Woe & Cruelty

Billy felt like Mr. Farr was like all the other adults now—not listening to him. "He will just deflect or ignore it. What part of that don't you understand?"

"That might be true. If that's the case, you still have me and guidance counselors to talk to. I care about you, Billy. I just know your mom wouldn't want you and your father's relationship to fall apart with you."

"Then why'd she move us away? Why is my dad a feelings tool?" Billy asked, even more annoyed now.

Mr. Farr paused and smiled. "She was always smarter than the rest of us. I'm sure she knew that it would be the right thing for you."

With that, Billy grabbed his books and journal and haphazardly put it away in his bag before leaving and grumbling a half-hearted goodbye. What Billy hadn't thought about was how far the writing labs were from the bus stop. After a five-minute walk, he was given a sight of all the buses having long since been gone. He cursed loudly before checking to see if any teachers had lingered. Then he saw her again, Maddie. She had on gray jeans, a peach-colored shirt, and a dark blue cardigan sweater. Also sporting a blue hair band on her head.

Maddie was speaking with Kerrie Glick, who looked very different from how Billy remembered her. Kerrie, for one, had dyed blue hair and bangs. She was also a bit punk/goth in her appearance. She was very pretty, even from afar. She had an arm wrapped around her shoulder of the one and only Jack McDougal. Jack was massive, to Billy's shock. Brown hair styled so cool and wearing the school team's letterman's jacket with some generic strong animal strewn across the back of it.

"Listen, Maddie, you don't have to be a bitch," Kerrie shot angrily at her soon to be former friend.

"I just don't get why you'd hang with such a brainlet like Jack. Ever since you started dating, you've been turned into his little toy. I don't care if he is dicking you down like a god—he is a fucking loser," Maddie fired back harshly.

"You can't ever be happy for anyone. I have someone. We used to hang out every day and it would be this constant fucking ire from you at everyone, even me. Face it, you're just jealous!" Kerrie finally shouted as her eyes began to well up with tears that threatened to ruin her makeup.

Maddie seemed taken aback by the words but quickly composed herself to not let anything go. "I'm not jealous of you being a fool for letting him use you. But I guess you're just as dumb at the end of the day." Maddie then walked off with a strong stride.

Billy watched as Kerrie threw some curse words at Maddie's retreat, but none seemed to land as Maddie's face was blank. Billy watched as Jack escorted Kerrie to the car. Then he noticed that Maddie was walking towards him, and she had a hidden fury in her eyes that Billy had come to know as he got older.

"Um—hey, Maddie. How're you?" Billy said nervously.

"You saw exactly what happened, nosy," she said, pointing to his face.

Billy mockingly covered his nose. "You're one to talk—look at your schnoz." Billy immediately froze, however, realizing his comment was a little too mean. Sure, she had a subtly hooked nose, but he thought it was cute and really complemented her face.

Maddie didn't react, however. "Well, maybe that's why I could smell your bullshit from a mile away."

This made all of Billy's fear dissipate with a chuckle from both of their mouths, although Maddie's was far briefer. Her laughter was always briefer lest she give too much away.

Billy threw caution to the wind and just asked, "I know you and Kerrie were yelling at each other. But can I ask what started it? Are you ok?"

Maddie sighed and began walking in a direction that took her away from the school. Billy watched for a second before running to catch her.

"Why're you walking away? Did I say something?" Billy asked, beyond confused.

Maddie looked at him unphased. "Still not God's brightest light. No, we are just gonna have to walk home unless you wanna wait for the five pm bus for stragglers and those with detention?"

"Yeah, I'd rather not honestly. Maybe Kerrie's boyfriend will be with the kids in detention," Billy joked.

Kerrie snorted a small laugh before continuing.

Walking silently was beyond torturous for Billy. He thought to ask again, but decided against it. He was surrounded by stone walls, he thought.

"So how's your dad? He isn't picking you up?" Billy asked, trying to change the subject.

Maddie looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Last time my dad picked me up was in grade school."

"So that's a no." Billy scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"You're getting it. Good job," Maddie said with thickly poured sarcasm.

Billy's face grew warm, and he got embarrassed and annoyed. "You don't always have to be an asshole, ya know."

"Why break character now? I also have no filter for stupidity anyway."

"Then why do you talk to me?" he said, looking at the ground before kicking a rock ahead of them to punctuate his sentence.

