Tainted: Origins of a Psycho

Human

Victor Graves believed that a man should never have to go inside a grocery store, and he certainly hated the idea of a man having to spend time in the kitchen to cook dinner for his family. But with his wife's less than savory departure from this world, he was forced to do all of the things that she used to do for him.

Now his pride as a man was being put to the test as he pushed the metal shopping cart around the store, hoping that none of his cop buddies would see him.

The only reason he was even doing it was because he had invited a couple of guests over for dinner, guests that he hoped would take his son's mind off of the trauma of finding the severed hand of his beloved nun psychologist in his bedroom.

Not because he gave a crap about the boy or his feelings, but because he was tired of being awakened by his screams in the middle of the night.

'Miserable little cretin..' He thought bitterly as he turned his shopping car into the produce section.

He picked up the ingredients needed for a pot roast, then headed to the crowded checkout line. After waiting and listening to three screaming kids for five minutes, he finally reached the front of the line and was promptly checked out.

He loaded the groceries into his trunk and prepared to climb in the driver's seat, but was stopped when he felt a light tap on his leg.  He turned around to find a small red haired girl standing there, her blue eyes staring at him with anticipation as she held on to a box of thin mint Girl Scout cookies. 

"Hello, sir.." She said timidly, "Would you like to buy some cookies to help me earn my sales badge?"

"Not really."  Victor grumbled, glancing at the watch on his wrist.

"Please..." The little girl persisted, "This is my last box.  If I don't sell it today I won't get my badge."

"Go sell it to someone else, kid.  I'm in a hurry."

"Come on, mister.  It's just three dollars."

Victor grumbled obscenities under his breath and stuck his hand into his pocket to see if he had any cash on him.  He pulled out a five dollar bill and handed it to the little girl, taking the box of cookies from her with a scowl on his face.

She examined the money in her hand and said, "I don't have any change."

"I don't give a shit about my change."  Victor said, hunching over so that he was at eye level with the eager Girl Scout.  "Take the money and go away."

The little girl frowned back at him and kicked him in the shin.  "You're a meanie!"  She shouted, taking the box of cookies back.  "You don't deserve thin mints!"

Victor hissed in pain and clenched his fist, ready to clobber the brat right there in the parking lot, until he saw a woman running towards them. 

She glanced at Victor apologetically before turning her attention to the little girl.  "Stella, we do not treat our customers that way.  Tell him you're sorry."

"Sorry..." Stella muttered.

Victor forced himself to smile as he patted her on top of her head.  "That's alright, my dear. Good luck on getting your badge."

The woman smiled at him and took the child by her hand, leading her to another person that was coming out of the store. Victor shook his head and climbed into his car, turning the engine on and pulling out of the parking lot. 'How do I always manage to run into weirdos when I'm out in public?' He wondered.

Twenty minutes later he was back at home. He went into the house to find his children sitting in front of the television, their eyes glued to an idiotic show about a cow and chicken. Normally, he would have demanded his son to help him unload the groceries, but he decided not to disturb him since he seemed to be bonding with his sister.

He spent the next hour preparing dinner alone in the kitchen, ever so often grinning when he heard his children laughing at their cartoons. It had been so long since there was a little normalcy in their home that he found himself enjoying it.

Sometimes he wished that every day was peaceful like this one.  When his wife announced she was pregnant, he never envisioned himself having to kill people just to keep his family from being destroyed.

He was just trying to be a decent father, and if that meant beating his son into submission and killing anyone that threatened his household, then so be it.

The timer on the oven went off and he pulled his beautiful pot roast out.  Violet ran into the kitchen and licked her lips eagerly as the aroma filled her nostrils.  "That sure smells yummy, daddy."

"Thanks, princess." Victor replied, patting her on the head. "Would you mind getting your brother to help you set the table? Daddy needs a break."

"Yes sir!" Violet answered happily before running into the living room to grab her brother.

Victor sighed and went into his bedroom, lighting himself a cigar as he pulled a family album off of his shelf, looking through it with a frown.  His son wore the same sad expression in every single picture.

'Where did I go wrong with this kid?'  Victor asked himself as he took a deep puff from his cigar.  'I've tried my best to show him how to be a man, but he is too much of a pussy to take my advice."

The thought made his blood boil and he took one of his son's photos out of the album, burning it with the tip of his cigar.  He was just about to destroy another photo for good measure when the door bell rang. 

His lips curled into a devious smile as he went to open the door for his dinner guests. 

"Katherine, Molly....it's so good to see you again."