PRINCESS OF DARKNESS

(PART IV)

The plot thickens as the Camdens discover that Ruthie knows their little secret. By the way, a certain off-handed suggestion by Hoedogg on the Television Without Pity forums gave me an idea for this chapter.

Let's just say it's something Annie does that might give away where Ruthie got her psychotic tendencies from.

Ruthie Camden's eyes were leaking. At first, she was scared by this, until she realized she was actually crying. She hadn't done this in a while.

These were not sad tears, or weak tears.

These were angry tears.

Furious tears.

She stood in the bathroom, the door locked, her emotions raw.

She was angry. At herself, mostly. How could she, who knew everything about everyone, not know that she was adopted?

She was also angry at the Camdens, Eric and Annie. How could they not tell her? And what about her brothers? Sisters? How could they not tell her?

Hot tears streamed down her face. She had been crying for quite some time, just thinking about the very idea that someone would just... give her up. After all, that was what happened. She was given up. By someone.

Someone, somewhere didn't want her.

This very thought made her cry even harder, which made her even more ashamed of herself for letting her emotions take control so easily.

Ruthie couldn't be beaten by her emotions. She couldn't. That would make her weak, and the last thing she wanted to be was weak.

Several times, Annie Camden knocked on the bathroom door to make sure her daughter was okay. Several times, Ruthie would say she was alright.

Ruthie didn't want to bring up the subject of her adoption. She didn't even want to think about it. Annie would find out soon enough. Glenoak was a small town. In the words of one wizened, old local, "Someone could pass wind in his basement and people all over town would smell it." Crude, yes, but correct.

At least one of the dozens of copies of adoption papers would end up in the Camden household. Ruthie knew that for a fact.

Ruthie clenched her teeth and squeezed her fists till her knuckles went white, in an attempt to stem the flow of tears. She took a deep breath and washed her face profusely so her eyes wouldn't give away the fact that she had been crying. After that, she used her best acting skills and walked out of the bathroom as if everything was fine.

She had the adoption paper in her pocket as she walked upstairs. Annie called her from downstairs and wanted her to watch the twins as she did her homework. Of course, Ruthie agreed. Saying no to Annie Camden could be quite an adventure.

As Ruthie watched Sam and David, she couldn't help but remember when Annie gave birth to them.

Ruthie remembered being shown pictures of Annie being pregnant with her. How could that have been possible?

Then it occurred to her. What if the adoption paper was fake?

What if it was all a lie?

What if Jenna was just trying to get under her skin?

Then again... what if Annie lied to her that day?

No. Impossible.

Ruthie looked at the paper again. It was crumpled, wrinkled, and Ruthie couldn't tell if it was fake or not. It looked official, but who knew what kind of technology Jenna had?

Before Ruthie could speculate any more, she heard Lucy enter the house downstairs. Ruthie was able to hear most of the conversation.

Lucy found out about the situation at school. She wanted to know if Ruthie knew about it.

(Rather dumb question to ask, considering Lucy told Annie a few moments before that 'that Jenna girl was passing out copies of Ruthie's adoption papers at school. The whole student body knows. The teachers, the faculty... everybody.'

To then ask the question 'do you think Ruthie found out?' then becomes a rather pointless and ridiculous endeavor. But then again, this is Lucy we're talking about)

So then, it was true.

Lucy knew. This was obvious. And if Lucy knew, then Matt and Mary did too. And if Matt and Mary knew, then Simon probably knew. All of her siblings knew. Her parents, obviously, knew as well. And they had all been lying to her for her entire life.

Naturally, this revolted Ruthie. Especially considering the fact that Annie Camden lied to a young Ruthie after the birth of Sam and David. Especially considering that a young Ruthie was shown a picture of "[her] inside [Annie's] tummy" when it was actually one of her siblings being housed in her mother's womb.

Ruthie felt sick all over again. Sick and angry. She wasn't going to let her emotions beat her again, however. She once again called on her acting skills. This day, she would play a Happy, Well-Adjusted Teen with a Family That Would Never Hide a Devastating Secret From Her For Fourteen Years. The role would be tough, but she knew she could manage it.

All talk downstairs turned into whispers.

Obviously, Lucy and Annie were trying to figure out what to do.

Ruthie heard someone pick up the phone. Impeccable hearing strikes again. The youngest Camdn...er... the fourteen-year-old decided to listen in on the call. She picked up the phone in the next room (leaving Sam and David to their own devices) just in time to hear the start of the conversation.

