Finding You Bk. 01: When Souls Collide

He just laughed and leered at her, face alight with sick triumph. "You still owe me for the aggravation you've caused me, bitch." His eyes darted to her bra, which was heaving with her rapid breathing. "And you're not leaving here until I collect...with interest!"

Tabby went rigid with terror, her blood turned to liquid ice and made her veins burn with cold fire scalding them. Heart-stopping fear paralyzed her muscles, rendering her a prisoner in her own body.

She couldn't think. She couldn't breathe.

Her thoughts had scattered like a bag of marbles dropped onto the floor, skittering and rolling away before she could collect them, leaving her in a state of absolute panic. Raw, primal fear overwhelmed all her senses and pushed her to the verge of hyperventilating as her lungs spasmed, unable to inflate properly. A loud, buzzing static had filled her ears, tricking her into believing that a swarm of angry bees had taken up residence inside her skull and a hazy, gray fog thickened and encroached on her field of vision. Her terror was putting her in real danger of passing out, leaving herself vulnerable and at Jerry's mercy.

"Think!" A familiar voice, not her own, yelled from inside her head, cutting through the chaos roaring in her ears. The voice distracted her momentarily from her fear and drew her away from the blackness that was trying to steal consciousness from her. It sounded so much like her twin brother, Troy, that she thought, for one brief, precious second, that he was actually in the room with her - even though the rational part of her brain knew that he couldn't be.

"Come on sis, use that big brain of yours before that pig of a man takes something from you that isn't his to take!"

"Troy!" she sobbed in relief, searching for the source of his voice. "I don't know what to do! He's too big, too strong. I can't...I can't fight him."

"You have to stop thinking like a victim, Tabby! It's going to get you killed," he scolded her, disappointment lacing his words. She imagined that she could see Troy's blue eyes cutting through the storm clouds swirling poisonously in her mind, the familiar irises glowing brightly with his fierce love for her. The more she focused on the memory of her twin, the more real he became - until she thought that she could see a shadow of him hovering just out of reach. As her mind drifted through the dreamscape, she imagined that she could feel strength flowing to her through the mysterious connection that had been created in her mind. She clung desperately to that tendril of hope, using it to dispel some of the terror that had gripped her.

"He's fighting dirty, Tabs, so you need to do so as well. The rules don't apply now, this is life and death, sis. You're stuck in the middle of it and in a minute, time is going to catch up and you have to act before it's too late!" His voice was fading, retreating as the clouds thickened and pushed him out of her head.

"Troy!" She called out, her dream-self throwing out a hand in hopes of keeping him with her. "Please...please don't leave me!"

"Remember Tabs, fight dirty...Survive!" his voice echoed back one last time before his shadow vanished into the darkness.

Tabby was thrust back into her awful reality by Jerry's rough hands groping at her bra, he was pulling it away from her chest and twisting it in an attempt to rip it from her. She heard the sound as some of the seams tore, but the material was stronger than it looked and wouldn't give. He had to settle for pushing it up her chest and letting her full breasts bounce out of the bottom. The instant that they were free, he latched onto them; pawing at them with rough hands and squishing them with his fingers with the wanton joy of a child playing with play dough. His fingers dug hard into her sensitive tissue, over and over until she was shrieking in pain and smothering under Jerry's immense weight. She kicked out frantically, but her legs couldn't connect with the way he was leaning on her.

"Scream all you want, you useless cunt! There's no one around to hear you and I do love fucking me a fighter. Sure beats that cold fish of a wife back home!" Drops of putrid spit hit Tabby's face as he gloated over her. His hands left her aching breasts and he trapped both of her wrists in one huge hand, pinning her squirming body to the desk with them pressed into her stomach. With his free hand, he took stabs at grabbing at the button on her jeans, getting red faced with frustration when he couldn't get a hold of it. She was making it next to impossible for him by twisting and bucking her body beneath him, his own girth adding to the difficulty by making him have to do it blindly, unable to see past the rolling expanse of fat obscuring his line of sight.

