The Shelter Part 8
- Hannah L
- Oct 20, 2024
- 3 min read
TRIGGER WARNING: Mention of rape, robbery, and mention of suicide
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Outside the homeless shelter, shadows clung to the night
I walked to my car, seeking a safe light
A large man approached with a backwards cap
His eyes held darkness, a predator’s trap
Before I knew it, I was thrown to the ground
My screams piercing the air, a haunting sound
Pants and underwear, cruelly stripped away
I lay there broken, like a forgotten prey
People walked past, indifferent, and cold
Not offering help, just stories untold
They laughed and pointed, a merciless crowd
Their hearts callous, under the shroud
They rifled through my purse, took my last three dollars
Each coin a reminder of humanity’s hollers
In that moment, I felt so utterly alone
A world so cruel, my heart turned to stone
I never told a soul, kept the pain inside
Knowing the world would simply deride
The police never cared, their eyes blind to me
And my mother’s neglect, a perpetual absentee
The scars remained, etched deep in my soul
A silent testament to the toil
But within me, a fire slowly burned
A will to rise from lessons learned
For every tear shed, I found a grain of strength Each moment of pain, stretched to its length
I am more than their laughter, more than their scorn
A spirit unbroken, newly reborn
In the darkest nights, I found my own light
An inner beacon, fierce and bright
For though the world may turn away
I’ll forge my path, come what may
I stand now, a testament to survival’s art
Healing the wounds, mending the heart
In every step, I reclaim my name
Turning whispers of sorrow into proclamation of fame
No longer a victim, I am a warrior strong
A tale of endurance, sung in my own song
And as the world spins, indifferent and vast
I will rise above, free at last
After begging my mother to come home twice before I attempted suicide and once afterwards, I was homeless. Mostly living out of my car. Still living in the state that traumatized me so much, I stayed at a homeless shelter once. Once was all it took. I didn't sleep that night. I was thrown into a room with 7 other women who were snorting lines of cocaine the entire night. Around 6 AM, I left to go to my car with the intention of driving to Walmart to actually sleep. Because, once you're in the shelter, you cannot leave. As I'm walking to my car, a very tall, very lump man approached me from behind when I was starting to unlock my door. I don't fully remember the events, other than he didn't say anything, just a lot, and I mean a lot of moaning as he was raping me. I do remember other people leaving the shelter. They weren't helping me, but they were watching, pointing, and laughing. As I'm being raped, these people stole my purse and my last $3.00. I'm honestly surprised they didn't steal my car, as it was a brand spanking new vehicle. He did however, tell me he, "Had a blast." And he smirked, a smirk of letting me know he takes what he wants and he doesn't give a shit.
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