Mishandled

By Cliff Israel

In Mishandled, meet five characters forced down the path of destruction in every aspect. Their unstable lives of being ignored, outcast, and mistreated tore at the fragile human within, turning them into unrecognizable monsters. Their upside-down existence propels them to commit bloody acts against humanity.

You may ask – is it over for them? Is it too late to turn back, to heal their souls and regain their rightful place as normal, respected people who can develop their communities? They’ve gone far, yes, but what about forgiveness? How possible is it to save them if they feel the gift of life – that intense, mysterious power of caring? This love can melt mountains of hatred and dark thoughts.

In this book, find five unique stories – criminals as monsters, detectives solving twisted crimes, and more. Can the mighty force of compassion overpower lifelong pain and resentment? As events unfold to challenge notions of justice and redemption, what will emerge triumphant – good or evil?

Please enjoy these short stories of suspense and moral complexity that compel us to confront the boundaries of humanity itself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Feb 2, 2024
• ISBN: 9781035814497

Cliff Israel

Cliff Israel is a person who always aims to discover himself throughout different areas, and environments, to learn and earn experiences that help to increase his awareness, and inspire him to merge reality with imagination to create such unique characters in his short stories. He held several positions in various fields, including agriculture engineering, management in an educational institution, web and application developer, business administration and commerce, and academic teaching for several subjects. He always believes that ‘your limits are drawn by yourself, and there is no impossible thing unless you create one. ‘Happiness is to see the whole world through a child’s eyes.’

Book preview

Charles I

Chapter 1

London 1783, during that period of rapid population increase due to the early stirrings of the industrial revolution, the law enforcement wasn’t efficient enough to keep citizens safe.

Our story began in an old workhouse in London, Wandsworth, with a new babe born to an unknowing father and a sex worker called Molly.

On the evening of the 23rd of October 1783, Molly and the priest of All Saints Church came to register Molly as a poor lonely woman who needed medical attention and support.

Molly was in her 9th month when she entered the Workhouse, and she left the house two years after giving birth to Charles.

The daily life at the workhouse wasn’t easy for anyone; it was so difficult and depressing, which is why many people escaped or left the workhouse as soon as possible after all, the workhouse had strict rules and extreme conditions which made it more like a prison than a shelter. Two weeks later, Molly was in labour, and she was ready to give birth to Charles.

In the nurse room:

‘Another mouth to feed,’ said the matron (The matron is the title given to the governor’s wife, and her roles were to supervise the women and children at the Workhouse)

The maid, ‘My Lady, please have mercy on them; that woman has suffered enough.’

The matron, ‘Silence, idiot, how dare you.’

The maid, ‘I am sorry, madam. I didn’t mean to interfere, all what I…’ She was interrupted by the matron.

‘You are still talking! Go and do what you’re supposed to do.’

The maid, ‘Yes, my Lady.’

The matron, ‘We will name him Charles; what is his father’s last name?’

Molly, ‘I don’t know.’

The matron, ‘Dirty woman like you deserve nothing, look to that child; he will suffer because of your actions, you stupid woman… Fine, his name will be Charles B…’

The assistant nurse gave the baby to Molly, but the last didn’t care, which put the matron in rage.

During Charles’s harsh childhood, he learned how to depend on himself in everything; he was a quiet, sharp, and intelligent young boy. He was exceptional compared to other children his age, giving him special attention from the governor and the house matron. In days gone by, Charles became a handsome, strong man. He was tall with a skinny face, blue eyes, and blond hair. Charles spent most of his time studying medical books to learn more about the human body and its treatment.

Besides his passion for reading and self-educating, Charles was obsessed with honour and justice. All he wanted was a pure world, but that turned into a hunting game.

One night he met a night lady called Rosemary near a tavern; both exchanged a light conversation before Rosemary invited him to drink with her; she was an easy woman in her late 30s waiting for a catch:

Near the tavern:

Rosemary, ‘Ah! Are you looking for someone? Maybe I can be the one you are looking for. I can show you what you haven’t seen yet,’ she laughs.

At that moment, Charles remembered his mother’s filth and all his suffering. He couldn’t even understand the purpose of her existence; all he had in his mind was these dirty women must disappear to create a pure world free of victims like himself; justice and freedom come with the price. Charles was blind then because growing up without a typical family to support him drove him crazy. He always felt like he was less than others, always down because of that dirty woman (his mother).

He hated them so much, and he despised his mother for the life he had.

Charles B, ‘What a lovely lady like you would show me?’ he asked.

Rosemary, ‘A Lady! (She laughs again) oh good sir, that is very nice of you, now tell me what a gentleman like you is doing here?’ She thought Charles was a gentleman from his way of being. He was talking and dressing like a genuine gentleman; of course, his clothes were gifts from his governor.

Charles B, ‘I am looking for a friend of mine.’

Rosemary, ‘Is that so! Oh, how lovely, I can be that friend if you want.’ She happily smiled.

Charles B, ‘You look lovely, madam. May I ask your name?’

Rosemary, ‘Ah! A madam, oh my goodness, today is the best day of my life,’ she happily expressed her feelings without knowing the man. ‘Good sir, you can call me whatever you like, or you can call me Rosemary! Your Highness, that is my name.’ She kept laughing and smiling all the time.

Charles B, ‘Delighted to meet you, Rosemary.’

Rosemary, ‘Oh! Oh! The honour is mine, your Excellency.’ She tried to be funny, but Charles thought she was mocking him.

On that cold night, nobody was conscious to witness what would happen. Charles observed every movement around him. What do we expect in the end? Most night walkers were either drunk or busy with their bodies, so he took her from the tavern with no intention to harm her first; he just wanted to witness how his mother’s life was.

During