"Stop fucking moving, you miserable little bitch!" Out of patience, Jerry exploded in anger. Tabby didn't have time to react or move as his fist suddenly appeared in her peripheral vision a split second before blinding pain erupted on the right side of her face. Through the ringing in her ears, Tabby vaguely heard his voice. "Move again and I'll knock you out and tie you up!" he snarled at her, sending another shower of revolting spit into her face.

The impact had made a constellation of stars burst in front of Tabby's eyes, stunning her, but it was the sadistic glee in his threat that had knifed through her panic.

The terrifying possibility of being totally helpless with him had petrified her into stillness. Jerry grinned manically, keeping eye contact with her as he easily slipped the button through the tight denim and wrenched her zipper down. He was practically drooling when he yanked off both her jeans and underwear, working them over her pair of boots that he couldn't be bothered to waste time untying so that they could be removed first. She whimpered as cool air found the newly exposed skin of her sex and Jerry's eyes became shiny pools of obsidian as fevered lust made him look like a man possessed.

"Now that's more like it," he hummed happily. "I'm going to stand up now," he growled in warning. "If you move so much as a finger, I'll tie you up and hurt you so bad that you'll wish you were dead." He gave her a humorless, condescending smile and patted the cheek where he'd punched her, chuckling as she gasped in pain. "All you need to do is lie there and spread your legs like a good little whore. Do that and maybe I'll just fuck you and let you leave after. Understand?" Tabby could tell by the deranged gleam in his eyes that his promise was a hollow one, meant to buy her cooperation with the hope of freedom.

She knew without a doubt that he had no intention of letting her leave that easily.

Unable to extricate herself, Tabby just nodded numbly, potent fear sizzling through her nerves until she swore she could hear the crackle and fizz of arcing electricity. Even as she grasped for a way to escape, a sense of inevitable resignation crept over her, sapping her strength. An odd sense of detachment pulled at her like a dog straining on a leash, dragging her consciousness away from the brutal act that was fast approaching. Her only saving grace was the pounding agony in her face mixing with the overdose of adrenaline vibrating her nerves that kept her tethered to consciousness, and gave her something tangible to focus upon.

This was it, her mind screamed. You're about to get raped and there's nothing you can do about it!

"Fight!" Troy's desperate plea filled her head, breaking through the strange lethargy that was keeping her immobile. A mental nudge, as if her brother had just slapped her brain, brought a stab of shocking awareness rushing back. Tabby gasped and clawed her way out of the well of despair that had been sucking her down and she let righteous anger fill her with renewed energy.

She would fight him, dammit. There was no way in hell that she was going to let this happen without making it as hard for the sick bastard as she could. If the end result was going to be the same, at least she'll know that she tried everything that she could possibly do to prevent it...even if the attempt only made matters worse.

Anything was better than just lying there and doing nothing while a monster did unspeakable things to her.

Her gaze shifted back onto Jerry, a new determination fueling her body. She would find an opportunity or a mistake or something that she could exploit to get herself out of this hellish situation.

She would fight dirty. If he wanted her that badly, she was going to make it as hard as she could for him to get her.

Oblivious to the epiphany that Tabby had just experienced, Jerry was too busy ogling his new prize. He was panting heavily, compulsively licking his thin lips with a lascivious hunger that made him look like a starving man staring at an all-you-can eat buffet. His shifting eyes disturbed and revolted Tabby, roving over her naked mound and flicking crazily between it and her bare breasts, as if he was torn between which of the two feasts he wanted to partake in first.

His thick fingers fumbled, clumsy and uncoordinated, at his waist seeking to unbuckle his belt. His large belly and his proximity to her was making the task much harder than it should have been. He grunted in irritation and finally had to step back so that he could peer down, suck his gut in and work the belt out of the buckle.

Tabby held her breath, suspended in a state of morbid fascination as he finally managed to undo the stubborn button on his pants and they and his boxers fell from his hips. Unrestricted, his semi-erect cock sprung limply forward and for a split second, Tabby almost let out a guffaw of hysterical laughter. The sad way the pathetic thing bobbed, reminded her of a broken jack-in-the-box, jerking awkwardly as it tried to inflate itself into some state of usefulness.

Her moment of amusement disintegrated when a glob of something thick and white, slid off the end of his dick and fell out of her line of sight onto the floor. She gagged in revulsion, immediately reminded of the way he had masturbated in front of her earlier.

