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“I’m forty-four and I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.” That was my little joke, but neither of them laughed.
“Mark, are you interested in me romantically?” Two red marks appeared on Mark’s pale cheeks. “Whoa,” said Sue, “should I leave you two alone?”
Lmao
“Don’t worry,” she screeched, “I’m going to move out of this village anyway. I’m not staying with all of you freaks. I’m sick of this place. I’ll go back to Knocktoom.
Bye felicia
I tried to feel sad about Uncle Donald. It didn’t work. But I did feel sad for Aunt Christine.
Afterward, at home, I expressed my admiration for the mother and daughters. Dad looked at me strangely and then said that it was time to move on,
There were certain subjects that were off-limits to Dad, and that was how he expressed it. He shut his eyes to shut down the subject.
Why are you so interested in me?” “Well, it’s sort of complicated, but I would like to be your friend, to look out for you.
She has two children, so she probably likes sex.” He laughed.
Omgiod Sally LOL
“I’m angry about my birth father. The police have found no trace of him in New Zealand. Nobody knows where he is now.” There was a pause. “May I come to your house?” he asked. “Why?” “It’s easier to talk face-to-face, especially about him.”
This got to be her brother.
“Do you want to come in and watch television? You can’t touch me.” “No, you freaking weirdo. Why would I want to touch you?”
Lmao
“Soundproofing,” he said. “They’ll want their privacy. I’m going to look for a lodger, a young person who can work from home and keep you company.” I was delighted at the idea, but then disappointed when, months later, this young man had failed to materialize. “It’s hard to find just the right person,” Dad said, “but don’t worry, I’ll keep looking.”
He about to kidnap someone else?! Omg he has to be.... That "dead end" about the kiwi who lived near an abducted girl
“Stop looking at me, you freak,” he said. “Are you a queer?”
The trip to the lake was a mistake. The whole friendship was a mistake, and everything was my fault, but setting off that day, I felt happier than I ever had in my life.
He had not only bruises on his arm but lots of small circular scars on his chest. I couldn’t help pointing to them. “What happened there?” “My mum’s a bitch,” he said. “That’s why I can’t swim. Couldn’t take my top off in school without getting questions asked. Ciggy burns.”
“That don’t sound right to me,” he said, when I told him what had happened when I’d stayed with my mother for the weekend. “Keeping your mum locked up like a dog.” I shrugged. “But she was mad.” “Don’t sound right to me,” he repeated, and I felt uncomfortable. I regretted telling him anything. “Auntie Georgia says men should respect women. She says my mum wouldn’t have turned so bad if she’d been respected by her dad and her brothers.”
Glad auntie raising the boy right!
It would have been so easy to lead him, grab his arm, but touching him would have meant my death, my agonizing putrefaction, and I was too afraid. There was nobody around to help. He thrashed about, gulping more water instead of the air he couldn’t reach. I surfaced and dived, surfaced and dived, screaming at the top of my lungs for help, while his lungs filled with water. I watched my friend drown.
omg if he only knew that disease is a lie. He could have saved his only friend.
“I’m sure Sally is grateful to have a friend here. So, how did you two meet?” “He pulled over in his car and tried to get me into it.” “What?”
Lol
“Sally, he asked me a lot of questions about you, about when you were young, about what Jean had said about your time in captivity. It was uncomfortable and, I have to say, inappropriate at my husband’s funeral.”
“Stop crying like a girl. We are going to do absolutely nothing. Do you hear me? Do you want to be accused of drowning your ‘friend’?” He said the word sarcastically.
“Dad, my friend died. My only friend. Ever.” He put his hand out and clasped mine. “I know it’s tough right now, but you have me. You’ll always have me.”
“Those are the things I believe. He was a bad influence on you. Good riddance.
This man is a POS
I could hear her wailing aloud into the night from my bedroom, and I wanted to console her, to confess and explain that it was an accident, that it was my life or his and that I had to choose mine, and that he had been my best friend.
I had recently found that hugging or holding the hands of friends was somewhat comforting.
What did Sue mean about it being a “treat”? How was it a treat if I didn’t want it and was never asked about it? Did she think my hair was awful? Were my eyebrows the wrong color? I liked them.
There were no misunderstandings when people thought I couldn’t hear them.
“It’s such a shame that you’re asexual.” “No, it’s not. I’ve seen sex scenes on television. The moaning and screaming is off-putting.
ROFL
Dad didn’t seem that interested in going into the forest or exploring the wildlife. Like me, he was looking at the people. Eventually, we walked off toward a forest trail. A small, slim blond girl was climbing a tree.