"Because you're not stupid. You just take a minute to get it together," she offered up with no intention of softening another blow to his ego.

Again they walked quietly down the forest-wrapped roads of Woetown. She was never this cold and mean. But then again, it might've been his fault. He still remembered the fight they had when he left all those years ago. The tears in her eyes and the inability to see through his own. He remembered the mean things he said to her in an attempt to shield himself from the pain of having to move.

"Seeing anyone?" popped out of Billy's mouth despite his attempts to not say it.

Maddie looked at Billy and shrugged. "If by seeing you mean hooking up? I've been seeing Luke."

There was a modicum of jealousy at that revelation. Luke Kerwin, nerdy Luke Kerwin. Billy wondered how he was doing.

"He is ok if you're wondering. A bit much for me, but fun, nonetheless."

"Why didn't I see him at school?" Billy was surely lost in it now.

Maddie could hear the jealousy in his voice but twisted the knife carefully. "Well, he is really smart and got most of the essential classes done last year. He only has to come in on Monday and Tuesday. I'm sure you'll run into him in town, though."

Billy chewed on the inside of his cheek. "Yeah, probably." Then he decided to hit back, "So you gonna tell me how and why you pissed off Kerrie?"

Maddie relented with an exaggerated exhale. "Sure, why not?" She put her arms behind her back and swayed a little, trying to go back to the start and not omit details. "Kerrie is really cool. I liked her for how different she was. But she also had such a need to be everyone's favorite. It made her do and say stupid things. When Jack turned his eyes on her after being done with Sarah—well, it only made sense he'd go for the total opposite."

"Yeah? Is he good to her, though?" Billy asked, completely bewildered to know if this was Maddie admitting jealousy or fault.

"Well... at first, it seemed good. But boys use girls like Kerrie. I'm sure he cheats on her, and he is so hot and cold with her. When Kerrie cuts or needs support, Jack is always busy, so to speak." She raised her hands in air quotes around the word busy. "He is a waste of her time. She needs a good guy. Someone who might even be a little too stupid to treat her badly." She then looked at Billy suggestively.

"Oh, thanks. But I'm not into Kerrie like that. I'm sorry she is going through all this shit, though." Billy looked at his shoes, wondering if small towns like these always ate up their young.

"I get it. Yeah, I can't say I'm always the best of help, but she knows this. I'm too...me?"

"Yeah?"

Maddie didn't respond. She just kept walking. Billy took the cue and shut up. In all honesty, he got how Maddie felt. But for all the skill he had at closing himself off and being tough, Maddie was still the master. He wondered again if it was because of him. It wasn't him, but Maddie couldn't be bothered to spare him some suspicion.

"I hope you two resolve this. I can try to talk to her for you?" Billy offered foolishly. "It's better than nothing. I should also reconnect with everyone. Speak with Luke too. I also ran into Eddie!"

Maddie chortled. "Yeah, I didn't like him much. Now he is off the deep end with his monster worship and his sexist ideals. Ya know, he openly identifies as an Incel."

Billy laughed, "Oh god no—really?"

"Would I lie? Especially about this?"

Billy laughed. "No, not this at all. Not to politely avoid Eddie."

Maddie laughed. "Or not so politely. I can't stand these sexist cunts."

Billy just blurted out some laughter loudly. Maddie couldn't help but laugh with him at the use of language.

After their little fit of laughter ended, he looked at Maddie admiring how pretty she was. Her pout and her gentle features created a kind of look no one else could look as desirable with. But Billy also knew he didn't really stand a chance. Knowing better, he'd just kindle a friendship before he went and abandoned this town.

"Are you doing anything tonight? I dunno if your dad's around."

"No, he called me earlier this morning. He said something about a job at the Anderson estate," Maddie said nonchalantly.

"I thought it was abandoned?"

"No, apparently these two German guys, uncle and nephew, are opening an antiques shop in town. They finished moving today from what my dad said."

"I'm sorry if this is fucked up. He is still running the moving company?"

Maddie scoffed, "Just barely. He had a girlfriend. She keeps him in this pattern of on and off the sauce. But lately my dad has been really bad. He is drinking a lot. I think this lady is cheating."

What a turn of events had ocurred in the last ten years since he'd left. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. He wondered if the town could change like the Anderson estate.

