Carrie sat atop the castle where she’d always escaped to when she wanted to seek solace. It felt as right as all the other times she was here, even though things had changed. She was five years older and so was the castle. It was more of a wooden platform that was situated in the middle of a now dilapidated playground, but Carrie didn’t feel any different.

The wind swept Carrie’s hair back, as she saw someone tread through the tall, thick grass that surrounded the playground. Carrie didn’t know many people, she was 13 but never felt the need to fit in, she never felt the need to have friends, and she didn’t have much family either. Her dad died from substance abuse 5 years ago and she didn’t have siblings. No aunts or uncles, grandparents or friends of family. The person approaching wasn’t her mother, it was a man.

Carrie’s experiences with men were not particularly the best but she tried her hardest to maintain composure when she was met with a man. This man was dressed in a way that kept his appearance hidden, fully covered arms and legs, a fedora, a ski mask and sunglasses. Who was this? Why were they hiding?

She’d hoped that the man had no bad intentions, especially to do with her, but Carrie had always hoped for too much and received all the wrong things. This time was one of them. This man was already approaching her. Her inhibition had always gotten the best of her and she damn sure hoped that this moment would not be one of them. Adrenaline rushed through her head as she ran and ran and ran. She made her way through a wobbly bridge and down a rock-climbing wall as the man closed in on her, but before he could, she fell.

Her head banged against the wooden pole that stood to hold up the swings, as her whole body went numb. She couldn’t feel or see much but she knew she was collapsing and her vision was darkening, darkening in bright daylight.

She was in the belly of the beast and there was nothing she could do about it.

“I’m sorry baby,” she started to hear.

“I just wanted to see you again. To hold you again.”

The voice was one she knew all too well. She had only just opened her eyes and what she saw felt wrong. Impossible. Was this man a deadringer? She asked herself that, but she knew exactly who it was.

“Dad.”

“Oh baby. I’m so sorry baby, I love you so much Carrie. I’m so sorry.”

She didn’t believe it.

“I’m here to be here for you now.” Carrie’s father whispered while crying. Crying.

Carrie sat up, pushing her back up against the wall as her fingers skimmed the cold, stone ground. She looked around and only just realised she was no longer at the playground. She was in a plain, dark grey room, with one very small window at the top of the wall. Akin to a prison cell. Not only did she realise that, she saw someone else was in the room, she felt it. Tied up in a chair, subtly squealing.

“Ma.”

“Oh baby no, mama is at home.”

“What did you do?” Carrie stammered.

“Nothin’ C. It’s alright.” Carrie’s dad replied in a callous tone.

“Don’t call me C. What did you do?”

Carrie got up as fast as she could possibly get up as she tried running to the other side of the dark room. The shaking of the chair and squealing of her mother was increasing in volume as she Carrie saw the cloth in her mother’s mouth stained in sanguine.

Carrie’s father wasn’t stupid. He knew Carrie would eventually hear and he knew exactly what to do when she decided to to take action. He hastily grabbed his daughters arm and pushed her down onto the ground, throwing multiple punches to her head and shoulders. Punch after punch after kick, he did it all. What happened after? Well it sure wasn’t up to Carrie to decide.

Ignore if there are any letters after this because this app has an issue with showing the text whilst writing so There might be a few random letters and spaces.