FinallyFound Molly Harrell
Epilogue
The wind was icy at this time of night, even making the toughest man cold to the bone. Tonight, the wind and the unnatural darkness of which was added to the night hid something evil, it was lurking in the bushes, watching the paths and roads. The golden and brown leaves are still falling from the sycamore trees, littering the paths and roads with them, covering up any tracks possibly. The leaves were piling high against the walls as the wind makes them dance in its breeze. The leaves swirled like small tornados you would find in Texas or somewhere in the US.
The graveyard was opposite an old rickety house. The wooden structure was slowly falling apart. The white paint which covered this house was now gone, leaving the weather-worn gray wood. The shutters on the windows hung by one hinge each, the screen door flung in and out, the wind doing that job. The inside door was gone; it was kicked in ages ago because of police who were kicking out the drugs addicts. The porch still had a rocking chair in the right corner, facing the road. It rocked back and forth with the wind. The house has been abandoned for three years and no has dared to go in it because of stories of ghosts.
There was a fire in the house which killed a teenage boy during his sleep. His parents' were at the office, tying up loose ends. The fire broke out suddenly and the boy was burnt alive. That happened five years ago. Two years later, the house was rebuilt but it was soon abandoned by the family who bought it. They complained of weird noises and poltergeist activity. Knives were being chucked into the walls, the chairs were being thrown and blood appeared on the walls with warning messages. The family had a young daughter of eleven years old and it was revealed that she saw this ghost more than five times before they left. It was a boy who was doing this stuff, angry about dying so young. They left as soon as possible. After the town heard of this, no one dared buy this house.
Next to the house was a row of five trees. Each of them were twisted dementedly, twisting the the right then the left. The branches were twisted as well; they were like claws, waiting for their prey to come close before snatching them up. The grass was dead, as if they daren't grow in case they get eaten up. There was no life on the land of the house. Everything was dead. There was the occasional crow who cawed whenever someone walked by, scaring them more.
The rest of the town was bright and vibrate. Loads of night clubs, bars, parks, alive trees and plants, houses and people. Tonight, the lights in the houses were dark, only the wind blew and its noise of its whooshing had spread fear. The wood of the house creaked as it settled to stand against the wind and cold temperatures of the night. Cars were parked far away from the house; people feared that their cars would get damaged if the house failed to with stand the wind or the occasional storm.
Before the fire, the house losing the paint and began to show its true colors. A family of three owned it. A woman with straight red hair as bright as a rose and green eyes, a man who had black short hair wearing a business suit and their son who had blue eyes and brown hair. It was slightly long. He'd place his fringe over one side of his face and he looked like the typical emo dude but he wasn't actually. He held a secret. He was an artist and he did well in school. His Mom and Dad ran their own businesses and racked in wads of money and he was spoilt.
The boy, Aiden, refused the money. He looked sad every time somebody looked at him and he was surrounded by friends all the time but the thing he was sad about was a secret desire. He wanted a girlfriend of whom he'd spend every cent on to make her happy. He dated but none was what he was looking for. Aiden was sad but he was only nineteen and he was attending college. On the night of the fire, he was alone and he heard the creaking the house usually made and went to bed. He died of inhalation of smoke then burnt.
The trees had leaves then but the fire burnt them away and never grew leaves again. The fire licked at the house, destroying everything in its path like a criminal bent on revenge. A crow cawed in the tree nearest to the road, the eyes locked dead. Then another joined it in harmony and then they filled the trees. The house creaked as if moaning and the wind grew harsher and icier and the screen door hit the wood of the wall, revealing the entrance. Inside, it was black. The never ending blackness swallowed everything it saw like shark, scaring people whenever the screen layed open during the day.
The holes in the roof did nothing to make the inside lighten, it made no difference. When the days were sunny, the inside stayed dark as the night now. The night darkened yet, there was a crash. The roof slates were flying off the roof onto the ground, smashing into little pieces as if it's a warning to any passing persons. The leaves blew huskily in the wind, dancing like the flames on that night five years ago. It was mesmerizing to see. The sense of evil grew yet, almost swallowing the night itself.
"Mom, I'm going now!" I shout up the stairs. There was a creak and my Mom appeared at the top. A moisturizing face mask covering her face, a lit cigarette in her mouth, the phone in between her shoulder and ear.
"Bye honey, have a good time at school!" She shouts back before turning and walking back in her bedroom. I turn and lug my pack over my shoulder and taking the keys off the hook by the front door and leave.
Kayla's waiting for me at the end of my drive way. I smile. Kayla looks amazing today. Her chestnut brown hair was straight as always, she let her freckles show; her gray eyes were hidden behind a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses. The sun beamed down today. Her light blue t-shirt hugs her figure perfectly and her semi short denim skirt reaches two inches above her knees, her black four inch high heels made her look taller. She was only five foot.
