Eight

I stuck the keys into the ignition as I sat on the hot leather seats that were beat from the sun. It burnt the backs of my thighs, but I didn’t care, the physical pain was much less than what I was feeling inside.

            When I turned down Chestnut Street, I saw rather large brick building. I turned right into the parking lot, put the car into park, and slid the keys out of the ignition. I sat there and let the hot, almost Summer sun burn my face through the windshield. I squinted my eyes as tight as I could and let the sun wash me into a trance.

 I could see it all, again, the truck bed, the animals holding me down, and each of them feasting on my body. No, not now! I felt my body start to shake and a cold sweat glaze my skin. I couldn’t make it stop, as much as I knew that it wasn’t the real thing. However, these flashbacks were much more intense than the ones of just John that I used to get. These ones had more violence, more emotions, more fear and all of this was stuck inside my mind and my soul.

            Finally, it all stopped and the leather seats were moistened with my sweat and my cheeks with my tears. I glanced up to the rearview mirror and saw that my eyes were red and puffy. I opened my purse and took out a bottle of eyedrops and a concealer stick. Two drops in each eye, blink, blink, blink. One streak of flesh colored concealer that didn’t match my skin tone under each eye, rubbing until it looked semi-descent. I put my make-up and eye drops back into my purse and opened the car door slowly. I stepped out right food first, even with that being illogical, but then again nothing was logical in my mind at that time. I took one small step towards the entrance of the courthouse and away from the car. This was the next step towards the rest of my life.

            I got inside and there were two police officers and a metal detector. I was instructed to put my purse with all of its contents into a beat up, grey, rubber bin along with my phone.

            “Please step though here, Miss,” The larger of the two officers said. I stepped through the doorframe like detector and then swiped my purse and phone off the conveyor belt.
            “Where is Susan Boyle, the Attorney General located?”

            “Please refer to the directory on the wall next to the elevators,” the officer mumbled. It seemed as though he didn’t know anything about this place. I proceeded to the directory and looked for her name: Jack Loyde, Charles Baker, Susan Boyle, Third Floor.

            I pressed the button on the elevator that singled it that I wanted to go up. Ding. The doors opened and out swarmed people dressed in classy business attire. Was I not dressed right for this place? Was I going to be looked at as though I didn’t care? F**k it. I stepped into the elevator and took a deep breath. Body odor from previous riders filled my nostrils. I pressed the button for the third floor. Ding. Ding. Ding. The doors opened and there was a window, like the ones you’d find in a doctor’s office. Below the glass, a nametag read Jaqueline A. McCabe, Secretary. Once she finally noticed me standing she slid open the glass. It made a high pitch squealing squeak, almost like when you put a microphone up to a speaker.

            “Hello, how may I help you?”

            “Uhh, hi, I’m Daniella Lawson and I’m here to see Susan Boyle.” The secretary chewed a wad of minty gum. It was as if she was a cow chewing on its cud. I wanted to gag as a result of the sounds it produced from an overproduction of salvia.

            “Ahh, yes I see,” she chewed some more, “take a seat, she’s currently in a meeting and should be out shortly.” Before I got a chance to say thank you the woman had already closed the glass between us. I turned to my left and saw a few chairs and magazine by a window. I guess this is where I wait. I took a seat in one of the chairs facing the window and just stared out it. The trees had vibrant green leaves thought-out their branches. The thought of Ami popped into my mind, I didn’t want to think of her, but I couldn’t stop the memories from sneaking into my mind. We used to climb up trees like those and swing from their thick branches that hung over the ground. All the laughing we did was all I could think of. Those were the days. Back to when my biggest problems consisted of scraping my knees on the pavement or farting in line next to my elementary school crush. Why did things have to change? Why did things have to get so hard? I wanted to go back to those days, but that was impossible.

            My eyes began to sting and tears started to build up in the ducts. Not again.

            “Daniella?” A familiar voice said from a door beside the secretary’s window.  I got up out of the seat and walked over to Susan. She stuck out her hand to shake mine and my sweaty palm met hers and gave it a shake. She wiped her hand on her dress trousers and gestured me to a side room.

            “Please, take a seat.” Susan said as she took her own place behind a nice desk. “Just to let you know, all four of the accusers have made bail".” Before she could finish her sentence, I jumped out of my seat, “Wait, what if they come near me again!”

            “Miss Lawson, please remain calm.” She opened a folder that was on her desk. “The four men who were accused of the assault had to sign a stay away order and agree to abide by it until further notice.” This still arose many questions on my part, but I sat back down and listened to what Susan had to say.

            “Miss Lawson--.”

            “Please, call me Daniella.”

            “All right, Daniella. My job as the District Attorney is to prepare you for trial in the court. Just so you understand, the accused have either got a lawyer of their own or have been appointed one to their case, do you understand that?” I nodded; I had learned all this basic s**t in my school’s government class.

            “You’re going to be cross-examined in the courtroom by the accused’s lawyers.” She said as she looked up from the manila folder. I had no idea what she meant by cross-examined.

            “What do you mean by cross-examined?”

            “Well, you made a report to the police and to me, remember?” Before I got the chance to say yes, she continued, “Well the accused’s lawyers are going to ask you question and hope for their client’s sake, that the two do not match up and then will result in a weak case.”

            “You’re saying that one wrong detail on my part means there’s a weak case?” What the f**k? I was in shock, not to mention scared shitless that the freaks were going to walk free after all they had done.

            “That is not what I was trying to say,” she paused. “We still got the evidence collection kits from the other night as well as the one from last summer. I do believe that we have enough evidence to prove to the court that a sexual assault did occur.”

            “What does this mean for me then?” I widened my eyes and looked at her.

After taking a sip of coffee and leaving a lipstick mark on the cup she spoke again, “I’m going to file sexual assault charges against John and possibly the rest of the group.” She explained that the next step of the process, the arraignment, I was not needed for. She closed the manila folder and stood up brushing the wrinkles out of her trousers, “I will contact you if you are to be needed at the preliminary hearing.” I slowly stood up; I had many more questions, What if this… What happens if... What about…but they were not important at that time. D.A. Boyle stuck out her hand to shake mine again. She was going to be the one that helped me put these animals away and behind bars. I reached out and shook her hand it was warm and sincere. I trusted her and with that, I knew that I was taking the right route through this hell ride.

Author's Note

What about the content?
Does the dialogue seem realistic?
Anything need work?