PART ONE:
People are always telling me that the world has changed. That women are
equal now, not like a hundred years ago. Those people are dead wrong.
I had heard about Jamie, Burtam and Welsh one day while I was talking to
my best friend, Seth. He had dropped out of college about six months earlier
and he was running a gambling business in his basement. I helped him out
sometimes, but not often because my father hit me when I was late. He hit me
whenever I got in his way and I had convinced myself that it was my fault,
but now I know that it wasn't my fault at all. The city of New York was never
kind to any young female.
Anyway, it happened on a cold day in January. It was well below zero, I
remember that because I had been wearing my well worn heavy jacket. I needed
a new one, but my father had spent the money I had worked hard for, on
another round of beers. It would have to wait. I also remember it because he
had punched me hard and had given me a black eye, so I was wearing
sunglasses, despite the fact that it was cloudy as hell that day. I walked up
to Seth's house, expecting to see his disgruntled face again, but today it
was full of happiness.
" Why are you so damn happy?" I asked gruffly. He just grinned and let me
in.
" I got a great lead! I'm gonna be rich!" he yelled. Then he paused. He
reached out an took off my sunglasses.
" Oh my God! Did he do this to you?" he asked.
⤠What do you think?â¤* I snapped sarcastically. I walked over to his
couch and flopped down, thoroughly depressed. He sat down next to me.
⤠You really should do something about it.â¤* He said softly. I shook my
head. I looked at him and changed the subject,â¤* What do you mean, you⤙re
gonna be rich?â¤* He grinned again and it worked. He totally forgot me and my
problems. For the time anyway.
⤠I⤙m going to go to this firm called Jamie, Burtam and Welsh. They buy
and sell stock. It⤙ll be great!â¤* He said. I smiled and said it was a good
idea.
⤠It might finally get your father off your back.â¤* I laughed. He also
laughed, but he looked mildly worried still.
⤠What about you?â¤* He asked. I worked at a crummy bar, serving drunken
old guys that kept puking, hitting and drooling on me. It was a living, but
it got old fast. Real fast. I waited on tables and sometimes I sang. The
singing was cool, I loved to sing, and it got me more tips, so what could I
say?
I was very pretty at the age of nineteen (Seth was twenty) and I didn⤙t
know it. I had long, light brown, curly hair, hazel eyes and I was medium
height. I had skinny legs, just like my fingers and I was a size four. I
wasn⤙t dumb, I was actually pretty smart. I loved to read classic novels by
Charlotte Bronte and Charles Dickens. Seth and I had met at the age of six.
We had gone to all the same schools together. Elementary school, Middle
school, and high school. Not college though, because my father wouldn⤙t pay
for it, even thought he had enough money. My mother had died when I was five.
I barely remember her, but I do have one picture of her, I never, ever left
the house without that picture.
Seth and I went for a walk. I made sure to put on those glasses before I
left. We stayed quiet most of the time, but we did talk about his new job.
⤠You won⤙t forget me will you. I mean, you⤙ll be busy being smart and
rich, you won⤙t have much time for the little people.â¤* I said. I wasn⤙t
kidding. He looked at me, startled and then he told me that he⤙d give me some
of the money, so I could move out.
⤠Hey, maybe you can have my apartment! I won⤙t need it!â¤* I was shocked.
⤠Really?â¤* I jumped up and down in excitement and clapped my hands.
⤠Wow!â¤* I breathed and I gave him a hug.
⤠Thank you!â¤* I said. He knew how much this meant to me. He also knew it
may save my life
⤠Remember that day when you and I got those tattoos? You were going to
chicken out, but I made you do it?â¤* He asked me, I nodded, he continued,â¤*
Well, ever since then, you have been my sister, sort of, and now I⤙m looking
after you.â¤*
I had had no idea how serious he was being. It wasn⤙t until the next week
that I heard from him again. He called me and asked if I wanted to come over.
I said yes and was over there in a flash. I ran up the steps and didn't even
bother to knock. He was sitting on his couch. He had the happiest expression
on his face, and I knew it was because of his new job. We talked for a long
time and then he said ," You know, I think you'd really like them. I know
they'd like you. Maybe you can stop by the office some time and meet them."
