Creation of a Deviant

Over the next couple months, Ash was able to forget most of the memories that’d haunted him and controlled his life to varying degrees over the years. In fact, with the help of his best friends, he was even able to stop drinking almost completely, whether it was at home or at a bar. Provided that he didn’t lapse back into that destructive lifestyle, it would be good for him when they embarked on the Black Mass Tour at the end of the following month in support of their upcoming, self-titled album. Sobriety and just living as healthy as possible while on the road was always a good thing, and he honestly wanted to try to get through the entire tour without getting outrageously drunk all the time.

So when he heard a knock at his front door one late-September evening, the bassist thought nothing of it. He figured it was just one of the guys, likely Andy and/or CC, coming over to chill out for a while before they started touring. However, when he opened his front door to reveal a young woman, clearly no older than her mid-twenties, he was nothing short of shocked…especially when he took note of her emerald-green eyes.

“Can I help you?” Ash asked, somehow able to keep his voice steady.

“You’re Ashley Purdy, born and raised in Aurora, Missouri, right?” the young woman countered.

“Yeah, I am.” He was confused and curious.

“Might I come in?” she asked. “I have something to talk to you about that I doubt you’ll want your neighbors to overhear.”

“Not if you intend for nudity to be involved,” the bassist told her in no uncertain terms.

A grossed-out expression crossed her face, which was a first for him. “Ugh, no way! I could never think of you, of all people, like that.”

Still a bit suspicious, even though her reaction seemed genuine, Ash opened his door and let the young woman in.

“Thank you,” she said, giving him a reassuring smile as he took her light jacket and hung it up.

He merely nodded as he showed her into his living room. “Might I getcha a drink? A glass of Pepsi or something?”

“A glass of Pepsi would be great.”

Nodding, Ash disappeared into his kitchen to pour them both a glass of his preferred soda. Was he a bit wary of this as-of-yet unidentified young woman? Of course he was, especially considering the incredibly scarring memories once again unlocked by her emerald eyes. Since that was the only similarity to his old rapist, he was determined to overlook it and hear her out. It wasn’t like she also shared the ghostly-pale skin and fiery-red hair of Misty Malone, so for all he knew, there was no relation between them whatsoever.

Upon returning to his living room, he gently handed one of the glasses to his unexpected young guest. With a gentle, reassuring smile, she accepted it and thanked him as he made himself comfortable on the couch across the coffee table from her. Still the bassist kept his guard up as he sipped his drink, waiting quietly and patiently for her to start her tale.

“Lemme start by introducing myself. My name is Sloane Cinnamon St. James,” the young woman started.

“Obviously you already know mine,” he said. “Well, my first and surnames, anyway.”

“Due to a ton of research I’ve done the last six years since turning eighteen,” Sloane told him. “The reason I started said research is because it was always obvious to me that I was adopted, and I wanted to find my birth parents and therefore why.”

The bassist couldn’t help but wonder what all of this had to do with him.

“I found out that I was born to a young woman by the name of Misty Christine Malone in December of ’89,” she continued.

Ash paled almost dangerously at hearing that name. “Please don’t mention her…it brings back too many painful memories.”

“I’m sorry…I didn’t know,” she said apologetically.

“It’s okay…I know you didn’t.”

The young woman took another deep breath. “Anyway, I found out she put me up for adoption for two reasons…because she was so young, and to hide the identity of my father.”

Once again, the bassist was confused.

“After reading through tons of diaries and legal paperwork, I realized my father’s name is…Ashley Abrocket Purdy.”

“Oh, my gods,” he gasped, covering his mouth as his eyes widened in shock.

“At first, I thought the person who went with the name was roughly the same age as my birth mother,” Sloane told him.

“But…wait a minute. I would’ve been only five years old… How could I have fathered a child that young?” Ash asked, flabbergasted.

“Same reason I could’ve carried and delivered a child at roughly the same age,” the young woman answered.

The confusion seemed never-ending as the bassist cocked his brow once again.

“Precocious puberty,” she told him. “Essentially, it’s when puberty starts a good decade before it should, and it’s hereditary. It’s not as obvious in boys as it is girls, considering that boys generally don’t have periods without something else being wrong.”

Although it would explain how it’d been so easy for Misty to arouse him, despite his young age, he wasn’t sure he could believe this young woman was actually his daughter.

“It took me a while, but I finally found your grandparents…my great-grandparents.” She took a deep breath as she pulled a piece of paper from her purse. “They agreed to a DNA test, and while I won’t share as much DNA with them as with you…the results were positive. They prove I’m the great-granddaughter of Daniel and Leana Crosswhite, and therefore…your daughter.”

Notes