Content Warnings: Bullying, War, Trauma/PTSD, Emotional/Physical Abuse, Self-Harm, Violent Content, Depression. Reader discretion is advised

Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, as none of the content is my original work. The characters are created by Stephen King and J.R.R Tolkien. The content belongs to MGM and Screen Gems, as the 2013 film remake of Carrie was directed by Kimberly Pierce and produced by Kevin Misher, and additional production is through MGM, Screen Gems, and Misher films as well as distributed by Sony Pictures.

Tragedies and Beginnings

Everything had appeared perfect as the day of prom became closer faster than Carrie could have expected. Carrie had already fashioned her own dress, despite the occasional disapproving glance from her mother. Her mother dared not say a word, giving Carrie the silent treatment as she sewed and put together her dress like it was a work of art. It was an inherited gift from her mother to sew cloth into a masterpiece. Regardless if Carrie wanted to admit it, that was one good thing that had come from her mother.

Over the course of the last few days before prom Carrie had worked almost day and night on her creation, anticipating what any senior in high school could dream to have one magical night of her life. Prom became her entire focus as any nervous thoughts became about only how prom night would go. Thoughts of being watched did not matter anymore; the desire to be normal, like everyone else, was coming true. If it meant only one night with a boy she really liked, Carrie knew it would be worth it, no matter what was to come the next day. Tommy Ross, in her eyes, was the only person that she saw as a knight in shining armor.

While Tommy and Carrie had barely spoken, she could tell he was a genuine human being, more than the entire school combined. It only made her heart ache at the sight of him with Sue Snell, best friend of Chris Hargensen. What had made it worse was not simply the sight of them holding hands or giving a quick kiss before any teacher would dare notice. It was knowing that Sue had everything a girl would need to keep a boy like Tommy, regardless of how much she liked the popular jock. Pretty looks, a group of friends, and being well-liked by everyone made Tommy and Sue look like a fairytale couple anyone with eyes could desire.

Tonight that was going to change. For one night Carrie got a chance to be with the popular boy, to feel like a fairytale couple, maybe gain a few genuine friends in the process. Carrie knew her status of being a loner among the high school will not change, she knew that just as much as the next teen at Ewen high school. One night at prom could be all she ever wanted to be happy and a whole person. It was enough to make Carrie smile as she was applying pink lipstick, her finished matching pink dress making her look like a gorgeous princess out of a fairytale.

It was only after Carrie applied her lipstick did she finally notice her mother standing there with disapproval, shock, and fear expressed in her eyes. Carrie chose to ignore that as she looked at her mother smiling unable to contain the nervous excitement that tonight was the night of prom. The smile quickly was wiped off Carrie’s face once her mother remarked with a sigh, “Red, I might have known it would be red”.

A frown appeared on Carrie’s face as she replied, “It’s pink mama. And modest” before running her fingers through her hair to smooth it out. Carrie glanced outside the nearby window of her bedroom, checking to see if Tommy was outside already. She then checked the time on a nearby mini clock on her nightstand to see it was ten minutes before 7:00. Carrie mused to herself wondering what it would be like to be fashionably late, to an event like the senior prom.

Carrie would have continued in her musing about being fashionably late when she had that same eerie feeling of being watched once more. It would have made her overly cautious and wondering who it could be watching her, and if it was true, why her of all people. Her mother lightly grabbing her arm swung her right back to reality, as all thoughts came back to prom and the growing nervous feeling she had for the night ahead. Carrie could already see the pleading look in her mother’s eyes wanting her to stay home.

Her mother then gingerly took her hands, grabbing them tightly as she looked into Carrie’s eyes. “They’re all going to laugh at you Carrietta, they’re all going to laugh at you,” she said in an almost pained sob as if she was already losing her grip and was desperate to change her mind. Carrie merely shook her head as she snatched her hands away, taking another look at the window only to see Tommy Ross in a white tuxedo with a limo waiting.

Carrie could not help but smile despite her mother being frantic at this point, resorting to warnings of telling Tommy of being born in sin and a “witch”. Carrie would not dare to hear or endure her mother’s antics any longer, as her mother raced down the stairs after her. It resulted in Carrie having no choice but to use her telekinesis to shove her mother in the prayer closet locking it for good measure. It was an ironic turn of events. If this were under different circumstances Carrie would have called it sweet revenge.

