Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

Mark sighed as he remembered the past.

He knew… he knew he cannot suit that delicate flower who was just a year younger than him. People called her names just because she was different than them. 

Idiot, retard, and others…

No one found her beautiful; except him. And that was enough for her too.

And oh, only he knew how kind she is… And how much she loved him and how much he loved her. 

Mack… that's what she called him. She couldn't pronounce the 'r' in his name and he was always Mack for her. He loved her when she said that.

She had what they called Down's Syndrome. She was like a child at times and needed constant looking after. Others mocked her but she never left his side; probably because he never mocked her. 

And when her grandmother who was taking care of her died, he wanted to take her place. In fact, he wanted to look after her for life.

What was the feeling he had for her, he didn't know. Was it love? Or just affection?

He just wanted her to be safe. But one day when she told him that she wanted to kiss him and marry him, it shook his world. 

Isn't she a child? He thought.

He brought her to a doctor and the doctor laughed and told him that it is not unusual for her to have that wish. And he explained to him that there are a lot of ways he can be of support to her. He explained that their marriage won't be conventional and would be different. 

He learned a lot about that particular syndrome and he found that they can have children although the probability that their children might have the same condition as her was 50%.

He didn't care. Since she wanted to marry him, he wanted to marry her.

He didn't want to treat her as a woman. But he wanted to spend the rest of the life with her. She and him, together, for the rest of their lives. 

Who cares what others think? 

But of course, his father who sold his soul to the devil for money found out his plans. He didn't want that ** to be his daughter-in-law. 

One day, his father called for him. And his heart stopped when he heard the muffled screams of the flower in his heart. 

And at the other end of the two way mirror, he saw three of his father's men trying to humiliate her. She didn't even realize the position she was in. And she was stripping off her clothes because they said that they'll let her see her 'Mack' if she does that. 

He was held back by five men and his arms felt like they'd be torn off but he still wanted to break free.

Cruel people! Heartless people! What could possess them to be this cruel! Why? How could they hurt her?

I'll kill them… I'll kill them all..!

He turned to his side to see his father chucking and mocking his precious flower. 

Let me go! He cried. Let us go in peace… I don't want any of this!

But no. His pleads were not heard. He watched his precious flower entirely naked and the men there looking at her with vulgar eyes. 

No… Don't… Just don't…

Please… 

Let her go… Just let her go…I'll do whatever you want…

He surrendered to his father's wishes. 

He still remembered the day vividly. After fixing her clothes, she still pleaded to have one look at 'Mack'. But he wasn't allowed to. 

His father promised that she'd be taken care of in a care facility like the ** she is. He said nothing.

Just let her be… Just let her be safe…Safe and away from all the danger.

I'll clear this place… I'll make this place clean and then my precious flower, my delicate flower, can live in peace here. 

I'll kill them all first!

The day she was taken to the care facility he watched as she screamed and protested that she will not leave until she sees Mack. But he had people watching him. He gritted his teeth and swallowed his tears as she was thrown into the cab. 

I'll come to you soon, my flower!

He had to ignore her that day. If she hadn't ignored her and talked to her…

He didn't forget her. He never forgot her. He planned. He planned to clean this place for her return. 

But that girl… that a delicate flower… she couldn't wait. She escaped that place.

To meet him.

Standing on the railing, Mark wept. That image of her with her torn clothes and ballooned body that had wounds all over still haunted his nights. Those beasts who ravaged her made her last moments alive torturous. After using her as they pleased, they threw her in the cold river. 

If only… If only they didn't throw her in the river, she'd have survived. She'd have been traumatized, but she still would have survived. But those beasts…

With his heart filled with rage, he walked to his father. It was his men who did that to his precious flower after all. And he wanted justice. But what did his father do?

He laughed. 

'You can get a tattoo and become a full-fledged member' he said. 

And so he killed him. 

Others were so shocked by what he did and stood frozen. And he killed them too. 

A fight broke. He got every weapon he could find and killed everyone he saw. The ones who were already disappointed with how his father ran things joined him.

That day, he was covered in blood. Part of it was his and the rest was others'.   

But some escaped. And that did not matter because now the town is clean. And no other delicate flowers would get hurt like his flower. 

That's what he thought. 

He buried her and waited by her grave for the grim reaper to come and get him. Every time he closed his eyes he'd see her face and every time he was sober he'd hear her call "Mack". 

But she can't speak anymore... She's dead!

He thought maybe death can unite them. He eagerly waited for death while ruining his liver with alcohol. Because when he is sober, he couldn't bear the pain.

But he was wrong. The grim reaper never came for him for years.

Are you not waiting for me anymore?

He asked.

Do you want me to live without you? 

Seasons changed and a couple of years passed. And his old acquaintances came and told him that the gangs have formed and this time there are more of them.

He decided then. The reason he was still alive was to make this place clean. And he did everything to achieve that goal.

He tried but it didn't give any results. That's why he was happy for the arrival of Jeremy.

And since he knew how he felt towards the girl, he couldn't actively hurt that girl either. 

But now…

Finally, the place is clean. 

It would only be a matter of time before Jeremy knows that he was helping Viper get Jerlina. And he won't let him live. 

And before that…

Mark opened his eyes. The setting sun made a picturesque view amidst the row of trees and the flowing river. 

My flower… I might never understand how agonizing your death was. But I want to experience at least a little of that pain.

Holding her picture tightly, he jumped in the river that had freezing temperature. The moment his body reached the water, he gasped making him swallow a lot of water. His limbs cramped and he was not planning on struggling for life either.

Slowly he sank inside the water as the flow of the water drifted him to its current. His chest felt heavy as if it would burst. Little bubbles of air escaped his mouth as his lungs filled with water. 

Suffocation in freezing water… it felt like his insides were burning. 

At the blurry surface of water that had a tint of orange of the setting sun, he saw her face.

Yes, she was smiling. 

And yes, he heard her call,

"Mack!"

He closed his eyes.

"Here I come, my flower…"