Vicious

Prologue

     There she lay on the hard, marble floor. It was a peaceful, motionless rest. She was beautiful, the ideal wife type. Her long, dark brown hair spread across the floor like a pie that splattered face down. Her dainty arms were out like a bird in mid-flight, her legs the same.

     Saying that woman looked like a dropped uncooked meatloaf would be rude and inaccurate. Instead, she looked more like a painting on the floor. There was bright red blood everywhere. Even her eyes were frozen open with a painfully glassy look about them.

     On the flight of stairs above her was a boy of no more than 14. He covered his mouth with guilty hands and his eyes told the story of a murderer.

"Mom...? Mommy...?" he whimpered.

He scampered down the stairs and knelt down by his mother. He didn't care about his pants getting soaked from the blood.

"Mommy, I'm sorry... Please scold me!"

He looked closer. There was a gash in her skull and a part of her brain was pulsing through the crack. That was where all the blood was coming from. Of course, an injury like that was fatal. No coming back from that. She probably died upon impact.

"Mommy... Mama... I'm sorry, Mama, just please come back..."

---

     A boy, now a grown man of 18 walked the streets of his city on his way home. This wasn't the same boy as before, no. In his arms was a basket of food. The sky was all different shades of yellow, orange, and red as the sun rose. There were beautiful people surrounding him. To his right was a deep, blue bay, the smell of fish and salt filling his senses. God, he would miss this stretch of road...

     The boy arrived at his humble cottage singing a pretty little tune that even made the birds envious. He shifted the heavy basket into his right arm and opened the door with his left.

"Auntie~, I got your groceries!" he called out as he walked over to the dining table to set down the basket.

"Okay, honey. I'm almost done with your biscuits," his aunt, on older woman, said from the kitchen counter as she made sandwiches.

"Really, auntie, you don't have to make so much. I've saved up years for this."

She shook her head as she packed them into a bag. "This isn't how your parents would've wanted it. This isn't even how I want it, so this is the least I can do."

The naturally good-natured boy walked over to his aunt and trapped her in a gentle, warm hug that only the kindest of souls could give. "I know you've come upon hard times, so I understand. I'm okay with it," he said in the most soothing voice.

The aunt clung to her young nephew as she broke down into a sob. She had tried all morning not to cry, but in his arms, her walls crumbled.

The boy just shushed her and gently rubbed her back.

The timer for the biscuits in the oven went off and the aunt pulled away from the boy, sniffling down at him with a small smile. "I know you are, honey, but I just want the best for you."

She turned and let go of our peaceful boy to put on her mits and pull out the steaming biscuits.

"So Jimin, have you packed everything?" she asked as calmly as she could.

Jimin gave a small nod.

"I have. I'll go get my things." he said and walked off to his room, a little sway in his hips. He probably learned that way of walking from the overwhelming presence of women in his life.

     As Jimin gathered his bag, his aunt packed the biscuits in the little bag with the sandwiches and a flask of water. Suddenly, she remembered she left the envelope in the cabinet. She quickly snatched it before Jimin could return and held it discreetly until his return.

     When he came back with his satchel on his back, she handed the envelope to him with a small smile.

Jimin took it with a confused look. "What's this?"

"Just open it."

With a shrug, he did what his aunt told him to. His eyes widened as he pulled out a train ticket. "Auntie... why?"

"I want you to find work in a town around there. That area is surrounded by rich folk who would give you a fine income."

Jimin stuffed the tickets back into the envelope and opened his arms to hug her. Now it was his turn to cry. "Thank you so much, Auntie. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you."

"This is my payback for you giving me so many years of happiness."

They held that hug for a little while longer before she pulled away, holding Jimin by his shoulders.

"Now don't make my hard earned money go to waste. Go catch that train," she said with a painful smile.

Jimin nodded and took the packet of food before walking to the door with his beloved aunt.

They both stopped just outside the door, turning to look at each other. They just stared, trying to soak up as much as they could of the other like a sponge to water.

"...I love you." the woman started.

"I love you too."

"I'm going to miss saying that," she said and caressed Jimin's perfectly angular cheek.

He giggled a bit and held her hand, closing his eyes. He just wanted to sink into that feeling and never forget it. He wanted this moment to leave an impression on him like ink on paper.

Eventually, he opened his eyes again and looked at his aunt. As much as he wished this moment had never come, he couldn't stop it. He could only face the reality ahead of him.

"It's time for me to go," he said, "I'll write, I promise."

She gave a nod and with that, Jimin turned around and walked off to the train station.