5. Lyric

Chapter five

Lyric

MY NAME WAS EVERYWHERE ON the internet, and my phone buzzed incessantly with messages regarding an anonymous Instagram post that depicted the brutal killing of Carl. The masked man on the screen claiming that Carl was one of my abusers shook me to my core as I looked at the gruesome scene, and my heart pounded in my chest at the thought this was the same masked man from the library who had been sending me a text.

For over three hours, the man subjected Carl to relentless torture, all unfolding live before an audience of over four million viewers.

The identity of the killer remained an enigma throughout. Clad in black, he concealed his face until the fateful moment when he revealed it to Carl just before taking his life.

Carl's eyes darted to the stranger momentarily, and recognition flashed across his face. Suddenly, another layer was added to the perplexing situation: Who was this person? What motivated them to seek revenge on my behalf? And how did this mysterious masked figure know who was responsible for my attack when I wasn't even sure? I had suspicions since I was left alone with Carl that night, but I would have never known because they were all masked.

The video was later taken down from all social media platforms in the afternoon. The university officials started to speculate that it was just a cruel Halloween stunt, and they suspected that Carl may have been involved and was still alive. However, after watching the video, I couldn't shake off the feeling that it was all too real. Why would Carl participate in a prank that exposed him as one of the men who had assaulted me?

Nevertheless, his friends, Kathleen and her group, didn't let this stop them from harassing me.

As I walked down the hall toward my literature class, Kathleen and Devin suddenly appeared from a hallway, crossing in front of me and forcing me to halt.

"Bitch, what crazy-ass psychopath family member do you have killing people for you?" Kathleen sneered at me and gave me a slight shove.

I took a deep breath, still feeling the frustration bubbling within me. "Listen," I said, my voice determined. "I swear, I had no part in that video. I want nothing more than to move on from this." Despite my resolution, Devin stood as an impenetrable barrier before me, his towering stature provoking old fears to resurface. His unwavering gaze drilled into my very being, triggering memories I tried so hard to bury. His presence morphed into that of one of my assailants, their likenesses almost merging into one. My eyes involuntarily shifted downward, fixating on his hand tightly gripping my wrist, and an overwhelming feeling of disgust washed over me. The hand that had once caused me so much anguish and trauma was now touching my skin, and all I wanted was to escape from him.

All the memories from that night flooded my mind as if I were transported back to that party.

Halloween, two years ago

The moon cast an eerie glow over the frat house as young, intoxicated college students stumbled in and out. Amidst the chaos, Carl weaved through the crowd towards Kathleen and me, who were giggling over an inside joke from class.

Carl appeared next to me, his eyes bright and a mischievous grin on his face. I felt his touch on my shoulder as he handed me a red cup overflowing with foam. "Come on, Lyric," he said, nodding towards the keg. "You can't be at this party without a drink."

I forced a smile back at him, trying to hide my discomfort as he pushed the red plastic cup up to my lips. "I'm not much of a drinker," I muttered, but he ignored me and tilted the cup until the cold liquid touched my lips. At the same time, his eyes slid over to Kathleen, silently signaling for her to leave us alone.

She turned on her heel, her long hair swishing behind her as she walked away, showing that she couldn't care less about what happened to me.

Who would abandon a friend to be alone with someone they barely know?

I hesitantly took a sip from the red solo cup, feeling the weight of expectations and peer pressure. Before I knew it, I was on my second cup, no longer recognizing myself. Suddenly, like a firecracker exploding in my mind, I woke up to my surroundings. I was in a dimly lit room with menacing figures wearing ski masks.

One of the men shoved me onto the bed, his rough hands tearing at my clothes, while the other looked on, jeering and laughing.

As he unzipped his pants and forced me down, I struggled against him, feeling my wrists bruise under his grip. He yanked off my underwear and thrust himself inside me, ignoring my pleas and cries for him to stop.

Pain shot through my body as I was pinned down, helpless and vulnerable. Tears streamed down my face as I pleaded for them to stop, but they only laughed and taunted me. The smell of alcohol and sweat filled the room, making me feel sick to my stomach.

