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Post by One Hit Wonder on Jun 12, 2019 3:34:30 GMT -5
((Content warnings: death, infant death, rape, non-consenual acts. This story is not for the faint of heart. It's the origin story for my main villain, Homewrecker. Copied over from the Cape Radio forums.))
Part One: Scrambled Eggs
Twelve-year old Catriona hummed a happy tune as she puttered around the kitchen, fixing breakfast for her six brothers. Any minute now her father would be home, gushing about how beautiful his new baby girl was and giving them all chocolate cigars to celebrate. She was finally going to have a sister, and her mother had even let her pick out the name, Eileen, which meant “wished for child.” She thought it was rather appropriate, as she’d been hoping for a sister for a long time. She sighed happily as she scrambled some eggs in the frying pan.
“I don’t like my eggs scrambled, I want ‘em over-easy,” her oldest brother, Keenan, grumbled as he walked into the kitchen.
“Tough. You know I can’t do that without breaking the yolks.”
“Mama can.”
“Well Mama’s not here, and don’t you be bugging her when she gets home either. Give her time to enjoy the new baby.”
“We don’t need another girl, one’s trouble enough.” Keenan snapped a towel at her.
“Hey!” Catriona dodged out of the way. “Make yourself useful and set the table or something.”
“That’s women’s work.” Keenan grinned as he started to back out of the kitchen.
“Well I can’t do it all, so move your lazy arse.”
“Such language! Prim and proper young ladies should not use such words.”
“I’ll prim and proper you!”
Keenan laughed. “I gotta get ready for work,” he called over his shoulder as he ran up the stairs to his room.
“Men.” Catriona shook her head as she finished up the eggs and started to set the table herself.
“Ona! Ona!” three-and-a-half year old Dermot ran into the kitchen and threw his arm’s around her legs.
“Whoa there little man!” She set down the plates she had nearly dropped when Dermot had plowed into her and picked him up, setting him on her hip. “What do you want for breakfast?”
“Candy!”
Catriona laughed. “Sorry little man, no candy for breakfast. How about scrambled eggs?”
“Scambo eggs! Scambo eggs!” Dermot clapped his hands enthusiastically.
“Glad someone appreciates my cooking,” Catriona mused wryly as she set Dermot into his booster chair and finished setting the table. She dished out eggs, bacon and toast, and poured glasses of milk. Satisfied that everything was ready she called out, “Come and eat!” The boys trooped into the kitchen and took their seats. “Wait until Keenan says grace,” she reminded them. They waited for him to give the blessing and immediately dug in after the last amen.
They were almost done eating when the door slammed open. Their father walked into the kitchen, then right on through to the living room without saying a word. Catriona got up to follow him and found him pulling a bottle of whiskey out of the cabinet. He took a slug and sat down in his favorite chair, staring at the bottle.
“Papa? Is everything okay? Where are mama and the baby?”
“They’re dead.”
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Post by One Hit Wonder on Jun 12, 2019 3:35:24 GMT -5
Part 2: Growing Up Too Fast
The next three years were a blur of back-breaking days for Catriona. Her father pretty much stayed in that chair. When the whiskey bottle was empty, he’d get up to get another one out of the cabinet. Keenan kept it stocked ever since the elder O’Rourke had found it empty once. It had taken them then entire week he was missing to repair the damage he had done to the living room before tearing out of the house.
Catriona got up early every morning, fixed breakfast for everyone and got the three younger boys ready for school. Nevan had dropped out of high school to go work the docks with his two older brothers in order to help support the family. After seeing everyone else off, Catriona would rush off to school herself, then rush straight home after to meet the younger boys and help them with their homework. She’d have dinner waiting when the older boys got home from work, then start laundry and cleaning. After everyone else went to bed, she’d finally get a chance to do her own homework, often falling asleep at her desk. Despite all this, she had grown into a beauty, with her porcelain skin, bright copper hair, and sea-green eyes. She had developed early, and now at fifteen, could easily pass for 21 if she wore clothes that were a little more grown up. But Catriona didn’t have time for shopping and tended to stick with jeans and t-shirts that she borrowed from her brothers. Still, it didn’t take long before she caught the eye of a senior boy, who didn’t let her constant refusals of a date turn him off. Eventually he convinced her to go out with him, and she started sneaking out after everyone else was asleep to meet him. He seemed to be genuinely interested in her and would leave little gifts and notes for her in her locker. It didn’t take long before she felt she was madly in love with him.
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Post by One Hit Wonder on Jun 12, 2019 3:36:15 GMT -5
Part 3: Green Green Dress
Catriona stared at herself critically in the mirror. She had found a box of her mother's things in the attic and had altered an old green dress to fit her, but it was still a little tight across her chest. She wanted to look nice tonight, but had no time or money for shopping for a new dress of her own, so this would have to do. She still couldn't believe that Adam Benedict was actually interested in her. He was a senior, and a football player, one of the more popular kids at her school, and she was a nobody. But they'd gone out several times now and he seemed to really like her. She picked up the necklace she had found in her locker that morning, a small silver heart-shaped pendant on a delicate silver chain. The note had simply said, "Love, Adam." She smiled and put it on.
Everyone was asleep, and she quietly let herself out of the house and walked over to the park around the corner. She always met Adam here so his car wouldn't accidentally wake up one of her brothers. He was already waiting for her, and she got into his car. "Wow Kitty Cat, you look hot!" She blushed at his statement but smiled happily. He pulled her over for a quick kiss. "So where are we going?" she asked as she put on her seatbelt. "You'll see." Adam started up the car and took off down the street with a screech of tires.
