Rust and Roses

Chapter 1

Archie Marston was no ordinary working man in the bustling city of New York. Unlike those donning suits in office buildings or wielding hammers at construction sites, Archie's path diverged into a realm of uncertainty when he arrived in America. Amidst this uncertainty, he discovered an unconventional career that not only satisfied his perverse desires but also brought in substantial wealth.

Archie functioned as a procurer, adept at ensnaring women into his web, providing them with no genuine hope or future unless they succumbed to selling their bodies to sustain both him and themselves. His charm and cunning made this endeavor all too easy; Archie always managed to get his way.

Basking in solitude on a sunlit day in the park, Archie Marston's attention was captivated by a striking young woman strolling nearby. Entranced, he envisioned adding her to his collection. Throughout the day, he discreetly shadowed her, intent on unraveling the tapestry of her life. Hailing from a well-off family, she possessed a rebellious streak that, Archie believed, would work in his favor. The young woman, no older than 16, boasted a curvy figure, long brown hair, and piercing grey eyes.

Archie patiently awaited the opportune moment to make his move, and it presented itself when she dropped her fan without notice.

"Och, 'scuse me, lass!" Archie called after her. The young woman turned with a smile on her face. "Ye've dropped this," he added, swiftly closing the distance.

"Oh, thank you, sir! I'm afraid I would lose my head if it weren't attached to my head," she giggled.

"That'd be a richt tragedy. Ye're too bonnie tae lose yer heid," Archie complimented her, observing the blush that adorned her cheeks.

"You're too kind. Thank you again," she said, turning away from Archie to resume her walk. However, Archie gently grasped her arm, impeding her departure.

"Sorry 'boot that, lass. I'm Archie Marston, and I was thinkin' it'd be grand if ye'd join me for a wee stroll sometime." The young woman blushed, offering him a lovely smile. In his calculating mind, she promised to be a lucrative addition.

"I'm Alice Evans. It's a pleasure. I would like to walk with you. Shall we meet back here tomorrow morning?"

"Aye, that'd be a pure delight, Miss Evans," Archie said, leaning down to kiss the girl's hand.

⛰️

After several walks together, a romantic relationship blossomed between Alice and Archie. Charmed by his thick Scottish accent, good looks, and seemingly pleasant nature, Alice, young and naïve, fell under Archie's spell. Despite her parents' warnings of being cut off from her inheritance, Alice chose to run away with Archie.

Their honeymoon period lasted for three months before Archie persuaded her into prostitution, promising it was just a temporary measure. Alice, trusting in Archie, believed his assurances. Despite working alongside other women, Alice held a special place in Archie's life, becoming the mother of two of his children, John and Marie Marston.

In 1873, John was born, followed by his younger sister, Marie, in 1874. Unfortunately, with Marie's birth, complications arose, leading to Alice's untimely demise. The burden of blame fell on Marie, and Archie's cruelty towards the young child escalated. To cope with his loss, Archie turned to the bottle, leaving his two children to fend for themselves throughout their lives.

⛰️

"Marie!" Archie cried, "get yersel in here."

Seven-year-old Marie and eight-year-old John were in the other room playing together when their father's booming voice sent a shiver down the siblings' spines. Their father was an angry man, and they did their best to never cross him. Marie looked at John with nerves aflame before turning to Archie in the other room. John remained close by.

"P-Pa?" Marie hesitantly asked.

"I thocht Ah telt ye tae dae the washin'," Archie stalked towards his daughter, towering over her with a nasty glare in his eyes.

"O-oh, umm..." Marie hesitated. Truth be told, the child forgot about her chores once John came into their room asking her to play marbles.

Before Marie could say anything else, John stepped into the room, "it's my fault, sir. I distracted her," John admitted, refusing to meet his father's eyes and staring at the dirty floor. John was startled by the sound of a loud slap. He looked up to see his father pulling on Marie's hair, leaving a red handprint on her chubby cheeks.

"Pa, please!" Marie cried out.

"Ye should dae weel tae stick tae yer chores. Ah'm aff tae the bar. The washin' better be dain when Ah get hame." Archie violently let go of Marie's hair, causing the girl to collapse on the floor. John immediately ran over to help his sister.

"Yer okay. Yer okay. Yer okay," John repeated over and over again, soothing his sobbing sister, "I gotcha. I gotcha. I gotcha." He held onto his sister, rocking her for comfort.

"I wish he'd never come back," she uttered through tear-choked sobs.

⛰️

Marie briefly believed herself to be a witch, because that very same night she wished her father would never come back, Archie Marston was killed in a bar fight. The siblings were leaving their home in New York City for a Catholic orphanage out in Illinois. While the duo would miss the city, they would not miss their father and hoped for a brighter future with a kinder family.