What? How? When?

I was running and trying to find the answers to all these questions and everything revolved at one centre that was me being irresponsible, heading away from the group, unable to find my way and then bringing more trouble on my head.

But when I looked at her, a thought raced into my mind that dangers always lurk in the shadow and they grew more, powering themselves with the fear of their victims. She was the victim and I would have been made a victim of my fears and cowardice and he would relish the fact.

'Hey, do you know where we are going?' I gave support to her fragile body and looked for the decent place to stay but as far as my eyes could see, the place was deserted. Only a few street lights were lighting up our way and I had no clue where to take refuge.

'Yeah, we have to walk a little bit more. I know a place.' She whimpered in pain. 'You can leave me and go on your own. That place is not safe.' and then she looked at me with moist eyes, 'thank you so much for saving me.' A lone tear escaped.

'I am not leaving you anywhere; you just show me the place.' It was past midnight and I was scared for her and for myself. Maybe we could save each other.

We entered to a place nearby graveyard and my fears heightened.

'Where do you live?' 

She pointed in a direction and I looked around and saw a broken sheltered home enveloped in darkness. The windows were broken and on nearing it, I saw that the gate was coming off its hinges.

'Welcome to my humble abode.' She said sarcastically.

Will it be a good idea to go inside this shed?

I glanced in every other direction for any other place to stay and I saw nothing but rustling trees and graves and lots of graves.

Oh Scarlet, what have you got yourself into?

'I know you are afraid but you can stay a night here if you want since this place is little far of the city and no bus is going to come and pick you up at this hour of the night.' She started walking inside her haven.

Do I have a choice?

I stepped inside and met with rugged carpet with alcohol stains on it, a broken armchair and a table located in one corner and 2 dirty mattresses lying on the floor. Nothing else decorated her home. It was plain, broken and sabotaged.

'You can sleep on that mattress. I am sorry but I have nothing else to give to you.' 

She looked at me sympathetically. Her one eye was swollen and her cheek was still red with some cut on the forehead. She sat down and took the support of the crumbling wall.

The mattress was covered in crumbs and dust and I was pretty sure that rats regularly visited that mattress.

'Here, I have a bandage. You can put it on your cut.' 

I went towards her and sat opposite to her. When I looked closely at her, she looked so young maybe eighteen or nineteen. Her frock was tattered and its end was covered in blood. Her ribs could be seen like she hadn't eaten for many days.

'Hi, I am Scarlett.' I thought to introduce myself since her head was bowed down. 'What's your name? What are you doing in such a lonely, creepy place? Since how long you are staying here?' I couldn't stop myself from questioning her.

She looked at me and laughed. A deep painful laugh that made her eyes cried. 'Hi, Scarlet, nice to meet you. I am bitch, slut, homeless, crack head, waste of life and for your other question; I didn't keep count of my days since my stay here. One day I am here, the next day I am lying in some ditch.' 

I was looking at her wide-eyed. 

'You can pick any name you want and could address me with that.' She said all this so casually.

It took time for me to process all the things that she said and then I put a smile on my face, 'no, I will not address you with any of that. I should at least know the name of the owner who has invited me to her place to stay.'

'Don't be nice, you will rip off from your niceness the second you step into the real world. Look at me.' She looked down at herself and then choked a sob. 'Raped, tortured, drugged and then stripped off from my identity. I don't even know who I am.' 

I was numb to say anything and was just looking at her.

Never in my million years had I thought that I would encounter such day but then a thought like a flash raced to my head.

'Don't look at me like that like you are judging me or something.'

'I am not judging you or anything.'

How could I when even I could have been in her situation if Angel wouldn't have rescued me.

And then suddenly she clutched her stomach and ran towards a door and shut it.

'Hey, what happened? Are you fine?' I started knocking on the door and could hear her silent cries.

'Yeah, I will be out in a minute. No worries. Just some cramps.' She reassured me.

I had never been in such situations before and I had no clue what to do. I patiently waited and she came out after 2 minutes.

'Are you alright? Tell me?' I was scared.

'No need to worry. I got my period. Bloody things always have bad timings.' Oh! That was no issue and breathes a sigh of relief.

'Have you eaten something?'

And she laughed and again that laugh told me that I didn't know anything about this world.

'You are asking me if I have eaten something.' She looked at me like I had grown 2 horns. 'I have no money to buy anything. That is why I trade my body for money but where does that money go, I have no clue.'

I looked around and found syringes and a few bottles. Maybe there her money went.

She found me looking at them, 'that is to make me numb of this pain that becomes unbearable; the cramps that I feel that makes me want to kill myself. You have asked whether I ate.' She laid down on her mattress clutching her stomach, 'I don't have enough to buy pads or tampons forget rest.' She curled her body in a fetal position.

'Then what are you using now to stop the flow?'

'I made a ball of old socks and toilet paper and sometimes rag clothes. How much privileged I am.' 

She said sarcastically but her words were laced with deeply hidden ache. 

'I wish I didn't have to make a choice between a meal and a pad but damn, it's so expensive that it makes me want to laugh at my situation.'

I was baffled by the condition that these products which should be the priority were making women wonder could they even access what's theirs. Could they have their dignity back?

'And don't pity me. This is the life that I have chosen. Everyone has a story so have I. You don't know people as everyone has a reason for the thing that they do.'

I didn't have the right words to say in this situation so, I did what I know would be best. I took out both of my jumbo size Healthy Me sanitary pads from my bag and gave it to her.

'Here, this is the best that I could offer to you at this moment.' I was afraid that my tears were threatening to come out.

She was looking at it as it was some precious jewel. Something that she wanted to touch but was afraid that it would vanish in thin air in the blink of an eye. She got up from her fetal position and hugged me for long and cried like she hadn't cried in years.

Something was making her to keep the façade. Maybe the way how society treated her, to live with no resources but one little thing broke the whole barrier.

'I can't tell you how much this means to me. You came, saved me and gifted me something which was beyond my reach.' I wiped her tears and was trying so hard to be strong for her.

'Now, no more crying. Go back to the bathroom and change.' I encouraged her.

After some time she came, lay down on her mattress clutching her stomach and used stained rugged carpet as her blanket. 'My name's Ruby.' She smiled for the first time. 'You made me feel like a queen.' A genuine smile graced her face.

'Nice to meet you Ruby and you have shown me the world. Now sleep peacefully. Good night.' So, many thoughts were racing inside my head, questioning my situation and everything.

'After such a long time I am having Good Night. Thank you, Scarlett.' And she slept after some time.

Meanwhile, I sat in the corner of my room hugging my bag close and silently weeping, thinking of taking my privileged life for granted.

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Hey guys

I have just one thing to ask, what is running inside your head right now after reading this chapter?

Please don't forget to use your magic weapon that is voting and enlighten me with your feedback and more.

I patiently wait to hear from you guys.

Next Update- Next Tuesday.

Take care and do think about our privileges.