Broken by Oliver T Spedding

I had no
idea of what I wanted to do when I had completed my schooling, I
had very little motivation and only put sufficient effort into my
studies to ensure that I passed my exams. The pass requirement at
schools at the time was thirty per cent which mean that, as long as
I got one out of every three questions correct, I would pass. Even
though I considered myself to be of very average intelligence, I
had no difficulty in passing my exams comfortably with very little
input.
    By the time I
reached Grade 10 I was nearly sixteen years old and had been living
in my Aunty Rose’s house for almost two years. Our relationship had
deteriorated steadily and both of us looked forward eagerly to the
time I would complete my schooling, find work and leave the house.
Communication between us was kept to an absolute minimum and the
hatred between us was blatantly obvious. I spent most of my time
after school playing snooker and pinball and usually only returned
to the house after dark. Aunty Rose no longer bothered to ask where
I’d been and was usually in her bedroom when I reached the house.
My supper would be in the oven and my school sandwiches for the
next day in the fridge. I couldn’t help but feel a grudging respect
for my aunt though. Even though I treated with very little respect
in her own house, she continued to honour her obligation to provide
for me until I was able to do so for myself.
    My father’s
estate was finally wound up and I received a small inheritance of
ten thousand Rand. I repaid my aunt the money that I owed her for
my computer, cell ‘phone and clothing and deposited what was left
in a savings account at the bank. Aunty Rose continued to give me
my weekly allowance though.
    “ I don’t want
you to use your inheritance for living expenses.” she told me.
“I’ll continue to give you your weekly allowance and you can leave
your money in the bank to earn interest. You must try to get into
the habit of saving money whenever you can. If you do, you’ll never
regret it.”
    “ I don’t see
why I should save my money.” I argued. “I might die tomorrow and
then what use will the money be to me? Money’s meant to be
spent.”
    “ And what if
you spend your money and you don’t die tomorrow?” my aunt
countered. “What will you do then?”
    “I’ll worry about that when it
happens.” I replied.
    I got home a little earlier than
usual one evening and while I ate my supper in the kitchen I heard
my aunt begin to run her evening bath. It was her habit to first
half-fill the bath with hot water and then add cold water until the
temperature of the water was to her satisfaction.
    I finished my
meal, washed and dried my plate and cutlery and went to my bedroom.
I closed the door and walked to my desk. I switched on my computer
and while it was warming up, I lit a cigarette. Vaguely I could
hear the water running into the bath in the bathroom across the
passageway. I sat down at my desk and connected to the internet. I
brought up my favourite porno website and began watching the
action. I heard a faint cry from the direction of the bathroom but
I was too preoccupied to take any notice of it. When the episode on
the first porno site finished I switched to the next site and while
I sat waiting for the connection I became aware of the fact that
the water was still running into the bathtub. I frowned. It had
never taken so long for my aunt to fill her bath before. I shrugged
my shoulders. If she wanted to waste water, it wasn’t my problem.
She would have to pay for it; not me. I went back to watching
porno.
    The action
that I’d watched on the two websites had aroused me and I was just
about to take off my trousers and begin masturbating when I noticed
a thin flow of water flow under the door and into my room. I stood
up, crossed to the door, and opened it. The sound of the water
flowing into the bath was much louder now and a steady stream of
water was flowing along the passageway and into the kitchen.