Rotten Apple

Chapter Six: Junkhead Memory

Days passed since the incident at the tavern in Galuisa and Rosalia was off in thought as she kept her horse up with her fathers.

"Rosie what is wrong?" asked the eighteen-year-old looking man in his emotionless voice.

"I was just thinking about those two drug addicts we passed a few hours ago…" she told him.

"Why would she be thinking of druggies? Oh-god—don't tell me…she didn't-she wasn't—no way" Left Hand remarked within D's mind.

The dhampir remained quiet.

"A few years ago, when I was about eight years old there was a staff member at the orphanage who got me hooked on "hooch" and not only that, but he was also a pedophile. He would get me high so he could molest me and this went on for over a year until he was caught by the assistant director…" Rosalia told her father while trying to fight back tears.

"Holy shit! D say something!" Left Hand demanded.

"Rehab was horrible, well if you want to call it that, they locked me in a room for days and let me go through withdraws…then afterwards, I was made to act normal-how can you act normal after going through all of that?!" she was crying now.

D reached out and took his daughter's hand, "it is ok to cry" he told her. Deep down, the vampire hunter was in a murderous rage from the thought of some sicko drugging and raping his then eight-year-old daughter. He tightened his grip on her hand as a reassurance to her that he would never allow her to experience a situation like that ever again.

"Sorry-I probably should not have said anything about that but seeing those two drug-addicts brought back the memories," she told him while sniffling.

"Don't be sorry, talking about it helps you heal within," he told her while still holding her hand.

"My friend, Daphne, was the only other person that I told about the abuse but not until after the staff was caught and fired," she told him quietly.

"Sorry to say this D, but your daughter is more messed up than what I thought," chimed in the parasite.

"That is enough!" he snapped.

"Huh?!"

Her father remained silent as they rode on. It was nearly nightfall when the two decided to stop and pitch camp for the night. Rosalia took a few big gulps of the synthetic blood that her father had in his jug. Looking at the fire, the girl spoke, "I wonder why he chose me all of those years ago? Why did it have to be me?"

Her father looked at her, "you were there, alone, and vulnerable…pedophiles are predators just like the nobility, they seek out the weakest person and charm them before striking. It was not your fault for what happened."

"Sometimes I feel that it is—heh-I guess that I wasn't too different or strange to tickle his fancy," remarked the young lady lowly.

D continued to watch her before remarking that it was getting late and suggesting that she tried to get some sleep for the long ride ahead. He stroked her hair as she laid her head across his lap to fall asleep. After about an hour, Rosalia finally slipped off to sleep and the dhampir kept vigil over her for the rest of the night.

THE NEXT MORNING

Opening her eyes, the seventeen-year-old was met with the stoic gaze of the vampire hunter, "good morning," she told him before rising to her feet to stretch.

"You were talking in your sleep most of the night," he told her matter-of-factly as he rose to his feet.

The half-dhampir frowned, "I am sorry about that…"

"There is no need to be sorry," he responded while packing up camp.

His daughter mounted her horse and waited for him to follow suite. After getting on his horse, D and Rosalia continued their journey across the frontier.

TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER SEVEN