"You stupid fucking whore!" he screamed so loud it felt like the whole room shook.
'Oh no, not again. Please stop! Why can't they just stop?! Why doesn't he just leave us alone? How did he find us again?' Lila thought to herself as she hugged her knees tighter to her chest. Mommy had told her they were going to be safe this time; that he couldn't hurt them anymore. More screaming; something shattered in the small living room of the dirty motel room they'd been staying in. Lila buried her face, her tears soaking through the thin pyjama pants covering her legs. Mommy had told her to hide when he'd started bashing on the door. The closet was dark and smelt funny, she was so scared. She was trying to be quiet like Mommy had said but she couldn't help the ragged sobs that were escaping her mouth. The yelling had stopped, the silence seemed even more terrifying. Lila heard foot steps coming in to the room where she was hiding. She held her breathe as they got closer and closer to the closet door...
———
Lila screamed as she woke from the nightmare that had plagued her for the last 12 years. Her face was wet with tears and her heart beat so hard she could feel it pounding against her rib cage.
"Just a dream" she murmured to herself as she worked to bring her heart rate down. Breathing slowly she tried to pack the memory of the dream tightly back into the mental safe she tried so hard to keep it in. It was all over now, it had been for years but she couldn't shake the fear that hung over her. Checking the clock next to her bed she let out a sigh; it wasn't even dawn yet. It was still to early to get ready for work but she knew sleep would be impossible. Throwing back the heavy covers she forced herself out of bed and dug through her clothes basket for her gym clothes. If she wasn't going to get any sleep she could at least beat the shit out of some punching bags.
Finding a seemingly clean sports bra and tying her long hair up in a high pony tail Lila slipped her trainers on and left her tiny apartment. It was still dark so the streets were empty as she jogged to the 24/7 gym three blocks away. There was something so peaceful about the city this early, the air was cool on her skin and the only sounds were the street sweepers as they trundled along the gutters and foot paths. Despite the early hour the gym wasn't completely devoid of life. Jimmy was starting up the coffee machines and preparing fruits and veggies at the juice bar, Sophie the perky blonde receptionist was shamelessly flirting with Chad, one of the gym's trainers, at the front desk. As Lila walked through the lobby scanning her card at the turnstiles, Sophie called out "Good morning" in her bubbly Cali girl accent. Lila returned a small wave and pulled out her iPod hitting play and jamming the buds into her ears. Ollie Sykes filled her ear drums as one of her favourite BMTH songs blared out.
The harsh vocals and heavy drum beats erasing the terror that had gripped her heart earlier and helped pump her up for a punishing session as she headed toward the boxing area. The gym had become a second home to Lila when she was needed to work through something. She loved the punching and speed bags and had been taking kick boxing lessons since she was ten years old. After she'd stretched and taped up her hands she began working through one of the many exercises she knew by heart, her fists struck with viper speed as she ducked and sprang landing blow after blow. 'Round kick, knee, cross, upper cut, knee, jab, parry, jab'; she ran through them in her mind like a rosary as she completed each move her breathing heavy and sweat dripping down the small of her back as Chelsea Smile blasted in her ears. She was just about to land a particularly lethal heel kick when someone grabbed her shoulder. Turning instinctively Lila went to land whoever was grabbing her on their ass when she was met with a pair of incredible azure blue eyes that were wide with alarm as she had just gripped the stranger's fore arm with force. Hastily regaining her sanity Lila released her death grip and ripped her head phones from her ears.
"What do you want?" she snapped, sounding much harsher than she'd intended but she was still on edge from her work out. The man who'd grabbed her shoulder quickly recovered and schooled his features into and easy smile.
