Earthquake Ch. 03

Chapter 03

Earthquake

It was Tuesday and I had just arrived back from lunch with a client. As I passed Sue, our receptionist, she gasped that there had been a massive earthquake in Christchurch and that everyone was in the tearoom watching the aftermath on TV. I rushed in and joined them. The centre of the city had been smashed and there was heavy loss of life. This had been the second serious earthquake in Christchurch within the last five months but this was, by far more intense.

It wasn't long before our phones were ringing and they did not stop all afternoon. There were calls from the institute, opportunist colleagues offering partnership, Clients with property in Christchurch.

When could I get to Christchurch?

Eventually I extricated myself from work as I had to pick up Sarah and Hugo from their Grandmothers. I got them pizzas on the way home as I was not going to be able to make them dinner. I eventually bathed them and got them to bed but they were a little put out by my distraction. The kids did earthquake drills at school but had not felt the earthquake because it was in another city. They did not therefore know what all the fuss was about. I finally got them upstairs to bed, read them a story and got them asleep.

I was still fielding the odd call and was on one when all hell broke loose.

There was a god almighty howling at the front door followed by frantic bashing. I ran to the door to see Lisa's face pressed up against the vision panel. I opened the door to Lisa standing there dressed in black torn yoga pants and a black grubby long sleeved sweater. She collapsed howling into my arms knocking me to the ground. "I've killed my baby," she was repeating over and over. I struggled to get up as Lisa remained on the floor crouched with her head in her hands. Sarah and Hugo appeared at the top of the stairs looking terrified. "I couldn't keep my baby safe," Lisa wailed," I couldn't protect him, I just want to die."

I motioned to Sarah and Hugo to come down saying, "just remember you have two other babies that need your love and protection."

Sarah and Hugo moved tentatively Hugo whimpered, "she might want to kill us too."

I hastily replied, "No you are safe. Mummy is not well and she needs your love and kisses to get better. Come with me and we can start by giving her hugs."

With that they approached from behind me. I crouched down and put my arm around Lisa and guided Sarah and Hugo to do the same. As Lisa remained crouched they both tried giving her their best kisses. Lisa acknowledged them with a weak smile but we couldn't calm her.

I immediately rang Ed who said they would come over. I rang emergency. I managed to get an address out of Lisa to where she had been and sent the police there. I called for an ambulance for Lisa. The ambulance, Ed and Pandora and another police car all arrived about the same time.

Lisa was totally distraught and kept repeating she wanted to die. We were immediately afraid for her mental health. The ambulance took Lisa but I was not allowed to travel with her. Ed and Pandora took Sarah and Hugo to drop off at Lisa's sister Beth, then carried on to the emergency department where Lisa would be triaged. I stayed on to give a statement to the police.

Across the police radio we heard what was happening at the house from which Lisa had come. The police had arrived to find James trying to strangle Morgan because it was actually she who had killed Jimmy. James had already badly injured one of his daughters who were trying to protect their Mother. It appears Hera had thrown Jimmy down some stairs in a fit of 'p driven' rage. James had been out and had returned to find Lisa gone and Jimmy dead.

I was dumfounded when I realised the house where it occurred was within walking distance on the other side of the domain. There was a small semirural area with some rundown houses and sheds. It was a ramshackle area with rusting car bodies, overgrown trees and long unkempt grass. They must have been living there all along, but nobody had seen them.

Hera and James were both arrested. One daughter was taken by Welfare and the other admitted to intensive care. The police also found large quantities of methamphetamine at the property. James denied knowledge of it.

I was left shattered. The whole afternoon had been one adrenalin rush following the Christchurch earthquake and the explosive appearance of Lisa was a perfect storm. The police contacted my parents who came over and picked up their wreck of a son and I returned to the comfort and safety of the home I grew up in.

There was no sleep that night. What the hell had happened? What was going on? What is the future? In the morning my parents found me in the kitchen unshaven, dishevelled, and sticky with sweat holding yet another cup of coffee. Lisa would be sedated and on suicide watch at the acute mental health unit.