"Eric?" It was her mother's voice.

"Annie. I was just going to call you." Eric's tone changed. "Hey... what are you wearing?"

"What?"

"You know... what are you wearing?" Eric asked, suggestively. Ruthie felt even sicker than before.

"There's no time for that, Eric. She knows."

"Who knows?"

"Ruthie. She found out."

"Found out..."

"She found out she was..." Annie slipped into a whisper. "She found out she was adopted."

"How does she... are you sure she..."

"She hasn't been acting like it, but if I'm to believe Lucy, the whole neighborhood knows."

Eric fell silent for several minutes.

"Well, Eric? What do we do?"

"Maybe... maybe she doesn't know."

"Of course she knows. She has to know. Apparently, Jenna has been spreading copies throughout the town."

"Jenna? Why... why would Jenna do something like that?"

"I don't know, Eric. You're the one that's been counseling her for the last three weeks. You're the one who let her and her... heathen family into my house without even asking me."

"This is no time for blame, Annie."

"What do I do, Eric? What am I supposed to tell her?"

"Don't... tell her anything. Wait till I get home."

Eric hung up. Annie hung up as well. The only one left on the line was Ruthie. Slowly, she lowered the phone back on its base and walked back into the room with Sam and David.

So they all knew. All of them. And they were content to sit around and let Ruthie think she was a part of the family.

Ruthie was livid.

She was angry, mostly because it was the strongest emotion she could muster. She couldn't focus. Her mind was a mess. She couldn't think. She was overwhelmed.

Jenna had done this to her.

It was Jenna's fault.

Upon realizing this, Ruthie decided she needed revenge. Jenna couldn't get away with what she did. Jenna couldn't get away with ruining Ruthie's life. No. Ruthie was going to get revenge.

Retribution.

She demanded retribution.

Of course, this wouldn't be some little 'Jenna is a lesbian' rumor. This wouldn't be attempting to plant a necklace in Jenna's coat. No. This would be real revenge. Cruel revenge. Evil revenge.

Ruthie had to do something. She didn't know what she would do, but she had to do something.

She had to get Jenna back for this injustice. No matter what it took.

That night, the Camdens were stripped down to their bare roots (metaphorically, of course). It was just Eric, Annie, Lucy, Simon, Ruthie, the twins, and the dog.

Everyone knew what the situation was. Everyone was tense. Eric began to speak.

"Ruthie... we know that... you've probably found out that..."

Lucy was crying.

That settled it. Ruthie did not want to be a part of this conversation anymore. She needed to leave. Quickly. Soon, they would all be sobbing. Ruthie hated tears. They were symbols of frailty and vulnerability to her.

"I know." Ruthie said, cutting off her father. "I know I was adopted. But I'm fine with it. I really am. It's okay."

"How can you... possibly be okay with that?" Eric asked.

Ruthie didn't answer at first.

"I'm okay because..." She tried to think up a convincing lie, but obnoxious, sad piano music was playing in the background, distracting her. She looked over—along with the rest of the Camdens—at David, who was lying on the floor, using an electric piano plaything, just trying to demonstrate his talents.

"David, give mommy that." Annie demanded. David obeyed. Ruthie continued.

"I'm okay because... I know you love me." She lied, hardly able to believe herself as she spoke. "I know you love me. You, mom, Simon, Lucy..." Ruthie turned on the waterworks. It was rather easy, considering how much real crying she had done earlier in the day.

Within moments, Eric and the others were embracing her as she 'sobbed', not having any idea that she was merely putting on a show.

Of course, Ruthie was angry. Furious. Hurt. Most of all, she was hurt. She didn't like that feeling. Not at all. Her mind kept on wandering back to the time when Annie lied to her about the pictures. She looked at Annie presently, and found herself hating the woman.

It seemed like Annie could tell, because she next asked:

"Are you angry at us, honey? We would understand if you were."

Ruthie shook her head like a good little girl.

"I'm not angry. Not at you, at least. Jenna, though... I thought we were friends, but..."

"Oh, don't worry about Jenna." Eric began, "You aren't going to have to deal with her anymore. I'll take care of it, okay?"

Ruthie smiled. A genuine smile. She had a feeling she knew what Eric had planned. He may not have been her father, but he certainly came in handy.

Of course, what Eric had planned would be small in comparison to what Ruthie wanted to do. Ruthie wanted blood. Ruthie wanted Jenna to suffer.

Ruthie wanted Jenna to die.