Character Intro #2: Kierstin Kilbourne
Kierstin Kilbourne is a first year resident and working in the emergency room. She's quickly proven herself to be an extraordinarily capable and intuitive physician. Kierstin has always been driven and serious. She's had to. She grew up in a pretty fractured home.
Kierstin's father was an angry, drunk that bullied her and her mother. Kierstin's mother had always been an insecure woman. She initially thought she'd met her Prince Charming when she fell in love with Kierstin's father; he was handsome and kind and full of promise. They immediately got engaged and everything was perfect, that is until the unexpected pregnancy threw a monkey wrench into things. Kierstin's father wanted to do the right thing, so he married Kierstin's mother and gave up school for work. Money was tight and the stress of marrying young, becoming a parent young and facing an uphill financial battle took its toll. He began drinking. The abuse began gradually. It started out simply with him being perpetually grouchy and emotionally distant. But, eventually things escalated. He began bullying and psychologically demeaning Kierstin's mother. Feeling that her own life had pretty much become derailed, Kierstin's mother poured her heart and soul into her daughter. As time went on Kierstin became a beautiful, intelligent and mature young woman. She was at the top of her class and her mother couldn't have been more proud.
However, at the end of Kierstin's senior year of high school everything would change. She'd fielded full scholarships to several colleges, but was leaning toward one more local, so that she could keep an eye on her mother. Things with her father had continued to get worse and she feared leaving her mother alone with him.
Kierstin's senior prom was coming up and she was excited to go. She'd never dated, but really wanted to go to the prom. She'd worked hard and saved her own money for a dress. Everything was set, she just had to find a way to get past her father. He wouldn't let her date simply because he was afraid she'd end up pregnant and ruin her life, but she just couldn't miss her senior prom. So, she did something that she would live to regret the rest of her life, she defied her father's wishes, snuck out of the house and went to the prom.
However, guilt got the better of her, so Kierstin didn't stay out too late; skipping the post-prom activities altogether. She quietly returned home. Looking in from outside, she could see that her father had apparently passed out in front of the TV again. She crept around to the back of the house and stealthily entered through the back door. She silently entered the foyer and was nearly home free when disaster struck; in her haste, she'd stepped on one of the creaky stairs. Kierstin's father called out from the living room and Kierstin froze. Her father stumbled into the foyer and was surprised to see his daughter on the stairs, clearly dressed for a party and looking like a deer caught in headlights. He'd thought it was Kierstin's mother coming downstairs to turn the lights and TV off on him like she was always doing. Seeing her in the prom dress, knowing that she had intentionally defied him and having spent the better part of the night drinking, Kierstin's father instantly flew into a rage. He'd never taken his anger out on his daughter before, but this time he just snapped. He began yelling at her and calling her a whore. She swore she'd only gone to the dance and that nothing else had happened, but he wasn't hearing any of it. Hearing the commotion, Kierstin's mother woke up and rushed into the hallway at the top of the stairs. Kierstin had turned to run up the stairs to her room, but her father grabbed her from behind and dragged her the few steps down to the foyer. He continued his verbal tirade, but Kierstin never once backed down. She stood her ground and for her perceived arrogance, her father raised his hand and slapped her hard across the face. Kierstin struggled free from her father and ran out the front door, tears streaming down her face. He followed behind her, but she'd gotten a decent lead on him. The only thing on Kierstin's mind was getting away. She'd come back with the police and she'd finally get her mother away from her father.
The guy driving the truck had been so distracted talking on his cellphone, that he hadn't seen Kierstin bolt into the street. Kierstin's tears made it difficult for her to see clearly, not that it would have mattered too much considering she was running on impulse alone. The driver swerved at the last possible moment, but couldn't avoid hitting Kierstin. Kierstin's father ran down to his daughter. The driver ran over to see if he could help, but Kierstin's enraged father scared him off. He scooped his daughter up in his arms and carried her lifeless body back into the house, laying her down on the sofa. He knelt beside her, caressing her forehead, apologizing over and over for everything he'd done.
Kierstin's mother entered the room. Her bloodcurdling scream could be heard down the block. Years of abuse from the man she'd once loved, years of sacrifice and devotion to the daughter she'd wanted to have a better life than the one she'd had, all of it for nothing. She pointed the gun at her husband and didn't think twice before pulling the trigger, killing him. Then, having nothing left to live for, she turned the gun on herself. The police and paramedics arrived shortly afterwards, notified by the horrified driver and concerned neighbors. Kierstin was lying on the couch. She was unconscious, but she still had a pulse. In his drunken stupor, her father hadn't properly ascertained the situation.
Kierstin ultimately graduated from high school and accepted a full scholarship to a prestigious medical school, far away from where she grew up. She was determined to start a new life for herself. She attacked college and medical school with the same tenacity that she'd always shown and once again graduated at the top of her class.
She wasn't on duty that day, the day all hell broke loose downtown. But, from the sounds of the news broadcasts, it appeared that there would be a lot of casualties. There was no sense going to the hospital when the Statehouse was a few blocks away, so Kierstin grabbed what supplies she had and raced downtown to help out as best she could.
