He viewed the kill from the top of the knoll. It wouldn’t be that day or even maybe the next but the beast inside him told him, “Soon. Soon.”
She was the female of her species. Unaware of the stalking, she moved silently across the open grass, stopping now and again to feel the wind and sense her surroundings. She took this path every day in pleasure of life, unaware of the fate that lay ahead.
He continued to watch. When she moved, the beast that lived inside him longed for the kill. When she raised her head, he ached to cut her down. Killing was what he did. Not for nourishment, but for pleasure. It was unlawful, but the beast… Yes, the beast that would not be silent demanded feeding. When it roared the hunter knew in spite of any decent impulse, he would take up his weapon and kill.
No one knows how many days the hunter stalked his prey. No one knows if he even wanted to find a decent impulse instead of planning the deception of his hunt. But the time did come when the beast inside his body crawled up inside of his soul and said, “Feed me. Feed me now.” And that was the night he struck.
She was crossing the grassy knoll. It was quiet. Too quiet. Then came the lulling purr of her species. Not the lull of peace, but one she didn’t know. She stood still unaware of the danger… unaware that danger lives in deception. He drew closer, closer. All other animals fled. She turned to do the same too late. She was downed. He struck her with his weapon. Blood. She cried out. It fed him. He struck her again and then again until the beast that lived inside the man was fully fed and quieted and lay down in him. She was motionless in her own blood. And the man with the beast inside his soul walked away until the next time he needed to hunt.
The female limped toward water. Into it she climbed, and washed herself. She stayed there attempting to clean the wound. She couldn’t clean it. So she lived injured with a scar that formed over the damage. Knowledge was new. Innocence was gone.
Just the word rape is an emotional experience. It indicates violence, pain, blood possibly, and permanent damage. It changes a woman in a way that other animals respect her, and seem to sense her injury. They feel together that the order of life has been damaged. They know that some kind of compassion is necessary for one who was stalked and hunted down by their own species.
May society find compassion to heal both these predators and their prey.
Best… Carolyn Thomas Temple