A Bad Bargain
folder
DarkFic › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
1
Views:
8,684
Reviews:
4
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
DarkFic › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
1
Views:
8,684
Reviews:
4
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
A Bad Bargain
xXxXxXx
“You need me, Connie. You and the girl will starve without me.”
“There are shelters. Maybe it’s not a good life, but we’ll manage. We always do.”
“She’ll go into foster care. That’s worse than being homeless. And eventually she’ll end up homeless anyway.”
Caitlin was nine years old when the man had come in to their lives. He was rich, they weren’t. He doted on her mother, and gave Cait expensive toys, and seemed nice. But Cait was a distrustful child. He had come into their tiny studio apartment that night after Cait had gone to bed, and she lay awake, listening to him and her mother talk. There was no laugh in his voice anymore. He sounded more like the many landlords that had thrown them out of various apartments.
“What do you want me to say, Jacob?”
“Well, first, admit you need my help.”
“And?”
“And then accept it.”
“Somehow I doubt you’re just going to loan us money.”
“You know how this world works. You’re right, I am not a philanthropist.”
“I have nothing to give you. But I could in a few years. With a little boost, I could make enough to pay you back.”
“You do have something, right now. You have her.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’ll support the two of you—forever. I’ll put her through college. Nice clothes, a nice house, anything you want, it’s yours.”
“If?”
“When the girl is old enough, she will be mine.”
“What? You’re sick! No!”
“Shut up, you’ll wake her! I’ll wait until her first menstruation. But—“
“You want me to sell my daughter!”
“I prefer to think of it as ‘lending.’ Did you think my price would be low? I’m offering to support the both of you forever. Look around, Connie. You’re starving. You’re about to be kicked out of this excuse for an apartment, and your child worries about being shot in a drive-by on her way to school. You have nothing. You need me, no matter the price. You need not worry about being mistreated.”
“You call that ‘not mistreating?’”
“Either accept my offer or start dealing drugs. But then you increase your chances of getting shot by tenfold, and you’ll probably end up in jail. And once you’re gone, I’ll find her anyway.”
“Get out. I’m calling the police.”
He laughed then, but it wasn’t the sweet, carefree laugh that Cait heard when they played games. It was harsh, and it made a chill run down her spine. “You know they won’t touch me. I am the most powerful man in the state. So which will it be? Live the high life or don’t and die with your pride?”
“Go to hell.”
“Okay, be difficult.” The thrift store couch squeaked and groaned in protest as he stood up. “But know that I will have her eventually. And if you fight me, it’ll be all the worse for both of you.”
“What…what do you mean?”
“I could tell the police you were abusing her, have her taken away, and foster and adopt her. No one would object, any child under my care will have the best, and could only be a benefit to society. Or maybe you will have an unfortunate car accident. And maybe, just because you were difficult, she’ll be a slave in my home rather than an honored member of my household.”
Something hit the floor with a thud. “No…please…don’t hurt her…”
“I don’t have to. Accept my generous offer and you will both live long, happy lives.”
Caitlin screwed her eyes shut tightly, as if she could block out what she already knew. They were trapped, and hearing her mother sob and curse him to hell and beyond only made her fear more. Their life was hard now, but Caitlin realized that her personal hell had barely begun.
xXxXxXx
“You need me, Connie. You and the girl will starve without me.”
“There are shelters. Maybe it’s not a good life, but we’ll manage. We always do.”
“She’ll go into foster care. That’s worse than being homeless. And eventually she’ll end up homeless anyway.”
Caitlin was nine years old when the man had come in to their lives. He was rich, they weren’t. He doted on her mother, and gave Cait expensive toys, and seemed nice. But Cait was a distrustful child. He had come into their tiny studio apartment that night after Cait had gone to bed, and she lay awake, listening to him and her mother talk. There was no laugh in his voice anymore. He sounded more like the many landlords that had thrown them out of various apartments.
“What do you want me to say, Jacob?”
“Well, first, admit you need my help.”
“And?”
“And then accept it.”
“Somehow I doubt you’re just going to loan us money.”
“You know how this world works. You’re right, I am not a philanthropist.”
“I have nothing to give you. But I could in a few years. With a little boost, I could make enough to pay you back.”
“You do have something, right now. You have her.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’ll support the two of you—forever. I’ll put her through college. Nice clothes, a nice house, anything you want, it’s yours.”
“If?”
“When the girl is old enough, she will be mine.”
“What? You’re sick! No!”
“Shut up, you’ll wake her! I’ll wait until her first menstruation. But—“
“You want me to sell my daughter!”
“I prefer to think of it as ‘lending.’ Did you think my price would be low? I’m offering to support the both of you forever. Look around, Connie. You’re starving. You’re about to be kicked out of this excuse for an apartment, and your child worries about being shot in a drive-by on her way to school. You have nothing. You need me, no matter the price. You need not worry about being mistreated.”
“You call that ‘not mistreating?’”
“Either accept my offer or start dealing drugs. But then you increase your chances of getting shot by tenfold, and you’ll probably end up in jail. And once you’re gone, I’ll find her anyway.”
“Get out. I’m calling the police.”
He laughed then, but it wasn’t the sweet, carefree laugh that Cait heard when they played games. It was harsh, and it made a chill run down her spine. “You know they won’t touch me. I am the most powerful man in the state. So which will it be? Live the high life or don’t and die with your pride?”
“Go to hell.”
“Okay, be difficult.” The thrift store couch squeaked and groaned in protest as he stood up. “But know that I will have her eventually. And if you fight me, it’ll be all the worse for both of you.”
“What…what do you mean?”
“I could tell the police you were abusing her, have her taken away, and foster and adopt her. No one would object, any child under my care will have the best, and could only be a benefit to society. Or maybe you will have an unfortunate car accident. And maybe, just because you were difficult, she’ll be a slave in my home rather than an honored member of my household.”
Something hit the floor with a thud. “No…please…don’t hurt her…”
“I don’t have to. Accept my generous offer and you will both live long, happy lives.”
Caitlin screwed her eyes shut tightly, as if she could block out what she already knew. They were trapped, and hearing her mother sob and curse him to hell and beyond only made her fear more. Their life was hard now, but Caitlin realized that her personal hell had barely begun.
xXxXxXx