Raine Aksenov
New York City: Town of Sherrill
13 years ago...
"Are you excited, Raine?" my mother's voice was my only lullaby, "You're going to meet new friends!"
We were walking along the road. I saw a few children, along with their parents crossing the road. My eyes looked around and all of them have their father with them. Lifting my head to look at my Mother, her hair was neatly tied in a bun, and on top was her beret. She always wears sunglasses whenever we go out, she never removes them in broad daylight
"Mom... Why is Father not with us?" I asked, she looked down and looked up ahead again, "All of the other students have theirs with them..."
Again, she did not answer. I wasn't expecting my father in the day because I only see him at night where he would teach me about do's and don'ts in the school, he would play with me but sometimes, I'm not allowed to talk to him because he has work to do.
"Remember what I told you Raine?" she asked as the sight of our destination is already nearing.
"Yes! If someone asks me if who are my parents, I'll simply tell them that I am an orphan!" I recited with my hand performing a salute position against my forehead, "When I'm in school, I won't call mom and dad. I would always call them Mademoiselle and Monsieur!"
My whole life revolves around the rules which is fine by me. As long as they love me and I see them by my side.
"Bravo, Raine!" my mother cheered before pinching my cheeks playfully, "Just act like those actresses on television..."
My life as a performer started at a very young age. The act of my life started too soon that I found myself playing different roles in different places.
Looking over to the front, my eyes immediately zoomed when I saw a familiar man standing over them in front of the gate. The gate was painted with numbers and letters like colorful murals.
"Dad!" I exclaimed when I saw my father on the front porch of a building.
All of the kids were running towards that house. We rejoiced when we saw the playground sandwiched between the main building and a creepy-looking shed. I did not bother waiting for my mom to catch up as I bolted to hug my father's leg.
Even though I was a chubby 5-year-old, my activeness and resilience can surpass any kid.
"Dad! I already missed you!" I greeted him.
He was happily conversing with a red-headed woman and a red-headed kid, his genuine smile brightened up my day. Besides his dark hair, I also inherited his smile. I expected that he'll be thrilled to see me in daylight for the first time but when he saw me—
That smile that I loved—
Dropped.
He laughed nervously and let my mother yanked me off his leg, "I'm sorry, mister..." my mother apologized and bowed a little. She made me bow as well but I didn't understand why we are in the wrong.
"Uncle! This fat kid called you dad!" the boy with red hair pointed at me.
The woman beside him whom I assumed was his mother, giggled before ruffling his wavy hair, "Good observation, Relieder"
Scanning his face, I was amazed to witness little dots spread his cheeks. I came closer to him and held his face without permission. Clumsily, I squeezed his face together and complimented, "Amazing..."
He blushed and forcefully pushed me, resulting in me lying flat on my bottom. My pain endurance was high so I didn't cry instead, I held my hand out to him and asked, "Can we be friends?"
He was about to hold my hand and help me up but my father stole both of their attention and led them inside the facility.
"Come on, Raine... Get up..." my mother whispered as she heaved me up.
I could see the annoyance in my father's eyes when he looked back at me that day.
Why...?
xXx
6 years ago...
My hands were shaking and I kept looking around for any familiar faces. My head kept themselves down as I approached the front gate of a mansion-like estate. It was at the far dead end of the street so I looked up and saw a mop of wavy hair.
I smiled because I finally had the chance to see her again but it eventually dropped when I remembered that his husband banned us from seeing each other.
Her eyes widened when she saw me. She ran and hugged me. My arms engulfed its desire to hug back. Instead, I looked around to see if someone is currently witnessing this. My mother's husband was one feared businessman around here so it is at risk if someone just tells him this for an expected price.
"Mom, why did you call me here?" I asked and pushed her slightly away from me, "I'm not allowed to go here. What if Monsieur Dancel'maer saw us?"
She smiled before tucking my hair behind my ears and kissing my forehead, "Raine..."
Her smile affected my lips so I slowly curled my lips up and looked up to her gentle eyes. But there it was—
Bruises.
