Retribution: The Cure for Agony

Chapter 1: Becoming

** Warning: Mentions of rape (no scenes), explicit sex scenes, stalking, graphic depictions of violence; such as verbal/emotional/physical abuse, murder and torture. **

Everyone wears a façade—a mask that obscures all their hidden desires, faults and pain. However, I don't get that luxury. Every time I look in the mirror, I am constantly reminded of the mistake I made. All I wanted to do that night was soothe the pain my father bestowed upon me.

As a child, his abuse was anything but transient. Every day would end the same and I could never truly get away from him. Even when we weren't in the same vicinity, my thoughts wouldn't let up. I, his own son, was utterly petrified of making a mistake in his eyes. Don't get me wrong, I knew parents were supposed to discipline their children, but he sought out reasons to punish me.

Eventually, that scathing time with my father came to an end when I escaped to Arizona. I didn't want him to ever find me, so I gradually withdrew every penny from my bank account and canceled all my cards. Then I deactivated my social medias, changed my name and got a new phone. Just so things went smoothly for me, I lined up a roommate and job before I ever set foot outside that house. I tried to think of everything, but even with all my efforts to get away from him, someone else filled his shoes.

Someone like you, Roberts. It wasn't my fault your whore wife wanted an evening with someone younger, more tolerable. I couldn't imagine how boring you had to be for her to seek me out. Did it bother you that she wanted someone more unwieldy?

Was your ego so important you had to debase me? I mean the consequence of your decision even extended to your family and you knew it would. Sure, your wife received full amnesty, but you left your daughter alone.

Surprisingly, Melody didn't visit you in prison and you haven't seen her in five years. Your family may look like they have the ideal life with the white picket fence and all, but that devastation put a hindrance in your relationships. Fortunately for you, they'll only possess this intense abhorrence for a short time and when they feel as if they've tortured you enough, they will move on and regard you with approbation. However, I'll never approve of your existence.

I'm happy mine could bring your lives such misfortune and yet it makes me livid you were let out so early. The system's sense of morality in weighing your sentence is corrupt. Now look what you've made of me; I'm going to have to kill you both just to get restitution.

~~ Five years ago ~~

My roommate, Ben, wanted to celebrate his twenty-first birthday at a nightclub and managed to rope me in. I wasn't aware that I'd succumb to peer pressure so easily, but there was no need to fret. His buddies were the ones keeping him entertained tonight.

While they were off flirting with some substandard souls, I sat at our tufted red booth and held down the fort. I kicked my feet up and mindlessly swiped through iFunny; it served as a great distraction from the boredom and pressure swelling around my head.

The music was blaring, lights were strobing and the foul smell of body odor was almost suffocating, yet these were the nuisances people endured for the sake of a good time. I suppose my suffering was for others at first, but when my eyes weren't glued to memes, I was observing those around me. There was this subconscious desire to find a good woman, even though I knew it wouldn't be here, and I met her. 

"Hey handsome." The voice was calm and confident. A smug smile crept across my face as I looked back up from my phone to find an older woman, but the smile faded as I quickly stood to my feet, almost knocking over a few empty cocktail glasses.

Shit. Fuck! Don't embarrass yourself.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" I remained formal in an attempt to appear respectable, unlike all these dogs lingering. She pressed her glossy lips together, failing to conceal her serene smile. Her beauty completely caught me off guard; it was that of a successful model, captivating me in such a way that I found myself inferior—unworthy of her attention.

She leaned against me and stood on her tippy toes. Her luxuriant, raven black hair fell from her shoulders as her head shifted next to mine, allowing me to smell the vanilla radiating from her body.

"To be frank, I just want to get out of here," she whispered, drawing me in like the influence of a siren's song. A wave of excitement coursed through my body while her breath brushed across my ear. My proud smile grew into what was sure to be a stupid, toothy grin.

This had to be a joke, right? But could I take the chance?

"That's fine by me," I complied. She grabbed my hand and led me through all of the horny, grinding adults. All of them were so young compared to her, yet paled in comparison. She was perfect in every way everyone else was not and I needed to know more about her—I craved it.

Once we made it outside, I pulled her towards my truck. My blood continued to rush and all I could hear was the clicking of her red high heels against the cracked asphalt. Was it fear? Excitement? I felt as though my heart was about to explode. Luckily, my concentration shifted elsewhere when we arrived at my blue Chevy Silverado.

She shoved me against the driver's door with a bit of aggression and even though her face contorted with a lecherous expression, I let my eyes devour the sight of her flawless skin and beautiful features. She pushed her hands up my chest, feeling me up, and my thoughts became so dispersed that my voice caught in my throat as I tried getting her name.

She giggled at me like a schoolgirl. "My name is Alice. Remember that when I'm riding on top of you."

My face flushed when I realized the situation. This wasn't a joke.

I nervously chuckled at her comment. "I-I'm Alistair. Would you like to go to my place?" I asked, slightly pushing my shoulders back.

Her eyes shifted to the left in thought before nodding in agreement. Alice smirked and walked seductively over to the other side of the truck. It gave me just enough time to prevent myself from hyperventilating and rationalize my first one-night stand.

This is what I needed all along. It'll solve all my problems.

~~ Present ~~

In retrospect, all I wanted to do was fuck your wife and never see her again. Her only purpose in my bed was to serve as a distraction, but she felt guilty and tried to cast the blame on me as if she hadn't initiated it. I do admire your style though—dare not blame the woman, but the man for being so susceptible to that serpent.

Even now, while my back is flat against the stucco, I'm peeking through your bedroom window as you try to embrace your wife. You exhibit so much forgiveness, but do you honestly think she still loves you? No, she just has to tolerate you.

Just looking at your pathetic life makes me feel so... fulfilled. Don't even get me started about your daughter. I watched her grow up and rebel against Alice in an attempt to show her disappointment in both of you. And boy, do I approve.

Surely, as a fourteen-year-old girl she probably couldn't bear the thought of her father contriving a plan with his buddies. I mean, the resentment she must have felt for you after torturing a kid not much older than her.

Oh, the audacity and yet I know you love her so much. I can't blame you though since she is your daughter. Nevertheless, even from an outsider's perspective she's just as beautiful as her mother, was top of her graduating class and utterly selfless.

As it happens, she started college a couple weeks ago. Imagine the empathy she'll feel when she meets someone like me.

God, our situation is so exhilarating...