OPIUM (Joe MacMillan story) - Currently being rewritten

Chapter 3 : Puppet

 Karen worked days and nights for Joe, passing her exams sometimes after three or four sleepless nights. It wasn't rare to see her going to IBM almost falling asleep. She was a walking corpse, and gradually began to dislike her tasks simply by the fact that she had no time to rest. Joe noticed this lack of interest, and saw that " Modern Art " exposition in Houston would be a great way to change her mind. He didn't want to loose his prodigy as he did with Cameron. He invited her to the exposition, and Karen had the idea to invite her friends, Becky, Terrence and Hugh.

Joe booked Karen a dress for the night. He invited her at his apartment so they would leave together. He watched her trying it, analyzing her body. In his mind, he was already touching her hips, kissing her neck, licking her chin to get to her mouth. He watched Karen for thirty minuts and went to take a shower. It was unusual to invite a woman to his apartment and take a shower, but he didn't care. He didn't bother that Karen was here, in his room, trying to wear high heels. Her dress was short, enough for men to see her beautiful legs. In a pocket of her jacket, she had a picture of her family, a thing Joe noticed since the first day they met.

-I wish that dress was longer. she mumbled

-Is something wrong with the dress ?

Joe stepped in with a large smile as he saw how sweet his guest was. Karen shook her head with a little smile. Joe pointed the picture that was almost falling from the pocket.

-What's that ? he asked

-Nothing, don't bother.

-It's something, if you always keep it with you.

Karen sighed and took the picture between her fingers. Keeping it with her was a way, somehow, to feel better. She considered it like being a lucky charm. She always kept it creased in a pocket, but it was something she wouldn't leave somewhere. On that picture, she was around eight years old, standing with a bright innocent smile before her parents, holding her sister's hand very tight. Her sister was around four years old on the picture, everything seemed beautiful.

-I see you always keep this picture with you. Joe said, sitting on the bed next to Karen, Who are those people ?

-That's my family.

-You seem to be very close to them.

-I used to be.

"- She used to be, it means she is no longer close to them, kinda like me. "

Joe had this idea, Karen was like him. He was wrong, too wrong. He noticed Karen's shaky hands as she was holding the picture between her fingers. That was one of the last memories she had of her family since her house was sold after she left for the Walden household.

-It was fifteen years ago. My parents decided to leave Dallas to Reno in order to just make a visit to their friend. They rode the whole night. There was a car rolling in the oposite. Our cars bumped each other so fast that my sister got killed in a minut, in front of me. There was a shock... a light, and my eyes opened in front of my mother's body. My father, almost dead, told me to leave while I still could... I went outside the car, my legs were broken... I screamed for help... and as I came back, I my father was the only one still alive... he died two days later and gave me that picture that was his lucky charm.

-Oh god.

-The guy who killed my whole family didn't even die. He was drunk and not even accused, not even punished... he killed my four year old sister. He killed my parents and ruined my life. My neighboors never had kids and quickly adopted me, they helped me for years, filling my mind with dreams I could realize. I lost my foster mother not so long ago. And as I entered in Houston's College, I had in mind that she always desired to see technology helping humans in future. And I will do my best to make this happen, since I have a purpose.