Tabby fought with breathless, nauseating, panic, acutely aware that time and her chance for freedom, was speeding past and that she still hadn't found a way to save herself.

That moment presented itself unexpectedly when Jerry stepped forward and leaned over to position himself between her legs. He didn't seem capable of peeling his eyes off the dark thatch of pubic hair between her legs and had bent down, extending his tongue as if to take a taste. It put him at the perfect angle for Tabby to see an opportunity to retaliate. Without thinking, she popped one knee up sharply, catching him by surprise. Her kneecap found its target and crunched with explosive force, into Jerry's bulbous nose. He howled in shock like a wild animal, bolting straight upright, bright red blood spraying everywhere and grabbing for his nose with both hands. Blood oozed through his fingers as he gave Tabby a murderous look.

"You fucking bitch!" he yowled, spitting blood at her in a gurgling roar.

Tabby saw her next opportunity open up and didn't hesitate to act again. The second he had stood up, his vulnerable groin had been left unprotected by the withdrawal of the bulk of his overhanging belly. Tabby retracted both of her knees up to her chest so fast they moved in a blur and then exploded her legs forward as if they had been spring loaded.

Her feet hit his vulnerable crotch like a pile driver, making his eyes bulge from their sockets before he let loose an ear splitting shriek. She felt the fleshy thud reverberate up her legs as both boot heels slammed into his cock, shoved his testicles up into his body and smashed them like grapes between her heels and his pubic bone.

The force of her strike shot him backwards while at the same time, he crumpled forward in agony. He lost his balance, careened off the chair by the desk and landed on the floor in a gasping heap clutching at his bleeding crotch and gagging on his own screams.

With him incapacitated, Tabby didn't waste any time scrambling off the desk, pausing just long enough to level another brutal kick to the shrieking man's unguarded face. He tried to grab for her leg but she'd anticipated that and kicked his hand away, catching him on the wrist so hard that she heard the stick-like sound of bone cracking. He howled again, curling around his broken hand and screaming in agony.

"Hope it was worth it you bastard. Your cock isn't going to be good for anything but pissing out of now!" she screamed at him. Tabby snatched her pants off the floor and jumped for the door, leaving Jerry a bloody mess behind her.

"You fucking...bitch!" he wheezed from the floor, doing a bizarre twisting dance that looked like he was attempting to curl up to the fetal position and trying to get to his feet at the same time. Blood streamed from his mouth and nose and more soaked through his trousers staining them dark, where her kick had done him some serious damage. "You're...gonna...regret this, you fucking bitch!"

Unlocking the door, Tabby turned and spat at him, feeling a massive burst of satisfaction as she watched the glob of saliva hit him in the eye and slide down his cheek. "You can keep your fucking job and shove your favours up your ass! I quit!"

Tabby left Jerry writhing and moaning on the floor of his office and raced through the kitchen, ruined shirt flapping like wings at her sides and her mind propelling her to go, go, go! Get away from here as fast as you can!

Pausing long enough to grab her purse, Tabby burst out of the rear door and skidded into the darkened alley. She took off into the dark, blind panic making her legs pump like pistons. The only thought going through her head was the primal need for escape. She sprinted away, heedless of her nakedness and ignoring the grimy, cold water that splashed up her bare legs. The amber glow of street lights filtered into the darkness as the end of the alleyway approached and Tabby sped up, suddenly wanting nothing more than to be out in the open and away from the claustrophobic feel of the cramped alley.

Her foot came down heavily, splashing into a puddle and startling a stray cat that had been scrounging for dinner in one of the trash bins. The hissing creature leapt in front of her, scaring Tabby into almost losing her footing as she half tripped and half jumped over the yowling animal. The fright slowed her long enough to realise that she was about to run out onto a public street wearing nothing but a torn shirt, ruined bra and a pair of boots. She hurriedly shook out her jeans and yanked them up her trembling legs.

