The Crime Circle No. 2
Zia is an artist with a lot of inner demons to slay. A victim of rape as a child, her road to recovery has been long and arduous. In fact, she is still on it. But then she starts receiving anonymous emails with links to her old court case. Then she gets an offer of a lifetime any artist would die for. Are they related? Can she ever really escape her dark past and not let it define her?
Another email, this time with no link, just a picture and a screenshot of part of a document. The picture is of a child on a long bench or pew surrounded by important-looking people, inside what looks like a courtroom. The child is playing with a Barbie doll while eating what looks like a pack of biscuits.
The document screenshot underneath the photo had portions blacked out.
“That sometime on the _____ week of _______________, ______, at ______________, Barangay __________________________, Municipality of _____________, City of __________________, Philippines and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, the abovenamed accused, by means of force and intimidation, did then and there wilfully, unlawfully and feloniously lie with and have carnal knowledge with ____________________________________, a six (6) year old minor, against her will and consent.
Contrary to law.”
Notwithstanding the misspelling and wrong tenses, it should hurt, but it really doesn’t anymore. I am numb. Even with the details blacked out, I know what the words would say. How can I not?
I know the name of the child in the picture. Elizabeth F. Henson.
The child in the picture is me.
The case is of my rape when I was six years old by my next-door neighbor.
No wonder I’m screwed up, right?
Whoever sent this email wants me to be flustered.
But I am not.
So, whoever you are, bring it on.
Nothing more can hurt me.
The bastard who raped me made sure of that.
My own family made sure of that.
