Thirteen, Twelve, Eleven, Ten.

For me it was love at first sight. I'll never forget the first time I laid my adolescent eyes on Michelle Brixton, I was around thirteen at the time and her loveliness stunned me. Her family had taken over a farm close to ours, well, if you call a fifteen minute drive further past our farm letterbox, close. For the next five years we would ride the same bus to and from school, and each time I saw her it took the breath from me. With rare beauty usually comes arrogance and self importance, but not with Michelle. She was usually friendly and smiley, and maybe a little unaware of the spell she held over people. To me, she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen, apart from the TV and movies stars. Her beauty was natural and elegant, from her wavy blonde hair to her lovely long tanned legs. I loved her big blue eyes and perfect facial features. I only once saw her in a bathing suit at a school competition, but it was a sight I'd never forget with her heavy breasts and shapely legs. While she was an accomplished and powerful swimmer, she soon gave it away, I think because of the unwanted attention she got. The prying male eyes of both teachers and pupils were maybe too much to handle.

In my teens, I was tall and gangly and not particularly good looking, but Michelle would always smile and say hello when our paths frequently crossed. Little did she know how my heart fluttered when she did so, but I guess I wasn't alone in that department. Other boys flocked to her like a seagulls around a rubbish bin, each scavenging for her attentions and hopefully a little titbit of her affections. But while maintaining her friendly outgoing nature, she appeared to avoid any relationships, or rumours for that matter. This no doubt broke many hearts, for she was considered the most desirable and attractive girl at our school.

My family name is Hilter, which is unfortunately fairly similar to Hitler. From my early school days I was called Hitler, and then some bright spark nick-named me Adolf which stuck with me until such time as I moved away. Out of all the people I knew including some teachers, Michelle was the only one who asked if I minded being called Adolf. I just smiled and told her it was fine, she could have called me anything and I wouldn't have cared.

At the age of eighteen, I left school to work on our family farm and completely lost track of Michelle. I had a few good friends and we did the usual Friday and Saturday night things in the closest town, which was a long and winding forty minute drive away. My dad taught me to drive on the farm at an early age and I got my license as soon as I hit eighteen, after that the family car was always at my disposal. My parents were always concerned at the remoteness of the farm and recognised that I needed to socialise with people my own age. The car came with strict conditions, no booze, drugs or driving recklessly. My dad was a hard man but with a gentle side to him. He would give you the world if you promised to look after it, but you only ever had one chance. I knew that if there was one indiscretion with the car, it would never be at my disposal again. The result would be that I would be confined to the farm forever and a day. Having been brought up around farm trucks and tractors, I had the deepest respect for machinery and the perils that come with them. From the age of eleven, I could competently navigate our tractor and other farm vehicles anywhere on our property, which was helpful to my dad.

Like most young males when among friends, the subject of the opposite sex was never too far from our conversation, especially when a little alcohol was involved. Our tales of sexual bravado and conquests were mostly fantasy, and I doubt any of us had been well and truly laid, me included. Michelle Brixton's name had been raised several times, but it seemed that she'd dropped out of circulation after her school days. One of the guys had seen her in town a few times with her mother, but that's all, which was a shame really, for she was still considered the most desirable girl for miles.

It was on a Saturday night out that my relationship changed with Michelle, but, for all the wrong reasons. I was driving home around two in the morning and taking all the care I usually do when driving on country roads. Road washouts, fallen trees and wandering stock are all things to look out for. It was a sheep farming area, and hitting a stray sheep at fifty miles an hour ain't pretty for the sheep or the car. A horse or a cow at fifty miles an hour can be fatal for drivers and front seat passengers, and always for the animal.

I'd not long turned into our road when a flash of moving white in the scrub near the verge caught my eye, and I pulled over wondering what it may have been. It was the same colour as a sheep but only too tall, and although I caught only a glimpse, it was enough to arouse my curiosity. I stopped and backed up the car a little before swinging the nose in towards the scrub, and I got my first glimpse of a blonde female crouching beside a power pole. My immediate thought was that there'd been some sort of accident and I jumped from the car and ran towards her.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked loudly.

