Free Thirty Happens by Elizabeth Butts Page A

there was loud thumping music coming from the dorm. The weekend parties were in full swing. No one heard my attempt at a scream. Anyone wo might be looking out a dorm window probably thought I was some drunk co-ed getting my rocks off.
    James popped off the button from my jeans as he tried to figure out the quickest way to get my jeans off of me. He grabbed the front with both hands, pulling them forward in an attempt to rip the zipper down, which pulled me forward.
    I was knocked off balance and starting to fall when I instinctively grabbed his shoulders to stop myself.
    I looked into his dark eyes and realized that this was my last chance, my final opportunity to stop this from happening. Using my hands on his shoulders as leverage, I brought my knee up as hard as I could and made contact with his balls and the base of his dick that had gotten rock hard in the excitement of the thought of forcing me.
    He backed away about a foot as he bent over coughing, and dry heaving a bit.
    I looked down at my ruined clothes and saw the blood stains already formed on my torn hoodie.
    Rape.
    He had come here planning to rape me.
    Murder was on my mind and I screamed as I pushed off of the car and at him.
    The element of surprise was on my side as I hit him full force with my body. He was still bent over in pain so he landed on his side on the common lawn area next to my dorm.
    I landed on him with my knees on either side and just started hitting.
    “How do you like that you bastard? How do you like getting hit?”
    I just was screaming anything and everything, as my fists pummeled his head, his neck, and his chest. Anything I could hit was getting hit.
    I had no idea how long this was going on. Blood was pounding in my ears in rage as I continued my attack on James.
    I felt hands reaching around me and pulling me abruptly.
    Holy shit, there was another attacker.
    James hadn’t come alone. Fear rose once again in my heart and my throat.
    I tried to whip around to hit him but was held tight. My legs kicked out and my arms flailed, clawing at the air, trying to get to his skin.
    I looked around, screaming for help. My head whipped around and I saw a large group of people standing there, their eyes wide in terror as they watched me get pulled off of James. When I turned to face them, horror at my appearance caused a loud gasp to go through the crowd.
    Why weren’t they helping me? Why were they just standing there? Didn’t they see it was about to happen again?
    I whipped around wildly with my arms flailing, trying to ward off my new attacker, adrenaline coursing through my veins.
    “Ma’am. MA’AM. I’m here to help. I’m not going to hurt you. Can you tell me your name?”
    I stopped. My arm was pulled back ready to strike as my vision focused in on the direction of this voice. This calm voice. Not angry. Not attack.
    I saw a badge.
    I saw a uniform.
    I started shaking as my legs gave out from under me.
    I felt the warmth of a blanket being pulled around me, shielding my beaten and partially naked body from the view of the crowd. I realized it was a gesture, they’d already seen all I had to offer. I appreciated the gesture, though.
    Suddenly, deep, hiccupping sobs wracked my body as the reality of the situation sunk in.
    I’d almost been the victim of rape.
    I bent over, sobbing so hard that I started throwing up.
    “Ma’am, can you tell me what your name is?”
    His calm voice broke through my hysteria.
    “My name? Um. My name. Karyn. My name is Karyn.”
    “Okay, Karyn. My name is Officer Jones. I am with the Campus Police. Do you understand that?”
    I nodded quickly.
    “Karyn, can you tell me what happened here?”
    “He.. he… he was. Um. He was trying to r.. ra..” My words broke off as a new wave of sobs tore through my body.
    Warm eyes of understanding looked at me. He took in my torn clothing. He looked at the swollen cheek.
    “Well, Karyn, you did an amazing job fighting him off. Do you know this man?”
    I