"About time, you take long enough to get ready?" She asks, placing her handbag on her arm.
"No, but I had to help my Mom with stuff. She's no good at organization and she places stuff everywhere and I have to find them."
"I like that look you're wearing. Plain dark blue Levi jeans with a band shirt, Converse jacket unzipped and your red Converse on. Liking it very much, if only I was able to pull off a trick like that. Oh hey, are you coming to the party tonight at the old house?"
"The old house from across my house?"
"No, it's further down. You know, the old rickety house that's said to be haunted."
"I won't be allowed. It's a school night and therefore, it'd be a no-no from my Mom." I look down the street where the old rickety house was. I've never seen it up close, only from this distance. "I want to check it out sometime though. I like exploring old houses when they're not cramped to the brim of people drinking, smoking and taking drugs or having sex at that matter. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself on my behalf." I laugh and face her.
"Of course, I would. I don't know why you won't try some dope. It's fabulous. Makes you forget everything."
"I won't try it because I don't want to die young. So, can you tell me the tales of the old rickety house down the street?" I've only lived here for a month and I haven't heard any tales of the house.
"There was a fire five years ago and it killed a teenage boy who was as hot as ever and a family bought it after the fire, they built it again and lived in it. For two years, they live din there but they left suddenly. They said that the knives were being thrown and almost killing them and the chairs were thrown by some unknown person. So, they left suddenly and the house has been abandoned for three years now."
"You're telling me that the house is haunted by an angry ghost?" "Er… yeah. Everyone at school will be at that party and we're going to a do séance and see what comes up and an Ouija board."
"Er... I wouldn't if I was you. You could lure evil spirits towards you and they could harm you and a séance is dangerous also. Why do you want to do them? I don't believe in ghosts but both of those things are dangerous. You're only asking for trouble if you do do them."
"We want to do them because we want to see if the tales are true. Also, I want to contact the hot emo dude."
"Is all you think about is boys? We've got exams coming up soon, Kayla and it's our finals."
"Oh yeah. I always think about boys, I couldn't give one about our finals. Anyway, I've been asked to the prom. Who have you got?"
"I'm not going to the prom. I don't like wearing dresses and all that make up. I don't like my hair being messed with also."
"You have to go to the prom! What if somebody asks you? You can't say you're not going!" She faces me quickly, her mouth agape.
"If something asks me, that's exactly what I'm going to tell him."
"Why do you hate having a make over? What is it about it?"
"I don't know. I never have liked having a make over. Worse part of my life. Can please stop talking about the subject please?"
"No way! I am going to keep mithering you until you give in and go to the prom. I swear by it. And, you are coming to the party tonight."
"No I'm not. I've got work, remember. Hopefully, my Mom will be out as usual when I get back in." I roll my eyes. I work at the local McDonald's and it's a five minute walk from here to that place. I'm a waitress. An underweight waitress at that.
"What hours do you work again?"
"I work every night. From four pm till eleven pm. Why?"
"I might pop in."
"No, go and enjoy your party."
"How come your Mom doesn't have job too?"
"Because she's drunk and hung-over most of the time. So, I'm using my wages to pay for the bills and for her to go clubbing."
"Why do you? You shouldn't."
"I pay for her because I want to be on my own in the house. If I'm lucky, she'll be out when I come back and she won't return until tomorrow afternoon during recess, that way I can go home and give her some aspirin before returning to school."
"Don't take any notice of my opinion, but I think she's an appalling Mom. You disserve a better Mom."
"Well, I can't leave her. She's the only who keeps my mind busy long enough with school and work to stop it wondering away to something else."
"Where's Dad?"
"Dad's in Hell, hopefully." I say angrily.
"Oh. Do you mind if I ask why?"
"Because he beaten me when I was young. Every time he comes near me, smack! I'm hit. He's in prison for bodily harm to an innocent person. I so wish he was dead but he's not. He's been trying to contact me and my Mom. The police let us know. My Mom was talking to them this morning and I could see it in her eyes. He won't give up."
"Why did he hit you?"
"I don't know. Drugs, alcohol or just mad at me? I don't know."
We arrive at school and everyone was talking about the party. I have no interests in the boys but they have some interest in me. My brown hair which reached my shoulders, my high cheekbones, broad shoulders, plump lips, big breasts, skinny waist, wide hips and my silky sapphire eyes made sure of that. I was pale though and close to anorexic. I was tall, good at Sports, Art, making friends, writing poems and any academic subjects. My grades were A's to A*s or higher. I mostly get A's but occasionally I'd get an E which means it was Exceptional, above A*s. Yeah, I was a smart ass.