I wouldn't be going to Christchurch. I rang my partners asking them to pick up the reigns and then put a message on my mobile phone stating my unavailability and redirecting to my partners.

I wondered if my marriage to Lisa could possibly recover and survive this. What would be the long term effects on Lisa?.... Anxiety, PTSD even? I rang Beth and asked about Sarah and Hugo. They had also been disturbed and upset about the event and were asking for me.

I called in at the mental health unit but Lisa was heavily sedated and asleep.

Later that day there was a general family gathering at the unit. We all agreed that Lisa needed the help and love from all of us. Pandora in particular called me out. Could I find it within myself to commit myself to Lisa's recovery? After all, here I am one of the most qualified seismic engineers in the country and at the top of my calling and there has been a major earthquake with all the pressures and opportunities that brings to a person of my profession.

I was sitting on a bench seat with my arms around both Sarah and Hugo miserably snuggling into me and I recalled that after everything that had gone between us, it was me that Lisa had run to for help. The sight of her howling at the door flashed in my mind. It struck me that I had grown to tailor my profession and my life for her. I wanted her to be the architect and partner; I wanted her to be glorious. Without her my own profession would be meaningless to me.

There were not any words I could say to Pandora to express this. I had not progressed divorce proceedings, as such. Hell, I hadn't even bothered to follow up on a separation agreement. All I could say was that, "I have come this far and I am committed, there is no plan B."

The next month moved slowly. I spent as much time with Lisa as I could. However, this often involved long periods of silence. She was even distant with Sarah and Hugo. She could not understand why I was sacrificing my life and work for her. She insisted that I return to work and even go to Christchurch. I was conflicted in doing this and even worried that it was total rejection. Lisa still blamed herself for Jimmy's death even though Hera was the actual killer. She had failed to protect him.

At this stage she said nothing at all about what lead up to this catastrophic event and nothing about her life since leaving. She wanted little to do with anyone except family. Eventually she wanted to go home.

It was a difficult balance; she wanted to be alone but was afraid to be alone. What she was particularly afraid of was never voiced. She also wanted to move back into a normal life. We planned that we would take her home but install a security system and organise some company for her.

The security system included cameras and an alarm system that could alert me and others remotely. We agreed to have various family members drop in on a roster system to keep her company and deal with Sarah and Hugo. Lisa was willing to accept our neighbours Carolyn and Dave as honorary family members in this system.

Finally Lisa moved back home. Initially all went well. I stayed home for a few days. We were still worried about her suicide tendencies. We talked a lot about things but never about the past. We started making plans for the future.

I asked her if she was still interested in doing an architectural degree. She made no commitment but seem to brighten with the idea.

Remembering my conversation with Claudia I introduced items into our conversation that we may have thought frivolous and unnecessary in the past. We talked about somehow getting an apartment in the city so that we could go to events and shows. I mentioned that a good light transitional job for her might be with an art gallery. She agreed but felt it would be hard handling people for a while.

After two weeks there was positive progress... and then it happened.

It started one evening when Carolyn's car was stolen and they reported it to the police. Carolyn and Dave were keeping an eye on Lisa having been rostered on for the morning when I was to be working in my office.

About mid-morning Carolyn received a call saying the car had been sighted and was given the address of its location which was some distance away. The call was mysteriously not from the police. They were excited that it had been found but Carolyn was a bit nervous about what state the car would be in so they both left to retrieve it. They were part way there when they realised they had left the car keys behind so they turned around to go and retrieve them.

The first I heard that there was anything wrong was when the alert activated on my phone. Lisa must have activated it. I immediately excused myself from a meeting and headed for home. Part way there the phone rang. I pulled over, it was Dave and he was highly agitated. I could hardly make out exactly what he was trying to say but it had to be serious. He indicated that they had heard Lisa screaming and went to investigate, from there he was incoherent, I dropped the phone and continued driving.

