The Following Story: Difficult Times Ahead Part 3 – Has Been Updated as of 12.05.2025
The Coming From the Shadows Series
Warning Notice: The following story contains a sensitive subject following the impact on an assault survivor; themes involved contain possible triggers – please read at your own discretion; Subjects involved – Dealing with Drink Spiking, Assault and Suicidal thoughts
Difficult Times Ahead: Part 3
The Shadows Over Blackpool
Previous Instalments:
- Yasmin’s Predicament – Facing Family Rejection: Yasmin’s Story
- Difficult Times Ahead: Part 1 – Facing Challenges: Raven and Yasmin’s Morning of Change
- Difficult Times Ahead: Part 2 – Awareness on Drink Spiking: Yasmin and Raven’s Story
- Difficult Times Ahead: The Aftermath – Trauma and Pain: The Aftermath
6th of July, 2015
The faded glamour of the seaside felt bleak, much more bleak for Raven than ever before; two days – it had been two days since she awoke in Daniel’s flat, pieced together the fragments of her memory, the betrayal of someone she thought was her friend, he had drugged her, assaulted her it shattered Raven’s world, her sense of self; the world felt like a jagged shard refusing to dislodge from her mind.
Her refuge had been her girlfriends flat; Yasmin had been her anchor and beacon of hope within the darkness she had been suffering within; her home, the Wright household had become a chaotic battleground due to her father’s callous disregard of what had happened to her, he instead focused on her defying his strict refusal for her to go out that night; ‘Perhaps if I had listened’ she thought, ‘Maybe she wouldn’t have been put into that situation’ the thoughts ran through Raven’s mind constantly, her thoughts had become suffocating – then there was Yasmin, she reminded Raven, that she was not at fault, she may have defied her father, but that was no excuse for what Daniel had done.
Yasmin’s kindness, her support; it grounded Raven – simple acts; brushing Raven’s long dark hair, making her cups of tea, providing a safe space, maintaining a respectable distance in times Raven felt threatened – these helped pierce through the fog of trauma Raven felt.
Raven however couldn’t remain at Yasmin’s flat forever though; her mother; Jenna, had reached out multiple times, she had spoken on the phone – Jenna had responded to Philip’s callousness with fury, she came to her daughter’s defence in that desperate moment Raven returned him, Raven felt guilt brewing for leaving her family home, but, being with Yasmin had done good, Yasmin had been encouraging Raven to take her time to decide on what she was to do – she made the decision she would need to return back home even if her father’s callousness gnawed at her.
When Raven finally returned back home; she used her key to get inside, thankfully her father was not there; this absence, a small mercy – she retreated to her bedroom, but what should have been a sanctuary was anything but, posters, soft toys – they felt tainted.
Slowly, Raven moved onto her bed, she looked towards a stuffed teddy bear; reaching for it, she brought it in to hug, it felt like a small comfort even if her room’s colourful floral design mocked her.
Then; her phone buzzed – she saw a message from Yasmin.
Yasmin: Thinking of you; are you okay, did you return back home?
Raven read it twice before she typed a message back; her fingers trembled – ‘As Okay as I can be, I went back; house is empty.., just sat here’
There was a few minutes before a response came back.
Yasmin: Okay; I am here if you need me; just send me a message, anything you need and I will be there, I will come down, the flat is always a safe space should you need to be there
The simple message was like a balm; just knowing Yasmin was there was enough; it helped her breath easier, she exchanged a few more texts, brief and fragmented, but filled with unspoken understanding, Yasmin was her anchor in this storm, it prevented Raven drifting too far into the abyss.
Chapter 1:
10th of July
The fragile progress Raven had been making over the past few days shattered like glass, she had managed a few smiles with her little brother; Dylan and even helped Eliza; her older sister sort through various old photos, she had even begun speaking with her mother about some of what had happened, even if it caused her to break down, it was progress – but that moster lurking in the shadows was always waiting.
She was in her room, curled up with the teddy while reading a book; then she heard voices downstairs – one was her father’s, it sounded jovial and irritatingly normal, the other though…
That second voice sent a jolt of pure terror through Raven; it was Daniel’s voice.