"NO, NO. LEAVE ME ALONE, PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE. NO MORE, PLEASE NO MORE" screamed a tormented voice as I approached.

It was only when I got close that I recognised Michelle's blonde hair, dishevelled as it was. She seemed to be covered in blood, her top torn away exposing her breasts as her arms flayed wildly towards me in self defence. Her bloody legs were bare with only a pair of dark panties covering her private parts.

"Hey, hey, hey Michelle, it's me, Adolf from school. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Adolf is that really you?" came her more subdued cry as she tried shakily to stand.

"Yes, it's me, let me help you."

I took her arm as she began to fall, "Jesus what's happened to you, you're covered in blood?"

"They hurt me Adolf; they hurt me bad and left me here." she whimpered.

It was only then it dawned on me that Michelle hadn't been in an accident, but assaulted by somebody. In the glare of the car lights, all I could see was torn clothes and pale bare skin, both smeared with blood. She was certainly in a bad way. What should I do I asked myself? Hospital was a long drive, and maybe her family would be a better bet. Her trembling body clung to me for support, her erratic breathing warming my ear.

"Lets get you in the car, and I'll get you home." I suggested.

I half carried the sobbing Michelle towards the car and opened the back door, she just kind of fell in and then crawled along the seat. The glow of the interior light didn't make her look any better. Who the hell did this?

Although I'd never been to Michelle's home, I knew pretty much where it was. I listened to Michelle's sobbing for the next twenty minutes; I was relieved when I finally found her letterbox, and turned up the driveway next to it. I wound my way up the driveway to arrive at a large rambling wooden farmhouse not unlike my own. The house was in darkness and I sounded the horn several times as I pulled up outside. By the time I'd opened the back door and lifted Michelle from the backseat, lights were on and doors were opening in the house.

Suddenly, an outside spotlight turned the night into almost day, and a big bare chested man dressed only in shorts walked out onto the wooden veranda.

"Help, Michelle's been hurt." I called.

"What the hell!!" he exclaimed while rushing to assist me and taking Michelle from my arms.

"I found her wandering by the road up by the turn off, she said someone had hurt her." I said.

He took one look at Michelle, and turned towards the house, "SHERYLL, GET DOWN HERE QUICK. MICHELLE'S BEEN HURT."

Not sure what I should do, I walked up the veranda and stood by the front door as two frantic parents attended to their bloody daughter on the carpeted floor.

"Shall I call an ambulance?" I asked.

Michelle's father nodded and pointed towards a phone on a small table. After I made the call I moved from away from where I could see Michelle, for I'd seen enough.

Eventually Michelle's father approached me, his fright had now turned to anger and he was looking for blood. I didn't want it to be mine.

"Who are you?"

"Stephen Hilter, Peter Hilter's son. I was driving home when I found her."

"Do you know what happened?"

I shook my head, "Nope. I haven't seen her since school days."

He looked at me for a few seconds and his face softened, "Thanks for bringing her home."

I guess that was my invitation to leave, and I did so willingly.

Farming people rise early, but the burly uniformed cop at our door beat us all to it the next morning. My parents had been in bed when I got home in the early hours, and they knew nothing about Michelle when they answered the door. The cop was a hard looking man, and his eyes never left mine as I retold how I found Michelle at the side of the road. I got my first ride in a police cruiser, and took him to the spot where I'd found her. There wasn't much to see except for flattened grass and Michele's white handbag. The cop later asked how well I knew Michelle, and what I'd been doing the night before and who with. All questions were answered with absolute honesty, for the cop scared me more than a little. When I asked how Michelle was, he shrugged his shoulders as told me that as well as could be expected for someone who'd been gang raped. I didn't have any questions after that.

A couple of nights later, Michelle's parents came to our house and thanked me for bringing her home. I told them that we knew each other from school and that we caught the same bus every day. They told me that Michelle was still in hospital, but would be home in a few days. My mum, who is the best woman in the whole wide world asked how Michelle was emotionally, and was told not good.

