Hello, and welcome to an actual story by me!
Chapter 1: All Snow eventually Melts
"London, I really think you should go see a therapist."
"No."
"London, this is your friend speaking. Listen to me for once."
"No, Jasper, I won't and you can't make me."
"London, please. At least let me be your therapist." Jasper sighed.
London thought about this idea for a moment. Outside, the snow softly flew down to the ground, each individual snowflake. The start of the month of December was slowly upon the small city of Amaranth, named for its distinctive style of color for the roofs that sat on most japanese influenced buildings. However, it looked Japanese but acted like an American suburb, with buildings on the forefront and gardens in the back of all the houses. Jasper lived in the more wealthy part of town, a place where mini palaces were built and lived in by people who expected to be treated by kings and queens. Their relationships were built off of superficial traits, and they usually had enough money to hire several servants. However, their family life was built for the older generation, arranged marriages and the acquirement of wealth usually destroyed any notion of love. Jasper never had any notion of how a real family operated besides what he knew from Morgan and his family, but he had endless room for entertainment. A knock at the door interrupted London's thought process.
"Better get that," Jasper got up and strode across the big room, out of the pillow and comforter fort to the heavy wooden door, and opened it to a tall figure dressed in black. His face was covered by a huge scarf, but Jasper knew those brown eyes anywhere.
"Morgan! How nice of you to join us! London and I were just talking." Jasper held open the door as Morgan unwrapped the scarf from his head and unbuttoned his long coat. He locked it as Morgan hung his coat up on the hanger.
"So, what was it about?"
"Well, I guess we're putting London through therapy."
"Therapy, so she finally agreed to it?" Morgan raised his eyebrows.
"Not exactly," Jasper said.
"I didn't agree to anything yet, you guys." London interjected. "But I guess it's okay."
"Fine, it's settled," Jasper said. "Tell us your version of what happens. Way back before that. Start when Diane died."
"Okay, then here we go." London took a breath and started. "It all happened in 8th grade. The source of my sadness starts way back further though. The time where I excused both of my parents' constant absences for just work, when in reality, they were working. Mother was working on the guy in the office and at his house, and Father was drowning himself in debt with a bottle of scotch and a bunch of bets on pokemon fighting. Everyday at school was another- annoying teachers, annoying people, and a group of people I hung out with. Until that one day."
"That day I went to school, ate lunch with Diana, Jasper, and Morgan, and then I went to more classes, and walked home with Morgan because he lived farther out then I did. I figured neither would be home."
"Go on," Morgan said.
"I still thought they were working. However, I came home to a different story. I slid the door open to hear sex- moaning of my mother's voice and unfamiliar grunting. I immediately assumed that was my dad. I had thought nothing of it, because my parents had been arguing for weeks and I think they decided to settle it. I shut the door, and went upstairs to my room to start on my homework.
"Then I heard the garage door open. I saw Father's red sedan pulling in, and in a series of events, I heard crashing. However, that was just the tip of the iceberg."
"My Father ran into Mother's adulterator. He simply looked at him and nodded. I saw him set his briefcase down and walked into the bedroom. My mother did not deny anything. I watched from the landing of the stairs, and then I ran upstairs after the arguing broke out. I put my head under my pillows and waited for it to stop."
"They yelled themselves into the night. They yelled themselves hoarse. They yelled at each other until they stopped and took a break. Then they yelled at each other more. They yelled about the most insignificant shit after the argument. Then my mother yelled that she was leaving and taking me. My father retaliated that she would have no place to take me. Then my mother hit my father. "
"Then I heard screams and a bang and I jumped down the stairs. I watched as my father shot himself in the arm. I watched him plant the gun in my mothers hand and position her. I watched as he framed my mother, and I watched as he faked the emergency call. The next day I went to school early in the morning, and found Morgan and cried. Morgan swore he didn't tell a soul, but the media already jacked off on this tragedy and blew it out of proportion. Everyone pitied me for a day. Random people came up and hugged me. They said comforting words. I had to fake every bit of sadness as I felt numb to everything. My father didn't come home that week. And I didn't want him to."
"Next day, the news got out the Diana's father hung himself. Moreso out of grief for bailing on my mother. No one knew about the affair until a long time later. But by then it didn't matter. I followed the same procedure as everyone else. I tried to help her. However, she was too broken and so was her mother. I heard her final words on the Xtransceiver."
