Abigail sits alone in her room, staring out at the sea. Since she was little, Abigail's mother refused to let her leave the safety of the house. Curling up into a ball, long dark hair wraps gently around her body. Sobbing softly as she waits for one of the women working for her mother. Two more months until she turns ten. Just a few months ago Abigail's mother had found out that a group of overseers was being sent to investigate the house. Her mother had used her as bait so the coven could attack the overseers. She remembers what one of the overseers had said, "What the fuck are they doing to this little boy?"
Abigail had known something was off since she was very small. Abigail knows what it was now. She isn't a girl, he is a boy. Ever since that day, Abi had refused to wear dresses, or skirts, or clothes for that matter. He wants them to see what they are doing to him is wrong, but they always reply with the same thing.
"You may not see it now, but the Outsider has chosen you and all we are doing is fulfilling his desires."
Abi hates the Outsider. Why would he want something like this? Why does the Outsider want him? Nothing makes much sense anymore except the pain in his stomach. He decides sleep is a better idea right now. He'll need rest for days to come.
One month till his tenth birthday. Another overseer raid. He was forced to lie on an altar of some kind. Rope tied around each limb spreading his body, putting him out on displaying to the world. Abi couldn't speak because of the cloth in his mouth, but if he could he would have warned the overseers to run. He couldn't do anything to block out the sounds of the overseers being murdered. It had happened so fast that Abi had just barely realized he was untied and being bathed when he is hurried up the stairs. Abi cried loudly that night. He hates the women working for his mother, he hates his mother and above all he hates the Outsider. Abi isn't ready for his tenth birthday, he knows awaits him there. The Outsider will come for him, decide if he wants Abi and take him. His mother told him "The Outsider wants your body so he can pleasure himself."
Abi hates everyone. No one can help him here because of his mother and her group of bitches. Hot, tears roll down his face. He wishes someone would just kill him already.
Two weeks until his birthday. He's scared. He starts refusing to sleep and eat. His mother isn't happy. She forces food down his throat explaining that "If stop eating the Outsider will have to come early to make sure you don't die before he can get here on your tenth birthday."
Abi doesn't want the Outsider coming here sooner. He decides to eat, but he feels sick to his stomach. Tears roll down his face. He isn't just scared he is terrified. As the sun sets, Abi feels his hope die. No one is coming to save him and no one cares if he is fine.
Too soon and he'll be ten. Old enough for the Outsider. Old enough to be raped. Abi hates that word. He hates that it will describe him soon. Because of his mother's promise to the Outsider, he is tormented by thoughts of being forced to have sex with a monster. They haven't feed him in a week. Apparently, it's to clear out his entrance for his coming birthday. The only thing they've given him in the past week is water. As his stomach growls again loudly, he curls in on himself he begins sobbing.
The night before his birthday. He lies awake waiting, terrified. They enter one at a time slowly surrounding his bed. Then they all an arm under him and begin carrying him to the large tub upstairs. He doesn't fight them, Not anymore. A tear rolls down his cheek. They prepare him carefully washing every inch of his body. Then they move on to rubbing him down in oils. Finally, they bend him over and one of them inserts a finger into his body. He writhes in pain until the digit is pulled out of him.
"He's ready."
They drape him in purple cloth and walk him down to the first floor. The altar is still there, but now it is surrounded by shrines to the Outsider. There is a block placed on the altar in about the middle of it. Removing his cloth they start pulling him over to the altar. He resists to the best of his abilities but is easily overpowered. They tie his legs down first. He is forced to kneel by the ropes, then he is bent over the block and his arms are tied down. He struggles against being tied down.
"MOMMA, PLEASE! HELP ME! I DON'T WANT THIS!"
He knows it's pointless, but he wants to be let go.
"Mommy, please," He sobs. "Let me go! I don't want him to take me! Please save me!"
She says nothing to him. Refusing to make eye contact. All but his mother kneel, humming along with the runes around them. Abi is blindfolded and the cloth is draped him. Then a gentle kiss on his cheek she moves away. He is tense as he waits, the sound of whale song overloading him. The air is tense as they wait. Then a hand caresses his cheek. He whimpers and tries to pull back. Then he hears the sound of blood pouring from open wounds and the same hand begins to untie his wrists. The moment he is able to, Abi pulls the blindfold away from his face.
"Hello, Abigail."
This is the Outsider, the being Abi has been so terrified to meet. He watches as the Outsider moves behind him. He tenses a moment but then realizes that the Outsider is only going to untie his legs. Finally, the god moves away and opens a door. Inside is a man dressed in overseer garb. The overseer stands at the sight of the Outsider but then focuses on Abi. A moment of deliberation and the overseer rushes to Abi's side.
"Are you alright? Did anyone hurt you?"
The feeling Abi gets as he is held by this overseer is overwhelming. He begins tearing up and clings to the overseer. The man in question seems distracted by something in the room.
"Why?" the overseer asks.
"Because I don't rape people."
The piece of cloth that was wrapped around Abi is pulled off by the overseer and a coat is wrapped around his shoulders by the Outsider.
"Why did you let me out of my cell?"
"It would be hard for me to bring Abigail to the abbey without getting him killed. Besides, he needs at least one of his parents."
The man looks down at the boy in his arms.
"My son," he whispers.
The Outsider nods, "It is because of me that this happened to you both and though I usually don't do this, I'm sorry."
The man looked dumbfounded. The Outsider was apologizing to him. Before the man could say anything, Abigail looks up at him and smiles.
"Are you going to take care of me now?"
Somewhat taken aback by the question the man just nods.
"Well, can I have a new name then, dad?"
The man ponders a moment, then looks down at his son, "I think I'll call you, Teague."