As the months past, I thought less and less about Michelle. There had been no further contact by her family or the cops, and I had no wish to intrude. So my next sighting of Michelle was kind of unexpected, again for a whole lot of reasons.

I've always liked cross country running. Having been brought up on a farm, I just loved to run through paddocks and over hills. I joined the athletics team at school and was always in the top five in interschool competitions. When I left school, I still enjoyed a good run two or three times a week. Farm work keeps you strong and honest, but not necessarily fit. Our property is close to the sea, and my favourite run takes me out over the high cliffs and forests which is on the edge of a massive regional park. I liked to run half an hour before sunset when it's cooler, and so that I could watch the sun disappear under the sea.

On this particular day, I ran my usual route in reverse, and arrived at the cliffs well before dusk. At the highest point, the well worn track is close to the sheer cliffs that drop two hundred feet to rocks and the sea below. It's a spectacular place to sit and watch the rolling surf and the gulls soaring high in the air. It is at this place that I found Michelle standing over the safety fence and very close to the edge. I recognised her wild blonde hair flying horizontally in the off shore breeze.

I slowed my run as I approached near where she was standing, and my first thought was that she was going to jump.

"Hey Michelle." I called.

My voice made her jump, and her head turned briefly towards before turning back towards the sea.

I stepped over the fence and walked close to where she stood.

"How are you?" I asked looking somewhat fearfully at the drop below me.

She took a few seconds to answer. "I'll be fine soon."

I knew in that instant what Michelle was about to do. My mind raced; just what should I do. In the movies, the hero would dive on the intended jumper and the day would be saved. In reality, there was little I could do, for Michelle was strong enough to take us both over. All I could think of was to try and talk to her, but Michelle was aware of my intentions and stepped away further from me.

"You can go now Adolf, I'll be okay." she said after awhile.

"Sorry, I'm not going anywhere."

"Please go, I want you to go."

"I know what you're thinking about doing, I'm not leaving."

"You want to watch me jump?"

"No, I don't." I replied as I edged myself closer to her, but again she moved a step away.

I carefully sat down on the grass and looked up at her as she gazed out to sea. Her blue tracksuit fluttered noisily in the wind as I thought about what I should say. She looked down briefly at me giving me a chance to take in her gaunt features; she no longer looked the beauty I remembered. I then thought to what my mother would do in this situation, for she was an unflappable intelligent woman of great courage and sensibility. What would she say to Michelle?

"You can't do this." I said after awhile.

"Why not?"

"Because it's cruel. How would your parents take it, after all they've done for you? They are nice people; they don't deserve to be hurt anymore. What about all your friends, do they deserve this?"

"I don't care anymore Adolf, I just don't care."

I then started to get a little angry, which was a little bit stupid really.

"How fucking selfish is that, you're about to ruin your parents' life, and you just don't fucking care. Just think about the carnage you are going to leave behind. This is a stupid way out; and I never took you for a coward."

She turned angrily to me, "What the fuck do you know about it Adolf, what the fuck do you know. Do you know I've been through? Do you know what they did to me; do you know how I feel?"

"No, but I'll listen if you want to tell me."

Her voice was now full of venom, "Do you really want to know Adolf. Do want to know how they tore my clothes from me and held me down while they took turns to fuck me? Do you want to know how much it hurt when they stuck their dirty things inside me? How their dirty cum made me pregnant and gave me a disease. Do want to know these things? What do you know about abortions, do you want to know about that too?"

"Yes." I lied.

Her anger turned to tears in an instant, and her knees buckled beneath her. I reach up and took her arm briefly in case she fell forward into the abyss beyond. She thankfully settled onto the ground close to me.

"Go on, tell me what happened." I urged.

For the next ten minutes, Michelle looked out across the sea and told her story, which was gruesome in detail. She told of how men whom she thought were friends got her drunk and then took advantage of her. She described the pain and how she fought when her pleading failed to stop them. How it felt afterwards as the doctors and nurses examined and repaired her damaged body; and the shame she felt when her parents held her or anyone looked at her. She told of the anger that racked her as she officially identified her attackers to the police, and the lack of remorse in their eyes.

