Julia�s Smile
By John Erwin
Julia Whitaker blew out the candles on her birthday cake. Today was her 15th birthday. All of her friends and family started to clap and cheer. Julia had gotten everything she wanted. Her mother had even gotten her the purse she had told her was to expensive. Julia turned and looked at her mother, who was giving a Julia a sweet, kind, motherly smile. A warm feeling was inside of Julia. She didn�t just smile, but she felt very peaceful and her face and her heart smiled together. Today was the perfect day.
The following Monday was the first day of school. Julia was very excited to see all of her friends. She was pleased that she had a locker next to John, the boy she had a huge crush on. She shyly glanced up at him he gave her a small smile. Julia blushed. And then, as she walked towards class with her books in hand, John told her good by. Julia stopped and smiled for a moment, and then turned towards him and told him goodbye as well.
Julia didn�t hear a word of what her English teacher was saying. She spent the whole period covering her binder with his name. She wrote his name inside of hearts on her hands. Her friend had to nudge her into consciousness when the bell rang. Julia walked down the halls to her next class in complete bliss. Her next class was science, which she hated. I little bit of her happiness left her. Then John walked into the class room. Julia got butterflies. John chose the seat next to her. They looked into each others eyes and smiled until the teacher broke the silence.
John went home with Julia�s cell phone number that day. He waved back at her as his mothers car pulled away from the school. Julia walked home the long way that day. Her mind was filled with many thoughts about the future. She was slightly sad that she would have to wait an entire night to see John again. A car pulled up next to her. Julia turned towards the car. A man jumped out of the car and grabbed Julia. She was thrown into the back of his car. Her screams were softened by the screeching of the tires against the pavement. Julia�s mind became a blur of random images as she winded and bumped and curved down random roads.
The car came to a sudden stop and Julia was ripped from the seat. She fainted. Julia slowly opened her eyes and stared up into the single light dangling from a string on the ceiling. The single light made the dilapidated room seem gloomy and dark. It smelled like must and dampness. There was a soft humidity in the air. Julia was bound and gagged. The man moved his head in front of the light causing Julia�s pupils to strain as they got smaller. He raised the blade of the box cutter. His eyes were filled with a strange longing. Julia�s shirt was sliced off of her body and pulled out from under her. She tried to scream out, but was encumbered by the sock duct taped into her mouth. Then he cut off her bra. She again tried to scream, but was stopped by the sock. Julia�s pants where violently pulled off of her. She gave up on crying out, she just closed her eyes and silently cried in her mind.
The pain of penetration. Julia felt blood leaking out from inside of her. The man made grunting noises. Julia vomited, but it was kept inside of her throat. She gagged and felt sick and dirty. Julia felt tears of liquid dropping onto her stomach and chest as the man stood over her. He ripped off her gag. Julia coughed and let the vomit dribble out of her mouth. The man grabbed her mouth and opened it. Julia passed out. When she awoke she was cold and naked and laying in the ditch. She screamed and cried until a car stopped and found her. The last thing she remembered was the sound of sirens.
Julia woke up laying in a hospital bed. Julia felt disgusted. She wanted to die. She felt dirty, she felt like a filthy animal. This was the worst day. John came to visit her as soon as she was allowed to have visitors. He sat and stared at the floor. Julia felt bad for him. He didn�t deserve to have this handed to him. John stayed until the nurses made him leave. They didn�t say a single word the whole time.
Julia left the hospital a few weeks later. Her parents never looked at her the same. The kids at school stared and whispered as she walked by. They didn�t understand. John was her only friend now, but he even looked at her funny and acted differently. Julia felt very sad.
John and Julia kissed for a good five minutes. When there lips separated, The smiled and stared into each other�s eyes. It was the end of the year dance. They began to kiss again. John placed his hand on Julia�s knee. He slowly slid his hand up her leg and under her skirt. She broke away from him. They looked into each other�s eyes once again. This time his eyes were not kind. They were filled with a longing and a strange craziness. Julia smiled, but on the inside she was crying.