Arriving, I leapt out of the car. Dave was gesticulating from behind a bush for me to go over. Then I heard Lisa scream. Dave told me to be careful; there were dangerous men in there and to wait for the cops. Ignoring Dave, I rushed in up the stairs to the bedroom.

The door was partly open.

As I approached the door

Bam!

I was hit with a horrific vision.

One that would give me flash backs and nightmares for years to come.

Lisa was on her knees. A patched thug naked from the waist down had his foot on her head so that her arse was up and totally on display. Her long blonde hair was cum matted and splayed over the bedsheet her vagina was oozing cum. Spattered over her spread thighs was cum mixed with blood was spread from her gaping anus.

There were several other thugs in the room and I suddenly became conscious of my own safety as their attention was drawn toward me. As quick as this was happening I was suddenly yanked backwards as a couple of cops shoved past me.

I was dragged downstairs and outside then lead to where Dave was now standing. Dave was concerned about me and motioned for a policewoman to come over and help comfort me. I couldn't speak I could only hold my head with both hands. I remember just staring around wide eyed full of adrenalin and no way to work it off.

Eventually five patched gang members were lead out. I wanted to speak to Lisa but they would not let me until an ambulance arrived.

There was a long wait as the medics did their thing and finally Lisa was brought out on a stretcher heavily sedated.

At the hospital Lisa immediately went into theatre having suffered internal injuries. I arrived at the hospital but was initially on my own. I was in a public waiting area and feeling highly emotional. I asked if there was a quiet room somewhere. The staff motioned me to an empty office. I had brought my lap top on the off chance that I could view the security footage. I sat behind the desk and flipped open the laptop. I logged into the security video and began to play it.

I still have not made up my mind whether this was the best or the stupidest thing I have ever done in my life.

At the time I was obsessed with understanding what had happened. What I watched was the sudden home invasion and systematic gang rape of my wife, my lovely wife, by five brutal patched thugs.

I watched as they rushed in and surround the bed, how they dragged her out and stripped her, how they each their dropped their filthy jeans, wanking, lined up to take her while others held her down. They yanked her this way and that they smacked and thumped her, they jammed fingers in any orifice they could manhandle. They did her two at a time and three at a time. They alternately gagged her and thrust their cocks in her mouth. The whole time she screamed and struggled.

..and finally they all looked up startled as I and the police arrived into the scene.

I stayed stunned as the police bundled out the rapists. They appeared to offer minimal resistance. The police then took care of Lisa and finally the medics arrived.

I suddenly felt very sleepy and slid off my chair and curled up on the floor. I do not really know how long I was there but I was awoken by my mobile ringing. I juggled it out my pocked and fumbled it to my ear.

It was the police. They had discovered the surveillance camera and wanted the footage. I made the arrangements for them to receive it and added that I had seen the footage and never wanted to see it again

If Lisa's return had been a gut wrenching experience this event was earth shattering. I wondered if Lisa could recover.

Lisa's parents arrived

I did not tell them about the video or what I had seen when I arrived. It was enough for them to know of the rape.

The initial news from the theatre was not good; there had been extensive internal damage and some apparently from much earlier. She was also found to be about three months pregnant but the foetus was unlikely to see the full term and an abortion inevitable. Our families rallied and we rostered to sit with Lisa. We realised recovery would be slow. Lisa responded best when the children were there.

We knew the looming court case could induce further crisis. At this stage we were afraid of the effect of public scrutiny through the media.

We still really had no information of what had happened to Lisa while she was away. The total experience had left her traumatized and it was clear before we left hospital that it would be difficult for her in public places. There were frequent anxiety attacks which came on like aftershocks. Nights were particularly difficult.

The big question was why the gang rape. It was naturally assumed that James had arranged it from Jail as revenge. This was confirmed by our lawyer and the police as the most likely scenario however James was never charged for this. The other question was how the rapists knew that she was in the house. We later found out Carolyn knew one of the disciples, Julie and had met her shortly before the event. Carolyn had innocently described what was happening not dreaming that Julie even knew James. This was dark warning for us and we did not pass this on to Lisa.