"Hey guys, I just want you guys to know I love you guys, and I think you'll all be great later on. Bye!" Too bad the three of us were too late to her house, even by the taxis we had taken, even Jasper's car almost totaled on her front lawn. Time was against all of us. We found her incoherent and no antidote would save her. The worst part was when we had to break the news to her mother, who came home just as she died."
A moment of silence hung in the air between the trio. Everyone had received that phone call.
"Thus, I lost two things in life, my friend from childhood and my mother. This was the story of 8th grade year, people pitying me, people pitying diana, and people pitying themselves because they couldn't do anything. This all happened in the same week. Let's go down the timeline. Monday, Daddy killed mommy and planted the evidence. Tuesday, Diana's dad had hung himself. And finally, Thursday, Diana had drank a mix of chemicals and died painfully. The worst week of my life, the end of three lives."
London continued on, as if stopping would release the floodgates.
"This is probably the reason for my depression. We went to two funerals that weekend. The first one was for my mother. They had made her look pretty good, despite the bullet in her forehead. She was smiling in her white wedding dress. They closed the casket after I had ruined her dress with my tears. My father sat down for the entire service, head in his hands. He couldn't even comprehend the damage he had done. He didn't even look at her face one last time. She was transported by carriage by a group of Ponyta's. Ghost pokemon followed the procession, sucking up gloom and hate and sadness like they always do. The next was Diana and her father. Both dressed in their finest black clothes, us sitting in the front row trying to stop her mother from completely losing it during the ceremony. "
Another pause.
"Then we all went to my house. My dad wouldn't come back for the next month, that was clear enough by the note on the counter. I wished he would drink himself to death. Morgan, Jasper, and I lived out of my room for the time, just numb and emotionless dolls. A banette came and hung out with us, trying to make us feel better. He eventually left, seeing as we couldn't laugh at his antics. We had the tv on just for the white noise and we just cried ourselves to sleep.
"This was eighth grade year. We eventually got over it, however we didn't mention Diana anytime ever again. She was gone, It wasn't right to bring back memories. "
The floodgates had opened up, and London sat there, crying her eyes out. Both Jasper and Morgan hugged her for comfort, and it was dark outside before she would talk again. It had been 4 years since the week of tragedy. School was almost over, considering we took the Pokemon Aptitude Test at the end of November. Most people graduated right after that, going off to the prospective regions that they had chosen on the PAT's. This was their last two weeks in school before the took the test on friday and got their results the following monday.
London's confession didn't stop there, though.
"It had been 4 years since my father started drinking at home. With the drinking, the gambling left, and he started beating me. I avoided him whenever I could. Luckily this was easy, him being pass out from drinking, but it was another story when I got home from school. However, last night was the breaking point. He beat me until I had bruises all over my arms, then I got out before he could do any more damage. I hid in the tall grass until it seemed he had passed out again, then went to bed."
"And this was the first time I tried to kill myself. I went and bought painkillers from that weird guy who always stalks the popular class, and took them all. I had to have my stomach pumped at the hospital. I always hated those walls, all white and inviting, for a building filled with suffering and death. I returned home the next day, and missed one day of school. My dad beat me for the medical charges too."
Morgan clenched his fists at the mention of London's father. She continued.
"The next week I had tried to hang myself. I went to the corner store and bought a rope. I left a note for you two this time, and also one revealing the actual events of my mother's death. It was always a stressful job, but you know the story now. Although I doubt anyone will believe you now, after all these years. So after my father had beaten me again, I snuck out the window, dressed in a black dress and veil, and I went to the park. I found a park bench and a tree, and tied the rope on there. The noose hanging from the tree, I balanced my way on the small sliver of wood until I caught my head in the noose. I tightened it and prepared for death."
"I writhed around on the rope, choking myself to death. My ears started to ring, my vision started to fade, and then- SNAP. I fell to the ground and felt myself gasp for air. I was played. A homeless man who was watching then walked up to me. He said he was going to call the suicide hotline. Which, in turn, meant my father being notified and more beatings for me. I was so simply beyond caring by that point I asked what I could do for him. I took off my dress, and laid there in stockings, heels, and panties until he took off his pants and humped me for a good fifteen minutes. I took it like some dirty whore. He finished his deed by spraying his semen all over my back, and he stood over me, grinning, zipping his pants up."
