Contrite

thirteen » s h i t

"Maybe you have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light." — Madeleine L'Engle.

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Octavia

       I push open the door, looking around the living room before stepping inside, there's no one in here. Maybe she's hiding, I think to myself as I wander inside, searching for Avalon. I find Avalon hiding between the wall and the couch next to her. Her legs are pushed up against her chest and her arms are wrapped around her knees, her chin resting on her arms. I smile lightly when she looks up at me, her blue eyes showing a storm of mix emotions such as anger, sadness but most importantly, hatred.

       "Hey kid," I say, walking over to her, glancing around the living room. It's huge with leather couches, animal carpets, paintings, and coffee tables. I don't mind the room but keep my attention on her. She nods at me as I sit down across from her. Crossing my legs, I look down at her, watching as she curls in on herself, as if it could help her escape. "You okay?" My voice is gentle as I look down at her.

        "I hate them," she mutters furiously, before sitting up and letting go of her knees, she runs a hand through her hair as she shakes her head. "I hate them so much, I hate that they are my biologically family and I'm stuck with them. All they do is kill, and they don't care about the consequences. My biological father is a rapist and a gangster who abuses women and sells drugs. My mother is on the list of most wanted in the world; she's killed thousands of Americans in the last year, she's a notorious drug lord, sells girls for sex, and is a serial killer. And I'm their goddamn daughter." Avalon scoffs and she buries her face into her hands. I frown when I see that her hands are shaking.

       "I'm nothing like them, you know?" Her voice is muffled from her hands, then she raises her head and looks at me, there are tears in her eyes. "I'm not like them." She tells me firmly and I nod.

       "Of course, you're not like them, you weren't raised by them. You aren't a monster, kid. Your parents are, and they'll suffer for their crimes." I tell her, before reaching out and wiping away her tears, giving her a soft smile.

       "What did she do to you?" She asks me, and I stay quiet as I look down at her, dropping my hands from her face and to my lap.

       I swallow roughly, blinking my eyes as I remember what she did to me. "She kidnapped me, she sold me to sex traffickers, I almost got raped by one of her men. I accidentally killed her son, your half brother, he was only four years old, and I'm sorry. It was a stray bullet, I was trying to escape and she was on top of me; we were fighting. After I killed your half brother, I ran for my life. She sent all of her men after me and I tried to leave the country, man, I really tried. I ran into this boy, his name was Jesus and he was helping me. Your mother found us then she killed his family, she, um, she raped him, in front of me and forced me to kill him. He was seventeen years old. She took me back and we were at this house. Kendall saved me and she brought me to the American embassy. There I met the daughter of the Ambassador and hell she was a bitch, I was gonna rip her a new one. It was a mistake going there, the next morning, when we were having breakfast, one of your Mom's men came in. He was a suicide bomber. The only ones who survived were me and the Ambassador's daughter, Lexi. I saved her life but her parents, they didn't survive. By that time, every American had to get the hell out of there. We met some friends, and your mom kidnapped my boyfriend, Reece, to you know, lure me in. I saved him and well, everything went to shit, man. One of my friends that I thought that I could trust betrayed me by striking a deal with your mom to turn us in and your mom would let her family live, I guess I would've done the same. She killed my boyfriend in cold blood and in front of me. I-I couldn't save him. She killed my friends. And she caught me, I was held captive for a month with her, and she-she tortured me, for killing her son. I have proof. It's on my body. Your mother hates me and I hate her too, for everything she's done to me. I haven't been home in months. Your mom is a crazy bitch, kid." I chuckle, before burying my face into my hands, groaning as I squeeze my eyes shut, I'm gonna start crying again.