A Secret Beginning

I was gang raped as a child and not just once but many times. It was the only use my father found for me because I had been struck with a frailty disease from birth and was too weak for even the most menial of tasks.1

It was not until much later that I found out it was, of course, his blood that had made me this way. Naturally, to him and the other men in his household, it was all my own doing as if I had deliberately chosen to be weak and defenceless just to spite them when I had been born. 2

So as a result, I was kept away from all the other women my father possessed in case I spread my disease on to them. The fools. There was only one way a woman could catch such a disease and that was through my father’s own wandering lust. 3

But who are men to take responsibility for their actions? I was punished and beaten many times because of this and isolated to a small hut at the bottom of the garden. My father’s men would throw food down on the dirt for me, as if I were a dog, but I know now they valued their dogs much more than they did me. 4

I saw no one else during the day although, occasionally, when I had enough strength to lift myself from the floor, I would see the other women from a distance. As young as I was, what I saw during those times was enough to tell me they were treated little better than I. So it was I learnt the harsh truth that, in this land of men, women are worthless and have no value as human beings at all. 5

This last my father liked to drum into me whenever he saw me but in a much more colourful and violent way. I knew even then that he would rather have me die than pay the money to keep me fed and alive but “lucky for me,” he would say, even the most useless of girls had something every man wanted. 6

My father proved it to me on that first occasion. He was the first to rape me but once he set the other men upon me he treated me even more like filth and never touched me again.7

Once he had set up his little business, men would line up at the door and pay my father whatever he was charging. Sometimes there was only one at a time but at other times as many as five.8

Trust my father to think of such a thing. I’m sure he was paid quite well for it too but I never received any better treatment. Really, I was nothing but a thing to him, to be used up and thrown out when he could get no more money from my abused and ruined body. 9

Of course, when it all got too much for me, his customers started to complain about my lifelessness. In truth I was very near death by that stage and so numbers dwindled then ceased altogether.10

The first night when no man came, I knew my worth was gone and that my pitiful existence would be snuffed out. Two days passed and my father must have realised he would get nothing more from me. He threw my broken body into the streets, not even making sure I was dead before he did it. 11

I can tell you now, that was his mistake.12

At first I, too, thought I would die but something within me rose up in defiance. I was finally free of my father’s clutches, free of all those filthy men and their disgusting habits. They had done everything they had desired to me and more, tearing my body to pieces in the process, yet here I was still alive. I had survived.13

I swore to myself then that I would not let those filthy bastards have the last of my life but of course it was futile to make such an oath. Where could I have gone in this land of men? 14

On any other night my body would have broken that vow without me even realising it. But fortunately for me – and not so fortunately for my father – on this night, one of the Audras happened to be passing through that very street. She came upon my abused body and, to my never ending gratitude, she took me with her to the Isle. 15

I remember that for a long time I could not comprehend there could be such a place. A secret island sheltering women from the clutches of men? I thought I was being tormented further by my father and that the moment I accepted it as real, it would vanish like a dream and I would wake to yet another grunting mass of flesh shoving himself into me.16

But that never did happen and after many long months my body was eventually healed. To help overcome the disease my father’s blood had given me, I was even trained in the arts of battle and I became as strong as if I’d never had it. 17

But through everything I learnt, I never forgot what that man had done to me, never forgot what those other men had put me through and what they would no doubt be doing to other women. 18

The injustice of it and the knowledge that women were still considered to be nothing more than slaves and still treated the same way I had been as a child raged up inside of me. 19

Revenge became my purpose. Revenge not only against my father but revenge against all men.20

So it was that I threw myself into my training with only one goal in mind. I was determined that if the Audras would not tell me where I had been found then I would hunt my father down myself, taking out as many other men as I possibly could to ease the burning anger and hatred in my heart.21

I made sure to keep such thoughts to myself but I believe Liana may have known of them or at least she had her suspicions. Now I reveal it to the world and you also know my secret, a secret that festered and boiled inside of me and one that not only made me who I am but has also put me where I am today.22

I do not tell you this for sympathy, nor in any attempt to lessen my punishment. Rather I tell you this because I know many of my actions will be condemned and I wish only that it might be understood why I did some of the things I did. 23

My past does not excuse any of it – I know that now – and I know also that I cannot hope to avoid punishment. Unlike the men who started this, I will take responsibility for my actions and in recording my tale here, I hope only that others will not fall into the same trap I did and will not have to suffer through all the pain I have caused. 24

Author notes

This is currently the prologue of a novel that is a work in progress. There's a lot more to the story than just the revenge (as should be obvious by the last few paragraphs) which is why I feel it's okay to have it as the prologue (while giving me an easy way of explaining my character's past). Also, the circumstances of my character writing this suits it too but what do you readers actually think?


