Shadows Of Retributions

Chapter 1 - Casting Shadows

In the harsh reality of her torment, Xenia found her script, a chilling narrative penned in the ink of survival and overdue retribution. This wasn't her plan for the life she promised her mother, one that would be filled with joy.

But here she was unable to keep that promise, in a courtroom that buzzed with a subdued murmur. Her raven black hair fell gracefully as she took her seat, partially obscuring the scars that traced a painful memory on her face and neck. She felt like a lone figure in a sea of disapproving glaze. The air was thick with judgment, but her gaze remained steady, a silent defense against the accusations that echoed through the room.

She couldn't forget the relentless taunts, the malice laughter that had been the soundtrack to her existence. The scars, both seen and unseen, bore witness to a lifetime of torment. Xenia's hands clenched involuntarily, the courtroom's air doing little to quell the storm within.

There was a queasy feeling threatening to rise, but she held it back with fierce determination. Weakness wasn't a luxury she could afford; she wouldn't give anyone the satisfaction of witnessing her vulnerability. She swore to herself, not again-never would she allow anyone to perceive her in that way.

As the prosecutor outlined the charges, Xenia's mind drifted back to the moments that led her to this very place. The faces of her tormentors flash before her- the people who thought themselves untouchable. She remembered the sleepless nights, the tears silently shed, and the countless pleas for help that fell on indifferent ears.

The turning point, the moment of no return, played in her mind like a haunting melody. Tears welled up in her almond-shaped eyes like deep pools, but she dared not let them fall. That day she lost a huge part of herself that she would never get back. Xenia, pushed beyond the boundaries of endurance, choosing a different path-one that not only ended one life but three.

The courtroom fluorescent lights flickered, casting shadows on her face. Her eyes once filled with vulnerability and innocence, now held a glint of something darker- as a result of unimaginable suffering. As the trial began the weight of Xenia's action hung heavy in the air, a tension palpable in every word uttered.

The defense attorney spoke of mitigating circumstances, of her breaking point reached after years of unchecked cruelty. Yet, the prosecution, a stern figure with a commanding presence, steps forward to paint her as a monster.

"Your honor," the prosecutor's voice sliced through the air, each word delivered with a calculated precision.

"We sympathize with the challenges that adolescence brings but we cannot excuse the brutal acts committed by the defendant. This is not a tale of victimhood but a stark illustration of a calculated, premeditated response to personal grievances. No amount of past pain justifies taking lives. Xenia Kang's actions, fueled by a misguided sense of revenge, are a threat to the very fabric of our society." He continued on.

She stopped listening as she sat unmoved, her thoughts a tempest within. She glanced at the crowded gallery, eyes meeting curious stares and judgmental glances. Some even looked away.

They all perceived me to be a monster but I didn't want things to end this way. They say there is always a choice but I didn't get one. I took justice into my own hands because no one would have been about to give it to me but myself. She wanted to speak her mind but knew it would be of no help.

Nothing ever helps.

The past had brought her to this moment, the future uncertain and shadowed, awaiting the judgment that would shape the legacy of a girl who refused to be a victim any longer. Xenia's indifference to the whole situation was a reflection of a truth she held deep within-a part of her had perished a long time ago, leaving behind a mere shell that society now sought to condemn.