Her heart hammered against her ribs; she brought her knee’s to her chest moved her hands to clamp over her ears, she tried to block out all sounds – it did little, the voice echoed in her head, Daniel’s voice sounded calm and measured, it seeped into her consciousness, a sinister echo of the morning she had awoken, disorientated, violated.
Minutes later; she heard her bedroom door open; her father stood there, his face flushed, eyes bright with a false cheerfulness “Raven” he said, his voice too loud “Come downstairs; we have guests”
Raven shook her head urgently; her throat constricted “No; Dad.., please”
“Don’t be silly Raven; it’s important” he said, moving over towards her, he grabbed her arm, his grip was surprisingly tight; he pulled her from the safety of her room, and down the stairs – each step was like a hammer blow to her fragile composure.
The living room was a tableau of horror; Daniel was sat on the couch, he looked infuriatingly composed; his parents beside him, the mother; she recognised, her kind eyes landed on her, she strained a smile – but she could see Raven’s terror, while Daniel’s father beamed, like Daniel and her father he was oblivious or uncaring to the torment and terror etched within Raven’s face.
“Raven; Daniel’s parents have expressed their…, concerns” he told her “But I’ve assured them everything is fine”
Raven stared at her father; her mind reeling, she couldn’t speak – words caught in her throat, choked by a wave of nausea and fear.
“His mother and father were worried about Daniel’s future” Philip said, his arm possessively around Raven’s shoulders “A silly misunderstanding shouldn’t ruin a young mans prospects, should it; Daniel has a bright future ahead of him, this little ‘accident’ is nothing for them to worry about”
“Accident?” the word finally escaped Raven’s lips, a strangled whisper
Daniel’s mother, despite her kind demeanour offered only an apologetic smile and then cleared her throat “Daniel’s a good boy” she said, her voice tight “He just made…, a mistake”
Daniel himself sat looking at Raven, his lips curved into a grin; he seemed to relish in Raven’s utter terror “I’m sorry we got a bit rough Raven” his voice was smooth, practised “No need to be upset; I guess your not as into girls as you thought” he added
‘Upset?’ she thought; she wanted to scream, she was stood frozen; paralyzed by her fear and disbelief – her own father, the man meant to protect her, sided with her attacker.
Philip squeezed Raven’s shoulder “See dear; everything is sorted, no need to make a fuss eh?; we all make mistakes, and some parties shouldn’t have happened, should they?” Philip gave Raven a knowing look, a silent reminder of his disapproval of her going out to the party in the first place – he was punishing her, punishing her for being violated
The conversation droned on; each word was a fresh wound, she heard snippets – ‘Bright Future’, ‘College’, ‘Boys will be Boys’ everyone was more concerned about Daniel’s future and reputation, her own father was more concerned about keeping peace, not a single person in that room cared about the gaping hole in Raven’s soul.
The more she listened; the more she realised she was the one being punished, it was ‘Her Fault’ – her father’s words implied as such, for being in the ‘Wrong Place’ for ‘Defying him’ and ‘causing trouble’
Daniel’s calm, controlled voice was the most terrifying of all; a voice of someone who knew they were getting away with everything; it was a voice that had begun haunting her.
Raven felt a tear trickle down her face; she felt more and more alone.
Chapter 2:
The front door slammed; echoing through the house – Jenna and Ralph, Raven’s Mother and Grandfather had arrived.
As Jenna and Ralph made their way through the hall, Jenna stopped by the living room doorway; she heard the stilted conversation emanating within; a knot of unease tightened in her stomach, glancing inside; her blood ran cold – she saw Raven, she was pale and trembling, she was trapped in the room with her father, Daniel and Daniel’s parents – she could see the smug look on Daniel’s face.
