"The Orphan"
Chapter 1: Compromise with Death
It was cold. Esther's seemingly lifeless body lay out on the frozen lake. Her lacerations and the blood in her mouth were now clotted from the freeze. Her hands were stiff, and her clothes were hard and crispy from the snow. It took all the strength she had in her small, child-like body to re-surface from the lake. "It's not fair..." Esther softly mumbled to herself as she gazed out at the pitch black sky. "All I ever wanted was to be loved, and to love in return. . . That selfish bitch had to ruin everything." She grimaced as she looked down at her tattered, black lingerie. She went through all of this bullshit just to make that one man happy. She constructed it perfectly and for the first time, in a long time; she was enabled to open her heart and reveal her true self, but he denied her. She had revealed that much to another man since she left the Hillman's family.
~PAST~
The father David was very similar to that of the Coleman's father. He dressed neatly, always knew there was something wrong with his wife, and at times it depressed him greatly. The only difference between the two was the fact Mr. Hillman seemed slightly more infatuated with Esther. He played along with her seductive games, and at times, even let it slip when she made her attempt to kiss him. A pedophile in his own way. Esther was good at analyzing people, and honestly didn't care. The only thing she attempted to see was a real person who loved her. She would play out in the meadows with him, hiding behind the trees on the north side of their ranch, waiting for him to find her. He was always getting into fights with his wife, especially on nights he came home drunk. She was also an alcoholic that had her own issues. On a hot summer evening she stumbled upon her husband and Esther hiding out in the back wood shed. She peered through the crevice in the door as her eyes explored the outline of two shadows until it became visible. David's right hand was pressed firm against Esther's back, while the other arm was cupped around the bottom of her thighs. He held her up in a tight embrace, as she wrapped her left leg around the side of his torso. Lips pressed against one another in a passionate kiss. Mrs. Hillman quickly grabbed her mouth in a state of shock. Her stomach churned in complete disgust. She knew if she didn't intervene things would only progress from there. She waited later that night after dinner, and confronted her husband. She threatened to leave him, told him she would file for divorce. He took therapy, got over Esther, and told her he could no longer play "grown up" games with her. Of course that did not go over well . . .
~PRESENT~
Her stomach was in knots; her head was pulsing as loud as her heart beat. Even as the strong urge to vomit rose in her stomach, she still had the strength to keep calm. Now I smell like her. . I smell like rotting fish." She growled to herself clenching her jaw. Who the hell does she think she is? She tried to kill me? I will see to it personally that you DIE YOU STUPID WHORE!" Her outburst made her throat tingle. It was no longer a thought to herself, but an outburst of a personal promise. Quickly rolling over to her side she began to vomit, watching the blood trickle down the watery grave that could have been her fate. A scream escaped her chaffed lips as she slung her fist into the ice. "Max, why did you have to betray me? I loved you as if you were my own sister. . I thought I could trust you. You too have also done me wrong, the day you mingled with that fucking little prick of a brother. . I will see to his death, and I will dance on his little grave." She could feel warmth returning to her face as the tears slowly trickled down her cheeks, mingling with her bloody bile. "I will see to it myself that they should all die." Putting her hands in front of her she slowly started to creep along the ice, she knew she wouldn't be able to stand unless she made it to the end of the lake to grab hold of something sturdy. Her knee caps dragged along the ice feeling cut up, and bruised. All she could think about was the times she spent with Max. Playing dolls, demonstrating how one makes love, swinging her around in her arms, with her head tightly close to her chest. She remembered feeling a sense of what being a sister meant; braiding her long, curly, blonde hair to make her look pretty. She remembered Max always smelt like fresh flowers and vanilla, and grew to love that smell as much as Max (in the beginning) grew to love her. Now she could barely open her mouth from her swollen jaw. Still. She needed this, she needed to prove to herself, she was strong enough to do this. "Damn it!" she called out to herself, realizing there was nothing to grab hold of, except a few twigs. "I must try." Stretching her tiny fragile hands out in front of her, she was able to reel herself in. Screams could be heard throughout the forest as she tried pulling herself up through pure frustration. Her legs were shaky, she knew if she didn't find something to support herself, she would have to roll back to the house. It was no longer considered a home, but a place of dwelling memories.