Justice

 

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Introduction

A young woman conquers her fear and begins a new chapter in her life... But is her new direction the right one?

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Mary Lynn Engardio

'Justice' captured my attention right away, and I'm looking forward to Chapter 2. Obviously, Cassie's work is not done yet!

Chapter 1

Honestly, I couldn't believe I was actually downtown.  I was just walking down the street, alone, like anyone else.  I kept feeling this little rush like butterflies migrating from my head to my feet.  I waited for it to morph into that feeling that would send me back to my car in a blind panic, the one that had kept me housebound for months, but it never happened. 

I was in black, of course.  I guess it helps me to feel like I just fade into the background a bit.  The night of the attack, I was wearing a champagne-colored dress, and every time I moved or took a step, the beads caught the streetlights.  I used to like that sort of thing, being the center of attention and all, but not now.  Cassie, my therapist, says that it doesn't serve me anymore.  Cassie really helped with my empowerment.  I've never felt better than I do these days.  I'm off the Zoloft and almost off  the Valium, but I only take that when I’m having a panic attack.

I realized that I was only a block away from the Tortured Bean, this coffee place where the walls are lined with bookshelves and you can sit and read for hours.  Cassie says it's good to do nice things for myself, so I decided to hang out there for a while.

After I ordered, I pulled "The Old Man and the Sea" off the shelf and found an overstuffed chair in the corner.  I want my back to the wall, to see if someone's watching me... and someone was.  He was grinning at me, being completely obvious.  I tried to go back to my book.  Then, all at once, he was there in front of me.

"I love that book," he said casually.  "I teach a course on Hemingway."

I felt the sweat break out on my forehead and had to fight not to cry.  My God, it was HIM.  Why did I come in here?  Did he follow me?  Why wasn't I paying attention?  Somehow, I managed to speak.  "Excuse me for a moment."  I tried not to sprint to the restroom.

I shook and gasped at the sink, then tore through my purse for the Valium... and found the gun instead. 

Could I?  As soon as I thought about doing it, I felt spirit shift.  He'd be punished and I'd be safe.  Of course!

I left the bathroom and walked back to the man who had raped me.  "I wish I didn't have to go home," I breathed. 

It was so easy.

It wasn't until after the reverberating pop of my .38 in the alley that I really saw it.  He lay there, silent, while I struggled to understand.  His hair was the wrong color.  He was too slender.  It wasn't him after all.  How could I have thought it was?  I did some deep breathing.  It wasn't him, but that was okay.

The next one would be.

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