She immediately understood what was happening within a heartbeat – her rage boiled as she stepped into the living room, her eyes blazing “What is going on here?” she demanded, her voice was dangerously low
Philip turned his gaze towards his wife with a warm smile “Jenna, We’re just have a little chat, I was just reassuring Daniel and his parents that Raven won’t be causing any…., trouble”
Jenna’s gaze hardened; her attention shifted towards Daniel’s family “Get out” she said; her voice was like ice
“Jenna?” Philip raised his eyebrow, he seemed genuinely confused
“Get out of my house!” Jenna shouted; her fury breaking through what little calm she had tried to maintain, Ralph; her father stepped into the doorway calmly, his eyes scanning the scene within the living room
Daniel’s father attempted to protest; but Jenna cut him off “Now!” she directed her attention to Daniel’s father with an icy glare “Before I call the police”
Daniel sensed the shift in power; he rose to his feet quickly; He and his parents scurried like rats, their protests fading into mumbles of apologies as they left
Jenna then turned her angered glare towards Philip; she burned with fury “And you” she told him; her voice trembling with her rage “Pack your bags, find a hotel”
“What?” Philip was dumbfounded
“You invited that little bastard into our home; forced our daughter to sit there and listen to your charade” she spat, her voice rising once again “You are protecting him instead of her; get out!”
Philip hesitated; but his eyes nervously darted between Jenna then to Raven – Philip had clearly been expecting Jenna to just go along with his attempts, regardless of her previous furious outburst during the day she had come back from what had happened – he had not expected such a visceral reaction – his eyes then landed onto Ralph, his presence, while silent, was imposing; his eyes dark and knowing, he held a glint that sent a shiver down Philip’s spine – he knew better than to try any further arguing with Ralph present.
Philip; defeated, slunk out of the room quietly.
Jenna turned her attention to her daughter; her posture softening completely as she moved to her; gathering her in her arms as Raven dissolved into tears; sobbing against her mother “It’s okay” Jenna whispered, her voice was thick with emotion “It’s okay; I am here, I am sorry”
Ralph stood back; his face etched with pain as he watched his daughter comfort his granddaughter; his mind churning with dark thoughts – he had seen evil in his life, fought it even, he’d tried to keep something sinister away, but he felt as though he had failed to protect his granddaughter by even allowing Jenna to continue her relationship with Philip when he saw how little he seemed to care.
He would need to atone for what he saw as his own failings.
Chapter 3:
Later that evening; Eliza returned to the Wright household with her boyfriend; Tyler – she sensed the change in atmosphere when she entered the house, the air was thick with tension, as she and Tyler entered the kitchen they found her grandfather; Ralph speaking in a hushed voice with Jenna “Mum; what’s going on?” Eliza asked, her brow furrowed with concern
Jenna sighed; running her hand through her hair “Your father…, he invited Daniel and his parents here; forced Raven to sit with them; to listen to them defend him, he sided with her attacker, Eliza”
Eliza’s face hardened; her eyes, usually bright and playful – in fact only a moment ago, she and Tyler had been playing jokes with one another, it now turned cold, sharp “Where is he?” she questioned
Tyler; sensing the shift gently placed his hand on Eliza’s arm “Easy Eliza” he said gently, though her felt his usual calm demeanour cracking “I know this will be making you angry; but lets try to stay calm, it wont help Raven if you started getting angry”
“I’m already angry” Eliza hissed, her eyes turning to Tyler; Tyler simply maintained a softened expression, he understood, he wasn’t going to deny her what she felt was wrong, but he also knew that it wouldn’t help her sister if everyone was creating an angry atmosphere
Upstairs; Raven was on her bed; her head in Yasmin’s lap, Yasmin gently stroked her hair, whispering soothing words, trying to offer as much support as she could while Raven simply sobbed, her body shaking “They acted like I nothing was wrong…, that I wanted what happened” she sobbed
Yasmin’s eyes flashed with anger, but she kept her voice soft “It wasn’t your fault Raven” she gently moved her fingers through Raven’s hair; trying to be as gentle as possible “I’m here for you; Your safe, I will not let anything happen to you”
Yasmin’s touch was gentle; reassuring, though Yasmin knew words were not enough, Raven needed time, space and unwavering support – she needed to know she was loved, she was believed and that she wasn’t alone.