Doing this to her own mother, however, ate at her the moment she stepped foot outside her house. If Carrie had a dollar for all the times Tommy had asked in concern if she was okay, she would have been a millionaire and have enough money to leave Chamberlain. Out of the many times she was asked that question, however, she did not mind, as not a single soul in Ewen high school asked her that. It made her feel she was genuinely cared about by Tommy, even if he belonged to Sue Snell.

The night, as it went on, was melting all thoughts and worries about her mother as she felt she was on cloud nine. Being around Tommy and dancing with him was enough to make her convinced she was in love. In a sixteen-year-old mind like Carrie’s, there was not anything anyone could say or do that would change that. It was a dream come true for a loner like Carrie to be around a popular prince like Tommy was.

The moment they were crowned king and queen of the prom, it made her feel she was dancing among the stars. She held Tommy’s hand once she was handed a bouquet of white roses, smiling while being the happiest girl on earth. Carrie did not notice or question Sue suddenly there or being forced out by her gym teacher Miss Desjardin due to her elated state of being. She was blissfully unaware and ignorant as an icy cold feeling shocked Carrie back to reality.

She gave a sharp gasp as a cold and red liquid began soaking her. Blinking her eyes a few times, she looked at her hands, realizing it was some form of blood. Carrie took a glance at Tommy wondering what happened as if he had all the answers. Tommy became bewildered, wondering what had just happened as well shouting in anger, “What the hell!” A video clip on the nearby screen played, showing Carrie’s incident in the shower as everyone became a mass of giggling idiots.

Anger, hurt, embarrassment, everything she felt raced in her mind rejecting a now shocked Desjardin from her help shoving her a few feet back with her hand raised. A loud harsh smack of metal hitting something snapped Carrie to her senses seeing an unconscious Tommy on the floor, ignoring someone’s scream across the room. “No, Tommy, no,” she thought immediately collapsing, sliding toward Tommy horrified and crying seeing the one person she cared about gone. Her dreams crumbling down.

Everything soon became a blur as she was filled with rage, thinking to herself repeatedly, “God will avenge me.” She was in an almost possessed trance, pupils dilated, causing doors to slam shut, hearing screams left and right, bodies piling up with every horror her telekinetic power enacted. It was a disaster Carrie, at that moment, would oblige in the name of revenge. She remembered killing Chris herself, believing her source of pain was defeated. Once she snapped out of her possessed trance, she saw her blood-soaked self as she began crying again, this time for her mother.

It only got worse the moment she got home in tears, cleaning herself up in the bathtub and rubbed her arms and legs as if trying to wash away what she did. When Carrie was able to scrub herself clean she looked for her mother until she found her standing by her room, hugging her tightly without hesitation. “You were right, mommy, they laughed at me,” she said with a sniff, crying as her mother rubbed her back.

“I knew they’d hurt my little girl,” her mother whispered hugging Carrie tightly as she gave a small “shh” noise in comfort. Carrie did not let go as her mother suggested they pray together. This time Carrie did not refuse, closing her eyes peacefully and caught off guard in her arms as her back felt a sharp pain. She gasped in immense pain as her telekinesis shoved them apart, Carrie tumbling down the stairs as she hit the floor. Her eyes widened in horror seeing her mother wielding a now blood dripped knife, beginning to slice her legs and arms in the struggle.

“Mama, enough!” Carrie yelled using her telekinesis to stop the knife right above her face. She breathed in and out, Carrie using what strength she had left before using her right hand to bring every single sharp object toward her mother. “I’m so sorry mama,” she breathed out as her mother looked down at Carrie in horror. Hearing her mother merely whisper her name, was more than she could bear, screaming in pain as the sharp objects flew and strike her mother pinning her to the door of the prayer closet.

Carrie, horrified by what she did, got up and went over to her mother removing every single sharp object to pin her to the door. She held the body of her mother close, smoothing her hair as tears filled her eyes. “No one is going to hurt you, it’s okay,” she whispered seeing her mother struggle to cling to life. The moment Margaret White took her last breath was when Carrie felt the toll of her wounds, starting to flit into unconsciousness.

Fate was not done with Carrietta White, however, as she could feel power flow through her to heal and keep her alive. She deliberately thought she was heading to where her mama was, knowing she did not deserve to live. Carrie was about to learn the meaning of mercy as she was about to get a second chance in the form of a quest for redemption.

**If you or someone is experiencing a mental health crisis, has experienced severe depression, or has experienced a PTSD episode call the national suicide prevention lifeline (1-800-273-8255), text CONNECT or HOME to the crisis text line at 741741, or call 911**