Pâle Septembre, chapter 1

Being past the point of recognition the street's eerie glow of late night restlessness stirred an unsettling nerve in Adrienne's body.

Nothing was out of the ordinary.

To the right was Joey's elementary school--vacant for the night, standing solitude against the crowded street.

To the left was her local shopping mart (open for late, for that unexpected late night date). She had just left the shopping center with her arms full of groceries like she always did on Thursday nights.

Nothing was out of the ordinary.

The streets were full of the local punks who believed indifferent to their curfew--laid out on top their parked cars letting their smoke mix with the exhaust of the neighboring traffic. Mangled within the smoking dreamers were the exhausted mothers all hauling their shopping carts to their cars, hastily chatting on phones to adolescence's cry of ignorance. Corporate men walking tip toed around silted puddles to protect their expensive shoes.

Nothing was out of the ordinary.

Adrienne walked briskly to her car where she hastily dumped her groceries in the trunk, slamming the door closed and slipping into the passenger seat. It was well into the late night--and even rock star's wives fear what could be prowling at night.

She was in mid motion of putting her car into gear before a grocer waved her attention--a purse slung over his shoulder. Adrienne mentally punished herself for forgetting such an important necessity as she opened her door again and greeted the grocer in gratitude.

"This is your purse, right?" The man asked, his thump jerking to the purse he held in front of him.

"Yes, that'd be it, thank you sir for your honesty" She smiled thankfully receiving her purse and turning once more to her car door. However; he wasn't quite done with her yet.
"Ma'am" he called after her--a slight drawl added to his voice.

"Yes?" Adrienne turned around with that same thankful smile adorning her lips.

"You have a mighty pretty smile" He said with a wink, his hazel eyes running up and down the length of her figure. She caught his eye in a hesitated grin, deciphering whether or not to accept it as a compliment or an invitation to be molested. Her smile slowly faded as he continued to nod in satisfaction taking a step towards her.

She cautiously nodded and started for the car door again, a growing sense of uneasiness running through her lungs. He gave back her purse, right? So there isn't anything to fret.

She grabbed the car handle and attempted to yank it open. However; mysteriously it had locked itself leaving Adrienne annoyed and worried as the grocer continued to walk slowly towards her.

"It's a crowded parking lot" she thought to herself, her hand searching in her purse for her cell phone. "I'll just call Billie and get him to come over with the spare keys, and then wait inside until he arrives."

She glanced up at the Grocer who continued staring at her with that loopy smile. She flashed him a grin before looking back down, sifting through the contents of her purse impatiently. Her heart rate started beating faster, the pulse beating against her ear drums as she could now hear the grocer's breath.

"Anything the matter?" He asked kindly, nodding towards her car.

Adrienne shook her head rapidly, her hands coming into contact with her phone. She sighed in relief and pulled it out, her fingers already blindly dialing his number.


All of a sudden a hand clasped itself around her mouth, her eyes widening in surprise. She looked up instantly to see the Grocer still standing in his stationary position--a playful smirk playing on his lips.

"Hello, Darlin" a deep voiced echoed in her ears. She screamed into his hands as he jingled her keys in front of her face. "I think you lost these."

Adrienne panicked as he swiped the keys from her view and shoved her towards her car. She struggled against his body as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pretending to invest in a friendly hug.

"It's been so long" He laughed sinisterly, tossing the keys to the grocer who opened the car. The man shoved Adrienne in savagely, his hand leaving form her mouth long enough for her to release a pint up scream.

"Shut the hell up" The man hissed, sliding the door close and hastily relocking the doors. The darkness had consumed the parking lot leaving the man's features clouded and unreadable--however even the blind could see the lust sparking in his eyes.

Adrienne had no intention of shutting up as she continued to shriek in desperation. Someone was bound to hear.

She stopped abruptly as he backhanded her cheek forcefully, causing a sob to erupt from her trembling body.

