UnOrdinary Short-ish Stories

Elaine's Backstory

Elaine paled, her eyes widened. She shouldn't be surprised that he noticed but to get it right on the money, she didn't expect that. She let out a defeated sigh, her shoulders slouched and she closed her eyes. Arlo wouldn't let this issue go and she knew it, might as well get it over with.

 She played with the hem of her skirt and stared down on her lap while talking, "you're right, my hate for cripples did revolve around my family. Since my ability isn't a combative one, my parents used to always compare me with low-tiers and cripples. My mom's ability is healing as well but she's much stronger at it than I am. So when John first joined I liked the feeling of being above him, just being better than him to somehow prove my parents wrong. But, when it came to high-tiers they always made me suck up to them, change my personality, and be on my best behavior. 

Basically how Zeke acts," she laughed humorlessly.

She chanced a glance at Arlo to see him looking at her expectantly, silently telling her to continue. "I was used to it at that point and it became a reflex to be extra kind to high-tiers or change my personality altogether. One day my dad was coming home but his car crashed and he died," 

Elaine took in a shuddering breath before continuing, "my mom forever blamed it on cripples. She said they tainted the world, that it would be better if we didn't have any cripples in the world. We never knew what caused the crash, but my mom said she knew it was because of cripples," she scoffed before muttering, "can't believe I actually believed her." 

She shook her head and continued, "I knew I loved my father even if he forced so many things that aren't me on me, even though he brought my self-esteem down. I was............... broken for a while after he died, I was like a robot, just doing what I was told. My mom used my state of mind to shape it; the accident caused me to have an actual reason to hate cripples. I did everything my mom told me to do, at first I thought I wanted to make her proud. At first, it was like that but then she started hitting me. It's why I rather not get involved with violence, it's why I was so scared of John."

Arlo was studying the girl in front of him; he realized just how broken she was. He couldn't believe that this girl right in front of him has a mother who was like John except instead of hating high-tiers she hated cripples and low-tiers. 

"My mom was coming home from buying some groceries I think, I don't really remember. But, a cripple mugged her. I think the person took her paycheck since she just got it that day. When she got home she told me the story, exaggerated the details to make it seem a lot more serious than what it was. When she came home she didn't look bad, I think she just got shoved to the ground and hit her head but she looked fine. She used the encounter with the supposedly 'cripple' and constantly told me about it so I wouldn't forget "Cripples are cockroaches, they deserve to die. They don't deserve our sympathy. They just take what they can since they are desperate bastards."

"When I got accepted to Wellston I was so relieved. I didn't have to go through the abuse from my mother, and I got to focus on my studies," Elaine smiled slightly but it was gone just as fast. "I realized the hierarchy at Wellston was a lot more serious but also a lot more hectic. My first year was the hardest I........... I didn't realize I was doing exactly what my mother taught me. I was abusing people just like my parents abused me. I just wanted to feel superior, to get away from the abuse but I was embracing it instead of getting away from it. I was using what I was trying to get away from. In my second and third year, I was doing the same thing just less frequently and not as harsh but I was still doing something I shouldn't have." 

She was frowning deeply while reminiscing about dark times. 

"Just the hierarchy forced on us, all of us being taught to follow the hierarchy without question, the stress and trauma from my family............ it was just too much. We were always taught to follow the hierarchy but we were taught differently."

Arlo finally had a solid view of what she has gone through but he was still curious about one thing; her week-long absence. 

As if she could read his mind she talked about her absence from school.

"I was called from the local hospital from my hometown that my mother was brought in, from the Joker incident I thought it was a good time to escape so I went away for a week to make sure my mom was okay. I forgot all about what she caused me before and just wanted to make sure she was healthy," Elaine laughed bitterly and continued, "it was a mistake to visit. My mom was brought to the hospital because a low-tier, almost cripple joined the part of her job. She couldn't believe her boss expected her to work with the new hire. She lashed out at the poor woman, threw the hot coffee the woman brought her just to get to know her. Sarah, the new hire has first-degree burning but she's fine. My mom yelled at her, she went absolutely ballistic at Sarah. She was crazy......." Elaine whispered out

"The security apprehended my mom before things could escalate and brought her to the police before bringing her to the hospital so she could get diagnosed with psychosis. Her brain just kept on bringing her to cripples that caused her to finally snap. I didn't realize that she was going through this and it surprisingly didn't hurt me. I was disappointed that I didn't realize she was slowly turning into a psycho but at least she's getting help now." She finished with a bitter-sweet smile before it turned into a frown, she hesitated to say something but decided that she was going to say it.

"I....... visited her, she doesn't seem like she wants to change. She said that the people working at the psychosis hospital are the actual psychos, that they don't realize that the real problem is the cripples. That the people with abilities should work on killing the cripple population. I didn't realize it till she talked to me after 3 years about how skewed my vision of cripples is. I was so wrong yet she made me believe I was so right." 

Her eyes were stinging but she fought against it and finally looked him in the eye.

"That's why I hated cripples."

Whew! That was an emotional chapter. I'm so sorry it took so long to update but writing (sorta) Arlaine is difficult. But, it was worth it. Don't worry I'll do a part 2 soon. Hope you enjoyed the read!

Happy Valentines Day!

✧ Astraea