Thank god they were boot cut and passed easily over her boots or else Tabby might not have wasted the time to put them on. Even stopping for the minute it took her to put her pants on filled her with a sickening desperation to run. As she shimmied into her jeans, she kept looking behind her at the sliver of light that spilled into the dark from the open door of Jack's kitchen, fearing that Jerry would appear at any second.

She glanced down to button her jeans and saw a scrap of white on the ground by her foot, her underwear had dropped into a puddle and she scooped them up and stuffed them into her pocket. Soaking wet and filthy, they were ruined but they were hers and she was loathe to leave anything of hers for Jerry to find; she'd toss them out herself when she got home.

Pants on, the next problem she tackled was her torn shirt. The buttons were all but gone and some of the buttonholes had ripped when Jerry had pulled her shirt open. The only thing she could do was tie the two tails of her shirt front together, just like she remembered doing as a kid in summertime. It kept the shirt partially closed and at least covered her breasts that sagged out of the bottom of the ruined bra.

She took one last look behind her and saw nothing but the empty alley. No sign of Jerry. She took off running again, exiting the alley and turning left, not knowing or caring where it took her so long as it was far away from Jack's.

She ran and ran and ran, adrenaline powering her legs until her muscles threatened to give way. She stumbled and almost fell, before skidding to a halt, doubling over and gasping for air. Scanning the area, she tried to figure out where she was while waiting to catch her breath. A red, digital clock in the window of a bank across the road showed the time as 2:50 am and her heart sunk with despair at the sight.

Transit buses stopped running at two...she was stranded and too broke to take a cab.

Hot tears finally came, pouring out of her like a burst damn, riding waves of tremors so intense that her knees buckled and she dropped onto the pavement. She shook and cried on that deserted city street with only the glow of the street lamps and the big, Golden Arches of a fast food restaurant to keep her company. She cried for ten long minutes, succumbing to the fear and terror that she had had to bury in order to save herself. As her sobs slowly abated, she became aware of numerous sharp pebbles on the sidewalk, digging painfully into her knees. She pulled herself together, got to her feet and stumbled to a bus stop that stood nearby. Sitting tiredly down on the bench, Tabby tilted her eyes to the crescent moon and stared blankly into the night sky, her breath coming in hiccups from all the crying. She had never felt so lost and alone in her life and wished she could just fly away.

Tabby sniffled and used the collar of her shirt to dry her tears. As flying away wasn't an option, she had better start trying to figure out what to do next.

The night air was chilly, her open shirt letting the cool breeze in and she recalled that her jacket was back in her now defunct car. Shivering from shock and cold, Tabby knew that she had to do something and dug her phone out of her purse. She scanned her speed dial list and found her neighbor and best friend's picture. She pressed her smiling icon and waited for the call to connect.

It rang and rang and rang and Tabby prayed that her friend hadn't stuck her phone on 'do not disturb' for the night. "Come on, Petra. Pick up!" Just as she was about to give up hope, Petra's sunny voice came on the line.

"Hi'ya Tabs. What's the matter? Can't sleep?" she laughed, sounding suspiciously wide awake for the late hour.

"Petra," Tabby could barely speak above a whisper, the urge to dissolve into a fresh round of tears pricked at her eyes and made them sting.

"Tabs? Hey, what's up?"

"I'm having a pretty shitty day. Can you do me a f..." Tabby's stomach convulsed the second that awful word came into her mind. Nausea roiled and streamed up her throat, forcing what little she had in her stomach, to spray out of her mouth and onto the pavement between her boots. Bitter stomach acid burned and choked her as her muscles rebelled against the vile word that had been on the tip of her tongue.

She couldn't say the awful word that Jerry had used.

She couldn't even think of it without getting violently sick.

Favour.

It was once a common part of speech that Tabby wouldn't have hesitated to use; now it sounded perverted, twisted and obscene - something to be reviled and feared.

She was never going to be able to hear it again without seeing Jerry advancing on her, holding his dick like a weapon.

A monster to haunt her nightmares.

"Tabs! What the fuck is going on? Where are you?" Petra's shrill voice blared through the phone's tinny speaker, still clutched in Tabby's limp hand. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and put the phone back to her ear.

"My car died," she croaked. "Can you...do you think you could come get me?" she asked, feeling her headache tighten around her skull like a giant's fist.