Imaginary ~ Short Story

[Guest Ginger-kit22]

I got bored ;w; This story isn't too pleasant. Nothing goes too far into detail, but I feel it necessary to put a TW just in case.

TW: abuse, suicide (alluded to)

 

I'd appriciate any comments, opinions, feedback I could get. I just wrote it up a little bit ago, nothing major.

 

Kit's back story isn't nice at all. This is based on one morning shortly after Kit's gotten to the Tavern as a small child (She's about 9 years old).

 

I liked the song 'Imaginary' by Evanescence. Idk, thought I'd give this a go. Sorry, I can erase this all if it's too dark. Placed in Spoiler tags to avoid anyone accidentally coming across this if the TW effect them.
 

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I linger in the doorway; Of alarm clock screaming; Monsters calling my name; Let me stay; Where the wind will whisper to me; Where the raindrops, as they’re falling, tell a story
 
Kit paused in the doorway, her small hands gripping the door frame to her bedroom tightly. She could hear the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs, heavy and quick. She ducked back into her room as Storm topped the staircase, his glowing silver eyes set on her. He was mad.
 
She was tugging at the window latch, her heart pounding in her chest. She’d been at the Tavern for a week now and still refused to do as told. She was getting used to the morning beatings, as sad as it was. The rain was pouring outside, beating against the window with large, fat drops. The wind did the last bit of work as the latch gave way, tossing the window open. Kit was immediately soaked, slipping back as she avoided being hit by the window. She scrambled back up onto the small nook at the window, eyeing the soaked ground two stories below. Just a few more steps and she’d be free.
 
In my field of paper flowers; And candy clouds of lullaby (flowers); I lie inside myself for hours; And watch my purple sky fly over me (flowers)
 
Storm lunged forward, a half phased hand clawing at her neck as he threw her back from the window.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” He growled. Kit stared up but didn’t really see him, didn’t see his eyes begin to glow more brightly. She didn’t see his other hand phase as the claws slid out. She was staring past him to the wind and rain outside, to the small glimpse of sunlight through the storm clouds ahead breaking through leaves.
 
She didn’t really feel the pain as he picked her up and tossed her against the wall. The audible crack as he rebroke her rib that still hadn’t healed, probably would never heal. A small smile came over her face, the sunlight becoming more visible. Maybe tomorrow? She’d just have to get up a little bit earlier. She’d be free. Crippled, maybe dead, but still free. What use was a crippled, useless, unnamed Cat-shifter to a wolf pack then?
 
Don’t say I’m out of touch; With this rampant chaos - your reality; I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge; The nightmare I built my own world to escape
 
Kit pushed herself up on a shaking hand, trying to sit in the corner she’d ended up in. New bruises would form in a few hours; the pain would become real soon. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the wind and rain outside though. Storm was still there, yelling at her, his silver eyes blazing. He didn’t realize she wasn’t there. Physically maybe, but mentally she was all but absent.
 
The old woman who’d patched her up a week prior ran into the room, shouting at Storm to leave. A silent conversation passed between the two and he glanced back at Kit. She was staring peacefully towards the window, a faint smile still on her face. He looked away, an expression of disgust on his face before he stomped out of the room.
 
The old woman kneeled next to Kit, gently turning her face towards her.
“Child, are you alright?”
 
Kit didn’t respond, still staring straight through. With a sigh the old woman picked Kit up and laid her on the poor excuse of a bed she had in the room. She slowly lifted the bottom of Kit’s shirt up, grimacing. The black and blue bruise seemed to have gotten worse; Storm had definitely done more damage to her ribs. She checked the cuts at Kit’s neck from Storm’s claws, relieved they’d stopped bleeding. They weren’t too deep.
 
“You need to start doing as told, child. This will only get worse.”
 
Kit paid her no attention.
 
The old woman looked closely, noting the almost blank expression Kit wore, “You aren’t here… are you?”
 
Again, no response. She shook her head, “If that’s what you must do to get through this.”
 
In my field of paper flowers; And candy clouds of lullaby (flowers); I lie inside myself for hours; And watch my purple sky fly over me (flowers)
 
“Kit, why don’t you go pick some flowers? Your mother will be home soon.”
 
Kit stared up at her father, pausing momentarily as she played with a small wooden toy she’d been given.
 
“Okay,” she agreed with a grin, “Purple flowers today!” She declared as she placed the small toy in the pocket of her dress. Her father smiled warmly down at her as he opened the back door of their small cottage. Kit ran into the field, looking around for the small patch of purple flowers that typically grew close by.
 
Don’t say I’m out of touch; With this rampant chaos - your reality; I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge; The nightmare I built my own world to escape
 
Storm clouds began to move in along the back of the small pasture, the wind beginning to pick up. Kit tilted her head, looking at the field. The clouds were opposite of the sun, causing an almost eerie setting. She could see the wall of rain begin to fall. Her search turned hectic as she tried to find at least a handful of purple flowers. Momma would like those, wouldn’t she?
“Kit!”
 
She looked up at her mother standing at the back door to the cottage. A worried expression was easy to see on her face.
“I’m getting flowers, Momma!” Kit shouted back, turning her eyes back to the field.
 
“Hurry, come inside!”
 