I closed my eyes tightly, trying to block out the scene unfolding around me. My mind raced, desperately searching for an escape from this nightmare. But I was met with the same horror every time I opened my eyes.

My body felt like it was on fire as one of the men continued to violate me while the others watched. Their faces were a blur, but their voices were etched into my memory forever.

"Come on, little virgin," one of them sneered. "You're not so pure now, are you?"

I wanted to scream and fight back with all my strength. But fear held me in place, paralyzing every muscle in my body.

Tears streamed down my face as they took turns with me, each leaving their mark on me in ways that would never fade away. The pain was unbearable, both physically and emotionally. They had taken everything from me - my innocence, my trust in people, and any sense of security I had once known.

And then it was over. They left without a second glance back at me, lying on that bed, broken and violated.

At that moment, everything changed for me. I was no longer Lyric, the happy-go-lucky girl from a small town who had come to college with high hopes and dreams. I was now someone else entirely - someone who would always carry these scars with her no matter where she went or what she did.

I was snapped back to reality when Devin was suddenly yanked backward without warning and forcefully slammed to the floor. As my eyes shifted upward, I saw the man from my class standing there, his dark eyes scanning me briefly to check for any signs of injury before returning to Devin, who was still on the floor.

The hallway fell silent as he turned his piercing gaze toward Devin. It was as if all the air had been sucked out, and a visible chill crept down Devin's spine.

Devin sprang to his feet, his eyes darting back and forth. Without a word, he took off running, his footsteps echoing against the hall floor. Kathleen followed suit, trying to keep up with Devin's frantic pace. Together, they disappeared into the bustling crowd in the hallway.

My heart swelled with appreciation for him, both for his help this time and the last. But when I opened my mouth to thank him, my words got caught in my throat. He glanced down at me, his expression unreadable, then turned on his heel and marched away without a word. My gratitude was left hanging, unspoken, and unresolved.

As I searched through my social media, Carl's familiar face flashed across the screen, accompanied by a breaking news alert that simultaneously made my phone and laptop ping. My hands began to shake as I realized what it meant - he was dead. The video circulating campus and causing panic has been confirmed that it wasn't a prank after all. My heart raced as I thought about my last interaction with him and how his death could potentially implicate me since my name was in the video. There weren't many people named Lyric in Savannah, let alone at this university. I knew the police would soon be knocking on my door for questioning.

The creaking of the door jolted me out of my thoughts, and I turned to see Carmen entering the room. She tossed her bag onto the bed with a thud and gave me a quick once-over before asking, "Did you hire someone to kill Carl?" Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she studied me for signs of guilt.

I hurriedly shut my laptop as she spoke and turned to face her. "What? No!" I said, with a hint of frustration in my voice.

Carmen and I have been inseparable since Freshman year, sharing a cramped dorm room and countless inside jokes. We were like two peas in a pod - different in some ways but always on the same wavelength. We spent hours at the cozy cafe, sipping lattes and discussing our dreams for the future. But ever since that fateful video went viral, everything changed. Suddenly, she couldn't even look me in the eye. Did she blame me for what happened? Did she think I deserved it? Or was she just lost for words, unsure how to support me? Her avoidance hurt more than any angry words ever could. Our friendship was hanging by a thread, and I didn't know if it would ever be the same again.

Carmen's face relaxed from a tense scowl to a genuine smile, and she laughed heartily. "Honestly, I wouldn't blame you if you did. Carl had it coming," she said as she slung her purse over her shoulder and turned to face me. "Hey, want to catch the new movie with me?"

How could she be so casual when there was a killer out there?

"Come on, don't be afraid if he's killing people who hurt you. I doubt it's his motive to harm you himself." She said reassuringly, as she could tell I wasn't eager to leave the dorm.

I couldn't hold back the grin that spread across my face, and I pushed my laptop away. Pulling my hood over my head, I mumbled, "Yeah, sure." Sliding my bag off the chair and on my shoulder, I approached the door, but she stepped in front of me, blocking my way.

Carmen grabbed the hood of my sweatshirt, tugging it off my head. "You're hiding again," she said, her eyes concerned. "Don't let them get to you. You're beautiful, and you should show the world." She smiled reassuringly and pulled me out of our dorm before I could protest.