They drove to the outskirts of town and up into the hills. Adam took a dirt road that ended at an overlook. The city lights twinkled before them like fairy dust tossed over the valley floor. “It’s beautiful,” Catriona breathed. “Not as beautiful as you.” Adam pulled her over and kissed her thoroughly. Slightly dazed, she didn’t protest when he suggested moving to the backseat, where the kissing continued. But Catriona was startled to full awareness when Adam unzipped the back of her dress. “Adam! What are you doing?”
“Shh… it’s okay, Kitty Cat. I just want to see more of you.” He tugged down the front of her dress, revealing the matching green bra. He leaned in and began kissing her neck and chest.
“Adam, I don’t think---“
“No, don’t think, Kitty Cat. Just feel.” He captured her lips again, cutting off further protest. She reluctantly gave in to the new sensations he was arousing in her, until she realized she was on her back, her dress bunched around her waist, and her bra and underwear were gone.
“No Adam. I don’t want to. I’m not ready.”
“Don’t be a tease, Cat.”
“I’m not trying to be, I just don’t---“
“I thought you loved me.”
“I do, but---“
“If you really loved me, you’d want to do this for me.”
“Oh Adam, that’s not it! I just---“
“Look, I’ve wasted enough time on you. It’s time to put out.”
“W-wasted?” Catriona was so stunned for a moment that she didn’t realize he had her pinned down. But as his full weight rested on her, she recovered and began fighting in earnest. But it was too late. He was too heavy and too strong. “No! No, stop it! Get off of me!”
“Shut up, bitch,” he snarled as he tore into her. She screamed and stopped fighting as the pain consumed her. Tears filled her eyes as he had his way with her. Finally it was over and he withdrew from her. She curled herself into a ball, laying there in the backseat, sobbing.
“It only hurts the first time,” Adam stated as he quickly put his own clothes to rights. “Next time won’t be so bad.” Catriona didn’t react. Adam gave her a disgusted look. “Fine, I’ll take you home.” He got into the driver’s seat and started the car, taking off with a spray of gravel. They were halfway home before Catriona numbly got dressed. She spent the rest of the ride staring blankly out the window.
Adam pulled up in front of the park, not bothering to turn off the engine. “Perhaps it’s better if we don’t see each other anymore.” Catriona nodded woodenly as she got out of the car. She walked the short way home and quietly let herself into the house. She climbed the stairs up to her room and opened her dresser, pulling out a clean set of clothes. She went into the bathroom and turned the shower on as hot as she could stand. She stripped out of her dress and threw it in the garbage. She never wanted to see it again. She stepped into the shower and let the hot water wash over her. Grabbing the bar of soap, she scrubbed herself until her skin was raw and the water had turned cold. Finally, she got out, dried herself off, and got dressed in the baggy jeans and sweatshirt that were hand-me-downs from one of her brothers. She went downstairs again, made herself a cup of tea, and sat down at the kitchen table.
As she stared into her teacup, the events of the evening came rushing back. She laid her head down on her arms and started sobbing. “What are you crying about, girl?” her father slurred as he came into the kitchen.
“Oh Papa! Adam m-made me h-have s-sex with h-him.”
“You worthless whore!”
Catriona’s head snapped up, and she stared at her father in horror.
“You think I don’t know you been sneaking out at night?”
“But… but Papa…”
“You little slut! Get out of my house! I will not provide shelter to a wanton woman!” He roughly grabbed her arm and pulled her from the chair. Practically dragging her across the room, he shoved her out the door and slammed it behind her. Catriona lay in the grass, stunned, not only from the impact of hitting the ground, but all the events of the evening.
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Post by One Hit Wonder on Jun 12, 2019 3:37:53 GMT -5
Part 4: Breaking the Law
Catriona ran as fast as she could, but it wasn't fast enough. The man caught her and pulled her arms roughly behind her back. She felt the cold metal and heard the click of the handcuffs as they locked around her wrists.
"You're under arrest, young lady."
She clenched her teeth and stiffened her spine, appearing tough but really just trying not to cry. The last year had been hell, trying to take care of herself on the streets. She'd had to do a lot of things she didn't like, but they'd been necessary. She'd wanted to die that night that seemed so long ago now, but over time her resolve to survive had hardened. She would do whatever she had to. But she really did not like the idea of going to jail.
"What's your name?" Catriona remained silent. The cop nearly growled at her. "I said, what's your name?"
"Beteide."
"Be-te... okay Betty. You're coming with me."
***
She was there a surprisingly short time. She was up in front of the judge later that week, and remanded to the custody of the Aldritch Academy for Wayward Youth. They gave her clean uniforms and three meals a day. She was even given a room of her own. It seemed she'd landed in a good place. So she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
It did when she was called into the headmistress's office.
"Betty McCullough. Not your real name, is it?" Minerva Aldritch frowned at her over her wire-rimmed glasses.
"No, ma'am."
"And I don't suppose you're going to tell me what it is, are you?"
"No, ma'am."
"Well, I guess we're going to have to do this the hard way then."
Catriona screamed and fell to her knees as her mind was ripped open, all of her memories tumbling through her head like a slide show on fast forward. She relived the horrible moments when her mother died and what Adam and her father had done to her, as well as all the horrible things she'd had to do to survive over the past year. Sobbing, she curled herself into a ball as the flood of memories finally ceased.
"Interesting. Well Catriona, I think I can make good use of you. How would you like me to teach you how you can get anything you want?" Minerva handed the girl a box of tissues and leaned back against her desk, crossing her arms and staring down at her, waiting.
Catriona sat up, using the tissues to blow her nose and clean up the tears. "What... what do you mean?"
"You're a very beautiful young woman, you could capitalize on that. Men will do just about anything for a beautiful woman. And if you're willing to do just about anything for them - for the right price, of course - you can not only make a lot of money, but also gain a lot of power."
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