My Safe Haven- Art Prompt Writing Contest #4

The following story is my entry for the Art Prompt Writing Contest #4 by @gmuxx. Hope you enjoy it and hope I win the contest. The story is supposed to be based on the following image by @thetinypaleokitchen. So here’s my story.

This place is my safe haven. It is where I feel safe, secure and at peace. When I am sad or happy, dismayed or enthusiastic, have achieve a feat or lost something- I like to share my experiences with the sun rays, the glass blades, the tree trunks, the breeze and the stream here. All this saved me from falling into depression years ago and later helped me find the light of my life- my beautiful daughter Alina.

Today as I see the sun slowly light up the sky, I cannot help recall the most unforgettable experience in my life that changed my life completely. It happened roughly 3 years ago and thinking of it sends shivers down my spine followed by a sweet smile of victory even now.

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December 2013

It was 9pm as I stepped out of a party organized by my boss. I had gone home later than that before and wasn’t really afraid of travelling alone so I was fine going home alone. Little did I know that today was going to be a different night, that tonight my fate was going to change forever, that tonight even if it wasn’t that late my safety, life, integrity and virginity was going to be in jeopardy.

I took a bus home like I often did and noticed 3 guys from the other corner of the bus constantly staring at me. Since I wasn’t a bad looking woman, I had experienced my share of catcalling so ignored it.

My station came and I happily got off the bus. Unfortunately those guys got off too and started following me. Sensing evil approaching me, I began running as fast as I could and then something hit me hard on my head followed by a gag and a cloth on my nose that made me fall unconscious. Whatever it was, I hardly remember what happened to me after that.

When I woke up, I was in a condition I had never envisaged I would ever be in and I was in that exact same place I am right now.With a tattered top, no lowers and an aching body, I realized I was gang raped and the worst part was I wasn’t even conscious to save myself against that atrocity. While those bastards did that heinous crime, I was sound asleep. I felt broken inside. My heart was shattered and so was my soul. I didn’t feel like myself anymore but luckily, I wasn’t ashamed of myself. I was sane enough to understand I was the victim of a crime and not someone at fault.

That being said, I was hurt and distressed. It was then that I felt that the tree I was lying under gave me a hug. I don’t know if I was imagining this or was it really true but I felt the tree trunk move inches closer to my body and support me as if it was hugging me to comfort me. The wind suddenly felt warmer and with it came a bunch of leaves atop my partially naked body. I believed in love but I never knew nature could be loving too. It was as if everything in that place was giving me its love and care so I didn’t felt so broken inside.

I stayed there till I could gather enough strength and courage to go back home. Finally, I went home and suffered a bigger blow when my fiancé (Haris) broke off our engagement when he found out about what happened to me 3 days later. He changed completely. It was like he was a chameleon supporting a different color all this time. I hadn’t felt so hurt when I realized I had been raped as I did when Haris called me a piece of filth. Hurt and disowned by Haris, I returned to my safe haven and once again, it accepted me. This time the breeze was cool and there were flowers around as if telling me that there was hope in life.

Since then, I started coming here every week and instead of losing hope, I began exploring my silence and find my true meaning in life. I found that meaning one day when I saw an abandoned child wrapped in a blue blanket close to the tree trunk I found myself near when I was thrown there by my rapists. The child looked about 3 weeks old. I didn’t think twice before picking her up and took her home.

It is not difficult to take in a child without adopting him/ her where I live so I didn’t face much trouble with that. However, caring for her wasn’t easy at first. I was just 25 years old and didn’t consider myself mature enough to be a parent but with each moment that I took care of that tiny girl, I grew closer to her and found myself coming back to my life. After two weeks, I realized that I was destined to parent her and it was then that I named her Alina (light) and started calling myself her mother.

Days turned into weeks and weeks into months and months into years. Alina is now 2 years old and a loving, compassionate and bright girl who has made me a better person with each passing day. She and I have built together a beautiful life for ourselves and if it wasn’t for my safe haven, I would never have found Alina.

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Present Day

As I recall all these memories, I feel immensely grateful for having found meaning in my life and findingmy safe haven. It is this place that nurtured and comforted me when I was at my weakest and gave me the strength to find purpose in my life. I am going to spend some more time here thanking it for all that it has done for me and also watering the plants Alina and I have planted here to make this beautiful place grow even better and greener.

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Hope I get to win the contest and hope you enjoyed reading it. This is my tribute for all the rape survivors and those who find in them the love and strength to accept abandoned kids and raise them as their own.


Lots of love,


Sharoon.

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