La Pantera

Ch. 37 A Little Reminder

Song for Chapter: Night of Terror by Clint Mansell

TW: Scene of sexual assault in the flashback, racial slur is used by the police officer and "f" slur is used by Tommy

After the sun set, Tommy walked with Stevie down the boardwalk, seeing she had to be distracted. "We're gonna have fun and not let shitty dads ruin our night.", Tommy smiled. "Yeah.", Stevie grinned. "I like you guys, you and your band. You're misfits just like me.", she looked at him. "That's right. People like us help change the world for the better. It's no good to be the same.", he said. "I agree.", Stevie gently nudged Tommy. "I got a fun place to take you.", he chuckled. "Is it a strip bar?", she cocked her eyebrow. "Nah...not unless you wanna get mistaken for a lesbian.", Tommy smiled, his vampire like teeth showing. "Maybe one day.", Stevie still was afraid to say anything about being bisexual. The AIDS pandemic going on didn't ease her mind either, knowing how people viewed the community because of it. "You dislike lesbians?", she asked Tommy after a moment. He looked down at her with furrowed brows. "Whatdya mean?", he asked. "Just askin'.", Stevie looked him in the eyes. "I don't mind lesbians. They're just people like you and me.", he shrugged. "Hell I get called a faggot all the time cuz I wear eyeliner and lipstick.", he looked at her as well. "That's stupid. You should wear what you want.", Stevie growled. "Like how you're called a dyke for your style..... it's awesome for a female to do that kinda shit.", Tommy smiled. "Really?", she asked. "Stevie....like we said, we were into you and your image whilst getting big. You're like 'Yeah I got a masculine attitude and what? Suck my dick.' And it's cool bro. Keep doin what you're doing, cuz a lot of young women are emulating your style.", Tommy walked with her inside the arcade where the other members were.

Stevie felt a sense of pride, her shoulders rolled back as she strutted to the other members. "Hey girls!", she crooned. "Fuck off!", Mick smirked. "You two get busy?", Vince teased. "No.", Tommy smiled cheekily and shoved his band mate. "Nah man, her perm would be EVERYWHERE...", Nikki said to Vince. Stevie looked around and her smile faded, seeing a police officer come in casually. Her throat closed up, eyes wide as every sound became loud. She didn't notice Vince gently shaking her. "What's wrong Steve?", he asked. "Nothin..", she gulped. "No what's up?", Tommy wasn't going to let Stevie bury that shit. "Long story, but cops just freak me out.", she bluntly stated, looking away from the cop in the room. The band looked at the cop, their eyes burning with warning, even Mick's. "He won't come near us. We got you.", Tommy assured her. He knew not to force that shit, not right now.

January 1982

Stevie was walking home in the night, having just finished killing a politician that would've caused pricings to go up in poorer neighborhoods. Headlights shone on her back as she turned around, seeing a cop pull up next to her. The 15 year old backed away, becoming scared. "I didn't do anything wrong!", she snarled. "You're out past your curfew little girl.", he smirked at her. She had a bad feeling as soon as he smirked. "Don't call me that!", she grabbed her knife. "You know what happens to little girls, especially little girls who date niggers?", he chuckled. She began to run away but he was too fast, pushing her into the alleyway wall he had chased her into. Stevie tried pushing him off, but wasn't strong enough, the officer 6'6 and at least 220 lbs. He punched her hard in the face, causing her to drop her weapon as he undressed her. She felt nothing, desensitizing herself as she was violated and stared into space. After the rape happened, she was left in the alley as the cop drove away. She laid crumpled on the ground, pants around her knees as she bled. Her face was numb from the force of the punch, her cheek bruised and her jaw probably broken. She whimpered while crying quietly, hating herself. "It's my fault..I wasn't strong enough.", she hoarsely whispered.

"Stevie, ya wanna go somewhere else?", Mick asked. "Yeah.", she walked quickly out of the arcade. The band followed, knowing not to pester her. Tommy put a gentle arm around her, relaxing when she didn't shrug him away. "You're not on the run are ya?", Nikki smirked at Stevie. "You're one to talk!", Tommy cackled at Nikki. "No..", even Stevie had to chuckle softly at Nikki's humor. "Let's go to that diner. The one with those huge ass sandwiches.", Vince said , growing excited. "Alright man, sounds fun.", Tommy had a devilish look on his face. His smile faded as a man in the middle of the boardwalk drew a gun from his pocket and began to open fire on everyone. "GO TO THE RIGHT!", Nikki yelled at the group. Stevie's reflexes made her run quickly, weaving through everyone as she ran for her life once more. The chaos caused her to stop at one point, causing her to panic as she didn't see the band anywhere.

"TOMMY! MICK?!", she yelled. Her eyes welled a bit with tears, her chest heaving as she panicked. She ducked behind a car as a bullet came close to caving in her eye socket. People ran by her in a frantic stampede. She covered her head with her hands until she heard Tommy. "STEVIE!", he called. "TOMMY!", she ran now seeing him. He grabbed her after she was close and they ran away from the boardwalk, Tommy seeing the rest of the group up ahead. They escaped to a quiet street corner where they all hugged one another, grateful to be alive. "What the hell was that?!", Vince was obviously shaken as he asked the question. "I don't know man.", Nikki gulped catching his bearings. Stevie kept quiet.

Home always seemed to find her no matter where she went.