Apex Predator

Story

TW - talk of abuse and rape

'My dad has never been a nice man. He's always been manipulative. I think my mom's scared of him, and he was always harsh on me. Whenever I did something wrong my dad would hit me with his belt as punishment.'

'The scars.'

'One day he brought a guy home, a friend. He left me alone with the guy and locked the door. The guy started to undress me and... and touch me and...I just kept screaming because I knew my dad could hear me. But he never came. He never rescued me.'

'Oh Quinn.'

'That started when I was five. Eventually I learnt to shut up and get on with it. I guess I thought it was normal. Until one day my mom found out. He had a trial and went to prison. That was a few years ago.'

'And what about your mom?'

'She works most of the time. I barely even see her. I think that she feels guilty for the way my childhood got screwed up, but she isn't ready to admit it to herself yet, so she just avoids me altogether. Out of sight, out of mind. And I get left to deal with the consequences. Flashbacks, scars, panic attacks, no parents...'

'So you take it out on everyone else?'

'When I started high school I acted I was some queen. Having acceptance and adoration almost made up for how lonely I felt at home.'

'Almost.'

'Everyone thought that my life was perfect and that has always been the way that I've liked it. I've got all the power.'

'Cos you don't have power over your PTSD.'

'Right. So nobody ever saw through my act, they always assumed that I was some heatless creature who was a spoilt brat. Until you. You looked into my eyes and it felt like for the first time someone was seeing me. Like really seeing me. I felt too safe. I spent my whole life pushing down feelings, supressing a flashback at a friends house or crying in a bathroom at school. But my act started to collapse when I was with you.'

'You're so brave Quinn. The bravest girl I know. And it's ok to hurt, I promise you.'