I was doing a lot work in Christchurch and the suggestion was hatched that we could move there as a safe haven. The others were worried about the earthquake aftershocks but I felt that in the light of what she had been through it may not be a worry but I believed we should test the waters before we committed to that.

Lisa began a cycle of psychiatric treatment and medication. Over time there was also counselling for our relationship. Once leaving hospital there was a difficult adjustment in getting settled in her home. She would not go in the bedroom where it all happened and she confined herself to the house not wanting to go outside.

The first trials to come up were James and Hera. Lisa would not press any charges related to the abuse she and Jimmy received before the Jimmy was murdered so we remained in the dark about that. The charges therefore related strictly to the murder, the assault on Hera and their daughter. There was also the possession of methamphetamine but that was held over for a wider investigation related to the gang. Our fear was that Lisa would have to testify but both pleaded guilty. My guess was that if they had contested it there would be issues exposed that would not have helped them at all. Both James and Hera were to get prison terms and eventually deported.

There still remained a malevolent threat, so the Christchurch option was put into action. My parents were retired and were in a position financially to be able to move down to support us. It was not intended to be a permanent move but there was no actual planned date to return so we sold the house. I was able to obtain suitable accommodation for all of us but it was not easy in post-quake Christchurch. I found two houses within walking distance at a hamlet just outside of the city. There, the aftershocks were not so great. Fortunately it turned out Lisa was not sensitised to them being subsumed by her other traumas... her own aftershocks.

Through this period there was plenty of support for Lisa but with us there was no intimacy. Indeed we did not share a bed. Lisa worried that with my libido I would stray. I tried to ease her mind saying the soft right hand and on-line erotica would see me through to when she was well again.

Sometime later and after the children were in bed we sat down in the sitting room over a glass of wine. Ominously Lisa had asked for a very frank discussion about our future. She began by saying that she no longer felt she loved me. This came as a shock to me...an aftershock of my own. Although not entirely expected, it alerted me to the difficult task of reuniting.

She felt guilty that she was depriving others of my expertise in this time of national disaster and suggested that someone else would be better to take care of me.

I asked if she still loved James. She winced,

"I wouldn't dignify that with an answer," she continued, "I don't think I could love anyone the way I feel now."

"What about Sarah and Hugo?"

"No that's different" she paused, "but ..even then?"

Lisa started to become annoyed.

"Please don't pressure me about this...."

We sat in silence, then I spoke.

"Listen you are on medication and you suffer anxiety attacks but I do see slow improvement. Don't ever pressure yourself. Even though you feel you cannot love, you have a whole team around you who love you and are giving you support to see this through. We all know it is a slow process and we will take our wins inch by inch."

After a silence I risked bringing up James. Expecting another snap back, it didn't happen.

"What drew you to James, was it sex?" I asked.

"Partly," she replied," but he was fun and he made me feel important? He seemed to be exceptionally perceptive and seemed to see right into my very soul."

"What do you feel about that now?"

"I was deluded, he was a con man, it was all for his ego. He was a narcissist and master of charming and manipulating people. Once he had them in his power he used them, got bored with them and discarded them like trash. Everything he did was calculated."

"When did you realise?"

"...Too slowly and too late. In the end he was only interested in Jimmy and I was used only for his sick desires. I hung on to protect jimmy and hopefully get him back. I did not have any money of my own and felt like I was helplessly falling into an abyss."

I felt a strong pang of guilt with this statement; after all it was me who withheld paying her an allowance. I elected to say nothing.

Finally I said, "I still can't see how you could fall for him."

Lisa said, "It wasn't like me falling for you. I know you talk about being smitten in our first meeting. With me it took a while to fall in love with you. A lot of my falling for you was the approval of friends and my family and we just seem to fit so well. One day I woke up thinking I couldn't live without you."