I had no answer for Michelle after listening to her story, and we both sat in silence with only the wind in our ears.

"Do you know that my attackers said I was a willing party to it, and I only complained afterwards?" she commented after awhile. "That I ripped my own clothes off and scratched myself to make it look bad. I've got to defend myself in court, to convince people that I don't know that I'm not a slut, and I didn't ask to be raped."

"How does that make you feel?" I asked.

"What do you fucking think?" she asked angrily.

"I've always thought you were a strong person Micelle. You can't let them get away with it. Take the fight to the fuckers and don't let them win. And when they get ten years in the slammer, just laugh at them."

For the first time a little smile appeared over Michelle's face, "I didn't know you had a vindictive streak in you Adolf."

I smiled back. I then deliberately changed the subject and started to talk about the school days, and gradually Michelle began to join in.

"You're shivering." Michelle commented after awhile.

I looked down at the goose bumps on my arms and legs, and for the first time realised how cold I was. The sweat from my run had dried, and now the cool evening wind was starting to take its toll. I rubbed my arms briskly for a few seconds.

"You'd better go." Michelle urged.

"I'll walk with you for a few minutes." I suggested.

We looked into her eyes, for she understood what I was trying to do, which was to make sure she didn't do anything stupid after I left. She smiled as I stood up, and took my hand as she got to her own feet. Hand in hand, we walked away from the cliffs and towards the safety of the nearby park road. My smile was quickly observed.

"Do you know how much I dreamed about holding your hand when we were at school?"

"I didn't know what to think of you. You were always so quiet, but nice and polite too. I suppose you're going to embarrass me and tell me you had a crush on me?"

"Me and half the school." I replied.

Michelle smiled graciously, "I wasn't interested in boys. According to my dad, you were all horrible creatures and not to be trusted." Her demeanour suddenly changed, "I guess he was right."

"Not all of us." I replied.

Eventually we came to the main road where we had to part and she turned to me.

"Promise me something Adolf."

"What?"

"Don't mention this to anyone, especially my parents."

"Okay, on one condition."

"What's that?"

"That you don't do anything stupid."

She looked at me for a few seconds, "I was going to jump."

"I know, but you didn't. Stand up and fight the fuckers, don't ever let them beat you. You're a better person than that."

Her eyes hardened and we stood close for a few seconds, and then she leaned forwards and gave me a peck on the lips.

"Thanks Adolf, I promise. I'll not forget what you did today, you saved my life."

She then pulled away and began walking away towards her home. I never saw Michelle again after that.

Ten years later, my father sold the farm after ill health set in, and it all got too much for him. By this time I'd earned myself a degree and by chance had fallen into hotel management through a friend of a friend. Through hard work and a little bit of luck, rapid promotion found me managing a three hundred room hotel complex in a large city. The pay was good, and a comfortable suite for me to reside in was part of the package. All this was far cry from a little old farm boy, but I loved the daily challenge of the hotel industry. The hotel boasted conference facilities, two bars and a nice restaurant, and there was always something going on. I remained single, although I was nearly engaged once, but came to my senses at the right time.

Michelle had also been busy. After finishing law school, she was now the champion of women's rights. At first there had been the odd snippets in newspapers which I had read with some interest. Then after a couple of successful court cases for women against their violent celebrity husbands, came the TV interviews. Her fame continued to grow, and soon became a household name. To me, I thought she'd become an anti-male, man hating bitch, but knowing what she'd been through maybe she had good reason to.

Twice a week, I held a management meeting with key staff. This is to firstly review what's happened over the last few days, and also to look forward over the next few. One item on the agenda is to identify any guests that may require special treatment on their arrival, and one afternoon I was surprised to hear Michelle Brixton's name. The female members of the team smiled with interest, the males turned their nose up at the man hater as they considered the trouble or extra work she may bring them. I of course mentioned nothing with the exception of ensuring that her stay with us should be memorable for the service she was about to receive.