Once Beautiful

Ryan, now fifteen, had grown sullen and cold from his childhood trauma. He was sent to a private academy for his education, so at least he was away from Corvair, but that didn’t make things any better for him. They made them fairly similar, yet the abuse was different. He was beaten often for insolence by the teachers and had been assaulted at least once by his roommate, whom he’d managed to fend off with a swift knee to the family jewels. Ryan was very proud of that, especially since the offending ruffian didn’t walk for a week afterwards, Ryan had been most vicious, biting, kicking, scratching and eventually beating his attacker about the knees with a curtain rod, anything to avoid being assaulted again.

Most of the time, he spent his days curled up in bed hugging his knees to his chest, but sometimes, when he had to go to class, he would spend it writing ways he would get revenge on Corvair in a tiny notebook. He now knew what was done to him was wrong, and he wanted revenge. You see, Ryan had met a few people. A two close friends and a few kind teachers who told him what had happened shouldn’t have. With that knowledge, Ryan was poised for attack when he returned home that Christmas break.

The tree was up when Ryan returned home and so was Corvair’s alcohol level. Ryan knew what that meant. He’d be the present under Corvair’s tree. However, this time, Ryan had a little surprise for Corvair. Strapped to his thigh was a kitchen knife incase his first plan didn’t work. His first plan, he reasoned, ought to take affect right after dinner. He crept into the kitchen like a clever little mouse and took out a flask of white powder. He popped off the cap and tipped it ever so gently into Corvair’s drink. “Arsenic is good and quick, a truly wondrous little trick.” Ryan chuckled to himself, he never liked rhymes, but he was good at them when he wanted to be.

Then slowly, slowly enough that Corvair couldn’t hear him, Ryan snuck back into the drawing room where Corvair was asleep in his chair. “Father, is it supper time soon? I’m a bit hungry and we do have a long night ahead of us.” Ryan grinned wickedly. ‘Long night…Ha! He’ll be dead before he can get his prick hard enough to get it in me.’ Ryan laughed to himself quietly.

Dinner went pleasantly enough…until Corvair began looking ill. “Oh father! Are you alright?” Ryan asked, perfectly feigning concern. Corvair began to nod, but it was interrupted by a burst of yellow-green vomit streaked with red onto the floor. He couldn’t stop, couldn’t breathe. Ryan was in heaven. But he had to feign concern still, so he bolted from the house, screaming “Help! Help! Oh! Somebody please! My father is dying! Please help!” One of Corvair’s fellow officers ran into the house and knelt next to Corvair’s now limp form, feeling for a pulse, the old constable announced that he was dead. Ryan managed to feign tears as his “father” was taken from the house on a stretcher to be prepared for burial.
As Ryan watched, when he realized he was alone, his mouth curled into a smile and he leapt for joy. He was free. No more humiliation or pain! No more torture! No more lying beneath someone three times his age and hoping it would stop. He was safe and nothing could ever harm him again as far as he was concerned.

The house was bequeathed to him and became a place of splendor and amazing parties with the most influential people in London. That was where he met Gareth. Gareth Bigby, a man only a few years older than Ryan and very fascinating. Gareth was mildly deformed around his face and people shunned him as a monster, however, he was always invited to Ryan’s extravagant parties and was always the only person Ryan would talk to…After Ryan spent a little time with a lady of the night who never seemed to come back downstairs. Oddly, Ryan never smelled of sex either. Gareth was the only one who was fairly certain of what was happening. No one else seemed to care or notice the odd occurrences, even when bodies were found outside the manor.

Certainly no one would really care if a few prostitutes went missing, Gareth had reasoned and besides, Ryan was always kind to him and was very handsome.