Before Billy even realized, he was in front of Maddie's home and she left him for the door without saying a word. He watched her go inside and stood there quietly before making his way off to his house. Maddie went to the window after a calm entrance. She wanted to see if Billy cared like she was suspecting. She was right. She usually was about boys. She shrugged and walked off to the kitchen to grab some snacks before moving on to homework.

Chapter 2

10:30pm

Randy pulled up to a small house in another part of town. It was a second home he bought to be apart from Maddie. But it really wasn't for Maddie's peace of mind, more for his girlfriend, Trisha. Maddie would psychologically batter this woman of low cunning. Then when that happened, Randy was sure to not get laid without retaliating against his daughter. But even then, she proved to be a tough nut to crack.

Now Trisha was out here cheating and fucking another man in his fucking house. Probably fucking him in the lingerie he paid for. It made his blood boil and his cock soft with dejection. But somewhere deep down, he understood that no twenty-something would be with him for long.

Randy made sure to park the car far enough from the house to not get caught by neighbors or Trisha so she could warn her cock. He quietly approached the house and crossed the sick lawn, being sure to hide from the orange luminosity of the streetlamps.

Once at the door, Randy quietly unlocked it and what was in his possession was made all too clear by the porch light, a double-barreled shotgun in hand. He held it as concealed as possible until he entered his home away from home. It was furnished meekly and functionally. Heck, Randy knew the bitch wouldn't spend any of her allowance on anything but clothes or drugs.

He could hear Trisha flirting and laughing upstairs. Randy could also hear a man's voice. It made Randy's face turn red and purple with fury. Randy was right at the door when he pushed it in with all his might. He almost fell in the effort. Trisha and her lover scrambled on the bed to be apart from one another.

Randy looked at the man first. He was in some old Calvin Klein underwear, his lips smeared with her red lipstick. Randy raised the shotgun to both of them. Trisha began incoherently pleading for mercy for her lover. His name was Garret, Randy learned.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Randy barked at Trisha, causing her to yelp with fear. She was trembling like a leaf.

Garret still acted tough until Randy walked right up on him. The shotgun was poked in Garret's cheek, and he had his hands up in surrender.

"P-please man. I'm sorry, I didn't know she was your girl." Garrett's voice was small and fluttered.

"You act like you didn't know who owned this house ya fuckin piece of trash." He laughed. Randy was red in the face and his eyes were crazed with bloodlust.

"H-he's sorry!" Trisha begged.

Randy just turned the gun on her. "Shut the fuck up. I'll deal with you after him!"

She just screamed and began sobbing. Her makeup was running, and her face was red. The sobbing babbling only served to make Randy angrier.

"I-I'm sorry man—listen j-just leave her out of this." Garret tried to make some reason and claim some strength in the situation.

"Oh, this is between us guys now? Huh?" Randy said cruelly, turning the gun back on Garret.

Garret could see how Randy's fingers trembled on the trigger. It was only scaring Garret more and more.

"Why were you fucking her?!" Randy asked.

Trisha in her infinite wisdom, screamed out, "He raped me!"

Garret looked at her and went back to Randy.

"Oh so I should blow his head off right?" Randy commanded as he closed one eye and looked down the shotgun sights at Garret.

Garret soiled himself in fear. "FUCK! N-no man no no n-no. She is lying. She invited me here and I-I fucking came and now I just wanna go home."

Randy started laughing. Garret closed his eyes hard. He looked like a scared little boy to Randy, and it only made him feel more powerful. Then he pulled the trigger—BAM. One shot rang out. Trisha screamed but before it could reach a fever pitch—BANG. He turned the gun on her and shot her.

Most men would have run. But Randy dropped the gun on the bed. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a bottle of liquor and sat down in the bedroom's dressing chair. He drank from the glass bottle of liquid and watched as the blood dropped down off the bed. He wasn't laughing anymore, but he sure did feel good.

*****

11:13pm

Billy was at home watching TV. He had long since finished his homework when his dad pulled up the driveway. He didn't feel the need to get up and say hello but looked to the door to meet his dad with some sense of a warm welcome.

But when Mr. Grimm walked through those doors he was met with quite the surprise. His dad was holding a plastic bag of Chinese food. The smell made Billy's mouth water. He had only eaten a potato bread pizza consisting of provolone, jarred tomato sauce, and some very old, dried oregano he found in his dad's house.

"Hey there, Will. Hungry?" He raised the bag with a smile hidden by his mustache.