Bite marks.
Burns.
They were grouped and evidently fresh on her collar bone. Her pale skin tone helped highlight the red spots. She noticed that my eyes widened just by looking at her injuries.
"I'm alright, baby..." she whispered and pulled me into her arms, "We already settled, baby. My husband wanted to talk to you..."
My tears are starting to build in the corner of my eyes and the crowded feeling in my nose caused me to tear up so I had no choice to turn around and walk away from her.
I pulled my hoodie back over my head and prevented myself from looking back. My walking slowed when suddenly a black car approaching fast towards me. I moved to the side of the road and hid my face because I was certain that it was Mr. Dancel'maer's new car. To my shock, the car pulled beside me and my name was called out by the driver. I didn't comply and continued to stride the straight roadside to avoid the commotion.
"Raine, baby!" my mother called me and I felt her hands wrapped around me.
"He wants to talk to you, Raine..." she whimpered as I heard her voice crack.
Gritting my teeth, closing my eyes before taking a quick inhale and exhale, I turned to face him with a forced smile and said, "He has nothing to say to me but he needs to apologize to you."
She looked at me devastated and shook his head as I uttered the last words to her, "I have no part in your life—"
I stopped and bowed down as a sign of respect to her before standing straight again, "Good day and Goodbye! Miss Dancel'maer..."
I smiled at her one last time. Facing the other way, I covered my mouth so my whimpered cries of agony won't be heard but strangely it was the last thing I heard from my surrounding before my vision was enveloped by pure darkness.
"Raine!"
I can still hear my mother...
"You said you'll only talk to her— Raine!"
So this was a trap.
I'm so close to escaping it but my mother, without knowing it pushed me and herself right straight to the trap hole.
"Where the hell are you taking her?! Raine!"
I can't move. I just let them move me inside where they tossed me. All I remembered was I was laying on my side, my mom's sobbing noises, and the car's clogging up the engine.
"Raine!!!"
Madly, I wanted to comfort my mother but the sack which they covered my whole head with did not take much oxygen inside it so my breathing shallowed as I felt light and my chest heaved up and down, desperately savaging for oxygen.
"I'm sorry dear but you have to die..." Someone whispered in my ear, "You shouldn't even exist..."
It sounded like my father.
"Juvia was kind enough to let you breathe. It will end now, don't worry..."
I refused to believe it.
It's not him because he said he loves me.
"Raine?"
Mother. I already accepted my faith that day but she kept crying and struggling as I felt a cold metal near my forehead. The coldness passed through the thick knitting of the sack that I shivered at the first touch.
"Raine!"
The coldness of the metal was distanced from me. I prepared myself. This is the late abortion they failed to attempt.
"Raine!"
It's my mother's voice along with two ears ripping the sound of a bang.
xXx
2 years ago...
My voice can't hide the fear when Nightmare held me gently by the shoulder, blindfolded me, and lead me into a car.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked and looked up in the direction where I heard his voice from.
Nightmare sighed and whispered to me, "It's Massacre's orders... I'm sorry Raine..."
I was in my dorm a while ago when someone knocked on my door. I was calling for Racquel at that time because we have some project to do but for some reason, he wasn't in her dorm. Her phone is ringing but no one was answering.
I called Klavier but all he said was, "Girl... That bitch must be in the mall buying juicy Gucci- s"
I called Saccharide to come over, remembering that we're having dinner at his place. Excitement can't be held tonight because Saccharide finally asked me for a normal dinner at his house so I was hoping to get this project done but it seems Racquel has other business to do.
"Saccharide. Please answer the call," Anxiously, I quietly nipped my thumbnail while the constant waiting ring tone takes one ounce of my patience out of my body.
And I have a lot of patience.
He finally answered but all I could hear from his phone is weird creaking and bumping noises, "Hello Saccharide," Still, I tried to converse but the creaking and bumping noises didn't stop. Eventually, I ended the call and thought, 'His phone must be malfunctioning...'
