Thursday, May 06, 2010

Snatched Innocence


“Mom, I hate him! I swear! He’s a beast! Wild beast!” cried Camille hoarsely while being cajoled to speak out by the Psychiatrist and Mom inside the clinic. “Don’t fear baby, tell us what happened so we can do something to make you feel better. We are done with him”, said her devastated Mom.

She’s a vibrant, lovely, precocious little girl with long curly hairs, big brown eyes and dimples on both cheeks. Camille’s innocent escapades in the garden chasing butterflies were daily rituals. She’d dance and hum her favorite song…. “I am but a small voice, I am but a small dream, to smile upon the sun, be free to dance and sing, be free to sing my song, to everyone.....”. And her garden escapades and butterfly chasing wouldn't be complete without her wearing that baby-pink-colored, wide-brimmed hat her mother had gifted her on her 3rd birthday three years ago to go with that intricately woven flower basket that she always held on her right arm. 

One fateful day, while in the garden, her step-father called her from his bedroom. Her mother had gone out. He had never called her when her Mom was not there. She was hesitant to go but afraid to refuse. She found him in shorts fully drunk. He pulled her towards him and asked her to kiss. Her Mom had warned her not to be with strangers alone. But this was her Dad, she thought. When she kissed him on his cheek, he said ‘not this way’ and pressed his lips on hers. He started touching her at improper places and began to rip her dress open. With his palm on her mouth she could not scream as he went about making her do disgusting things. She felt scary and wished to vomit.

When he finally sent her out with a warning not to utter one word, Camille was crying so bitterly and morosely. She was afraid to tell her Mom as she loved him very much. Her Mom could surmise what had happened when she saw her disheveled hair and distraught face. It did not take much cajoling to find out.

Sadly her beautiful garden now looked gloomy and desolate as she tried to escape life’s traumatic realities.




Written for Thursday Tales (Tale No. 6)
and Three Word Wednesday (3WW: Prompts: Escape, Hum, Vibrant)
Photo Courtesy: DeviantArt member IzNoGooD

39 comments:

  1. Thanks for bringing child abuse to the fore,The victim lives with that for the rest of their lives one way or another, My daughter then aged nine was abused by a family friend and though she is a mother herself has never fully got over that incident. We here parents was the last to know.

    Take care.
    Yvonne.

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  2. very sad take on the photo Amity.. it is heinous to abuse, be it father or stepfather.. and liquor is not excuse to abuse...

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  3. A harrowing post. Sadly it happens. Terrible and tragic.

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  4. very sad take on the photo Amity.. it is heinous to abuse, be it father or stepfather.. and liquor is not excuse to abuse...

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  5. The well written short story has highlighted the rampant sexual abuse of vulnerable young children by close relatives.The mother did the right thing to get rid of her husband.But the child as the apt title suggests had lost her innocnce and joys of her age. Amity has brought out the agony of the child well when the garden she loved most appeared to have lost its charm

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  6. this is a very creative post dear..i guess i loved this one because it's more socially conscious somewhere gives us the message...about the harsh reality called child abuse...

    :)

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  7. Dear Amity,
    NAMASTE!
    Good Evening!
    Today morning,Amma was telling me about the child abuse news report of today's newspaper.
    Past should e past.We must help the little beautiful child to chase the butterflies again an sing the melodious song!
    You know wha,dear,God has given us the blessing of forgetting things and people......
    Wishing you a lovely and peaceful night from Thrissur,
    Sasneham,
    Anu

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  8. Very touching Amity
    The photo and your story are one :
    Its terrible that it happens !!!!
    When I studied pedagogy,
    I had a lot to do with those children... :(
    (it was for me in my internship.)
    They are mental very confused!!!
    And my job was to help them...
    It was in my first years from my study,
    it was a heavy job !!
    But I loved it to help those children...I did always my best.

    Very well written Amity !!

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  9. THis is so dark :| good one though.... been long time since I visited your blog :) :) Veryvery beautiful template AMITY :) :)

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  10. heart-wrenching, truly. Sad, but a post that speaks volumes against this outrage.

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  11. wonderfully written...!!!

    even i was thinking of the same topic but a different way...will post mine soon..!!1

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  12. Very sad but needs awareness because it happens more than we think. Well written

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  13. Thank you for the visit, and the lovely comment, you made me feel honoured to compare me to your mother.
    Take care and God Bless.
    Yvonne.

