hinges creaked as the door pivoted from its frame
i can still hear the soft caressing of his cotton socks against the canvas of his sneakers
he trekked deeper into uninvited territory

the ice rattled as i poured his drink
the way he smirked at me over the glass brim is unwavering in my mind
he forced himself into my bedroom
my sanctuary
my safety

his hands groped the ****, searching for a lock
the carpet rustled with every step he took toward me
the screech of a lose baseboard echoed through the thick silence
i reached out for hope
confidence that my purity will be faultless when he leaves

each time i undress myself
my conscious races back to the unwanted nakedness of that night
i lay exposed to more than just the sticky air between us
every revolution of the fan was a dagger in my vulnerable skin

goose bumps scampered across my body
his hands moved toward my ******* despite my contest
the violation began
my head fell to the side
with every blink i see the clock hands ticking

i can smell his breath in my face
my dreams are invaded by the wickedness deep in his eyes
my life has been torn apart by his vicious hands

i flinch at the sight of a friendly hand approaching my body
at the presence of an embrace, i am tense
the torture replays every time i close my eyes
the broken record never stops turning

seventeen minutes

now i am on my hands and knees picking up my broken pieces from the floor