The Essence of Innocence... Undeniable Betrayal... Unforgiven Love

Her cries for help echoed through the wood framed house as she lay hopelessly under the small metal bed.

"Mommy... Mommy... "

There was silence in the room as Chantal yelled out for help. Her screams exasperated through the air like a flame filtered in gas. Mildred, overcome by fear, galloped down the hall into a room filled with silent screams.

"Chantal baby, what’s wrong? Where are you sweetie?"

"Mommy, keep them off me."

"Who baby? Who?"

Chantal lay curled up like a newborn baby completed covered in her mother’s womb. Her thumb rested in her mouth while drool raced down her thin lips. Shivering with a monstrous fear, she could barely speak.

"Baby, talk to me!"

Chantal was barely ten. As a child, she had encountered the worse possible entity any little girl her age could imagine. Dreams were surrounding her mind nightly and she was reluctant to let her mother know what was going on. Her fear of Mr. Brunson and the others coming after her haunted her daily and sometimes during the night while she constantly tried to engage in deep sleeps.

Chantal lived in Truman Arms in her early child hood days. Apartments back then had no bearings to the apartment complexes we see today. Chantal didn’t have to worry about the drug-infested areas or gunshots flying over her head. It was a relatively safe area. If a fight broke out, they would fight until they were tired. No one carried guns or knives. People in the 60’s and 70’s in the south fought to win not to kill like the ones up north. So it was overly surprising the day Chantal walked outside and saw little Eric being pushed down the stairs by a gang of boys. She ran back inside and told Mildred. When Mildred went outside for a closer look, there wasn’t a kid in sight. All she could hear was a desperate cry for help. She sent Chantal inside to get her fuzzy slippers that were given to her on Christmas Day two years prior. Eric was lying at the bottom of his stairway with a broken leg. She picked him up and took him to his mother. He told how the boys made a dare and he was the victim. Mildred didn’t like what she had heard and swore to get her family away from the violence starting to surface in her area.

Two weeks later, when Chantal was six, Mildred moved to a place called Moreno Courts. She knew her surroundings a little better and the people were also friendlier. Moreno Courts were duplex apartments outside a Naval base. Most of the people had prominent jobs and kept their area clean. Mildred had just gotten on her feet working as a financial manager at a local bank. It was the job of a lifetime. She struggled hard trying to meet her family hunger needs on a daily basis. Chantal’s father had abandoned them after she was born. She had two other siblings. One of which belonged to another man who fought Mildred constantly. No matter where she moved her family, he’d always find her.

When Chantal arrived, she felt secure enough to roam the neighborhood without fear. Stella, a tall fourth grader, befriends Chantal immediately. She was very protective of Chantal at least until the day one of their watermelons turned up missing. Since Chantal was the only person in sight, she approached her with furious questions. Chantal, six at the time opened her mouth to speak. Stella immediately punched her in the chest knocking the wind out of her. It took a few minutes before she could gasp her breath and explain that she had no idea what happened to the watermelon. Jay-Jay, a small second grade white boy, stood outside his door in complete laughter. Stella noticed that he was eating a piece of watermelon and headed his way. Trying desperately to make it in the house, he dropped the watermelon and ran for his life. Stella caught up to him and started pounding him. No one messed with Stella since she was the tallest kid around and much stronger than some of the boys. An older woman that happened to be walking through the neighborhood broke up the fight. Since she knew Stella and Jay-Jay, she grabbed them both by the arms and took them home.

Chantal dealt with a lot of problems as she was growing up. But, her most intensifying was molestation. In fact, Chantal was only six when her life headed in the wrong direction. Born with a touch of beauty, long curly hair, and a delightful smile encouraged everyone to love her. She had a personality unlike most girls her age. She enjoyed the outdoors. But most of all, she loved to keep the community clean. Chantal would go throughout the neighborhood looking for the worse yards to clean. That was how she met Ms. Suzy. One day as she was walking towards the playground, she saw this old white lady outside raking her grass. Chantal stood there watching her struggle to defeat the blowing leaves. She wanted so badly to help the lady but she was afraid to ask. The old lady called out to her.

"Little girl, could you lend me a hand?"

"Sure, but I was looking for yards to clean by myself. I’m a big girl, you know!"

"That you are, my dear!"

Her smile lingered towards Ms. Suzy and caused a great friendship between them. They talk and laughed the entire time. Ms. Suzy invited her into the house but Chantal remembered what her mother always told her.

"I’m sorry Ms. Suzy, my mother said that I’m not allowed in stranger’s houses."

"She’s right about that. Always listen to your mother, Chantal. Well then, I hope to see you around. Here is fifty cents for your trouble."

Chantal looked down at the two quarters gazing at each one.

"Wow! A whole fifty cents just for me! I can’t wait to tell my mother. See you, Ms. Suzy!"

She couldn’t wait to show Mildred.

"Look what Ms. Suzy gave me!"

"Who is Ms. Suzy?"

"She’s the lady around the corner. I helped her with her yard today."

Chantal stood there twisting her body from side to side.

"Can I go again tomorrow?"

"Yeah but you have to be careful Chantal. Remember, you are not allowed in anyone’s house."

"Yes mother."

The very next day as she passed Ms. Suzy’s house, she called her over.

"Listen Chantal! A good friend of mine is in need of your help. She is old like me but she is not able to clean her own yard. She had a stroke some years ago and she’s confined to a wheelchair. Could you help me with it?"

Chantal smiled heavily.

"Sure thing, Ms. Suzy. Where does she live?"

"Just across the way."

It was not far at all to her house. In fact, it was right across from Ms. Suzy’s house.

"Hey, that’s the house I stopped by the other day. There was an old man that lived there also."

"You’re right. His name is Mr. Brunson and I want you to make sure you give him all the respect you can because he is very old and hard of hearing."

"Well—first I need to tell my mother where I am just in case she come looking for me. I’ll be right back."

When Chantal go