DISCLAIMER: Powerpuff Girls is copyright of Craig McCracken, and I suppose you could say Hannah-Barbera.
RATING: T for language, situations, and violence.
Prologue-
False Remnants
Giggling at the muscular arms wrapped around her, Beatrice attempted to push her husband away. Two twin flames sprawled across the luxurious meadows outside their home.
"Nate, no," the redhead squealed as Beatrice's skinny arms were held captive by Nate. Floppy chestnut hair fell in front of the playful young woman's caramel eyes. Oh, how she loved his hair, soft, like velvet…
Hot breath tickled his wife's ear as Nate murmured, "What were you doing next to the attic door, Bea?" His body pressed against hers; his muscles, every inch of the concerned man reminded the young woman of how she loved him. She cherished these little moments. Then his question was repeated once more; intent and with urgency their skin touched as he leaned into her. These were the moments when those insignificant gaps in her memory expanded. Little black holes weaved throughout her brain that caused the frantic, thrumming beat of her heart.
Fluffy white clouds the nervous girl concentrated on as she avoided the question. If his wife gazed into the man's eyes, she would have seen the depths of panic hidden in cerulean. Instead, Beatrice noticed impatience and demand beneath his merely curious tone. Pinned against the lush green grass, her husband's paranoia became aware of what the neighbors must be thinking. From their front yard garden's floor, Nate picked his wife up to bring her back inside, his hand resting on the small of her back.
"Careful of the baby," reminded Beatrice softly, her innocent voice embedding thorns of guilt in Nate's brain. The young woman took notice of her husband's silence. Such calculating of words as he locked their bright red door.
Ever since the accident, Nate always took extra, rather tedious care in perfecting her life. Things such as their bright red door became just a piece in assuring that their house always carried a bubbly, happy demeanor. Red needed these things; they brought the warming comfort his paranoia could never give.
Eyes narrowed, and one arm locked around his wife's waist, the obsessed man repeated his question with urgency.
"Nothing honey, I just was looking for you," she smiled brightly, before leaning in to kiss her husband's pursed lips. Now this, this was Beatrice's own way of creating assurance in his life. Things such as kisses and adoring glances kept her husband's frantic thoughts at bay. Of course, his mistrust had been well directed. Intimate things that she could give, who would ever give those to the monster Nate attempted to conceal from her?
Only the buzz of their air-conditioning sounded as response to Beatrice's assurance. Nate fidgeted disturbingly in the cool living room. Darting back and forth, the burning crimson eyes of his soul scanned for her innocence. His wife gingerly peeked down at her husband's trembling hands before averting her eyes.
Heart hammering against his chest, the overwrought man demanded, "Are you distracting me?"
'Everything will shatter if Red finds out. She must not know. She must not know. She must not know,' Nate chanted to himself. "Did you open the door babe?"
How he growled out his question had Beatrice petrified. Why was her sweet husband interrogating her? Now the beast, whatever it was he shoved so vehemently down his body, finally seemed to rattle in his cage. 'Babe' the nickname seemed new as well—far too rowdy for Nate.
"No, I was about to but…" the flustered young woman trailed off, her breath now coming in hitches. Oh, he knew! This demon dragged his menacing claws with rigor, peeling back to discover the dark layers confined within her husband.
Noticing his quivering wife, Nate's paranoia melted. Although Beatrice's obsession for justice corrupted her, the core of Red had always been saccharine sweet. Obsession stripped from the young woman, leaving only acceptance and love for him. Despite the hum of the air-conditioning, Nate heard his phone ring abruptly from the kitchen counter upstairs. Having put the phone on vibrate he focused momentarily on the dull clunk of granite against metal.
Methodically, he kissed his wife's cheek and released her. Lips pressed so suddenly and then removed from her delicious skin felt agonizing. "Just remembered I have a business call babe, we will talk later," the thrilled man sang with a wink. Even if he couldn't love Red like he desired at the moment, this phone call had to be the one he had so fucking desperately longed for.
"Babe," Questioned Beatrice with a frown. Actually, the apprehensive young woman questioned his nickname and the sudden change in personality; anticipating the first instance where that demon clawing its way out would reveal itself. Blossoming within her was this chillingly sinful feeling that whatever the phone call was, the unraveling of something horrid began. Now this cage confining the monster in Nate shattered.
Ah, right. 'Nate' did not use the word babe. "My pretty little Bea, you have no reason to be worried. I love you," he spoke sweetly, holding his wife close for a brief moment. Fingers that slightly still trembled caressed her spiraling auburn locks. Now that was only the type of monologue Nate would say—the fag.
"Okay, 'babe' I love you too," Giggled the satisfied young woman, relieved her husband was spouting poetry again. By way of reward, she pecked the adorable man's lips. Perhaps the beast had never existed, just another poisonous thought due to the gaps in her memory.
While her intentions were cute, the agitated male desired nothing else than pinning his naive wife against the wall and kissing her into oblivion. Hands travelling her supple, tantalizing flesh; her back arching as those full lips moaned his own fucking name….
Instead, Nate pecked her lips back and released his wife from his embrace. At those glistening, wide eyes he knew that Red was oblivious. One loving smile later, then he rushed up the stairs to contact his brother.
Beatrice beamed, fizzing with glee at her silly husband. Delight overtook her momentarily, 'See? No monster is confined within Nate.' But from the hallway that odd, wooden door of the attic came into view, completely out of place in their bright, bubbly home. Objects were just that, inanimate things.
Yet her ears curled in revulsion at the dreadful sound; the mocking sound from the attic door consuming every sense of reason she had. Flashbacks of the sheer terror in her husband's eyes ran through her brain. 'What were you doing next to the attic door, Bea?' Oh, she had to know.
Her flats with their little heels clicked against the wooden floor; her ruffled, red maternity dress swaying slightly as she inched towards that creepy looking door. And it scoffs at her! With a devious smile, Beatrice reached out towards the doorknob.
All those underlying lies in the attic rushed towards her mind.
"I know you hate being called when you're playing house bro, but it's time," spoke a husky male voice through the man's phone.
Almost collapsing with his knees buckled, in disbelief Nate just listened to static for a couple of moments. Granite cracking in his hands; he gripped the counter for support.
Then his brother's loud voice rumbling out, "Brick, are you there?"
Reviews show your love, and all are valued. (:
Now, onto a short note that I have realized that I really do need to address about this novel.
As She Withers is a story that deals with a multitude of mental illnesses and disorders. So, lots of trigger warnings and quite a bit of dark content. Everything is well researched, as best as a teenage girl who loves psychology can do I suppose. There will be times when you may question a characters actions or their development. All will be revealed in due time, I promise.
Also, I am updating this note as of 2/12/15 which means that this story is no longer on hiatus. I am currently revamping all chapters, and have the next two written. (For reference, this prologue I have already revamped and updated, along with chapter one!)
My plan is to update with all revamped chapters and the new chapter by the end of February. Each revamped chapter, for reference is about double (some maaaaybe triple) the length. Thank you so much for your support, and if you are a new reader please do enjoy! ^^