A sound of movement caught Yasmin’s attention as she lifted her head and moved her gaze from Raven towards the door; Eliza came in, knocking as she opened the door – Eliza’s eyes landed onto Raven and Yasmin, the sudden opening of her door though causes Raven to tense up for a moment before she realised it was her sister “Hey” Eliza said gently, she realised she was a bit hasty with her rushed action, she decided to be a little more cautious as she approached the bed, maintain some distance as she kneeled down, she smiled softly at Yasmin, then her eyes returned to Raven
In Eliza’s room; Tyler had flopped back onto the bed, his eyes closed – when he heard Eliza enter, he pushed himself up as he opened his eyes, he looked towards her as he held himself up on his elbows “Is she alright?”, there was concern within his voice
Eliza shook her head.
“Want me to go kick the shit out of Daniel?” he asked; Eliza new that Tyler would do just that if she wanted him too, but, she shook her head
“No; I don’t think that would be a good idea” she told him as she let herself flop backwards onto the bed beside him “I think it might make things worse”
Tyler thought for a moment; he knew she was right, letting out a sigh, he slowly nodded his head before lowering himself back down beside her, he wasn’t sure what to really say or what to suggest.
Chapter 4:
A few days later – Raven decides to go out alone, she needed to clear her head, finding comfort as she walked along the promenade, she had set out early, the sun had only just begun to rise, the only sounds she could hear was the crashing waves – she loved the ocean, whenever the ocean seemed calm, she too felt a calmness, while other times when she felt that her emotions were to difficult to control; when she was angry, that the ocean itself seemed to mimic her – it helped her transition between bouts of anger to calmness, from sadness and rage to calm and peacefulness.
As she walked, her eyes were mostly kept on the ocean, watching as the waves crashed against the seawall; the waves would crash so heavily that water would spray across the ground, soaking the concrete.
She eventually came to a stop, she became lost in the display of raw power of the crashing waves, and with no one else around there was very little else to distract her, the sounds of the gulls seemed like distant echoes as she stared.
She was hopeful that maybe things could stabilise; she stood still for much longer than she realised, the distant echo of voices slowly drew her back into the present moment, she took notice of people.
Moving her hands, she rubbed her eyes before beginning to turn back the way she had come, to walk back home.
When Raven finally did return home she overheard a conversation in the kitchen, her mother was talking to someone; it was only when a familiar voice answered what was clearly the frustrated voice of her mother that she realised she was talking her mother was speaking to her grandfather.
In the kitchen, Jenna and her father was unaware of Raven’s return back to the house, and they continued to speak freely “He’s gotten away with it” Jenna said; her voice tense and frustrated “Philip has done the damage by inviting that…, that ‘thing’ into our home, when he forced Raven to sit there”
Ralph thought carefully; he wasn’t certain on how to respect; he knew his granddaughter; Raven had been struggling, how all that progress she had been starting to make had been shattered the day Philip invited Daniel into the house, he took a deep breath as he looked to his daughter; Jenna “I really don’t know what to say Jenna” he sounded saddened
Raven felt her world sink; she had been holding onto a sliver of hope that something would happen, that she wouldn’t feel unsafe – but, if Daniel wasn’t going to face punishment for what he had done, if he had gotten away with it; does that mean he would feel emboldened to do something again…, would he be less likely to hide behind drugging her, with no consequences, what would stop him.
Raven felt tears welling in her eyes; not wanting to be seen, she moved for the stairs, quietly making her way up to her bedroom – with what she heard, everything now felt as though she was simply watching things, that she had no control, even as she went to her room; she seemed to just go into a daze.
Across Blackpool; Yasmin found herself in her usual distracted state as she tried to go about her usual duties; her boss; Mrs Peterson could see how distracted Yasmin was, the worry present in her face, but, unfortunately, she wasn’t in a position to let Yasmin leave – knowing she wanted to maintain contact with her girlfriend in such difficult times though, she ignored Yasmin’s use of her mobile during working hours
Chapter 5
Only hours from when she had overheard the conversation between her Mother and Grandfather; Raven found herself waking up, she was laying on her side staring towards the wall, she realised that she must have fallen asleep at some point, her mind however was still fixated on what she overheard how Daniel had gotten away with what he had done, finally moving, she looked towards her clock – 06:47 A.M.
As she stared, her mind repeating things from what happened to the forced interaction to learning Daniel had gotten away with it all; something seemed to click – an idea on what she could do, but it brought tears racing to her eyes, she felt her body tremble.