The moment I dropped my phone, that's when a knock boomed throughout the corners of my house. And now, I am walking in a straight path with my eyes covered. Nightmare talked to me on the way there. For me, he was the most gentle and mildest of all Saccharide's members.
"Aksenov. Remind me again..." His soft usual voice attracted my attention. "Why did you love that monster?"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I mean, a girl like you can't take— let's put it this way, you're like a package that needs to be handled with care because you're fragile and you arrived on someone's door who has no delicacy in handling his things" he explained and covered his point but I gave him time to reflect on his statement before I spoke.
I whispered and looked in his direction, "So you're referring to me as a thing only, huh?"
"It's not like that... I mean, Saccharide is a very dangerous man and his Father is a hellspawn. You know that—"
It's obvious just by hearing his voice that he regretted asking me that so I stopped him from talking and finally answered his concern about my loyalty, "I love him. That's the answer you needed for all the questions"
He went silent.
Turning to him I smiled, stopped walking to bowed, "Thank you for worrying about me but I chose to love him because I love him..."
His heavy sigh told me that he was devastated because of my answer, "Alright... We're here," We stopped walking and I heard beeping before he pushed inside.
"I'm so sorry," Nightmare whispered that made me more nervous than I am now, "Once you feel like it, you can remove your blindfold"
Then another beeping noise entered my ears.
Once I set foot inside, I was scared to remove my blindfold so I waited for a few seconds before peeking into the place I was in. My heart blossomed when I saw a trail of Carnations leading up to the living room.
I followed it.
There are melodic noises in the background. Before I fully followed the petals leading to his bathroom, I checked the kitchen and it's evident that he took the time to cook for our dinner. There were unwashed utensils, baking trays, and a cast-iron skillet. The oven was open so the heat would pass away.
It was heavenly.
Excitedly, I got back to the living room and looked at the big flat screen to look at myself. I combed my hair with my fingers, my hand manually ironed the creases on my sweater and my sweat pants.
I was already imagining the sight that I will see inside his room. He must be pretty pissed because I made him wait for a few minutes. The table was completely set with our meal; the wine has its cork in it, preserving the fizzling taste of the wine.
When I opened the door slightly, the music became clearer. The background music: Crazy In Love was playing.
"Ahhhughh Saccharide!"
The creaking noises...
"Shut your mouth whore! Just work your ass and make me feel good!"
The bumping noises...
"Sach— Ahhhh! I'm close to my limit. You're rough, baby. Make it rougher... Mhmmm"
Saccharide's face was not pissed, he was clearly pleasured on moving on top of my best friend who was supposed to be making a project with me and the table was completely set with our meal. The air reeks of wine as they delved into each other's bodies.
Dark red.
That was the color of the bed.
And the bottle of the wine was lightly bouncing with their movement. My knees trembled so much that when I turned around to sprint out of there, I ended up bumping on someone then falling in their arms. My eyes stung but my tears won't fall, I looked up and saw that the person who caught me was Phoenix.
"Phoe- phoenix..." I stuttered and tried to push him away but he won't let me go.
"Watch..." He said without looking directly at him.
I looked down and reluctantly faced Saccharide and Racquel on the bed having their intimacy, "N- no I can't..."
"You have to. It's your next initiation, Aksenov." Phoenix moved a chair beside him and made him sit on it while fixating my head on the scene.
I watched.
I had to.
"Saccharide! I'm close..." Racquel muttered under her breath before Saccharide placed her legs over her shoulder to ram inside her at a much quicker pace.
"Saccharide! Give it to me please!" my best friend screamed as she hit her limit while Saccharide continued pleasuring himself using her body.
Racquel kept calling his name but Saccharide called somebody else.
"I'm close..." he muttered, his voice clearly filled with lust. Clearly, he was about to arrive at his limit and let his seeds spray on Racquel.
Saccharide with his last few thrusts, he kissed the exhausted girl and held her dearly as his sonic thrusting became slower and slower.
"I'm close—!"
I passed the initiation.
But what did it cost?
"Raine!"
My heart...