We go to our class, World History. There was hardly anyone there. Miss Kay's desk was as organized as ever. The chalk was in line underneath the chalk board, the erasers were ready. Her books were in a neat pile, stacked alphabetically, an apple in a corner, pens, rulers and pencils were in drawers, neatly separated. There was a stack of our assignments on her desk. The desks were set symmetrically, six across and seven down. There were forty two seats. It's a big class. Kayla and I sit down in our seats by the window. I was on the first row; she was on the second row. I set my World History book on my desk along with my pencil case. I place my bag underneath the table.
I turn around and face Kayla. A boy walks through. David Weathers is her boy friend. He had freckles covering the whole of his face, light green eyes, pale skin naturally, soft wavy blonde hair and he always wore a band t-shirt and jeans. Today's band t-shirt was Bullet for My Valentine. He leans over Kayla and gives her a kiss. I turn and look out of the window, trying to ignore what was going on behind me. Kayla was like a princess in the Grade. She made the Cheerleading team, Volleyball team and she even made the Softball team. I made the Soccer, Baseball, Basketball and the Gymnastics teams. She only had one enemy and that was Jinx Baker. She was also in the Cheerleading, Volleyball and Softball team. She was beautiful like Kayla. Long shimmering blonde hair which reached her hips, long eyelashes, high cheekbones, lush lips, nicely tanned skin, taller than me and Kayla, emerald green eyes, a smile which makes the boys weak and she was a spoilt brat. Her Mom and Dad cherished and gave her everything she wants.
"Have you finished yet?" I ask, just in case.
"Oh no, not yet." David says. His voice was deep and buff. Just what Kayla likes in a man. David was protective over anything, especially her. He was sweet, romantic and mad about Kayla.
"Great. Why don't you two get a room and do that?"
"We're in a room." His voice was muffled.
"Funny, David. Seriously, go somewhere private."
"Alright. Come on, Kayla, we'll go somewhere private." He grabs her hand and pulls Kayla out of the room. Going to a bathroom or a janitor's closest no doubt. I turn around and the class was filing in now. I look out of the window again and the trees were losing their leaves quicker than what I've seen this year.
The assignments were handed out when Miss Kay arrived. Kayla and David still didn't return. Miss Kay didn't give me mine and I know the reason why. I got top marks and she's going to inform the class, using my assignment, to show how to get top marks like me. Every teacher does this to me. I hide my face in my hands and listen.
"Clara, do you know where Kayla and David are?" Miss asks instead.
"No, I don't. They left before class started. Shall I go and look for them?" I offer. She nods. I grab my pack and thrust it over my shoulder.
I check the nearest janitor's closet, they weren't in there. I check the girls' bathrooms. It smelt of sex, pee and perfume all mixed together. It was Mongolia and there four sinks with mirrors above them. I look under the doors and found no one. I rush to the boys toilets. Found no one. My heart starts beating fast and I begin to worry about them. I go to the next janitor's closet and it was the same result. I check the next girls' and boys' bathrooms, no one. I go to the next floor. The school was four floors, different classes on each floor, lockers bordered the corridors.
I look in the girls' bathrooms after finding no one in the janitors' closet or the boys' bathrooms. I heard groans. "Kayla?"
"One minute. You might want to say outside." She answers. I step outside and I heard her shout David's name in pleasure. I shake my head. Why in the girls' bathroom? Why couldn't they have sex tonight? The door opens and Kayla walks out, tiding herself up. David came out next and smiles. They link hands. "You have to get yourself a toy boy and have sex, its wonderful Clara." Kayla tells me.
"Life's not all about sex, you know. Come on, I've been looking for you. Miss Kay sent me to find you both. She's giving out the assignments at this moment in time."
"Did you see what grade I got?"
"No." I admit simply.
"Look, tell Miss that David took me down to the reception because I didn't feel well."
"Why?" I was always doing this kind of stuff for her.
"We want some drugs. So, we're going to head down to the forest and smoke some with the group that's already down there."
"What have I got myself into?" I mutter to myself.
"A lot of trouble. Look, Clara, we won't be long. Well, we'll be as quick as we can. See you." She and David heads back inside the toilet, laughing all the way.
I go back to class and they all look at me. I sit in my seat and Miss Kay gave me my assignment. A* as usual.
"David took her down to the reception because she didn't feel too well. I don't know when she'll be back." I tell her.
"Okay, thanks for that." I have a sneaky suspicion that Miss will call reception and make sure that Kayla was alright but she trusts me so she won't bother most likely. I was worried about Kayla when I couldn't find her. She was almost my sister. I wouldn't know what to do if I lost her like my Mom.