London stopped, her face red because she realized how much shame this caused her.
"Wait, London, do you remember this guy's face? Anything about him?" Jasper asked.
"No, and besides, it wouldn't make much point in you kicking his ass anyway." She said.
"But, this guy practically raped you! Isn't that-"
London calmed her protective friend down. "No, just let it go, Jasper. This all happened in the past, and you can't change it now."
"And, that's when I found you," Morgan said.
"Yes, and that's when Morgan found me. I don't know why he was out so late-" London continued.
"Midnight shopping, If I recall correctly," Morgan said.
"Shopping?" Jasper asked, curious.
"It's a lot easier to shop night. Less people," Morgan defended himself.
"Ah. Go on," Jasper said.
"So anyway, he found me, cleaned me up, and brought me back to his place. I told him something to the extent of how everyone hates us, and how much my dad hits me, and eventually I just needed a shoulder to cry on. And, Morgan, I'm grateful for that. I just wanted to let you know."
"However, I don't want you guys to tell this to anybody I wouldn't be comfortable you telling this about. Promise on it." London ordered.
"I promise," Jasper said.
"As do I," Morgan said. "But I'm afraid our time needs to be cut short. I need to wake up to leave tomorrow."
London had tried to block this thought out of her mind. Morgan had taken his PATs early, so he was leaving earlier than the two.
"Ah, don't worry about it. I'll drive you two home."
The three got into the pine green luxury sedan, barely visible in the dark. The car started up silently, and Jasper began his rounds to get back to Morgan's house, which was the farthest out. The drive home was uneventful, besides Jasper stopping to get them some dinner at a local fast food restaurant. Usually they would go out to eat, but it was too late and most restaurants were closed at the time. They pulled up to Morgan's small house. Morgan's mom met them at the curb.
"Hi, Sweeties! I hope you too do well on your tests tomorrow! And make sure to be at the bus stop, 6 o'clock sharp. We wouldn't want Morgan to leave without his two best friends giving him a send off!"
"Right, Ms. Tenshi, we wouldn't miss it." London assured her.
"You can count on us!" Jasper said.
They pulled out the driveway and drove to London's house. Jasper cut the lights off- he already knew what insignificant things London's dad beat her for, even before the confession. He pulled up as silently as he could.
"You be careful, alright. You know to call me or Morgan if anything happens?"
"Jasper, I'm not as brittle as you think."
"We're here for you, London. We care about you more than you think."
London slipped silently out the door and carefully closed it shut. Jasper pulled out with as much grace as he could muster, and drove down the road. She watched him as he went. She quickly put the key in the lock and turned it. Silently opening the door, the blue haired girl slipped inside.
However, she reprimanded herself for not entering through the window like she normally did when she encountered her father, a swaying giant in the walkway between the living room and the hallway. He grabbed London by the hair and threw her down onto the tiled floor.
"So, London, where were you? You're just like your mother, you know that! ALWAYS FUCKING YOUR BEST FRIENDS!" He bellowed. London struggled to get up, bracing herself against the wall for support. However, the parent soon helped her with that. He grabbed her throat, and pulled her up against the wall until their faces were level with each other. London squirmed, but she knew there was no way out of this.
"Where were you, London? Why don't you answer me? Why do you hate me? WHY CAN'T YOU TALK TO YOUR OWN FATHER!" He threw her into the next room, and she stumbled into the counter, knocking the wind out of her.
"YOU STUPID SLUT! WHY CAN'T YOU DEFEND YOURSELF!" London turned just to see her father's fist connect with her left arm. She feebly lifted the other to defend herself, but it was no use. He hit her again and again, and then finally swept both her legs from underneath her. She fell to the ground. London's tearstained eyes wandered across the room, looking for an escape route. She saw her father prepare to down another bottle, and she watched as he lifted it up to his lips.
She rolled herself between her father's legs and into the hallway. Getting up, she limped to the stairs and crawled them like a baby. She heard her father following her, stomping down the hallway. She finally made it to her room, and locked the door.
"London, get out here this instant! You caused all of it, London! You need to get out sometime!" Her dad pounded away at the door, but to no avail. She was grateful the locks were sturdy. She fell on the bed. The broken girl broke out in sobs, trying as hard as she could not to lose her grip on life.
Loosely based on Red Jumpsuit Apparatus' Face Down.
PM me for requests, I guess. I still need to catch up with the others.