Winsome Blue/A Glimpse

From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

• This is an IC glimpse into the past of Winsome Blue*

An eight year old girl stands in an old ramshackle kitchen. The elderly woman at the stove doesn't turn but still speaks. “I'm going to give you somethin' girl.. and you won't thank me for it. You're ungrateful and selfish and full of shit BUT I've gotta give it to someone so it's gotta be you.”

The little girl doesn't flinch, doesn't cry, doesn't do anything but clench her fists. Her long dirty fingernails dig into the soft flesh of her palms but she merely bites her lip and continues to listen.

The old woman turns, a look of defeated anger on her face. Her eyes reflected a desire to be kind, to love and to care but life had treated her horribly and she'd succumbed to the need to lash out in revenge. “Come here.”

Stepping forward the child looked up, a mixture of confusion, fear and hope in her eyes. The woman saw the look and remembered all to well that same look in her own eyes.. those same feelings being a part of her life so very long ago.

With one quick move the woman had the a grip on her arm and pulled her towards the table. There wasn't any point to struggling so the young girl didn't bother, being dragged willingly. She stood and continued to look up at the old lady who was now avoiding her gaze.

“Sit down and put your arm on the table, palm up. And don't move or you'll get a lashing you can't imagine surviving from.”

She nodded and did as she was told.

The old woman walked over to a small stone box that sat on a a side table. It was the only beautiful thing she owned. Lifting the ornate lid she pulled out a wrapped object. Replacing the lid she turned and went back to the table.

“I'm gonna do this and then die. You'll be on your own and good luck with that.” Then in a sudden movement she unwraps what appears to be a small knife. It's covered with runes and the blade glows a faint blue. The woman holds up her right arm and, biting her lip, she presses the knife in.. slicing down from wrist to elbow, the blood beginning to flow almost immediately.

The little girl wants to run, wants to flee but she's compelled to stay for reasons she doesn't understand.

The woman looks into the girls eyes and then down at the arm lying vulnerable on the table. Within a split second there's a slice from elbow to wrist down the small arm. She gasps and tears begin to fall, the pain immense.

The woman places her bleeding arm over the child's. She clamps down tight, letting their blood mingle together, making sure that some of hers gets into the bloodstream of the young girl.

Looking up questioningly the girl starts to say something but the woman drops before the words are out of her mouth. She watches as the body hits the floor, the dead weight making a thud when it hits.

Tired... so tired...

Slumping forward, the world goes black.

Time Passes......

A few years later

Sitting in the bedroom she watched and listened. The other girl in the room had the most wonderful, the most beautiful music box in the whole world. Or so the ten year old thought. Her attention had been riveted to it for the last few hours and for hours the day before and the day before and even the day before.

Yet she wasn't allowed to touch it.

She wasn't allowed to touch anything anywhere. That was one of the rules. There were a lot of rules. One hundred thirty seven to be exact. She'd counted when they were listed off to her AND she'd had to write them.

Of course living here was better than the last place. That hadn't been fun at all.

There wasn't much fun in the life of the brown haired girl with the bright countenance and energetic voice. However what she was doing now WAS fun. She just wouldn't tell that to her supposed torturer. The music soothed and made her long to dance. Being rule number seventy-one she didn't dance of course but she could in her mind. In her mind she danced.

Another three and a half later

The fourteen year old girl considered stepping out of the shadows. She wore a pair of faded blue jeans with a few rips here and there, an oversized t-shirt and a ragged old coat. Dirt clung in all the crevices, giving everyone who caught a glimpse the first impression that would be correct. Street-kid. Of course if they were to look deeper, into her eyes, it would be clear that she hadn't been one for long. Dirty fingernails and a grumbling stomach, tangled hair tied back with a bandana and tennis shoes soaking wet from the still melting snow completed the ensemble.

"Just steal something, stupid." she mumbled to herself. She'd taken off from somewhere about a week ago. Sitting in an alley, back to a building with the smell of garbage filling her nose, she'd tried to figure that out. Where? But she kept coming up with the same answer. Nothing and nowhere. Every night she hid with all the other homeless- sometimes sharing a box or a doorway with another kid. Staying away from the adults seemed an important thing to do somehow.

Taking a deep breath she took that step- doing her best to look as if she belonged on that particular sidewalk, with a purpose. She'd made sure of what day it was, a Saturday, so as not to get any undue attention for not being in school. She knew she should be in one but she had no idea which.

The noise of the city fills her ears but she keeps her eyes searching. The only food she's had is what's been shared, given, to her. A few sandwiches, a couple candy bars a hamburger and a bag of chips. The hunger had overrun her sense the first few meals and she hadn't rationed, hadn't saved. The lean girl with the eyes that reflected her soul now had nothing to eat and had been that way for the last day.

Putting a hand on her stomach she caught sight of a woman coming out of one of the local grocery stores with a cart full of paper bags. It only took her a few seconds to move quickly to her and say as boldly yet as respectful as she can, "Want some help loading that stuff up?"

The woman was startled at the offer and the look on her face was one of pity, sympathy and a hint of disgust. Reluctantly she nodded. "Sure. Just let me get this trunk open." Turning she inserted the key. Hearing the key click she lifted and the paused, giving the girl time to steal something if she was going to. After a few seconds she turned back and to her surprise the girl was still there. Staying quiet the woman and girl loaded the items. Just before shutting the lid the woman took a deep breath and reached inside one of the bags. She removed a tub of yogurt, a package of hot dogs, a package of bagels and a container of orange juice. Quickly, before she could rethink the decision, she handed it to the girl. "Ya look hungry and ya didn't steal from me. Head off and stay out of trouble." She paused and said in a softer voice. "Be careful."

With a nod the girl took of running. She had FOOD! Headed for the nearest alleyway she smiled, her stomach excited at the prospect of eating so well again. Once behind a building she sat down and had just opened the bagels and down a good portion of the juice when she heard laughter... and voices.

"Lookie here. Something to play with and a snack ta boot."

Fear crept into her eyes the minute she saw them. Four large teens. Boys. And they were eyeing her in a way that made her flesh crawl. Standing up she began backing up, bringing the food with her awkwardly.

"Don't go anywhere! We haven't even started havin' any fun!" Immediately they took of after her. The sound of their feet pounding the pavement only increased her panic and she dropped the food, weaving between buildings and down the road as best she could. However, she couldn't seem to lose them and their laughter filled her ears. Their laughter and their anger.

Which would tire first? Them or her?

It was her. She stumbled behind a business and right into their garbage. The most prominent thing to cover her was paint. Blue paint. Head to toe it dripped it's gooey mess all over her hair, face and clothing. It felt nasty and was very slippery.

There was no way she was up before they got to her.

"Hmm.... I think we win."

Looking up she slunk as far back as she could get, feeling completely helpless.