Seven - When it began; Part One

A Chapter by Arsenic Nemesis

So, Andrea begins her explanation of what is going on in the city of Miripson...

Three years ago...

She gasped as her spine was crushed against the side of the table, sending electric shocks throughout her body as she collapsed onto the floor in a heap. Gritting her teeth, she went to push herself up on her palms, when the shadows of her tormentors fell over her. She grimaced, hands turning into heavy fists as she remained frozen on the solid ground.

A disgusted snort filled the air, followed by the clatter of an object as it was discarded before her. She flinched at the sight of it and moved to retrieve it, when one of them spoke up. “What the f**k are you doing, freak? Who the hell brings things like that to school!?”

“What is your problem, eh?” another tormentor chimed, her voice incredibly high pitched and annoying.

The girl growled and whipped her head around to the group about her; a trio, in fact. They were all girls, dressed in short, grey skirts and burgundy blazers. Each of them had their hair in perfect curls and lengths. Makeup adorned their faces and expensive jewels hung from their necks �" each of them having a different gem.

Emerald had long, white-blonde locks spiralling down her back. She was quite chubby and was dotted with freckles. Next to her stood Ruby, with chocolate brown hair curled and pinned up to one side of her head. She had a long face and a pointy nose, her body being incredibly lean. Finally, standing before the pair was their ring leader; Topaz. Her golden hair was cut into a clean bob that curled up at her cheeks. She was tall and very slender, appealing to most whom laid their eyes on her; regardless of their gender.

The girls’ victim bit her lip and glanced to the side. There on the floor was a doll. Her skin was completely flawless, hair silken and clothes extravagant; she was wonderful. Emerald leant forward, a smug look on her face. “Seriously, how old are you?” she spat in her whiny voice.

Rudy laughed deeply and joined in. “Yeah, f*****g weirdo, you five or something?”

Topaz scoffed as the girl on the floor reached helplessly for the doll. Honestly, what was wrong with her!? Her skin looked grey - it was disgusting. Long, straggly tresses of black hair fell over her shoulders and often covered her face. Did she not realise she was such a freak? Well, if she didn’t know, then it was up to Topaz and her friends to teach her so.

Just as the girl’s fingers brushed against the doll, Topaz stepped forward, lifting her heel up in the air. “You’re such a friggin’ creep! Who the hell brings dolls like this into school!?” she shrieked and brought her foot down. Their victim’s jaw dropped and eyes widened as her precious doll’s head shattered, fragments of flawless skin and glossy eyes flying everywhere as her hollowed mind was crushed. Emerald and Ruby burst out into a fit of laughter at the sight of their prey, trying desperately to gather the pieces up and reassemble them. Meanwhile, Topaz stared at her with a vacant gaze. Tears rolled down the small girl’s face as she tried to fix her broken doll, panicked breaths escaping her lips as her chest heaved and shoulders bounced.

Sniffing, Topaz glanced around the classroom and then stormed out. “Come on,” she called to her snickering friends, “Let’s go”

Emerald giggled and skipped after her friend merrily, Ruby went to follow them, when she stopped and smirked snidely at the girl. “Later, Andrea”

At that moment, something snapped in their victim. Bolting to her feet, Andrea screamed furiously at them, hands clenched into tight fists. Blood seeped from between her fingers as she still clutched onto broken shards. “KILL ME!”

She was sick of this. It was constant. The name calling. The rock throwing. The hits and kicks. The countless amounts of times they locked her in the cupboard and did fake exorcisms on her. And now they broke something dear to her �" something given to her by a special person. If they wished to torment her so, if they hated her that much nothing should stop them now; especially with such an invitation.

The trio stopped and started at her, wide-eyed. Clearly, they had not expected such an outburst, but she did not care. She would much rather them end her there and then than put up with their crap much longer. “DO IT” she screeched, now pleading, “KILL ME!”