As she moved, she grabbed her mobile, checking it a moment – discovering that she had several texts waiting for a response, some with increasing concern due to her lack of response, all of them, from Yasmin – finally, she would be responding, but it was just a single text message that said ‘I Love You’
Quietly slipping out from the house; Raven once again began walking along the promenade, her mind racing – the sounds of gulls squawking and screeching filled the early-morning atmosphere, the scent of the sea water filled her nostrils as waves sent a spray of water over the seawall.
With no one around, she didn’t need to worry about people being around her, or anyone trying to speak with her; she had one goal that morning, and one goal only.
Further along the promenade though that very same morning was a rather strange individual that was also out for a walk – he often chose the early hours due to his unusual style of dress, his clothing didn’t exactly let him fit in, he wore long dark robes that made him appear much like a Tibetan monk; on more than one occasion he had been stopped by people wanting to take pictures under the impression that was what he was, he didn’t mind though as being seen odd or strange, he was far to old to really care, the atmosphere during the early hours was what called to him mostly, it was peaceful and he enjoyed embracing that peace.
Aside from his odd choice in clothing; he had a worn face, his age clearly visible just by looking at him, what little hair present on his head was grey, and his eyes twinkled with kindness that would be unmatched by anyone around him.
As he was walking, he noticed something strange that caused him to stop – he was certain he recognised the young teenager making her way to the North Pier, despite its main facilities being closed, its gates leading onto the pier had been left unlocked, possibly from early-morning cleaners.
As he observed, watching the youth, it was her posture that spoke volumes to him, she was clearly upset about something and so, he decided to go in the same direction, for now, he wanted a better look at her and to check if what he was suspecting was also correct.
When Raven finally reached the end of the pier; she looked out at the calm waters below, the tide was in, submerging the beach entirely, she rested her head against her arms as she leaned against the railings – she wasn’t here simply to think, she was trying to gather courage.
To her, Daniel had won; he’d broken her, knowing he would not face any consequences she was terrified he would be emboldened to do it again; she felt her body tremble, her vision blurred by tears, it scared her too much; she wanted to just disappear permanently – the clouds above already dark despite initially beginning to glow with the morning sun – now though, they dark thick and dark, a light rain had begun to fall, the calmness of the ocean had begun to shift as a wind slowly began to pick up.
Seeing she was in a state of distress; the ‘Monk’ decides to approach the situation carefully, he did not want to startle her, he was slow and almost silent in his movement – Raven never even realised he was there when he stood at a respectable distance beside her against the railings “Hello there” he said softly “It would appear that our beautiful morning has begun to get a little wet hasn’t it?”
Raven lifted her head away from her arms; her attention now drawn to the stranger beside her, she looked at him with a flicker of surprise crossing her face; she didn’t respond though, instead, she simply shifted her gaze towards the waters below.
The ‘Monk’ did the same; he shifted his gaze towards the water – he let the silence fill the space between them before deciding to share a little about himself “I come out in the early mornings like this a lot, I find it peaceful” he said “When I was a young man, I would spend a lot of time searching out places that I could enjoy peace and quiet, it allowed me to think, to dream” he smiled, raising his gaze upwards, looking towards the darkening sky as the light rain fell against his face
Raven peeked towards him for a moment, her curiosity had been piqued “What did you dream about?” she asked, though her voice was barely audible
‘There we are’ He thought ‘Now, we need to bring you back from this moment’ he shifted his gaze towards her a moment, he lets his lips curve into a gentle smile as he engaged her further “Oh, I dreamed of going on adventures; exploring the world, learning new things” he told her “But, I had a lot of struggles to get through, things that made what I wanted difficult to obtain, life was never that simple, I believe it was hardest during my teenage years”
Feeling a glimmer of connection; there was a warmth to his voice that seemed to pull at her with ease, it made her feel safe, like Yasmin did “Everyone has their problems” she murmured
“Indeed” he replied “Everyone has their own battles to face, it is okay to talk about them if you would like too” he watched her closely, he was hoping she would begin to open up; the more he looked at her, the more she really did seem familiar, that she seemed to remind him of somebody “You can share with mee if it helps”
Raven hesitated as she looked at him, she felt as though she wanted to open up, but…, she didn’t know him, despite the sense of warmth and safety, she had once been good friends with Daniel and he had hurt her; he had broken that long established trust, it took a longer silence before she finally said something “My…., my friend drugged me…, hurt me” her voice trembled
The ‘Monk’ slowly nodded; he understood now why she was in the state she was in – it made sense now, his expression was serious but compassionate “I am sorry to hear that” he said softly
As Raven’s eyes began to fill with tears; she tried to recount what she could remember before she had woken up, and what had transpired when she woke up, discovering herself in Daniel’s bed, the realisation of what had happened when it dawned on her; the ‘Monk’ silently listened to her as she explained the aftermath, and how those she spoke too responded, she talked about her father’s reaction and his lack of care, pointing out the suggestion it was her own fault.
