Response Time: TheIndividualist, I'd say it's rather violent, for lack of a better term. To TheFastFox, The flashbacks start at every indication of it, *Flashback* being the key term. They are made in that format, because it is much better than just having the character retell their story. I'd say Veruca is 8, and Augustus was 7. Violet's age will be jumping for her section, from 4 to 6 to 7 to 10. And thank you. To Sonny April, indeed. To JOHNHAMMOND1993, I had difficulty coming up with scenarios for Mike and Veruca, but I now have it solidified in my head. To Tessa, you can count on it! To Linkwonka88, It's always the ones that are too nice...hehehe.
Chapter 4: Win At Any Cost
"State your name for the record."
"Violet Beauregarde."
The good doctor sipped from his cup and said. "May I say you have a nice outfit on. Isn't that the track suit from the tour?"
Violet told him, "Yes, indeed."
"It holds significance, doesn't it?"
"Yes. Blue has been my favorite color, as ironic as that sounds. And it commemorates a day that occurred not so long ago. Four years, maybe, but not much."
Doctor Franklin grabbed a bowl and said, "I see. Care for a blueberry?" Violet immediately gasped, screamed and ran behind the chair in fear. "Would you care for some gum instead?"
Violet shouted in fright, "Get it away from me! Get away!"
Dr. Franklin responded, "Those are some rather strong reactions. I know it stemmed from the accident. But I think that isn't what's scaring you now, is it?"
Violet sat back down and said, "No."
"Then what could it be? Perhaps a different trauma that stems from your childhood?"
"I'll tell you exactly what I mean by that," She answered while twitching slightly.
ANOTHER FLASHBACK
"Mommy! Mommy!" A four-year old Violet called. "I got a prize!" She held up a ribbon.
Violet's mother looked down and said, "Well, good job, let me see!" She looked at the prize to see it was a second place. "I should have known, Violet. I am very disappointed in you."
"But why?"
"You didn't get first place. Anyone with a brain could get a first place ribbon! Especially as a four year old!"
Violet replied, "But it was a jump rope contest. I only missed one!"
Her mother tsked and said, "But you could've had first! How do you mess that up!"
"Mommy, you're scaring me..."
Her mother lashed out, "Good! You need to be scared! Or else you become your loser father who skipped out on you! And call me mother!"
"But mommy..."
Violet suddenly got smacked for the first time. "I told you to call me mother. Now go get something better, or no dinner!"
"But mommy..."
Her mother snapped and backed Violet into a corner with a terrifying look in her eyes. She aggressively enunciated, "I thought I made it very clear to you that I am to be referred to as your mother! Are you that stupid? Can you even tell what I am saying right now? Or is it just not getting through to you?" Violet simply sat there and looked in fear.
2 years later...
"Violet, hit the keys as I told you." Violet played all the keys on the piano perfectly, except for one. When the sour note played, her mother lost it.
"Again, Violet? You call that playing?"
"No, I don't! I told you I don't play piano, mother!" After that, Violet's mother slammed down the piano cover right on Violet's fingers. "OW! Well, now I can't play it at all!" Violet got slapped again.
Her mother said calmly, "This behavior of yours has to stop. You need to get it through your head that I won't have a loser for a daughter. U-N-D-E-R-S-T-A-N-D?"
"Yes, mom," she whispered.
She got smacked so hard it left a bruise. "Come again?"
Violet replied in fear, "Yes, mother!"
1 year later...
"You have to get this right, Violet! How can you be a winner if you perform so poorly?!"
"I'll get it right! I will!"
"No you won't! Not until you're serious!" Her mother grabbed a ruler, and told her, "Now, spell wolverine."
Violet said meekly, "W-U,"
She got whacked by the ruler hard in the back. "Wrong!" her mother shouted. "Do it again!"
Another whack from the ruler came after every letter Violet said. "W-O-L-V-E-R-I-N-E! Wolverine!"
Her mother smiled. "Now that's better."
3 years after that...
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T DO THE RECITAL?!"
Violet told her, "Mother, I broke my leg! I can't do it at all! Maybe if you didn't hurt me the last time I tried the hard part, I wouldn't have done this."
Her mother said, "We'll see about that." She knocked Violet on her stomach and started bending the broken leg. Violet screamed in pure agony as she could feel the pain getting worse.
"Mom! STOP, PLEASE!"
Something snapped in her mother's head. "I told you to call me mother!" She took a poker from the fireplace and started beating Violet with it. For days, she was kept out of school until her wounds healed, but the damage done to her psychologically and physically caused her to twitch incessantly. People made fun of her about it for years and years because of her twitching. Her friend introduced her to gum to help alleviate her nerves. At the same time, Violet kept working and earning prizes, while her mother kept abusing her (both in the verbal sense and the hitting). Slowly but surely, Violet took punishment on her body as well as her mind, until the nice girl she was had vanished. All that was left on the outside, was a sociopathic, anger-filled child. On the inside, was the shy little girl desperately trying to crawl away from her brutal mother's clutches, and begging for help. Her call was never answered, for it could never be invoked.
That's the chapter! Rather terrifying, ain't it? Next will be Mike's first session, so stay tuned! Take care, everyone!
