Dedicated to : BuBbLeS5151 and @Kalimsayyad4

Iva's POV :

The doctor first did the routine check up like measuring the blood pressure, pulse, temperature. Later she did per vaginal examination. After finishing up with her findings, she offered me and Ana to sit while she removed her gloves and rinsed her hands.

"Well, there are marks of teeth bite on your neck and right cheek, scratches over your breast and waist but your genital region seemed to be spared by him." She jotted it all down on a sheet of paper and after finishing she looked up at me.

"Yes, he wasn't able to reach there as Adreano came into the room at the right time." I said remembering the scene without any effort. It was a fresh wound. A wound which kept digging deep into my skin with every thought about it.

"Okay." The doctor gave me a comforting smile.

"Don't worry. You are fine to go home. I have prescribed you some medicine and external cream. You are consulting a Psychiatrist right?"

I nodded in response.

"Okay so I advice you to meet her tomorrow and take rest as much as you can." She then stood up with the papers of my examination and gestured us to follow her.

"I have my findings ready to show to the police. Now it's your time to talk to them and help them in the investigation of your attempted rape case." She tried to speak as mildly as she could but the word 'Rape' stung my heart with an uncontrollable pain.

Last night when I was with Adreano, I almost forgot about the whole incident with Max for a while maybe because Adreano made me very much comfortable with him and his mere presence relieved my pain for that period of time. But now with the doctor and policemen around me I realized that I have went through something unpardonable, something really bad.

"Miss Iva Jones, I am Officer Bellick. I want you to answer me few questions regarding last night."

The memory of my past seemed crawling back again in my mind. Last time I had a conversation with the Police was for him. A Murderer. A Killer. I could my veins filling with fear and spreading all over my body.

"Miss Iva? Are you alright?" A heard a voice from a distant. I got a sinking feeling. "Miss Iva??"

I soft squeeze on my shoulder broke my thoughts of despair and I turned around only to realize it was Ana. The turmoil in my bloodstream calmed a little and I was back to reality, back from the bitter memories.

After asking me a few questions and then the doctor, Officer Bellick along with his two colleague left the hospital along with Max.

Maxs' hands were cuffed, there were bruises around his eye socket and a big bandage wrapped around his head. His eyes were stuck to the ground while he walked past us. James and Adreano looked at Max pitifully. Who would like to see a friend in a situation like this?

"I think we all must head home." Ana broke the awkward silence. We all nodded a yes.

Ana drove me to home. We both decided not to let Mom know anything about last night happenings. So we entered the home with fake laughs and merry mood.

"What's so funny girls?" Mom welcomed us with mixed expression.

"Nothing Mom. Last night was too much fun we can't keep ourselves from talking about it." I said laughing more harder than before.

"Can't wait to hear from you girls about the fun."

"You better not." I mumbled.

Me and Ana sat on couch. I felt so peaceful to be back to home.

"Iva, I know it's a thing which can't be erased from mind but please try avoiding it when it comes in your mind. I am with you always." She said with a painful smile.

"Yes, I will." I returned the smile.

Ana left after an hour and I went back to my room for some rest.

************************

I went down from my room to the kitchen. I grabbed out a bottle of water and sat on a chair adjacent to the table.

Mom and my brother were deep asleep as the clock showed it was 3 a.m.

Suddenly from nowhere he came into the kitchen and sat opposite me. I spattered out the water from my mouth seeing him right before my eyes. My heart pumped faster and it increased with every passing second.

His evil lips parted in a grin watching me shake in the state of fear. I hated fearing him! I cursed myself every damn moment of being such a coward.

"Relax baby, I won't harm you today. Let your scratches and bruises heal to be ready for a new one." His eyes moved from my hands up to my neck. He then took out a knife from the silverware and started scribbling the surface of the table.

"Th...th...then why are you here?" I gulped as the words stuttered out from my shivering mouth.

"I came here to remind you that it's not over. You may have succeeded putting Max in prison but you can't do the same with me." He paused, the spreading his arms wide in the air he continued, "I am a free man now and I will come after you when the time is right." His husky voice was enough dreadful to make my body shiver.

He pressed his index finger against the sharp tip of the knife and naturally red jelly like blood trickled down slowly on the table.

I looked at him horrified.

"You see this? This is how I'll take away your life. Slowly, slowly with intensive pain. You will beg for your life. You will beg for mercy but your attempts will end up adding a sense strength and power which I am yearning past few years."

He stood up, now licking his cut finger, "You will die until the tiny drops of blood cover up the entire floor of the room and empty your body like a trash.