Billy got up and went with his dad to the kitchen. Billy went and got plates for the food. His dad placed the bag on the table and went into the fridge to grab himself a beer, but he also grabbed one for Billy which shocked him.

They ate in silence and Billy slowly drank the beer. He tried to seem like the taste bothered him, but the act didn't fool his dad. Mike had been drinking beers since he was eighteen and he was sure Lucy hadn't stopped their boy anytime before she passed.

Billy just mulled over Mr. Farr's words the entire meal. Should he just say it now? Maybe it wasn't the best idea if his dad was tired after a long day of work. If not now, when?

Billy finally spoke up after a gentle swig of beer. "Dad, do you wanna talk about Mom?"

Mike put down his next bite of Lo Mein and looked in his son's eyes. He could see the beaten back tears of anxiety.

"Will... Will—I don't wanna talk about my ex-wife," Mike said coldly.

"If not now, when Dad? You loved her. She is the mother of your only child." Billy was a bit annoyed.

"Because, Will!" he barked.

"Just fucking call me Billy!" Billy shouted annoyed. He hated being called Will, and he hated that his dad was being a coward.

Mike Grimm was going to respond harshly when his cell phone went off. They sat in a silence punctuated by the grating ringtone of the cell phone. Finally Mike left the room to pick it up. Billy didn't care to listen in but instead chugged the beer and threw out what was left of his food. Being hurt and not wanting to let his dad see him cry, Billy made his way for the stairs.

Mike called out from the small living room, "I got a call. They need me to come in tonight. Don't wait up."

Billy didn't answer and just continued upstairs until he heard the front door close and his dad's police car take off.

In his bed Billy pulled out his phone and texted Maddie asking if she was up to talk.

******

1:00am

Maddie clenched the bedsheets and moaned aggressively, "Oh fuck! harder Luke."

Luke Kerwin held her waist and smacked her ass eliciting a sensuous chirp from Maddie. Her pussy gripped onto him tightly with the jolt of pain. He continued to fuck her hard and deep. The sweat was building on his brow. Maddie could feel herself about to cum hard as his curved cock ground against the walls of her wet cunt perfectly.

"Yeah, you like that?" he said proudly, continuing his thrusts. He could feel the pressure build inside of him. He was close but he could tell from her gasps she was even closer.

With a few more strong thrusts Maddie squealed Luke's name. The encouragement made Luke cum just as intensely and he let it all go into the condom. He thrusted weakly a few more times before stopping and collapsing onto the bed beside Maddie. He went to cuddle her but before he could wrap his arms around her, she stood up and left the room to shower.

It was part of her usual pattern to not cuddle. She let him stay for a little but never wanted to lay or be sweet with him. She just wanted dick and kept it moving. But maybe one day she'd fall for him. He waited trying to get control of his breathing as he heard the shower turn on and the water run through the old house.

After some time Maddie returned to Luke. She was wrapped in a towel and her skin was pink from the hot water. Her hair was also wrapped in a towel and her face was cleaned of its makeup. To Luke she was still the prettiest woman ever. Maddie looked Luke over who had removed his condom and put on his Calvin Klein boxers, surely a purchase influenced with his time hanging out with jocks.

"Are you staying? My father's gonna be home tonight and you know how he is," Maddie said with zero emotions.

"Racist asshole or archaic asshole?" Luke said as a joke.

"Why not both?" Maddie said going to her bureau to grab some pajamas.

"Does he even come home anymore? He lives in that other house with his young girlfriend."

Maddie turned and laughed. "Yeah, I couldn't stand her. My father couldn't get laid with me around. He also couldn't get rid of me on his own brain power. So they have their love shack far away and I have a home. But when my father works, he comes back home."

Luke snorted a bit of laughter. "That's why I like you so much."

Maddie elected to ignore that comment. She got dressed and sat down at her desk to check on her stuff before getting ready to sleep. Luke quickly took the hint and got dressed leaving the house. Most other men would've had their tails tucked between their legs but not he.

******

The Master wasn't as gaunt after feeding on two men. But it also wasn't his. Erik turned back on the floodlights and watched the steam rise from the bloody mess of a man that was Andrew on the gravel.

The creature's blue purple skin was repulsive to Erik, but he knew it wouldn't be forever. It stood on two legs and turned to look at Erik, its bald head now filled with wisps of black hair and its pronounced cheeks now matched by a better proportioned face.