Uh oh he def is planning to kidnap again
What age are you?” I asked. “Fourteen.” “Are you really?” asked Dad, and I saw a shadow cross his face. “I thought you were younger.”
Say Conor, I hear you like 'em young
I liked my face. I liked the faint crinkly lines that came from the corners of my eyes when I smiled at myself. I was beautiful.
aww, I'm glad she loves the way she looks and is comfortable in her own skin.
Aunt Christine was surprised to see me surrounded by so many people. “But where did they all come from?” she asked. “They’re my friends,” I announced. “Oh, darling, that’s wonderful. I’m so proud of you.”
Your dad is a rapist shit. He’s been raping me twice a week since I arrived here. And if I resist, he punishes me.” She pulled up her sleeves so that I could see bruises on her wrists.
“I was thinking about my mother and how you raped her.” I choked on the words. His knife clattered onto the table.
“Dad, you have to leave her alone. You’re a pedophile and that’s the truth.” “And what do you get up to with her every evening, ha? Talking, reading?” “Yes! What are you suggesting? You know I can’t touch her.” The high color drained from his face. He gripped the table with both hands. He shook his head as if he had water in his ears.
“Didn’t I ever ask about my mother? My real mother?” “No, Tom was determined that you would forget she existed.” “It worked.”
It was a birthday card. Fluffy kittens on the front, something appropriate for a child. It’s your real birthday, Mary. 45 today, 17th September. Not sure if this will arrive on the right day, but I think it’s important that you should know.
Why doesn't he just tell her and stop being creepy af?
He knew I had nobody and nowhere else, and that my disease would stop me reaching out, in any way.
I told her that Dad had implied that I’d been having sex with her too, which made no sense because of the disease. She was silent for a while, and then she said, “This disease you have, necrotic whatever, it’s very convenient, isn’t it?” “What do you mean? It’s not convenient to me. I have no bloody life.” “He has lied to you about everything else, everything….”
If I didn’t have necrotic hominoid contagion, then I could have saved him easily. If I didn’t have necrotic hominoid contagion, I was responsible for his death.
I’m not proud of what I am. I know it’s a sickness, this attraction to young girls, but it’s a disease I have no control over. Like your disease. We are what we are and—” “You have control,” I interrupted him. I wasn’t prepared to let him paint himself as the victim. “You chose to take my mother out of her garden when she was a child, you chose to kidnap Lindy from the lake, and worse than that, you pretended that you were doing it for me.”
Oh please Conor! You ain't getting any sympathy.
“Mark Butler is a troubled man. He changed his surname by deed poll before they got married, for a good reason.” “What was his original name?” “Mark Norton.” “But that’s my name, or rather, it was my birth mother’s name.” “Sally, he’s your uncle.”
Ohhh okay I didn't see this one coming. So she has more secret family members than just a brother.
Elaine said he refused to have children because he was terrified that history could repeat itself, that his child could be abducted and treated like Denise. That’s what eventually ended their marriage after fourteen years. His obsession. There was no affair that she knew of.”
I immediately checked my face in the rearview mirror, expecting to see molten skin. I could feel it burning, but in the mirror everything looked normal. I sat in the car for thirty minutes in a state of terror and panic, but gradually realized that the burning sensation was what my mind had told me to expect.
“He was a half-breed and a bad influence. He had you drinking beer at your—” “He was smart and kind. He was my friend!” I couldn’t help shouting.
Yes stand up to him!!
It would have been easy for me to release him from the seat belt. I’m sure there would have been time. I could have pulled him out. But instead, I scrambled up the incline with my elbows, dragging my useless foot, grunting with pain. Dad was screaming again, begging, “Don’t leave me here! Peter! Please!” and then in fury, “I am your father. Get me out!” I heard the flames taking hold as I edged my way up the embankment. I heard my father’s roars. I didn’t look back.
He deserved much worst, but knowing he burned alive with the knowledge he had lost the proverbial chokehold on son was very satisfying .
she’d never have to face my dad again. He was the reason she wanted to leave. It was just going to be the two of us. She would be happy to stay with me.
Is he serious RN?! This poor kid is screwed in the head and he's about to turn into his sicko father.
I recalled overhearing a row once and my mother shouting at my father, “She’s not your case study, she’s our daughter.”
now you’re an adult, you’re not locked in a room. You can use different powers. You can use your voice and you can walk away. Two of the most important tools you have.
“I hate that film. The sun rarely comes out tomorrow, not in Carricksheedy. Not in winter anyway.” Sue laughed. “What are you laughing at?” “I don’t think musical lyrics should be taken so seriously.”
LOL
