Reflections of Reno Chapter 2
Gin Hits the Spot
By Christina Bruno
"Each has his past shut in him like the leaves of a book
known to him by heart and his friends can only read the title."
- Virginia Woof
Reno stepped outside of the hotel, after consuming a quick breakfast that
consisted of a piece of toast and five cups of coffee. It was just the thing he
needed to suppress what had he had ingested the previous evening. He took in a
breath, hoping to be invigorated, and pushed in his hands into his pockets. He
felt the Corel wind brush over his face, the soft sand that resided amongst its
gusts pelted his skin lightly.
There was hardly a person on the streets. Corel was a nocturnal city. Most tourists went to Gold Saucer during the day, while the inhabitants were busy mining their coal. From Coal to Casinos…who the hell would have ever thought that a town that didn't do shit, would once take up half of a desert?
Reno smirked to himself, as he watched the wind push various pieces of litter across the pavement. He heard the soft clinking sound of a bottle rolling down towards him. It stopped at his feet and his eyes glanced down towards the label. It was partially worn after its trip across Corel. He didn't even need to pick it up. He could detect its putrid scent anywhere. The smell that shot like a bullet into his psyche and roused images better left in their sleep. Memories were funny that way though, he thought bitterly, no matter how much suppression they were under they seemed to always find a way to seep through the walls of stone built around them. The bottle was once filled to the top with Gin, his father's preferred poison…
"Reno…!" His mother called out to him from downstairs. She was cooking up one of her famous feasts in preparation for his father's return that very night.
"I hope you're going to take a bath and clean up!" She continued to cry, as she knelt down to check the roast in the oven. Delea took in the sweet scent of the main course. She was a common, middle class housewife. Her sole and submissive goal in life was to satisfy her family. Giving them three meals a day and a roof over their head was what pleased her. In there satisfaction she found her own.
She let out a sigh, hearing that her son did not respond. Delea huffed, and walked up the stairs. She looked around for her son, who was nowhere to be found. Nine-year-old Reno was looking out his bedroom window, at the industrial metropolis before him.
Delea approached the boy and put her hand on his lithe shoulder. She smiled gently, taking her other and running it through his scarlet hair.
"…Reno, did you hear me?" She prodded gently. Her voice sounded like soft, ringing silver bells.
Reno turned and looked up at his mother regarding her with his striking eyes, "I was just waiting for, Dad…" He replied quietly.
His mother shook her head and tapped his back gingery, "Well, go take a bath first, please?"
Reno shrugged nonchalantly, "Fine."
"Good. I'll go turn on the water for you, dear."
Delea walked into the bathroom and turned the knobs on the humble tub. She turned to check her appearance in the mirror. Delea was a beautiful woman. She took out the clip that tamed her auburn tresses, a less dramatic color than her sons though still vibrant. The beautiful waves cascaded past her shoulders. Her eyes were pools of aqua, yet another feature she shared with her only child. She wiped her hands on her apron and pinched her cheeks gently, and took a tube of lipstick from the cabinet. She glided the creamy stuff over her lips and placed it back, as soon as she heard bustling at the door. Delea felt her heart leap and scurried down the stairs.
"…Vance!" She cried, as the door swung open. She stood at the foot of the steps with her arms opened wide ready to embrace him.
The soldier stumbled into the house, bottle in hand. He brought it to his mouth, taking a swing. His stark blue uniform was torn everywhere. He threw his hat down in disgust, and brought the sole of his boot upon it. Vance grumbled, as he walked straight past his wife.
"Vance? What's wrong?" Delea rushed in front of him.
The man's words slurred out of his mouth, "…Nothing."
She took in Gin's tart scent as he answered her indifferently. Delea looked up into his eyes, they were not even focused upon her face. She looked upon his in disgust, "Why are you drunk?"
Vance gripped Delea's tiny shoulders, shaking her.
"Don't ask me! Leave me alone! Get out of my face!"
Delea grimaced as her face was sprayed with Gin. Her husband was irate and full of rage.
