Fragments of a Soul is a 2020 web story by Looperreallyreallyrocks. It can be read here
and here.
A teenager's mother is dying from cancer. He is unable to help her due to being emotionally damaged after years of being sexually abused.
This story contains examples of:
- Abusive Parents: Exaggerated with Adam's father, considering he flat out raped his own son.
- Apologises a Lot: Adam. At the beginning he apologizes to his mother twice for being late for school. He then apologizes twice again to his friends when he tells them he can't hang out with them (albeit he quickly changes his mind when he is offered the chance to go to one of Jimmy's parties). Finally, when Adam discovers that his mother only has ten more hours to live, he breaks down into tears and apologizes for being a terrible son.
- Big Bad: Mr. Hemmensway, despite being dead before the story begins, is behind most of the conflict due to his sexual abuse of Adam.
- Bittersweet Ending: Mrs. Hemmensway dies from her lung cancer, but Adam ultimately does strive toward becoming a better person.
- Canon Welding: Ryan Rhodes from 30 Days in Spring is mentioned in passing when Adam and Laura make love:
- "I dunno why, but that just reminded me of that one time when Troy Rhodes shit his pants in front of the classroom," Adam said while chuckling."Wait, Troy? Troy Rhodes?" said Laura. "Isn't he Ryan's little brother?""Yeah, I think so," Adam answered.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Adam's inappropriate behavior stems from the brutal sexual abuse he endured from his father for at least six years.
- Hate Sink: Mr. Hemmensway was the abusive father of Adam Hemmensway. Prior to the start of the story, he spent years and years sexually abusing Adam, using methods like forcing him to strip himself in front of him, kissing him and ordering him to masturbate him while he was trying to sleep, and attempting to rape him. He would beat Adam whenever Adam tried to tell his mother about the abuse, and he nearly got Adam killed at a water park once. Ultimately, it is his actions that sexually damaged Adam and caused him to live a destructive lifestyle.
- Pædo Hunt: Mr. Hemmensway has an extremely deviant obsession with fondling and raping his own son.
- Parental Incest: Mr. Hemmensway eventually graduates to raping his son.
- Posthumous Character: Mr. Hemmensway is dead before the events of the story, but his abuse of Adam continues to haunt him in the present.
- Rape as Backstory: In Adam's backstory he was molested and raped by his father.
- Rape as Drama: How Adam's rape from his father is played.
- Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: Mr. Hemmensway raping his own son is rightfully treated wth disgust.
- Sir Swears-a-Lot: Bob the drug dealer cusses in every single one of his lines, while the rest of the characters use profanity more moderately.
- The Topic of Cancer: Mrs. Hemmensway is diagnosed with lung cancer, causing her son to realize that he needs to change his behavior and look after his mother. Mrs. Hemmensway ultimately doesn't survive her cancer, but from this experience Adam learns to become a better person.
- Would Hurt a Child: Mr. Hemmensway had been physically and sexually abusing his underage son for at least six years.
