Carolyn just laid there momentarily, trying to understand what just happened, trying to digest what just happened. There was blood everywhere. It covered her, her bed, some of the floor. It was so warm and disgusting, almost nauseating. As Trisha cut the ropes restricting her to the bed, she was in shock. Even as Trisha threw Matt off of her to the ground, she was still in shock. She returned to reality when she felt two arms around her, not harming, but embracing her, patting and rubbing her back, and a very calm, soothing and sure voice telling her, “You’ll be alright. I’m sorry.”

She returned the embrace and she began to cry tears of joy. It worked! Her friend knew that she was sincere in her apology. She understood that if she wasn’t, she would have accepted the rape over apologizing. Carolyn was not a very apologetic person. “What do we do now?” Carolyn asked, fear entering her voice. “Don’t worry about it,” Trisha said. “We’ll think of something. Go bathe. You’re going to have to go to the hospital.”