Retribution: Meri Yanamari

Prequel #2

She drags her feet along the dusty ground of the playground. It's deserted. No one comes here anymore since the bigger park was built a year or two ago. It's usually just her. The dilapidated playground sits on the edge of a forest preserve right behind the school.

Usually, after school gets out, she hangs out here for a while and walks home. There's a routine to it for her. Peace. Quiet. Even if it's just for a little while, the serenity of the playground and the lonely feel of it help her to relax. The overcast sky only adds to the sense of overwhelming sadness of the place. Abandoned is the best way to describe this place.

She sits down, pulling out the apple some kind soul snuck her at lunch today. Most people don't associate with her because she's a target for bullies, so any small kindnesses are hidden. They can tell she doesn't eat enough though because she's thinner than someone her age ought to be.

Scrambling up onto the wall surrounding the playground, she settles down to eat. Her feet swing in time with music that only she can hear as she mentally hums the tune to the one song she knows. Mordred's Lullaby is a dark song, but when she heard it being played on the radio one day, she immediately fell in love. It stuck in her head, and she hasn't forgotten since.

The sound of laughter and footsteps cuts through her reverie, and she looks up to see a couple bigger boys and girls approaching. They're a year or two older than she is, and all of them are certainly stronger. Ducking her head, she tries to avoid detection.

Of course, since she collects bad luck like storm clouds gathering, that does nothing to help.

They spot her and come over, jeering at her.

"Look at her clothes," one girl scoffs. "Looks like she digs them out of the dumpster. You dig 'em out of the dumpster, Meri?"

Meri looks away, unwilling to answer.

"Answer me, you piece of dirt." The girl grabs her arm and pulls her off the stone wall.

Her apple falls into the dirt, forgotten and ruined as she trembles in the other girl's grasp. "Please... I'm not bothering you."

"Look at me when you speak, brat."

Meri's hazel eyes flicker up to her abuser's face and flick away again.

"So, did you dig those rags out of a dumpster?" Another girl looks over the first one's shoulder in curiosity.

Meri shakes her head. "No... They're hand downs."

"Hand downs?" The first laughs and shoves Meri.

Losing her balance, Meri stumbles back and falls into the dampened dirt on the ground. With a whimper, she continues to keep her head down, hoping it'll be over soon.

"Are you poor or something? Wait, never mind. You're momma works at a rundown bar. Probably sells herself too just to make a little extra money."

A single tear slips down Meri's cheek. "My mom's not like that." She's not sure why she's defending the woman who abuses and starves her, but she can't listen to anyone talk about someone else that way, even when it's true.

One of the boys nudges her with a heavy boot. "Get up, punk. Face us like a person and not like the dog you are."

Meri's eyes well with tears. "I'm sorry... Whatever I did, I'm sorry. Please leave me alone."

"Leave you alone?" The boys laugh and drag her back to her feet.

The girls eye her for a long moment before rolling their eyes and heading off toward the road. "She's not worth our time. You guys do whatever you want."