Part Two of the Story

Choose wisely

If Isabella possessed the wisdom to make wise choices would she still have found herself to be at the mercy of a voice in the dark?

Only one question pervaded her thoughts.  The words were spoken aloud even though she was sure that she had not voiced them.

"What will become of me?"

Suddenly, her subconcious opened and a flood of painful memories she had assumed were laid to rest came into focus before her.  There were goosebumps covering her flesh.

Her mother, drunk and behaving like a disobedient child as Isabella was helping her to get undressed and into bed.  Cleaning up the vomit, dirty beer bottles and overflowing ashtrays that were scattered around the tiny apartment.  She was 10.

Isabella's father, also drunk, yelling at her for crying out because he had closed the bedroom door and she was afraid of the dark.  Lying in bed listening to the sound of music and laughter from the kitchen.  Her father returning to hit her with his belt because she called out to him again and interrupted the party with his friends.  She was 8.

Her fear upon waking to find that a strange man had crawled into bed with her in the middle of the night and was touching her everywhere.  He was drunk and smelled strongly of cigarettes and bad body odour.  Her confusion and humility when she realized that her mother was drunk at the neighbors apartment and had left Isabella alone in her bed.  Again.  She was 6.

All the worst possible memories and feeling flooded her mind seemingly all at once.  Isabella curled up with her knees drawn to her chin and sobbed.

Thankfully, the voice spoke again.

"Isabella, I am sure that you are scared and don't want to return to things you had believed were long forgotten.  However, the emotions you feel are what is needed to help guide you in your decision."

Lying there on the floor in torn clothes with scratches and blood drying onto her face, she said the first words that came to her.