Rhapsodist Writing Contest #5 - SEEKING REFUGE IN A STRANGER

We are surrounded by dozens of people,some are the ones we see everyday, a few are those who matter and many are the strangers that we never give a second glance at;but as unforeseen life is ,we happen to come across such strangers that make a great impact in a fraction of time.

It had been two years since I had seen my family and it was just one flight away, I was sitting next to a blonde woman who was staring outside the window ever since I had got in so I shushed my idea of introduction not wanting to interfere her personal space. After some time, she turned around and I couldn’t help but notice her eyes-they were red and puffy and her face had tear stains, without hesitation, I asked if she was alright to which she responded in a nod but I couldn’t stop thinking her pale face;she was not just crying, she was not just lost in sadness,she was numb.It felt like her soul was ripped apart and at one glimpse I could tell.

I decided to try some small talk “so where are you actually headed to?” Without looking at me she answered “when you have hollowed numbness inside you , it doesn’t matter where you go.” I was at loss of words hearing what she said and seeing my traumatized face she spoke again “Today I found out I was pregnant so I am going somewhere no one knows me to raise my baby” I was taken aback at her blunt confession but I was glad .”So you don’t want the dad to find out?” I sounded curious. She took a long breath and replied with no emotion in her voice “Actually, I don’t want anybody to find out”.

I was never a nosy kind but this time I couldn’t let it go “You know it’s not fair.He has the right to know. He is the father after all.” I regretted saying it immediately but before I could apologize she spoke “It’s never fair. Life is never fair-“she was trying to hold back the tears that were forming and continued “It was not fair when I was forced to live a girl’s worst nightmare.it was not fair when I had no strength to fight the things happening to me in my own office by my own boss.It was not fair when I couldn’t tell a single soul what happened to me. It was not fair when I couldn’t breathe but life didn’t stop for me.It was never fair” Tears were rolling down as she poured her heart out .I held her hand in silence as I began to register what she was trying to say, hoping what I thought wouldn’t be true but she said it out loud for me “I WAS RAPED.”