It was a piping hot morning the next day, but nothing would stop Christian
from walking the distance to his best friend's house. He flipped his
thick, messy hair out of his face (to no avail, of course), and walked up
the stone steps to Satine's doorway. As he knocked on the wooden door, he
was greeted by Satine's grumpy, ill-tempered father--similar to his own.
" Whatcha want kid? " Satine's father grumbled.
" Well...er...um...you see sir... " Christian stopped his rambling abruptly when he saw Satine. He sighed quietly out of suppressed relief as she pushed her father out of the way, and shut the door- in his face. She grabbed Christian's hand, running down the road and away from her home. Finally, she spoke.
" Come on, we'll go do something. " But her hoarse, cracking voice was cut off by Christian's hands on her shoulders. He stopped her and looked at her fully for the first time. He was shocked that what he had seen in the doorway was much worse than he had thought. Not only did she look miserable with her torn up petticoats, her hair framing her pale, waxen face in knotted strands. oh no, that was not all. Her frail body was covered with dark bruises and cuts, littering her normally glowing white skin with scars and marks. He gasped and choked out,
" S-Satine. w-what happened? Huh? Satine? " His questioning became quieter and gentler as she began to shake and cry. Christian pulled her into his arms as she wept softly, tightening her firm hold around his neck.
" Oh, C-Christian. Christian it was horrible, I-I.. "
" Yes? Satine, tell me what's wrong, what's the matter? "
Christian was speechless for a few moments after. 'What's this all about?' he thought. Her eyes were blotchy and she looked as if she hadn't slept for days, even though he had seen her just yesterday. 'She was perfectly fine then.' his thoughts trailed off as she began panting and whimpering, and as he was shocked to discover, shaking uncontrollably.
" Oh Christian, he was. he just. oh no, I can't I can't. I can't. " she began to cry again into his shirt.
" Shh. it's okay, it's okay.. Tell me what's wrong, please Satine, you're my best friend, you can tell me. I'm here to help you shh, it's okay. . . it's okay. . . " Satine choked once more, gasping and looking up from his embrace.
" Promise me, Christian," she said, as he looked back at her with eyes filled with confusion and concern. "Promise me . . . C-Christian, please . . . p-promise me, that whatever happens, we'll stay f-friends. Don't let this affect us, p-please . . . don't let this ch-change anyth-thing. Promise. m-me. th-that no matter what you'll be there for me, b-because I'll always b-be there for y-you. " she trailed off again.
" Oh, Satine, you know I'll always be there no matter what. Just please tell me what happened. I want. I need to know! " He took a deep breath, trying to calm his crazed nerves.
" I.. oh, Christian, I.." Satine broke off, looking up abruptly at Christian. "Oh god. oh god. no, I can't, I can't, oh no, I can't. "
" What, no, Satine, tell me, tell me! " Satine began to shake, and then with a sharp choking gasp, she broke away from Christian's arms.
" No.. I. no. " she looked up at him with wild, wide eyes, brimming with tears. " Oh my god, what have I done.. Oh no, oh god no. "
With that, the girl took off down the street, tears spilling from her eyes and stinging her cheeks. She left a very confused, dazed, and above all terrified Christian standing alone, wondering what in the name of god just happened.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Satine ran back to her house, and tried to slip in the door silently. But the rough, callused hand that grabbed at her wrist told her she had done otherwise. A sob escaped her dry, cracked lips.
"NO! " she wailed, writhing against her father's vice-like grip. But he would not let go.
" You little bitch, " he fumed, wild eyes glazed over with a drunken glare. " I'll kill you, you little whore, I'LL KILL YOU! "
" What are you DOING?! " screamed Satine, attempting to fight off her father. " What did I DO?!?!? FATHER NO!! NO!! " she screamed desperately, but this time, there was no knock at the door to save her. Once again, Satine was yelled, cursed, and screamed at until she fainted, with more bruises to wake up to after she came over her unconsciousness. Her father had once again slapped, hit and kicked her until she could feel no more.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Christian trudged slowly home, pondering over what possibly could have happened. He decided not to go back to her house, thinking of how much it upset her last time. He could only imagine that it made things worse, whatever happened. But what happened? What? Only one troubling question echoed relentlessly in his head, rising above the other troubled thoughts over and over again:
" Was it me? "
He reached home after many hazy moments of slow, thoughtful walking, where he ran up to his room and flopped onto his bed, suddenly feeling feverish and a little sick. He slept a fitful sleep for the rest of the afternoon.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Later that evening, Christian woke up to a warm smell coming from his kitchen. He jerked up, realizing how hungry he truly was, and hobbled slowly down the steps. But he stopped abruptly when he remembered the flustered state Satine left him in. "Oh god, what happened to her?" With one last longing sniff of the delicious aroma wafting from the kitchen, he yelled "I'm goin' out, Mother, be right back!" and ran out the door. He had to know what happened.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Satine moaned as she rolled over onto her back, and winced at the sharp pain in her side. She groaned, attempting to sit up. But strong arms held her down. She yelped in fear.