His words sucked up my mind. I was blank. I couldn't feel anything anymore. I froze right there in the chair. This man will not let me live. No matter how much I try to escape his murderous hands he will kill me.

I closed my eyes as tightly as I could. My head tilted down. My body shamelessly surrendered to his victory. If he wants to kill me why not now?

He started laughing. An evil laugh. Dreadful, giving immense pain to my heart. His laugh echoed in the house. I covered my ears with hands but it didn't helped a bit. I shivered. My legs fidgeted in agony. I felt as if ny ear drums would burst and finally I ket out a scream.

Stop! Stop! Stop!

*******************

"Then?" She asked after listening to me patiently.

"Then I woke up and I realized I was in my bedroom but instead of bed I was lying on the floor. Maybe the fall woke me up. I went back to bed and scanned my room. Everything seemed normal. Early morning beam of the Sun crossed the window pane and reached over my face. I pinched myself to make sure I am not in a dream again. And the pinch gave me a sense of relief that it was a horrible dream and that it has faded away with the reality." I said slouching on the couch uncomfortably.

My Psychiatrist looked at me, framing further questions in her mind and diagnosis of my current situation.

"Iva, what exactly are you feeling about him?"

Her question made me more uneasy.

"I don't know." I tried to dodge the question.

"C'mon speak up. There must be some kind of feeling regarding him?" I asked mildly as usual.

But the thought of him was exact opposite of the mild. Mere the thought of his face causes turmoil in my bloodstream. Finally, I gulped a lump of water and spoke, "I think he'll kill me just the way he killed my....he....the way the killed my father."

My heart swelled up. I felt like it would come out tearing my chest. I don't remember when was the last time I mentioned about his death to someone. Although his absence and his blood covered face crosses my mind everyday but my lips are sealed. I can't control my brain but I can control my mouth. I don't like talking about it to anyone. I don't like the sympathy filled eyes after hearing my story. It makes me more sad and disgusted of life.

"Iva." She said while handling me a box of tissue. "I want you to listen to me very carefully okay?"

I shook my head in affirmative.

"You need to accept first that he is in prison and will be there for a lifetime. He is never going to come back and there is no threat to you and to your family as well."

"But how can I?? It's not that easy! I feel his presence." I blurted out.

Despite of my interference she wasn't irritated or angry at me which I think I would have done if I was her. But I guess that's what Psychiatrist are trained for. They have immense patience like one of those saints at the Himalayas. They listen to people who are mentally disturbed, weary of life and what not. It requires a subtle and sane mind to deal with the insane.

She beamed her beautiful smile at me which made me quiet.

"Yes, I know you feel his presence and that's what I am trying to make you understand that you let your mind convince you about him to the extent that you strongly feel his presence, touch, his dreadful voice and end up confusing your dream with the reality. We all experience bad dreams but when we wake up we ignore it and get busy with our curriculum but that's not the case with you. In your dream he is coming for your life and you fear in reality as well. Despite me, your mother and Ana saying you so many times that he is in prison you still allow your sub conscious mind rule you."

"Then what should I do? Am I going crazy?" I didn't knew what else I should ask her. Deep inside I feel that I am crazy.

"No, you are not going crazy. But try to forget your past and focus in your present. Indulge yourself in your work and spend some quality time with you family. Your mother and brother have been through the same situation as you. They need you Iva as much as you need them. Sometimes we feel so unlucky and miserable with the unfortunate happening in our life that we almost overlook the good things in our life. Things which we are blessed with are never thanked by the selfish us. We realize the importance of something only when we lose it. We all must have lost something or the other, it may be a lover, a dad, a baby, best friend, money, etc. There are innumerable list of the people of things we humans have lost. We all have experienced pain but we have to deal with it. We can't run from the reality all we need is to embrace what we have today and forget the past. Iva concentrate on your present. Take him to the prison of your mind. Start from today and you will see a difference in no time." She reached to a glass of water.

I was intrigued with each and every word she spoke. I realized my tears have stopped and so I kept the tissue box aside. I felt relaxed as if a big stone has been pulled up away from my chest.

"Thank you." I said with my weak voice.

Her hands reached to a pen and a white paper. She penned down some medicines and handled the prescription to me.

"When will these medications stop?" I asked. To be honest her kind words healed me and not these medicines.

She beamed her pristine smile again,
"When you want to." Her words were straight and clear.

I stood up and paced towards the door to leave but stopped when suddenly she called my name, "Iva! You forgot to mention about him to me."

I turned back to face her. Him?? But I have already said her everything. What is she talking about?

"You forgot to talk about Max." She said.

*********************

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