"Look, bitch, I said shut up. I can make this harder than you think" He snarled, leaning in closely to Adrienne's lips, the smell of cigarettes and alcohol reeking from his breath. Adrienne whimpered as he lightly planted a kiss on her swollen lips, his eyes remaining open--staring at her features. "Look, I can be gentle" He brought a callused finger to stroke her red cheek.

The grocer had started the car and was driving down the busy interstate as if nothing could be more normal. He waved at fellow drivers. Used his turning indicator when needed, and stayed a safe distance behind his fellow cars.

Nothing was out of the ordinary.

Adrienne's breathing kept accelerating as the man continued to stroke her cheek. After affirming that she wouldn't cry murder again, he stopped suffocating her with ill kisses and addressed the grocer soundly. "Take us somewhere remote. I cant take the chances people won't hear this fucking slut moan."

Adrienne sobbed again against her better judgment causing the man to turn his attention back to her. "You have an objection?" he spat bitterly.

"Please" she whispered shifting uncomfortably under him as he straddled her hips hungrily.

"Oh you're begging?" He smirked looking up at the grocer who laughed along with him.

"Please" she tried again, tears streaming down her terrified face. "I have a husband and kids...please don't do this."

With that comment the man sat up off her, situating himself on one of the seats so he could take his shoes off properly. "Look, bitch, I don't care about your personal life." He looked down at her in up most disgust. "I don't care if you're the fucking president's daughter."

Adrienne wrapped her arms around her body protectively as he moved once more to straddling her on the ground.

They were now somewhere off on a dirt road, destination inevitable.
The smell of damp grass mixed with upturned dirt and the freshness of pine needles. The sound of late night crickets and frogs croaking. The sight of the moon against the window--the pine needles scraping against the exterior of the car door.

Nothing was out of the ordinary.


So this is what happens when you get raped. No dark alley way. No gun to the head dramatics. No date rape drug. Just you and this stranger.

The car stopped abruptly causing Adrienne's eyes to fly open to rest resentfully upon the eyes of the wrong doer. He licked his lips greedily as he began unbuttoning the top of Adrienne's blouse; exposing her flesh to the cold night air.

She considered struggling but found no use. She felt completely defenseless and helpless as the man leaned in towards her face to kiss her savagely. She cried silently as he ripped off the remainder of her blouse. Through out the blurred version of the man violating her she caught the grocer's eye who was seated in the front seat grinning broadly.

"I'm next" He reminded the man proudly, his eyes widening in anticipation.


That's when she let go; releasing her conscious from the rest of her body. Her mind wandering to far away places--safe havens where she was laying next to her husband, leaning her head against his chest as he stroked her hair lovingly.

She felt a quick pain in her wrist as the man pinned them above her head carelessly. It hardly phased her. Her mind wandered again, further, further till she was cradling a crying Joey in her arms singing lullabies about airplanes and bumble bee's.

She hardly flinched when the man tore her jeans off aggressively; tossing them to the back to better his room. Her eyes found a spot on the top of the car where they would remain till the deed was done.

However she found her eyes closing in pain as he pushed into her. Her mind went blank--the mere thought about the ones she loved erased. It was replaced with speckles of conciseness slipping away--the edges of her vision blurring. Another thrust and she felt the pain echo through her body--every inch of her skin crawling in agony and disgust. She cried helplessly, her breath catching with every wave of distress. She desperately tried thinking of Billie Joe getting down on one knee, taking her hand in his, kissing it lightly...

She screamed in pain as he became more aggressive. Her eyes flew open as she felt herself tear under his body. It seemed it would never end as her eyes glazed over--everything turning white. She was aware of every inch of her body; every pain clearly visible; her breath becoming more rugged.

Eventually her body let her go. Her consciousness vanishing as he finished and passed her off to the grocer. Both had their way till they were completely satisfied. They drove back to the market where they simply left her; unconscious, naked, bleeding, and shivering.