sin ridden beliefs she had on her sister but simply grabbed her own purse. “That’s fine. I need to check on a few things at my home.” Naomi said with a distinct air of superiority. She touched her sister’s hand softly. “I have to go home and check on the kids. I will be back after dinner.” Naomi glanced down at her watch, it was just after three. She paused thinking that maybe she should come back before dinner but it would be nice to eat at home for a change. She had to admit that the hospital food was making her ill and bloated. Naomi had gained an adverse five pounds since all of this began, sending her dangerously close to her minimum ideal weight. “Ok.” She said sticking with her original decision. Naomi nodded a terse goodbye at Jules then left the room. 

 Jules watched her go. “Wait a beat.” She said to herself holding up a finger to Cailyn. She mouthed counting backwards from three, nodding her head with each number. “Ok!” she sighed laughing heartedly. “That is one uptight bitch!” Jules sat back in the seat snickering to herself. “I’m sorry.” She said shaking her head. “I know she’s your sister but woooooo!” she flung her hand over her head then got up from the chair going over to her purse she had left across the room. “I got something for you.” She announced looking back over her shoulder at Cailyn.

 Jules reached into her purse and pulled out a small white linen satchel that was tied with baby’s breath. When she got back to the bed she bent down over Cailyn and whispered. “It’s a little talisman.” She gave the bag a little shake then arched one eye brow up. “hmmm?” she said smiling then returned to her chair. 

 “It’s black sand with a tiger’s eye buried in it. It’s the one I had gotten from my last trip to India, remember? I would have simply put the stone on a chain and wrapped it around your neck but your sister would have had a priest in here to burn it so I slipped a little jasmine in there for smells and wrapped it up. It’s a disguise. If anyone asks it’s a cache.” She whispered the last sentence. “The tiger’s eye will help your spiritual travels while you are … out there.”

 Jules looked at her friend eyeing the tubes stretching from her arms going to I.V. drips. She glanced over at the machine that monitored Cailyn’s heart patterns and watched the pulse blip on the electronic screen. Suddenly Jules felt sad and helpless. She looked up and stared at the picture of Lacy and started to cry uncontrollably. She let her head drop on her friend’s hand and allowed herself the emotion. “Come back.” She whispered over and over between her sobs. The repetition of the words only made her cry more. 

 As Jules wept she didn’t see Cailyn’s eyes flicker yet she did feel her hand when it moved under her cheek. Jules shot up and stared into the open eyes of her friend. “Oh my God! Cailyn!”

 Cailyn blinked trying to focus and to understand her surroundings. It was hard and the fog of sleep was still all around her. She looked past Jules and saw her daughter Lacy smelling the flowers near the windowsill. Lacy smiled brightly at her and waved. Jules stood up and blocked her view of Lacy. Cailyn tried to move her head so she could see around her. Jules noticed that she was looking in the direction of the flowers. “Your favorite.” she told her with tears still streaming down her face. Jules positioned her body so that Cailyn could get a better look at them.

 “Lacy.” Cailyn smiled calling out thinking that she would see her daughter again, yet when Jules moved she did not. The girl was gone. Cailyn looked around the room for her but she didn’t see her. She frowned. “Where did she go?” Cailyn asked confused. She looked up at Jules. “Go tell Lacy to come back in, I want to see her.” Cailyn’s voice was so faint. If Jules had not been so close she would not have even heard her.

 Jules held Cailyn’s hand tighter and with her other hand she placed it gently on Cailyn’s forehead in order to try and brace her friend for the words she was about to speak. “Cailyn, sweetie ...” Jules took a deep breath. “Lacy is dead.” 

There was silence, only for a second, only for a moment, and then Cailyn began to scream.