" No, no please no. " she started to sob.
" SILENCE! " her father screamed. Her sobs were reduced to whimpers. " Now, " said her father, palpably not in his right mind, " we will be moving away to Switzerland where we will find new employment. "
" But- "
" SHH! I said SILENCE! " her father yelled, pressing her shoulders down roughly. " Now, you will be working in a whorehouse somewhere. " he trailed off, his eyes rolling back into his head, as he fell over in a dead faint. Satine began to whimper again. Shakily, she slipped off out of her father's grasp and reached over the drawer where he kept his gun.
" I'm sorry, Father, " she choked out, cocking the gun and pointing it to his head.
A single shot rang out into the night.
Right at that moment, frantic knocks were sounded at the door. It was Christian. Muffled sounds could be heard from behind the big, wooden door. "Satine, Satine, let me in, please, let me in!" she could hear him yelling.
Satine was terrified.
What had she done?
Frantically, she hid the gun in the drawer, locked it, and looked out the window.
SATINE! " he yelled, looking up at the window. " Satine, what's going on? Please, please Satine. " he began to cry a little.
Satine was still horrified at what had happened. Her father had started the abuse a few weeks ago, and had not stopped. He used to just ignore her, but he began to vent his frustration on the poor girl. The last few days were horrible, and she could not ignore it or pretend it didn't happen. Still, he was her father, and she had killed him.
Satine was horrified beyond words.
She was guilty, ashamed, angry, scared, confused, depressed, helpless, and alone. Well, she would have been alone if it hadn't been for Christian standing just below her. 'No' she thought, with a shiver rolling down her spine. 'He mustn't know. He must never know.' The girl was too humiliated and ashamed to reveal what had happened to anyone. What she had done, and what her father had done, she decided, would be her secret. No one must know. Her final decision was made that fateful night.
She began sobbing again, and out of fear for herself and her best friend, she moaned, " Get away, Christian. Just get away. "
" What? " Christian said, not thinking he had heard correctly.
" GET AWAY! " she screamed out the window. " Just GET AWAY from here!! " With that, she slammed the window, hurtled down the steps, and ran out the back door, disappearing into the night.
Satine was never seen again.
" Whatcha want kid? " Satine's father grumbled.
" Well...er...um...you see sir... " Christian stopped his rambling abruptly when he saw Satine. He sighed quietly out of suppressed relief as she pushed her father out of the way, and shut the door- in his face. She grabbed Christian's hand, running down the road and away from her home. Finally, she spoke.
" Come on, we'll go do something. " But her hoarse, cracking voice was cut off by Christian's hands on her shoulders. He stopped her and looked at her fully for the first time. He was shocked that what he had seen in the doorway was much worse than he had thought. Not only did she look miserable with her torn up petticoats, her hair framing her pale, waxen face in knotted strands. oh no, that was not all. Her frail body was covered with dark bruises and cuts, littering her normally glowing white skin with scars and marks. He gasped and choked out,
" S-Satine. w-what happened? Huh? Satine? " His questioning became quieter and gentler as she began to shake and cry. Christian pulled her into his arms as she wept softly, tightening her firm hold around his neck.
" Oh, C-Christian. Christian it was horrible, I-I.. "
" Yes? Satine, tell me what's wrong, what's the matter? "
Christian was speechless for a few moments after. 'What's this all about?' he thought. Her eyes were blotchy and she looked as if she hadn't slept for days, even though he had seen her just yesterday. 'She was perfectly fine then.' his thoughts trailed off as she began panting and whimpering, and as he was shocked to discover, shaking uncontrollably.
" Oh Christian, he was. he just. oh no, I can't I can't. I can't. " she began to cry again into his shirt.
" Shh. it's okay, it's okay.. Tell me what's wrong, please Satine, you're my best friend, you can tell me. I'm here to help you shh, it's okay. . . it's okay. . . " Satine choked once more, gasping and looking up from his embrace.
" Promise me, Christian," she said, as he looked back at her with eyes filled with confusion and concern. "Promise me . . . C-Christian, please . . . p-promise me, that whatever happens, we'll stay f-friends. Don't let this affect us, p-please . . . don't let this ch-change anyth-thing. Promise. m-me. th-that no matter what you'll be there for me, b-because I'll always b-be there for y-you. " she trailed off again.