“You are not at fault” he told her “What was done to you was the fault of…” recognising that she is haunted by her memories, he decided to forgo the name, choosing his words with care “It is the fault of the one who hurt you; you are not broken young one; you are simply hurting right now, and that kind of pain, that kind of trauma you have experienced will take time to heal, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help” he knew that trust was essential in this moment, and he wanted to hide her gently
Wiping her eyes; she shifted her gaze to the waters below a moment “But…, I don’t want too, I don’t want to speak about it..”
Smiling warmly “You’ve already made the steps; if you stop, which you have every right to choose, you won’t heal, facing trauma is not easy, and bottling all those emotions you are feeling, they will lead you to doing something that would upset those who care about you” he told her “Just as they have brought you here today”, he saw the gears beginning to turn in her head, things were processing, but, he also noticed the rain has begun to lighten.
After a moment of deep thought; she returned her gaze towards him “Thank you” she said quietly “For talking to me; What’s your name mister?”
“Daniil Delphis” he said simply “What is your name?” he smiled as he watched her; he found himself looking at her eyes – he recognised something as he stared
“It’s Raven” she told him
Something clicked into place when she spoke her name; though it wasn’t indicated in his expression; he simply smiled “That is a beautiful name, was you aware; that in many mythologies, Raven’s acted as messengers of the gods?” he again gave her a warm smile, finally turning away from the railings “Have a pleasant day Raven” he said, moving his hands behind his back as he slowly began to walk away
Raven thought for a moment, watching as he walked away – she hadn’t realised it, but that simple act of engagement in conversation had distracted her so much that her initial intentions had faded into the back of her mind completely, they were no longer at the forefront of her thoughts.
Chapter 6
Finally pulling away from the railings; Raven decided to go and find somewhere to sit down, eventually, she found her way back onto the promenade – sitting down, she checked her pocket, drawing her phone and discovering several concerned texts, noticing how long ago each message was, she decided to phone Yasmin instead of texting her.
The call was answered immediately; her voice concerned as she shot out thousands of questions, though each was basically the same one just worded differently “I’m okay” Raven answered with a trembling voice “I’m on the promenade”
Yasmin responded simply by telling her to wait where she was and to not move, that she was coming to her.
When the call ended, Raven pushed the phone back into her pocket; she did as Yasmin instructed, she sat there and waited; gently swinging her feet back and forth, her attention drawn towards the sounds of the gulls.
When Yasmin finally arrived – she saw Raven, she had become distracted by the seagull, relief washed over her as she rushed over to the bench, sitting down beside her, though to avoid making her uncomfortable, she left a gap between them “You worried the life out of me” Yasmin told her, Raven broke her focus from the seagulls and looked towards Yasmin
With Raven’s focus now on Yasmin; she decided to close the gap that Yasmin had left between them herself – Yasmin was not Daniel, she knew that, she knew she didn’t need to be afraid of being close to Yasmin, she leaned her head against Yasmin’s shoulder – it took a moment, but Yasmin slowly moved her arm up, she was clearly testing boundaries that might have risen, not wanting to do something Raven wouldn’t like, it was why Raven felt safe.
“I will always be there for you Raven; if you need anything; I am just a call or text away” she felt Raven nod her head against her shoulder; gently, she leaned her head against Raven’s as they sat quietly staring out at the ocean.
Things wouldn’t be easy; but she would help Raven every step she took, supporting her in anyway possible.
Written By: Westley H.
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