For the contest 'Catch of the Cliches':
Fantasy cliche 17: Woman is raped, becomes an adventurer to avenge herself. Revenge as a motivator.
Character cliche 4: Girls who disguise themselves as boys in order to adventure. (Comes into play later in the story).
Character cliche 5: Spunky/feisty/spirited heroine.
Character cliche 15: Evil men who are pedophiles/homosexuals/male chauvinists or any combination of the above for no other reason than to make them more distasteful.

A contest entry

Does this give too much away for being a prologue?

    : , Your review:

    Comment Suggestion: What is your your first impression?
    : Cost: 0 free left 0 points, You have 0. (?) (Line numbers)
    Ratings:

Comments

1 - 9 of 9

  • X-Shye-X
    September 24

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    The words flow so good in this piece that it left me wondering if this had actually happened. Great read. Good luck in my contest!


  • sodancewithsoda silver member
    September 12

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    A acquired taste..

    ..since it does tackle a couple of 'controversial' issues; however, I applaud you for writing it in such a way that my curiosity got piqued and I ventured from the first sentence, to the next.. til I got to the end. I'm not one for reading rape stories, but you got me to wonder if she can have her revenge. She SHOULD have her revenge, methinks.

    Your story made me think of all the unfortunate women who have to go through the same thing - equal rights have not been established YET in all parts of the world, and the harsh thing is that what you've written is a bitter reality happening to some women and men and children out there.

    Now, what bothers me is that from your story, I assumed she lived in (an almost) isolation... This was written in first person perspective, and if a child had been raised away from everyone, s/he wouldn't have such a strong grasp on certain words like 'gang rape'... maybe your story would have a stronger effect if you go for the subtlety of implying that she had been raped/gang raped as a kid... and then have her wordings progress/develop into that of an adult's as you go on with each chapter? Perhaps the sheer point of view of the heroine as a kid would drive much more emotions than it already stirred in me when I read it as is. But of course, this is a suggestion

    Oh, and I do have to ask what you meant when you said:

    This last my father liked to drum into me whenever he saw me but in a much more colourful and violent way.
    Was there a word missing after the second word?

    Thanks so much for sharing this thought provoking read.


    • Myryca
      September 12
      Edit | Reply
      Thank you very much for reading and giving such a great review. I'm not certain about the merits of having this part as the beginning of the novel since it is pretty strong/harsh/blunt/whatever you want to call it, but I'm loathe to get rid of it and if I do (or if I changed it) I think it would give a completely different feel to the beginning of the story - like it would become just another 'boring', typical, fantasy/adventure. But I'm probably just being silly. In truth, I think her character and personality would probably be enough to give the story the same sort of feel.

      Actually, your comment on this right now and getting me to actually think about it more just gave me an idea about how I could place this part later in the story. So thanks!

      Good point about her not having a strong grasp on certain terms. Although, at the time of writing that, she is an adult who has quite a bit of experience in the outside world. I guess that doesn't come across in this part, though.

      That's a very interesting idea you suggested. A really good one too and I'd probably agree in other circumstances but I think you're imagining this tale will take a different direction to what I'm actually going in. That says to me that this really shouldn't be at the beginning. Thank you for pointing that out.

      As for that sentence you asked me about: This last... as in "The latter..." (ie. of the previous paragraph). But I think you're right. It would be much clearer with another word in there.


      Once again, thank you very, very much for your comments. I can't get across enough how much I appreciate it.


  • Fritz O skennick
    June 22

    Edit | Reply

    Harrowing piece...

    Great narrative, characterisation & drama that I'm sure in its full novel form will tell a more complete story with the impact the premise deserves...
    As a short piece, it holds much brutality & shock factor that was vivid in its depth...
    Good luck with this...
    Keep up the good work...
    Well done!!!


  • May Kingston
    May 29

    Edit | Reply
    This wasn't really exactly what I was looking for. It was a bit too blunt. Maybe if your style was a little more gradual and if it had more rhythm, it would have caught my attention more. I stated clearly in the rules that any erotica stories would have to be dazzlingly well-written for me to count it as a "good" story. Maybe it would be better if the information was more evenly distributed through the introduction. Thanks for entering.

    • Myryca
      May 31
      Edit | Reply
      Thanks for the comment. But this isn't erotica. You asked for something which would affect you strongly and from feedback I've gotten I thought this would do that. Even if all it made you feel was horror or disgust. Heh.


  • Lekos Memory
    May 21

    Edit | Reply
    Wow it's already a dark story. I think it's pretty good. That's the one thing about prologues that I like is that it helps you explain things right away. Gets the reader caught up and understand the situation and the characters better.

    Thanks for entering this into my contest.


  • Tiger-Lily
    May 11
    Edit | Reply
    Very nciely done. I was rather disturbed by the father here. WHat a prick!! o__o It's sad that people are/were so sick. VIolating kids.

    Very nciely done and I loved the mix of cliches here.

    - H

    • Myryca
      May 11
      Edit | Reply
      Thanks for the comment. It's a bit of a hard thing to read isn't it?

      Thanks too for HM! It was a great contest. And now I know there is something promising to this piece!

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