Eliza's Story

A loud horn like sound and the wind of a thousand cyclones awoke the poor estranged sixteen year old girl. As she lay there dazed and confused. "How did I get here?" Eliza thought to herself, as she slowly hesitated to get up. She had awoken in a state of bewilderment. And suddenly an immense feeling of pain rushed through her brutally beaten body. She arose only to feel the pain worsen, as she let out a cry of surprise.

Slowly after several minutes of confusion, she began to remember what it is that had happened. Walking desperately, in search for the answers, she breathlessly began to call for help, whilst clutching her torn up summer dress. It was late, dark, and cold, and Eliza could see no one. The Rogan Vale Station was deserted.

She continued to walk desperately, until she could walk no more. She then approached the Rogan Vale Hospital at 4.15 that morning. She stumbled in the doorway, blood dripping from her waste, a few more steps, and finally she collapsed. The nurse frantically runs to her assistance, only to realise Eliza had fainted. After settling her down in a room, Eliza was left to rest until she awoke the next day.

The next morning Eliza woke up to see the nurse standing above her, holding some sort of pregnancy test, which had come up positive. Eliza then began to remember, what it is that happened last night. "I remember....." She hesitated. "I remember asking my mother....to let me go to a party....she said no....but I lied to her...I went anyway." Eliza spoke as though she was struggling to breathe. Gasping for air she continued. "The party was beginning to die....so I wanted to go home.....and he offered....he offered to take me home...he did...he said home....." Eliza began to shake frantically. Eliza was traumatised, she began to cry. "Who offered to take you home...who?" the nurse replied without hesitation. Eliza did not speak, nor did she answer. The look on her face said it all, she did not remember who. "He offered me a drink....it was hot, I was thirsty...." Eliza suddenly realised, her drink had been spiked, and she was raped, and then left to suffer out on the street.

The tears began to flow from her red swollen eyes. What happened last night was no longer a mystery. "What am I going to do?" Eliza thought to herself as she was beginning to contemplate, the reaction of her religious father, and obedient mother. She was now carrying a child; it was a part of her. "My parents must understand, she thought to herself" Eliza left the hospital secretly and went home to speak to her mother hoping she would understand. She explained to her what had happened, her mother begged her to leave and never to return home, for her father would surely murder her, as it was against all morals, for herself being a Muslim girl to be pregnant before marriage. They did not believe she was raped. "You liar..." her mother screamed. "See what you have done, brought shame upon our family" Her mother slapped her and then spat in her face in disgust. Her parents have officially disowned her Eliza was now all alone, forced to raise a child on her own and build a life for herself, as she did not believe in abortions, and couldn't kill something that is such a big part of her. Eliza was scared and confused; with no one to talk to she did not know what to do. She knew what she had to do was to follow her heart, and so she did, she went through with the pregnancy, in spite of what others thought. Eliza did receive free beneficial counselling to help her deal with the rape that ultimately changed her life.

Weeks, turned into months, months became years, and Eliza was continuing to struggle, she was forced to work to earn a living, and was forced to raise a child on her own. So that was what she did, she was determined to let her child grow up and live a healthy joyous life. She applied for a job at the nearest supermarket, and began to work fourteen hour days before she had enough money to move out of the hostile she was in, and into a place of her own, for her new family.

Not long after her son Miracle was born, she believed he was a miracle and a gift from god. Miracle was born the day after Eliza's seventeenth birthday, he was her gift. Ever since the incident, Eliza had never felt as happy as she did, when she held her son in her arms. He was the only person that mattered to her; he was her reason to live. She knew that Miracle would make everything right, and she would be the best a mother could be. Miracle was now three years old, and Eliza continued working, trying to save money to build her sons future, but all the costs of raising a child were beginning to over come her, the pressure was beginning to overcome her. She was now struggling to pay the rent, and her landlord had given her a week to leave.

That same week Eliza was doing the grocery shopping, she was carrying Miracle on her hip, carrying the basket of groceries, and trying to reach up to a higher shelf, it was all too much and the shopping baskets became too heavy, and toppled to the floor. The loud bang was enough to startle three year old Miracle and so he began to cry. Luckily enough Eliza was assisted by a dashing male, who also offered to take her out to dinner. Seeming that she could never afford to eat out, without hesitation she replied "yes". "I'm Anthony and you are?" "Eliza...yes I am...I'm Eliza..." she replied with a dazed confused look on her face, as if to say why me?

The following night, Anthony, Eliza and Little Miracle went out to dinner. The whole night they continued to laugh as though they were a family. Miracle was strangely excited by Anthony's presence. Finally Eliza realized her luck was about to change.

Not before long casual dinner dates, had become constant and more consistent. Anthony and Eliza were falling in love, and what better time, then as Eliza's struggling. Months went by and the two were becoming closer and closer, their love was much stronger. Within a year Anthony proposed to Eliza. "You're all I've ever wanted, you mean the world to me, I can't imagine being with anyone else, I love you Eliza, will you be my wife?" She began to cry; she hugged him and replied "Yes...I will marry you".

They decided to celebrate that night; they took Miracle to the amusement park, and then out for dinner, then returned home. Miracle was laid to rest and Anthony and Eliza also called it a night until suddenly they heard little miracle crying, they rushed to his side, and noticed he slowly began to turn blue in the face. He was rushed to the hospital to the emergency ward, where Eliza and her fiancé awaited the news.

Time passed by, Eliza waited for the Doctor to return with little Miracles' diagnosis, and he suddenly appeared. "I'm afraid your son is in desperate need of a transplant, otherwise he only could have a few hours left" Eliza knew she couldn't help Miracle, her body was unfit for surgery, the doctors would not allow her to risk her life, no matter how hard she begged. Doctor Saunders turned and looked towards Anthony "Perhaps the father could help" The doctor looked sternly towards Anthony. "You must be mistaken; I couldn't be the father..." Anthony continued "I'm just her fiancé but if I am in any way able to assist Miracle..." Anthony followed Doctor Saunders into the examination room; fifteen minutes later he left and waited by Eliza, for the doctor to return.

Suddenly the Doctor returned with a dazed look on his face, as though he had made an ancient discovery... "You say you're not the father..."he looked towards Anthony. "No. I couldn't be...why?" Anthony replied. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this but you are his biological father..." "What? How is that possible?" Suddenly the shock turned to horror. Eliza pushed Anthony away from her and began to weep. As Anthony went to undergo the surgery, Eliza sat alone and cried.

How could this be? She thought to herself. How could she live with a man that stole her virginity and ruined her life? Could she ever learn to accept the father of her child is her rapist? How ironic, the one good thing in her life is now the worst. And if she was to accept him into the family, how does she know he wouldn't do it again?