the mastermind [tua]

prologue II

50s slang:
dolly — a young, cute girl
scuzzy — dirty

Trigger warning!
This chapter contains $e#ual a$$ault. The respective scene will be in italics. If that is a sensitive topic for you, please skip the part.
Sending love to all survivors. We are not what happened to us. <3

Dallas, Texas
December 21, 1959

The last days had been a blur.

Something Maeve had not thought of before was that she was in the middle of nowhere in the 1950s 1. as a woman, 2. in her teenage body, 3. without any place of residence, and 4. without money, period appropriate clothing or abilities that would help her get a job.
She had slept in the alley where she arrived and was surely starting to smell by now. Also, the little food she stole every once in a while was not nearly enough to keep her energized and attentive.
Because usually, she would've noticed them way sooner.

Two guys, both probably in their late thirties or early forties, were coming up to the girl slouched over near a small container.
"Excuse us, dolly. Are you in need of help? Is there someone we can call for you?" A stinging smell of booze reeked from the man who spoke up.
Oh, how nice of them.
Her voice was raspy from not talking for days. "No, thank you. I am quite alright." Even Maeve herself wasn't convinced of this.
"Do you have any parents or relatives out here?" the other one continued.
She shook her head.
The first man spoke up again, she noticed a missing tooth in his mouth. Maeve called him Gap Greg to keep herself entertained. "If you have no one to go home to, you may come with us if you want to? It would be better than..." He gestured to the container. "This."

Maeve considered. She knew not to trust any stranger offering help unsolicited, let alone men, let alone drunk ones. On the other hand, she was growing increasingly hungry and her entire body hurt from sleeping on concrete.

My god, the voice sassed. If only there was a way to look into their minds to see if these men had ill intentions.
Right, she had already forgotten about that. What was going on with her?
One glance into Gap Greg's feeble brain sufficed. Maeve shuddered and gulped inconspicuously.

"No, thank you. Have a nice day, you two!" Please just go away. Please just go.
Much to her surprise, the other man stood up and stumbled away, pulling Greg and their stench with him.

Maeve exhaled. So she could be lucky in some situations. You live and learn.
In a moment of weakness, the girl closed her eyes.

She just wanted to rest. So tired. So hungry. So exhausted. A little sleep would be nice.
A few seconds later, she dozed off.

————— TW! —————
Maeve dreamed. There was a big wave crashing down on her, pulling pushing her arms to the ground and keeping her from moving. It drowned her head next and filled her mouth up with water, hindering her breathing.