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  14. very sad, provoking but this is someone's reality and it cannot be ignore

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  15. Hi Yvonne:

    Thanks so much for your kind comments, but I feel so sad about your daughter's harrowing experience. Child abuse comes in many forms an on different predators...sadly, we are left helpless especially so when the crime happened while we are not around.

    I am glad, there's none like that in my family.

    I pray that someday soon, your daughter will recuperate from the angst of a painful experience. By God's grace Yvonne...she needs more that you ever know!

    Love,

    Amity

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  16. Hi Leo;

    Yeah, it is a sad one, and yes being intoxicated should not be an excuse, but the more a person is, the more he could do such grave acts!

    Thanks!

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  17. Anthony;

    yes, it is Anthony...and it happens every time, and remained a social ill.

    thanks for your comments!

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  18. Leo;

    Hmmm...net probs i guess...well, it does not matter...and thanks again!

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  19. Hi KP;

    I appreciate your comments in a sense that you observed in the story the courageous act of the mother who did the right thing!

    Sometimes, most mothers will just turn a blind eye and a deaf ear because maybe, the husband or man matters more than her own child! That's the saddest about child abuse!

    Thanks again!

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  20. Priya dear;

    yes, a sad post and sometimes we can do much with blogging when we try to bring out some social realities for others to be vigilant and aware!

    a mother who can read this would sure be always keeping an eye to a young daughter to prevent any harm to her child!

    thanks Priya, I miss you so much..don't you know that?

    HUgs and Love,

    Amity

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  21. Hi Anu;

    Yeah, news of brutalities like this always graces the papers, the television or the radio...man has become more cannibalistic for what reason I could hardly fathom!

    And yes, we can help that child return the vibrant personality after any abuse if we try our best to nurse her broken personality!

    Thanks Anu, how is life in Thissur? Was trying to read your Thissur diary but could not access it!

    Hugs,

    Amity

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  22. Hi Anya;

    That's a challenging job dear...trying to nurse broken dreams of young children and return them back to normalcy!

    My daughter, my eldest in a brood of three is studying Psychology and she has much to share about cases like this which they take in their psychology subjects!

    Soon, she will take internship, too like you, and I pray she won't get a shock of her life once she will be exposed to those kinds of realities!

    Thanks dear Anya!

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  23. Hi Miya/Meow;

    Wow...you're here...:)) and some more *smiles*...:)

    Thanks for coming and sorry for a sad post while u came back...:)

    Thanks you like my new template!

    :)

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  24. ThomG;

    Yeah, you are right!

    Thanks for your comments!

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  25. Hi Yami;

    Yeah, just looking at the pic, who would not think the child is fearing something? And afraid to face the world because of a painful experience?

    Am excited to read yours also!

    Thank you so much!

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  26. Tammy;

    Thanks so much for giving those words to complete the post!

    Yes, we need everyone's awareness and vigilance to prevent further incidents like this.

    I want a lot of mothers read this to keep them alert of future cases like this!

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  27. Hi Yvonne;

    Yeah, and I mean it!

    And I have a surprise for you soon...and have I told you, too that every time I log in, I will have to open your blog to listen to your music? I love them all!

    Thanks so much Yvonne!

    Love you and hugs!

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  28. Hi Lissa;

    Yeah, Lissa, this is really happening around the world...

    And we should never ignore it!

    Thank you so much!

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  29. Hi Sue;

    Thanks so much for coming again!

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  30. Powerful writing on a humbling topic Amity! I have pity for those that have lived her reality, and hatred for those that cause this sort of pain. Great description on her childhood innocence, right down to the pink hat and flower basket.

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  31. Hi Jay;

    Thanks for your opinion of my work! I am challenged to share this story because it has been common place happenings and news in all media of communications...

    The papers have much to tell, the TV and the radio, and I feel so affected even though and I am so glad I never had any experience about it including my immediate family members. Thank God!

    Thanks for sharing your opinions!

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  32. Heartbreaking, and well-written. It's a cry of outrage that such things happen.

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  33. Hi Lyn;

    Yes it is...and we are too sad why these things should happen when it is even their own blood!

    Thanks so much!

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  34. What a sad and tragic event for this girl...you've made such a beautiful character. It is heart wrenching to hear what happens next. I will be reading your next Thursday Tale soon. Take care!

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  35. Hi Write Girl;

    My Thursday Tales for this week is now up...:)

    Thank you so much, for dropping day...:)

    Hugs to you dear! :)

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  36. *sigh*
    We need to get things straight before it's too late.

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