idontknowwhatimdoing

  CONTENT WARNING: Physical Abuse up ahead. Proceed with caution

  *BANG*

  *TING*

  Gunshots rang out in the outdoor shooting range of Westfield's Rifle and Pistol Club.

  "Phwwwwht" A tall man with brown hair and a rough face whistled after looking through a pair of binocurs hanging from his neck. He gnced sideways, at the prone figure next to him, admiring her accuracy and calm stance. "Another bullseye from 1450 meters. So why do you drop by every now and again but not join the club?"

  Next to him, a 17-year-old, snow-haired girl with eyes as empty as a vacuum looked down the scope of an FN Ballista with a notepad next to her. Looking at the man as if she had expined to him countless times already, she wrote #Because I can't come regurly.# on the notepad and showed it to him.

  The tall man pleaded, "Right... But can't you just come and participate in the tournaments? You're our best marksman! Please Aiko?"

  #No Harold. I can't# Aiko wrote before packing up the Ballista and Pcing a 10 NCD (New Country Dolr) note down and leaving.

  Waiting for her butler to pick her up, Aiko thought about Harold's Proposal.

  'Another attempt at recruiting me' Aiko thought, her lips forming a silent sigh. 'If only I could join. Shame Father wouldn't let me. I only just barely convinced him and mother to let me come down to the shooting range.' Her chest twisted with a familiar mix of resentment, hate and fear at the thought of her parents.

  *BEEP BEEP*

  "My dy, are you ready to go?" A voice called out with a hint of arrogance, interrupting Aiko's thoughts.

  Typing on a watch on her left wrist, Morse code for yes was pyed. [-.-- . ...]

  "Very well." The butler said, indicating to her to open the door herself, not bothering to hide the sly grin he wore. A cruel satisfaction gleamed from his eyes as he watched Aiko open the door, getting lost in the addicting feeling of watching his superior having to do what he ordered.

  'What a dick.' Aiko thought. 'He opens the door for everyone in the family but me.'

  Opening the car door, Aiko sat down before directing the butler to drive home through Morse code again. [-.. .-. .. ...- . / .... --- -- .] As the car pulled away, Aiko looked out the window at the Club building shrinking into the distance. She remembered the hopeful face that Harold held as he mentioned her participating in the tournaments.

  'A wish that I could never fulfill' Aiko thought before closing her eyes to rest.

  At home, Aiko changed into some more comfortable clothes - a white blouse and bck soft pants - before sinking into the sofa in her room. On the other side of her thin wall, her parents loud argument pierced the silence.

  "We should kick her out. Cut off her bank account." Her father argued.

  "No, we can't. The authorities are already keeping a watchful eye on us and her. Thanks to you abusing her and letting her escape to the police, we can't do shit to that bitch now." Her mother retorted.

  At the mention of the abuse her father, elder brother and sister gave her when she was little, Aiko visibly shook.

  Her breathing quickened. Her heart rate spiked. Memories fshed through her vision as she was pulled into the dark abyss of her trauma again.

  CONTENT WARNING: PHYSICAL ABUSE BELOW. READ WITH CAUTION

  Unable to cry out in pain, or plead for them to stop, a young girl could only silently cry as her family beat her to a state of near-death using a variety of household items.

  "Avoid the face. We don't want people suspecting us of beating her." An adult male holding a belt said.

  "Right, but anywhere under the neck is fair game, right?" A young girl holding a broken pstic hanger said as another, slightly older, boy looked at the adult man eagerly.

  "So long as you don't disable her any more than she already is, with her being mute, she can't tell anyone if she tried." The adult man ughed in glee.

  Unable to form coherent thoughts, the young girl could only y there, taking the beating before it finally ended. After the beating, the girl had various cuts and bruises, and eyes that were devoid of any will to live.

  'Fuck. This stupid panic attack again.' Aiko thought after snapping out of her fshback.

  *DING DONG*

  "What now." Father said in annoyance on the other side of the wall before calling out, "AIKO YOU STUPID BITCH, GET THE DOOR!"

  'You could at least say please.' Aiko thought in annoyance as she trudged her way to the door.

  Rummaging in the small bck box on top of the shoe cabinet for the door keys, she grabbed a notepad and pen so she could communicate. Finally finding the keys, she continued her journey to the front door and unlocked it.

  "Excuse me, miss. I have a delivery for Miss Aiko Hartford." The man at the door said.

  #I am Aiko Hartford. Apologies for communicating like this, but I am mute.# Aiko swiftly wrote in beautiful handwriting.

  "Is that so? Anyway, here is your package. Congratutions on winning the raffle Miss Hartford, you have won a VR headset and a copy of Kill Zone." The Delivery man replied before saying goodbye and heading to his car.