Kierstin's father was an angry, drunk that bullied her and her mother. Kierstin's mother had always been an insecure woman. She initially thought she'd met her Prince Charming when she fell in love with Kierstin's father; he was handsome and kind and full of promise. They immediately got engaged and everything was perfect, that is until the unexpected pregnancy threw a monkey wrench into things. Kierstin's father wanted to do the right thing, so he married Kierstin's mother and gave up school for work. Money was tight and the stress of marrying young, becoming a parent young and facing an uphill financial battle took its toll. He began drinking. The abuse began gradually. It started out simply with him being perpetually grouchy and emotionally distant. But, eventually things escalated. He began bullying and psychologically demeaning Kierstin's mother. Feeling that her own life had pretty much become derailed, Kierstin's mother poured her heart and soul into her daughter. As time went on Kierstin became a beautiful, intelligent and mature young woman. She was at the top of her class and her mother couldn't have been more proud.
However, at the end of Kierstin's senior year of high school everything would change. She'd fielded full scholarships to several colleges, but was leaning toward one more local, so that she could keep an eye on her mother. Things with her father had continued to get worse and she feared leaving her mother alone with him.
Kierstin's senior prom was coming up and she was excited to go. She'd never dated, but really wanted to go to the prom. She'd worked hard and saved her own money for a dress. Everything was set, she just had to find a way to get past her father. He wouldn't let her date simply because he was afraid she'd end up pregnant and ruin her life, but she just couldn't miss her senior prom. So, she did something that she would live to regret the rest of her life, she defied her father's wishes, snuck out of the house and went to the prom.
However, guilt got the better of her, so Kierstin didn't stay out too late; skipping the post-prom activities altogether. She quietly returned home. Looking in from outside, she could see that her father had apparently passed out in front of the TV again. She crept around to the back of the house and stealthily entered through the back door. She silently entered the foyer and was nearly home free when disaster struck; in her haste, she'd stepped on one of the creaky stairs. Kierstin's father called out from the living room and Kierstin froze. Her father stumbled into the foyer and was surprised to see his daughter on the stairs, clearly dressed for a party and looking like a deer caught in headlights. He'd thought it was Kierstin's mother coming downstairs to turn the lights and TV off on him like she was always doing. Seeing her in the prom dress, knowing that she had intentionally defied him and having spent the better part of the night drinking, Kierstin's father instantly flew into a rage. He'd never taken his anger out on his daughter before, but this time he just snapped. He began yelling at her and calling her a whore. She swore she'd only gone to the dance and that nothing else had happened, but he wasn't hearing any of it. Hearing the commotion, Kierstin's mother woke up and rushed into the hallway at the top of the stairs. Kierstin had turned to run up the stairs to her room, but her father grabbed her from behind and dragged her the few steps down to the foyer. He continued his verbal tirade, but Kierstin never once backed down. She stood her ground and for her perceived arrogance, her father raised his hand and slapped her hard across the face. Kierstin struggled free from her father and ran out the front door, tears streaming down her face. He followed behind her, but she'd gotten a decent lead on him. The only thing on Kierstin's mind was getting away. She'd come back with the police and she'd finally get her mother away from her father.
The guy driving the truck had been so distracted talking on his cellphone, that he hadn't seen Kierstin bolt into the street. Kierstin's tears made it difficult for her to see clearly, not that it would have mattered too much considering she was running on impulse alone. The driver swerved at the last possible moment, but couldn't avoid hitting Kierstin. Kierstin's father ran down to his daughter. The driver ran over to see if he could help, but Kierstin's enraged father scared him off. He scooped his daughter up in his arms and carried her lifeless body back into the house, laying her down on the sofa. He knelt beside her, caressing her forehead, apologizing over and over for everything he'd done.
Kierstin's mother entered the room. Her bloodcurdling scream could be heard down the block. Years of abuse from the man she'd once loved, years of sacrifice and devotion to the daughter she'd wanted to have a better life than the one she'd had, all of it for nothing. She pointed the gun at her husband and didn't think twice before pulling the trigger, killing him. Then, having nothing left to live for, she turned the gun on herself. The police and paramedics arrived shortly afterwards, notified by the horrified driver and concerned neighbors. Kierstin was lying on the couch. She was unconscious, but she still had a pulse. In his drunken stupor, her father hadn't properly ascertained the situation.
Kierstin ultimately graduated from high school and accepted a full scholarship to a prestigious medical school, far away from where she grew up. She was determined to start a new life for herself. She attacked college and medical school with the same tenacity that she'd always shown and once again graduated at the top of her class.
She wasn't on duty that day, the day all hell broke loose downtown. But, from the sounds of the news broadcasts, it appeared that there would be a lot of casualties. There was no sense going to the hospital when the Statehouse was a few blocks away, so Kierstin grabbed what supplies she had and raced downtown to help out as best she could.
posted by Chris at 6:08 PM
1 Comments:
Great character history, Chris. She became very real to me!
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