The entire walk home was spent with her clutching the shattered doll to her chest, dry tears staining her cheeks as ebony drapes curtained her face. It was considerably longer than normal, and any comments thrown at her went by unheard. She just wanted some peace! Was that just too much to ask!? Evidently, it was... For in the end, the gem trio gave her funny looks and abandoned her in the classroom; ignoring her wish.

Andrea slipped out of her boots and stalked towards the scarlet carpeted stairs, when she was stopped by her father bounding down the hallway to meet her. He offered her some food, a drink, a decent conversation, but she declined and retreated to the abyss that was her bedroom; but not before she dumped the broken fragments on the doll in the bin, taking the body up with her.

Her bed was in the middle of the room and surrounded by various pieces of junk she hadn’t bothered to clean up. She didn’t even turn the light on as she trudged over to her bed and switched her scratch coated, faulty laptop on �" her doll sitting beside her.

Normally, she’d only use her laptop to complete homework assignments given to her by her teachers, but over the past month she began to use the internet. Never before had she realised there were so many people in similar or even worse situations than she, and it was nice that she could talk and relate to them. If only there were a place, a place without rules where everyone could just talk and be civil with one another �" where those who need support get it and those who just need a friend find one. A sanctuary. A social network. An online assembly.

I feel bound.

I can’t escape this anymore; it’s like they have chains on me!

There isn’t any way to escape this imprisonment, is there?

Andrea filed through messages that stuck to her memory and typed. She could do it! She could create a place where anyone can come along and just talk, meet others and find what they are looking for. They would be linked together; and their bond shall be pure iron. With a smirk, she slapped her fingers against the keys and titled her site; ‘Iron Links’

For a while she did not hear a word from a single person on the website; that is, until one day a boy signed up. He suffered from similar problems involving bullies at school, but his home life was an upset also and he found sanctuary in talking with Andrea on Links. After that, he invited his friends to join, and they invited theirs and then the word was spread. Iron Links was the place to be. Anyone could join. There was no age limit or any restrictions at all; pure freedom online. Of course, Andrea drew the line at certain things, she was naive but certainly not plain stupid �" then again, she might just have been.

People got along swimmingly, and anything disrupting that arose was taken care of by Andrea personally �" or other members of her online formatted ‘team’. This involved many people going behind several names; Server, Manager, Firewall, Supervisors... The list was endless and came from all around the world.

It was pure and utter bliss! Andrea even found herself settling in at last at school, and she could concentrate on her work more.

But, that was when her father left them for good.

“G-Gone?” Andrea pressed, brows knitting in confusion. Neither she nor her mother could figure out any of the hows or whys; he just got up and left for no apparent reason. Her mother merely lifted her head from her hands and looked at her daughter �" she was the spitting image of her. After a brief pause, the woman’s lips twitched as though she were going to say something, when she shook her head and cried into her hands once again.

Silently, Andrea made her way to her room and went to her laptop. It seemed to be the only place of escape now. A familiar face popped up on the screen, using the Links Chat.

R.O: Evenin’!

How’re you? :)

Andrea was hesitant, before her fingers reached the keys and she typed her reply.

Andrea: Hi... not so great, actually.

I need someone to talk to

Can it be you? If you don’t mind or anything...

She pulled back and never realised she had started to cry until salty orbs collided with her dark keyboard. Sniffling, she rubbed at her eyes furiously. Why? When everything was going so well something so... odd and disastrous had to happen.

R.O: Sure, no problem!

So...

What’s up?

Andrea bit her lip as she typed furiously on her laptop. She didn’t know what it was she was feeling it was pure blind rage; it was everything boiled up into one again �" just like at school. Nothing made sense! Her father loved and adored both Andrea and her mother, and there was no need for him to leave. Was he doing it for a better, richer life? Was she too much of an abnormal child to him? Or was it just because he could!?

She did not care for herself, but her dear mother she was concerned for. The two of them were so happy together; it just made no sense at all!

Andrea: WHY!?

WHY WOULD HE DO THIS TO HER!?

R.O: ...

Well, have you ever considered...

That he had no choice but to leave?