"…Vance don't…" She began to whimper, and tremble in fear.
He loosened his grip a bit, ready to apologize. The liquor had truly gotten to his head this time. He had lost job with the Shinra today and he had nothing to offer her. He took his hand from her shoulder, and touched her cheek with his thumb. However, he turned cold the minute he felt a drop of water christen his face. He looked up, almost stumbling backward. The boy had left the water run in the tub for far too long, and now it was beginning to flood the house.
"Reno!" He snarled, turning towards the steps. He pushed his wife to the side.
Vance clutched unto the banister, as he dragged himself up the stairs muttering. He was ready to break his son in half with his bare hands. Delea got off her feet and ran behind him. He looked down at her when the innocent woman reached the top of the steps.
"Don't hurt him!" She spoke softly but urgently nonetheless.
His father grit his teeth as he spoke to her, "Don't tell me how to raise, MY son!"
Vance grabbed Delea by the wrists in anger. He squeezed them together tightly. Her eyes welled with tears, his hold painful. She watched drunken rage consume the blue eyes of the man she had dedicated herself body and soul to, and turn them empty. Before she could react he flung her tiny figure down the flight of stairs to permanently remove her from his path.
Vance looked down realization stinging his clouded mind when he saw what he had done. The bottle dropped from his hand shattering on the steps, the jagged pieces of glass scattering all the way to the landing below. He stumbled down the stairs and knelt beside her lifeless body. He reached out his hands and shook her.
"Delea…?" He muttered, not comprehending fully what he had done.
Young Reno stood in shock; he had seen his father push his mother. Push his mother to get to him. His aqua eyes looked down to his intoxicated father and his lifeless mother. The stiffness wore up and panic followed causing him to run down the stairs.
"Mom!" He cried as he fell beside her.
His father looked down a Reno; his ravage mind needed somewhere to put the growing guilt. The trembling and impressionable boy who had witnessed the crime would be the perfect scapegoat.
"This is all your fault, BOY!" He raised his hand to strike him using one of the sharp edges of the broken bottle to add sting to it. The result was a jagged and burning slash across his cheek.
Reno gasped touching the crimson streak, anguish and guilt causing bile to rise in his throat. His father had pushed his mother in order to get to him. What did they do to little boys who hurt there mommies? As the fear took possession, he did the most logical thing his young mind could grasp. His father tripped after him and fell to the floor. Reno jetted to his mother's side shaking her.
"Mommy…" He whimpered, "Mommy! I'm sorry! Please wake up!" The young boy's emotions had gotten to him as tears began to stream down his face mixing with the blood, his wound felt like it was on fire, but he ignored the physical pain as it was nothing compared to the emotional ache. He looked up in horror and his father's hand swooped down to swat him again.
Reno rolled out of the way and ran out the door.
"That's right!" His father's slurring voice thundered, "And don't you ever come back! You son of a whore!"
He never did walk into that middle class home again. He ran from a sheltered life into the depths of hell; the slums. There he found a home amongst the homeless and degenerate. As time passed and harsh and tormenting experiences began to mar his young life. He turned cold, cold in order to shut out the guilt and to rise each morning and survive. His reflection was a reminder as well, as his father had branded him eternally with the edge of the Gin bottle. In his first few years he saw things no one ever should have seen, let alone a child that young. When he was 13, he registered himself in a low-class public school for lack of anything else to do, only to find that he knew every answer. His grades were absolutely perfect. He was going to be better than his father. Shinra recruited the prodigy in a few years. He soared up their ranks and became one of their prestigious Turks.
When he got there, the first thing he did was look up his father's records. His father was a low-ranked soldier guard. He was caught drinking on duty and was fired on the spot. That was the same night he had come home and massacred his life…
Reno looked down at the bottle of a Gin. He grabbed it with his hands and smashed it to the floor, watching the pieces scatter. He simply sighed as he walked down the street, placing his hands back in his pockets. It was going to be a shitty day…