Chapter 7: Raj

Raj didn't watch the other videos.

Just out of morbid curiosity he started the first few minutes of the second video as it was streaming live, but as soon as he figured out what was going to happened, he turned his computer off and sobbed. He couldn't bear to watch.

He had heard later that his worst fears were confirmed. Kat was indeed filmed being raped by a giant dog. Most had feared she had died. No way a twelve year old girl could survive an ordeal like that.

He had actually hoped that she had died. She had suffered enough at the hands of this monster. If she died then she would at least be at peace.

But then a week later another link appeared. And he clicked on it
again. He had of course been stalking her Twitter page religiously. Hoping for some good news. Maybe this next video was one of her being released.

But it wasn't. It was Kat again, in the same torture outfit she was in before, except this time all done up, in heels and with cat ears on her head. It was disgusting. But Raj couldn't turn the live video off this time either. Until he saw the dildos, one of which was a toilet brush. He couldn't bear to watch what she had to go through. And once again he turned his computer off and sobbed. And prayed. He prayed that it was going to end. He felt like he was being tortured too. But he knew that was a silly thought. Shame on me, he thought. For thinking that I am suffering. Kat is suffering. Kat is the one who needs help. And so he cried some more. And prayed.

He desperately wanted help. So he turned on the TV. Maybe watching others talk about would help him feel better. Maybe give him some release. An outlet. He turned on CNN. No, he hated the news these days. He settled on a sitcom instead. He watched for a couple of hours, but he certainly did not feel any better. There was a vigil in Kat's neighborhood tonight. A candlelight vigil. Maybe he was going to go. Actually, yes, he was going go. He didn't live too far away from Kat. He knew his parents would disapprove of him leaving so late at night. So he snuck out. His bedroom was on the first floor, so he could easily leave. He had never snuck out before. But Kat needed him. He needed to feel like he was doing something. He grabbed his hoodie and a couple of candles plus some matchsticks and started walking.

She lived maybe forty minutes away on foot. There were hundreds if not thousands of people who had gathered alongside the street. The area was swarming with journalists, news crews, and police. People had gathered to pray. Candles were lit. Some were singing hymns. He made it actually a block away from her house, because the area was so crowded and packed with people. But it didn't matter. Raj lit his candle and prayed for her deliverance.

And just like that.

She appeared.

WHAT?

Right before his eyes. There she was.

There she was not more than twenty feet away. She was dimly lit. Was he going insane? Was he hallucinating? But the shadowy figure came closer.

Raj walked forward. No one else in the crowd noticed.

It was her.

It was undeniably her. She was naked. Blood stained her inner thighs. She was barefoot. She looked woozy. Unsteady. A ghost of a former self.

But she still had on her headband with the cat ears. It was most certainly Kat. Raj rushed towards her. He stretched his hand out to touch her. She reached forward as well, and their fingers touched. She was most definitely real. And then she fell forward. Raj quickly grabbed her to prevent her from falling onto the pavement. Raj yelled for help. Louder. And louder. Help, he cried. Help me! I've found her, he screamed! He took his hoodie off and covered as much of her as he could. She was safe. She was alive. She was with him and he swore nothing would ever come to harm her.

He remembered very little of what happened after that. The paramedics took her. They rushed her to the hospital. Over the next few weeks there were no visitors allowed. She was in stable condition. She stayed in the hospital for a month. There were rumors she required multiple sessions of reconstructive surgery. She had been badly injured. She was then transitioned over to some psychiatric facility. And there she stayed for several more months. Raj didn't see her in school for another year.

They caught the bastard too. His name was Edward Keaton. Turns out he was some rich asshole living out in California. Started out as a computer programmer, but made enough money to become a venture capitalist. He invested in a few key companies and became filthy rich. And then one day he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease, and nobody ever heard of him again. Disappeared into obscurity. He said he had wanted to be caught,
but Raj knew that was bullshit. They caught the bastard, and the world was safer because of it. They caught the other guy too. (So there WERE two guys in on this). The two had met online, and for millions of dollars, the other guy would set everything up
for him. Keaton's disease pretty much paralyzed him, so he needed some muscle to help with the project. In any case, those two were now behind bars, waiting for trial. Raj had heard about the trial. Keaton apparently took more videos during her captivity. He even kept a journal of everything he did. More than enough evidence to put this guy away for good. Maybe even capital punishment. It's what he deserved. The details of the case were so disturbing, that jurors, lawyers, even the judge when reviewing evidence were witnessed walking, some of them running, others stumbling out of the courtroom, needing to escape. Some vomited in the hallways. Others fainted on their way to the restroom.

In any case, even though they had caught the perpetrators, it didn't really feel like justice had been served.

And then one day Kat came back to school.

But she was different. Her hair was dyed black. Her nails were painted black. She wore all black. She usually wore a hoodie. At first her friends were all ecstatic to see her. But she pushed them all away. Said they were fake. Said they only cared about her fame. You could hear her screaming at them. And maybe they did. Maybe they didn't. Raj felt bad for them. He felt bad for Kat.

She sat alone most of the time. She ate lunch by herself usually. She didn't talk to anyone. She developed a reputation for being a "bitch." She picked a corner in the courtyard just outside the cafeteria to eat each a meal brought from home every day. Anyone that came close to her was usually chased off.

And so Raj kept his distance. For weeks he did not dare approach her. She probably didn't even know who he was, even though he was there when she had been rescued.

But then one day. Well, it was a windy day. Kat was eating her
sandwich and looking at piece of paper. She placed the paper down to grab her drink, but a gust of wind blew the paper away. Dammit, she yelled, as she got up to chase the loose sheet of paper.

And where did that sheet of paper land? Right next to Raj's feet. He had moved to sit on the other end of the courtyard to eat his lunch just to be closer to her. And once again, serendipity seemed to be his best friend.

Raj picked up the paper.

Without looking at it, he walked over to where Kat was.

She looked angry, and flustered. But when she got closer, her eyes softened. Did she recognize who he was?

"I think this is yours," Raj said, eyes trailing down towards the
ground.

Kat snatched the paper from his hand. But she did not leave. She just stood there. Raj lifted his eyes. He cleared his throat and smiled awkwardly. And then he went for it. He looked into her eyes briefly. Still just as beautiful. He couldn't help but feel happy.

"I'm Raj, by the way."

Kat didn't move a muscle. And then, after two very long seconds, she responded awkwardly back.

"Good to meet you, Raj... (pause)... I'm Kat."




She paused for another second.




And then she smiled.