Andrea’s lips parted and her hazel eyes darted in their sockets, rereading the message over and over. Then, she hit the keys.

Andrea: What do you mean?

R.O: What I mean is...

What if someone had told him he had no choice but to leave? Like they’d kill you and your mam

if he didn’t.

The girl gasped as realisation struck her, and she made a speedy reply.

Andrea: You mean he was kidnapped!?

R.O: Who knows? I mean, I know how close you are to your family, there’s no need for him to

leave so suddenly, not without a valid reason, anyway...

Andrea: ...

A part of me wants you to be right. I don’t want it to be that he just left.

But, another part of me doesn’t; I don’t want anything bad to happen to him...

R.O: Serves you right.

Andrea: ...!?

R.O: Before, you were being really inconsiderate for someone you’re supposed to love

It makes me a bit sick, actually.

Don’t take this wrong...

At this, Andrea was fuming. She growled as she typed back to him. How could he actually say something so awful?

Andrea: Don’t take it wrong!? I get what you’re saying and, yeah, I can agree, but there was no need

R.O: Sorry...

I thought Iron Links was about being honest and trying to help people; not a boat for sympathy

Suppose I was wrong, eh? J

Andrea: Don’t... Please, I’m sorry.

That just hurt is all

--- R.O. has left the chatroom ---

--- R.O. is offline ---

Andrea let out a sigh and fell backwards onto her bed. Today was obviously a bad day, wasn’t it? Nothing can be done about them except riding them out and waiting for tomorrow to arrive.

From downstairs, she could hear her mother still whimpering to herself. Closing her laptop and setting it aside, Andrea rolled over in her bed, eyes fixed on the door. She just wished there was something she could say or do, but nothing sprang to mind �" and she certainly didn’t want to worry her with her friend’s kidnapping theory; she was too worried about it herself. Eventually, and without realising, the girl had drifted off into a deep sleep.

Her dreams were wonderful, colourful images on an oil painting of memories with her father; hide and seek, picnics, swings and movies. All joyful and unforgettable.

But, far too soon, she stirred from sleep and sat up in bed, eyes slowly taking in her surroundings. Never had she had a full night’s sleep; she would always wake up at some point, wide-awake. She groaned and swung her legs around, dangling over the edge of her bed, when she found her laptop sitting on her bedside table. With a shrug, she decided to retrieve it and check her emails before trying to find slumber again �" praying already for dreams as delightful as the previous one.

Logging-in to her Iron Links account, she found herself dumped on her homepage, where the miniature image of an envelope indicated that she had a message. Curious, she clicked on it and opened the solo inbox. Upon noticing the name of the sender, she felt her heart race; R.O

She hoped that he would apologise for real first, and then she would for making it seem that the world revolved around her. Well, she did admit it wasn’t fair, but neither was his sudden outburst; things like that you either say politely at least or keep to yourself. It was almost as though he wanted to lose a friend.

After some time, the page finally loaded and then, bit-by-bit, an image appeared on screen. Andrea felt her jaw drop suddenly. There, on the picture was a boy. He was sprawled face down on the ground, cheek pressed into the gravel and lips parted as dark crimson oozed into the vast puddle below. His brown hair was matted and clothes stained. But, that was not the worst of it. His skull had been completely crushed; his red painted brain smashed into a pile of useless goo, and bone was bent and broken. Some white fragments were scattered around him and all-in-all, it was unfixable. Below the image was a comment that the user put in.

“Doesn’t this ‘R.O’ mother-f****r look hilarious in this photo? Ha-ha-ha!”

“And that,” Andrea began, glancing at Ithel as they sat on a garden wall. The two of them had been there for a good while now, with Ithel listening anxiously to the girl’s story before they would make their way to his house. “Was when the fight began”

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© 2011 Arsenic Nemesis

Author's Note

Man this was such a bitch to write... Seriously! Only briefly checked this one through, so yeah. I was listening to a good bit o' Breaking Benjamin (<3) whilst writing this, as well as The Servant (also <3) enjoy!~