" Oh, Satine, you know I'll always be there no matter what. Just please tell me what happened. I want. I need to know! " He took a deep breath, trying to calm his crazed nerves.
" I.. oh, Christian, I.." Satine broke off, looking up abruptly at Christian. "Oh god. oh god. no, I can't, I can't, oh no, I can't. "
" What, no, Satine, tell me, tell me! " Satine began to shake, and then with a sharp choking gasp, she broke away from Christian's arms.
" No.. I. no. " she looked up at him with wild, wide eyes, brimming with tears. " Oh my god, what have I done.. Oh no, oh god no. "
With that, the girl took off down the street, tears spilling from her eyes and stinging her cheeks. She left a very confused, dazed, and above all terrified Christian standing alone, wondering what in the name of god just happened.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Satine ran back to her house, and tried to slip in the door silently. But the rough, callused hand that grabbed at her wrist told her she had done otherwise. A sob escaped her dry, cracked lips.
"NO! " she wailed, writhing against her father's vice-like grip. But he would not let go.
" You little bitch, " he fumed, wild eyes glazed over with a drunken glare. " I'll kill you, you little whore, I'LL KILL YOU! "
" What are you DOING?! " screamed Satine, attempting to fight off her father. " What did I DO?!?!? FATHER NO!! NO!! " she screamed desperately, but this time, there was no knock at the door to save her. Once again, Satine was yelled, cursed, and screamed at until she fainted, with more bruises to wake up to after she came over her unconsciousness. Her father had once again slapped, hit and kicked her until she could feel no more.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Christian trudged slowly home, pondering over what possibly could have happened. He decided not to go back to her house, thinking of how much it upset her last time. He could only imagine that it made things worse, whatever happened. But what happened? What? Only one troubling question echoed relentlessly in his head, rising above the other troubled thoughts over and over again:
" Was it me? "
He reached home after many hazy moments of slow, thoughtful walking, where he ran up to his room and flopped onto his bed, suddenly feeling feverish and a little sick. He slept a fitful sleep for the rest of the afternoon.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Later that evening, Christian woke up to a warm smell coming from his kitchen. He jerked up, realizing how hungry he truly was, and hobbled slowly down the steps. But he stopped abruptly when he remembered the flustered state Satine left him in. "Oh god, what happened to her?" With one last longing sniff of the delicious aroma wafting from the kitchen, he yelled "I'm goin' out, Mother, be right back!" and ran out the door. He had to know what happened.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Satine moaned as she rolled over onto her back, and winced at the sharp pain in her side. She groaned, attempting to sit up. But strong arms held her down. She yelped in fear.
" No, no please no. " she started to sob.
" SILENCE! " her father screamed. Her sobs were reduced to whimpers. " Now, " said her father, palpably not in his right mind, " we will be moving away to Switzerland where we will find new employment. "
" But- "
" SHH! I said SILENCE! " her father yelled, pressing her shoulders down roughly. " Now, you will be working in a whorehouse somewhere. " he trailed off, his eyes rolling back into his head, as he fell over in a dead faint. Satine began to whimper again. Shakily, she slipped off out of her father's grasp and reached over the drawer where he kept his gun.
" I'm sorry, Father, " she choked out, cocking the gun and pointing it to his head.
A single shot rang out into the night.
Right at that moment, frantic knocks were sounded at the door. It was Christian. Muffled sounds could be heard from behind the big, wooden door. "Satine, Satine, let me in, please, let me in!" she could hear him yelling.
Satine was terrified.
What had she done?
Frantically, she hid the gun in the drawer, locked it, and looked out the window.
SATINE! " he yelled, looking up at the window. " Satine, what's going on? Please, please Satine. " he began to cry a little.
Satine was still horrified at what had happened. Her father had started the abuse a few weeks ago, and had not stopped. He used to just ignore her, but he began to vent his frustration on the poor girl. The last few days were horrible, and she could not ignore it or pretend it didn't happen. Still, he was her father, and she had killed him.
Satine was horrified beyond words.
She was guilty, ashamed, angry, scared, confused, depressed, helpless, and alone. Well, she would have been alone if it hadn't been for Christian standing just below her. 'No' she thought, with a shiver rolling down her spine. 'He mustn't know. He must never know.' The girl was too humiliated and ashamed to reveal what had happened to anyone. What she had done, and what her father had done, she decided, would be her secret. No one must know. Her final decision was made that fateful night.
She began sobbing again, and out of fear for herself and her best friend, she moaned, " Get away, Christian. Just get away. "
" What? " Christian said, not thinking he had heard correctly.
" GET AWAY! " she screamed out the window. " Just GET AWAY from here!! " With that, she slammed the window, hurtled down the steps, and ran out the back door, disappearing into the night.
Satine was never seen again.