Kit ignored her mother, still searching. Out of nowhere, an ear splitting howl tore through her and she huddled down, putting her hands over her ears. She cracked her eyes open, face to face with a large black wolf with a solitary silver streak in front of his right ear. His eyes shone brightly as he pulled his lips back in a snarl.
 
“M-M-Momma!”
 
Swallowed up in the sound of my screaming; Cannot cease for the fear of silent nights; Oh, how I long for the deep sleep dreaming; The goddess of imaginary light
 
Hands held Kit down, heavy. She struggled against them, still screaming for her Mother.
 
“Shut her up!” Storm snarled, “We’re losing business!”
 
“But she’s already hurt and—“ Cal began.
 
“Do as told, pup!” Storm snapped.
 
Cal gritted his teeth but placed a hand over Kit’s mouth, muffling her screams. Half the time she was yelling for her mother, the rest of the time, she was just screaming. Cal wished he could mute her. The thought crossed his mind as he glanced at her throat but he shook his head, hating that he’d began to think as his Alpha would.
 
Kit slowly began to relax, though Cal hardly thought that’s what he’d call it. She was almost asleep, but her breathing was still quick and she’d begun to sweat profusely. Cal looked towards the door, considering calling the old lady back up to check on her.
 
In my field of paper flowers; And candy clouds of lullaby (flowers); I lie inside myself for hours; And watch my purple sky fly over me (flowers)
 
“Momma, please! I don’t want to leave!”
 
Kit clung to her mother, staring up with tears in her eyes. The same expression was reflected in her mother’s face, though her father was pulling Kit off and away, pushing her back towards the three wolves that had shown up.
 
Surprise shown in Kit’s father’s face as she went to slap his hand away and he jerked back, four bloody cuts on the top of his hand. Kit looked between his hand and her own, looking at the sharp claws that protruded from her finger tips. Her mother turned away, rushing from the main room and back to the bedroom. Kit looked at her father, opening her mouth to speak but stopped, confused by the expression of rage on his face.
 
He slapped her, “Get her out of my sight! I don’t want to see her again!” He cradled his still bleeding hand against his chest, glaring down at Kit as she blinked hastily. She turned around to face the wolves, a low growl coming from her chest.
 
“I’m… I’m not going with you!”
 
The smaller boy was nudged forward and he looked at the black haired man, who nodded to him. He lunged for Kit and she felt a split second of pain before she hissed, her back arching. A small ginger kitten was standing in Kit’s place, ears flat against her head as she glared at the small wolf pup. He looked back at his Alpha, unsure of what to do.
 
“Well, get her!”
 
The boy hesitated and with a sigh of frustration, the Alpha stepped forward. He was quicker than the boy and snatched Kit up by the fur at the back of her neck. She couldn’t move much, much less fight back.
 
“This is how you handle it!” the Alpha snapped and Kit saw him raise his hand before everything went black.
 
Don’t say I’m out of touch; With this rampant chaos - your reality; I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge; The nightmare I built my own world to escape
 
Kit opened her eyes, wincing with a small cry of pain.
 
“You really did it this morning you stupid child.”
 
Kit looked over to the window, seeing the back of the old woman against the night sky. She turned around and walked over to the bed. She pulled Kit’s shirt up and Kit began to open her mouth to scream but the old woman placed a single finger over her open mouth.
 
“You scream and I can’t guarantee you’ll make it through the night.” She said, handing Kit a rolled up piece of cloth. “Bite this if you feel you need to scream.”
 
Kit felt hot tears roll down her face as the old woman pressed against her side. “He broke another rib… you can’t keep on like this child. You’ll be killed before the next full Moon at this point.”
 
She pulled the cloth from her mouth, looking away, “Maybe that would be better…”
 
“You’re hardly old enough to be thinking that way,” The old woman snapped, “You’ll get out of here one day. You just need to live through this in the mean time.”
 
She pulled Kit’s shirt back down and then gentle rolled Kit onto her side, pulling the shirt back up, “Your back is healing up, but you need to take it easy. Do as you’re told tomorrow. It won’t be quite as bad as you think.”
 
Kit tried to snort but found that caused her pain and instead slowly rolled back over. “Do I have a choice?”
 
The old woman raised an eyebrow, “You always have a choice. One will cause you pain though.”
 
Kit closed her eyes and didn’t respond. The old woman waited a few minutes before turning to leave, pausing before she shut the door. “Sleep well child.”

 

 

Edited June 21, 2016 by Ginger-kit22

[Guest Zips]

I didn't actually read this story, but I am SO SO SO glad you put the trigger warnings in the tags. All I can say is thank you so fucking much! A lot of people don't even consider triggers when publishing work online. I was about to read it, but I really do avoid media about those topics. 

 

More people should be aware of this, and put trigger warnings in the tags of their work. I'm really grateful that you had the consideration to do it.

[Guest Ginger-kit22]

I didn't actually read this story, but I am SO SO SO glad you put the trigger warnings in the tags. All I can say is thank you so fucking much! A lot of people don't even consider triggers when publishing work online. I was about to read it, but I really do avoid media about those topics.

 

More people should be aware of this, and put trigger warnings in the tags of their work. I'm really grateful that you had the consideration to do it.

I wouldn't want someone to read this and freak out unnecessarily because I'd forgotten the tags on here. I steer clear of certain trigger warnings myself so I try to keep them in mind if I post a story here. It isn't serious in this story but it's enough I was worried about other people on the forum ^^'