Life's Storybook

A/N: Sorry this took so long and sorry it is so short...I'm having a bit of a hard time with college at the moment, so writing time is few and far between. BUT, don't fear, I will be back soon.

Ch. 7: We Are Broken

Two weeks later…

Cindy sat motionless at Lindsay’s desk. She hadn’t heard from Jill in over a week and every time she tried to get time alone with the attorney, Jill would find some reason to leave. Now, Cindy sat staring above as Jill reassured Lindsay and Claire that everything was fine.

“I’ve just been overworked lately, that’s all.” Cindy caught that much of the conversation.

As if on cue, Jill’s eyes met hers from above. They both knew that Jill was not “okay”, but she had promised not to say anything.

That night, after Jill had explained what had almost happened to her, Cindy has sat there in utter shock. This woman, her friend, had almost been raped and now she had to deal with her almost rapist walking free. Hours seemed to pass as the shock wore off and anger filled every fiber of Cindy’s petite body.

Jill had left that night, in a hurry, while Cindy slept on the couch beside her.

Ever since that night, Jill had been avoiding any contact with Cindy what so ever. This act left Cindy feeling broken inside. There was nothing she could do to help Jill; nothing that Jill would allow her to do anyway. In public, she was the embodiment of togetherness. While Claire and Lindsay remained clueless to Jill’s secret, Cindy remembered. She couldn’t forget the story, the detail Jill had gone into, every word, every tone continued to play over in her heard in a never-ending cycle.

Breaking the eye contact, Jill dismissed herself.

Claire Washburn sat at her desk working on one of the latest autopsies. After entering all the data, Claire looked up to find Cindy staring miserably into space. The reporter had been sitting in that exact position this whole time that the autopsy report had been updated. The whole group cluttered Claire’s flawless office in wait for her newest discovery. The latest body had been found outside one of the local nightclubs.

“This girl was raped and then murdered.” Claire stated blatantly with very little emotion.

This statement seemed to catch Cindy’s attention as well as the rest of the group.

“So, she was alive when she was raped?” Cindy asked hoarsely.

“Yes, she was very much alive. And from the looks of it, in pain. He left lacerations all over her body.” At this, sadness seemed to seep through Claire’s voice.

Glancing across the room at Jill, Cindy wasn’t surprised to find the woman so well composed. It was as if Claire had just announced that it was raining outside. Nothing seemed to faze her.

That soon changed though, when Claire brought out the photos of the marks. Jill, Cindy noted, stiffened. Looking at the current photo that Claire was displaying, Cindy’s breath caught. The bite mark on the victim’s neck. Covering her mouth, Jill quickly exited the room.

“Jill really needs to learn to stomach this kind of thing.” Lindsay said matter-of-factly.

“I’ll go check on her.” Cindy volunteered.

Exiting the room quickly, Cindy rushed to catch the retreating figure of Jill. Following her to the bathroom, Cindy stopped and waited by the door. When a long amount of time had passed and Jill hadn’t exited the bathroom, Cindy entered only to find Jill bent over the sink in tears.

“Jill.” Cindy ran across the room to her disoriented friend.

Cindy enveloped the shaken woman in her arms. Jill pushed back suddenly as though she had been hit.

“Stop it, Cindy!” Jill hissed.

“Stop what? Stop caring? What is it that you want?” Cindy practically yelled back, tears forming in her eyes as well.

“I want you to leave me alone.” Jill shouted.

After shouting this, Jill grabbed her purse and exited the room without so much as a glace Cindy’s way. Left to stand there, Cindy’s tears finally fell. Alone, in this God-forsaken room, she fell apart.