" Oh!" I was taken off guard," I really don't think so." He looked
disappointed, but he didn't press the point. I was really late getting home
that night, and my father began to beat the crap out of me again. This time,
it was different. I managed to get over to the drawer where the gun he kept
was. With trembling fingers, I pulled the trigger. I shot him right between
the eyes. We lived in an apartment and when I fired, my sweet next door
neighbor came running. I was in shock. She called an ambulance and the
police. I was taken into jail and they questioned me repeatedly. It took them
almost all morning, but they finally believed me when I showed them my scars
and black eye.
" I'm telling you," I had insisted," I didn't do anything. He was about
to hurt me again, so it was in self defense!"
The next day, I cleaned out my father's things. I set them on fire. Then
I put on my black jeans, my black t- shirt and my black sweater. I threw on
my jacket and headed downstairs. I got into my father's car and drove down to
Seth's office. I walked upstairs with my arms across my chest and my hair
down. I had on my glasses and my black toque. I went up to the secretary,
Abbey, and asked her if she could get Seth for me. She did, but first she
asked me who I was.
" My name is Katie Wilde." I said softly. She looked at me hard and she
could tell I was upset.
" What's wrong?" she asked. I got mad and then I lost my temper.(Hey
after 19 years of being meek I couldn't hold it in anymore.)
" You want to know what's wrong? Here!" I yelled and then yanked off my
glasses.
" And, as if it were any of your business, I just killed my father, now
you either get my friend or tell me to leave."
She got Seth. He came running and then when he saw my outfit, he asked
what had happened.
" I killed my dad." I repeated. I told him the whole story, from
beginning to end, during lunch.
" And now I need to get a better job or else I'll starve to death on the
streets." I concluded. My father had left me nothing. Seth thought it over
and then he said," Even though Abbey thinks you are crazy, I just might be
able to get you a job as her assistant, she could use one."
"Thank you, you are way too nice to me you know." he shrugged and brushed
away my praise.
That night I went to church. I went there every Friday, when nobody was
there, and prayed for my mother and Seth and sometimes for myself. This time
I asked God for forgiveness. When I got up to leave, I also thanked Him for
sending me Seth, for I thought he was a saint for helping me out. I walked
home and then watched TV for a little bit, but my mind wasn't really into it.
I was still getting used to the idea that my dad was dead and I wouldn't have
to worry about him beating me anymore. I didn't hear from him the next day,
so I went to work like regular. I sang this time and you can imagine my
surprise when Seth came in with a few of his friends from his work. I nearly
froze up, but he motioned to me that I was to keep going.
His friends were really hot. I mean, wow. One of them was really tall. He
had shaved his head and he was wearing a strange suit. He had brown eyes and
a blunt nose. He had full lips and and he was laughing and talking to Seth.
There was a shorter one next to him. He was also hot, but in an odd sort of
way. He had had his hair spiked. It was brown and he had blue eyes. He seemed
to be full of fire and he could barely contain himself as he stepped into the
bar. They seemed to be in charge and the others just seemed to follow them.
I thanked God that it was the end of my shift and I could get out of
there before he could ask me over. I finished my set and pulled one of my
other friends over, she worked there to, her name was Nicole.
" Nicole! You've just gotta help me." I exclaimed. She looked mildly
worried.
" What's up?" she asked while setting down a glass on table nine.
" Give me the extra key to the back door! I have to get out of here...
NOW!" I said urgently. She looked uncertain, but she reached into her pocket
and handed me the key, saying that if she didn't get it abck the next day,
she would ring my neck. I smiled thanked her, but before I could leave, a man
named David, who was drunk at the time, grabbed my arm and pulled me down
onto his lap. I tried to get up, but he was too strong.
" Loved your singing tonight. Do you do private shows?" I made a face and
snapped," Not for you." Nicole looked absolutely terrified. David had the
reputation of being somewhat rowdy and overbering. He got what he wanted even
if it meant murder, which we were all sure he had done at least once.
" Let me go." I demanded. He shook his head and said," Aww, now you don't
really want me to do that. Do you?" I nodded," Yes I do. I demand that you
let me go right this minute, or I'll..." I trailed off. I didn't know how to
finish it and he knew it. He grinned, showing me his front chipped tooth. His
breath reeked of beer, making me grimace. I didn't know what to do...