ALiCE
-2-
ALiCE was born approximately eighteen years ago. I say approximately, because I
myself, her very father, cannot be sure of the exact date. Her mother and I had been going
at it for quite some time, and no one can tell me exactly when the young woman
disappeared from the town she had always called home. Two years later came the call
and the news. The girl was dead, and had left a small daughter as her only legacy.
Myself being of a college level age couldn't have possibly cared for her, so my parents
took her in, and raised her as their own.
The demands and schedule of a doctor's life, particularly a doctor who makes a living of
treating ill patients on a worldwide basis, denied me of ever actually getting to meet or
even see my own flesh and blood. Unaware of her true origins, ALiCE grew to be a very
happy and capable daughter.
Two years ago I received word that my parents had died. The daughter, whom no one
would speak of, had disappeared. My parents, seeking to rid the girl of the life that must
have haunted her before then had just relocated to a new area, and had undergone the
process of changing their identities. Forgive me for getting ahead of myself. ALiCE had
gotten into some sort of trouble in her original hometown. Something about her apparent
rape by the son of the town's most powerful politician. Fearing the threat of the Mafia
influence this greedy man never failed to flaunt, they had no choice but to flee and
destroy all records of their old life before those days.
This is when I lost contact with my parents. Technically, to be honest, I had lost contact
with them even before that. I suppose my parents were used to the lack of
communication. My parents and I were never really chummy. I like to believe that my
younger sister was more of a friend to them than I would ever be. So when they
disappeared from public view, I was probably the last to notice.
The call from my sister brought me up to date. ALiCE was gone, but of course no one
knew to call her that or anything else. She was simply referred to as "the child." My
sister had gone to visit them in their new home, but had more trouble than she expected.
She was supposed to meet our mother somewhere, but she never showed up. Later that
day my parents were found horribly murdered in their bedrooms, and their (my) daughter
was nowhere to be found.
When the Mafia disposes of anybody, it's safe to assume that you may never hear of or
see them ever again. God only know what saved ALiCE from their wrath. In all reality,
if her present emotional state is any indication, I'd even venture to say that the Mafia did
a damn good job of extracting their revenge. The girl is a walking corpse. I've seen
mummies livelier than she's ever been. Based on this, my theory stands that the Mob has
taken up a new form of retribution. Mentally killing someone off can be just as painful, if
not more so, than actually doing the dirty deed.
I believe our justice system has yet to send a man or woman to their deaths for the mental
murder of another human being. It may not yet be a crime, but someday.
Someday.
Apparently not today.
***
-2-
ALiCE was born approximately eighteen years ago. I say approximately, because I
myself, her very father, cannot be sure of the exact date. Her mother and I had been going
at it for quite some time, and no one can tell me exactly when the young woman
disappeared from the town she had always called home. Two years later came the call
and the news. The girl was dead, and had left a small daughter as her only legacy.
Myself being of a college level age couldn't have possibly cared for her, so my parents
took her in, and raised her as their own.
The demands and schedule of a doctor's life, particularly a doctor who makes a living of
treating ill patients on a worldwide basis, denied me of ever actually getting to meet or
even see my own flesh and blood. Unaware of her true origins, ALiCE grew to be a very
happy and capable daughter.
Two years ago I received word that my parents had died. The daughter, whom no one
would speak of, had disappeared. My parents, seeking to rid the girl of the life that must
have haunted her before then had just relocated to a new area, and had undergone the
process of changing their identities. Forgive me for getting ahead of myself. ALiCE had
gotten into some sort of trouble in her original hometown. Something about her apparent
rape by the son of the town's most powerful politician. Fearing the threat of the Mafia
influence this greedy man never failed to flaunt, they had no choice but to flee and
destroy all records of their old life before those days.
This is when I lost contact with my parents. Technically, to be honest, I had lost contact
with them even before that. I suppose my parents were used to the lack of
communication. My parents and I were never really chummy. I like to believe that my
younger sister was more of a friend to them than I would ever be. So when they
disappeared from public view, I was probably the last to notice.
The call from my sister brought me up to date. ALiCE was gone, but of course no one
knew to call her that or anything else. She was simply referred to as "the child." My
sister had gone to visit them in their new home, but had more trouble than she expected.
She was supposed to meet our mother somewhere, but she never showed up. Later that
day my parents were found horribly murdered in their bedrooms, and their (my) daughter
was nowhere to be found.
When the Mafia disposes of anybody, it's safe to assume that you may never hear of or
see them ever again. God only know what saved ALiCE from their wrath. In all reality,
if her present emotional state is any indication, I'd even venture to say that the Mafia did
a damn good job of extracting their revenge. The girl is a walking corpse. I've seen
mummies livelier than she's ever been. Based on this, my theory stands that the Mob has
taken up a new form of retribution. Mentally killing someone off can be just as painful, if
not more so, than actually doing the dirty deed.
I believe our justice system has yet to send a man or woman to their deaths for the mental
murder of another human being. It may not yet be a crime, but someday.
Someday.
Apparently not today.
***