My Mom wasn't a good one but she was still my Mom nonetheless. She was an alcoholic and she always goes out. She sleeps with random men but she makes sure she uses protection. She told me that herself. I pay the bills which weren't much because we rarely use gas and electricity. I buy food from the mall but I don't buy much because neither of us is hungry most of the time. I only buy things like tea bags, milk and packets of ready-made food that just to be heated up. We have a wood burning fire so we use that to heat up the water and the food.
The bell rings for next lesson and it's on the forth floor. Modern Languages. We had an exam and I'm pretty much past from sure that I've passed this exam. I enter the room and a chill goes down my spine. The room was freezing. The windows were closed. Mr Golfer- yes, that's his name- was staring at me as I walk over to my desk near the radiator. It was warm. I plaster my hands to it.
"It's boiling in here, Clara. How can you sit near the radiator and still be neutral." Derek, a boy who's friends with David, asks me.
"What do you mean by boiling? It's freezing in here." I answer.
"No it's not. It's boiling." Mr Golfer supports.
"I'm freezing." I say. There wasn't anything wrong with me, I know. The room was defiantly freezing but everyone thinks I'm crazy.
"Are you alright, Clara? Do you need to go to the Nurse's office?"
"No, I'm fine. I'm just freezing." I lean against the radiator, trying to warm up but I'm still bloody cold! The exam papers were handed out and I got Exceptional. I'm over achieving then. I study the paper and I almost got full marks, just one mark off then I'm as good as the teacher.
I shiver; trying to stop my teeth chattering when I become even colder if that's possible. I concentrate on the lesson. It was German and we were learning Sex Education. "Verpiss dich." I mutter under my breathe when Mr Golfer points at me as an example. He told the class that I was a good example of a menstruating woman because my breasts are large and I'm constantly moody. I know I could get him done for saying that about my breasts. I could get him done for being a pervert. Then he used a boy as an example of him having wet dreams. He has facial hair and thick arm hair and he was tall and he had his hand constantly in his trousers.
Again, I could get Mr Golfer sacked for being a pervert. That's exactly what I do! I am not going to put up with him using me or any other pupil as an example of good puberty. At least we've hit it. I smile at the thought and my name was said. I snap my attention back.
"Ja?" I ask. Mr Golfer points at the door. A receptionist was there. She nods for me. I stand up and go to her. I close the door behind me.
"Clara, we have something to tell you." She tells me softly.
"What is it? My Mom?"
"No, it's not your Mom but your Dad."
"Oh God, what does he want?" Dread filled me at the mention.
"He wants to speak to you."
"Hang up on him for me." I was going to refuse to speak to him.
"Clara, it's not on the phone he wants to talk to you here."
"What?" Now, shock mixed with the dread.
"Your Dad has found out where you are and he's waiting for you at the reception. He said he won't leave until he's spoken to you."
"He's here? Right now?"
"Yes."
"Call the police. He's not meant to come anywhere near my Mom and I." I run a hand through my hair. "He's meant to be in prison too."
"Are you sure you want me to call the police?"
"Yes. I want him back in prison for what he did to me. I have to talk to him first though, won't I?"
"He said he won't leave until you have."
"Okay. Let me get my pack and I'll be down. Make sure you have the phone at the ready in case he tries to hurt me." I open the door and I see everyone staring at me. They've heard everything.
"Sich verpissen." I told them. Mr Golfer didn't look impressed but he knew why he didn't give a detention yet. I get my pack and sigh as I do it up and I walk out. I shake my head. How dare he show his face to me and Mom! He still should be in prison. He was sentenced twenty years! He's only been in there for about seven years! I shake my head angrily and I tried to lower the need to kill him when I see him.
The reception area was newly refurbished. There was a huge wooden curved desk with computers, telephones and papers with the school's name on the front. There was a trophy cabinet opposite and underneath were chairs. There are two fire escape doors and two medium sized windows. The area outside the reception was filled with three trees, a plaque for those who lost their lives that came to this school, a little garden area, concrete stairs leading up to the car park. There was a small path which leads to the main road.
I look up when I reach the reception area. I stay well away from my Dad. He had a stubble, dark brown wavy hair, deep set brown eyes, a very muscular built body, taller than me by a head and he wore biker gear.
"So, why are you out of prison?" I ask him. He doesn't even disserve to be my Dad. I refuse to call him Dad anymore.
"I got my sentence overturned. I'm free. Clara, I've missed you."
"No, you've missed hurting me. You've missed kicking, punching and cutting your own daughter. I've got scars from when you cut."
"I'm so sorry for what I did-"
"Sorry doesn't make up for what you did to me! You should still be in prison you slime bag!" I turn sharply; I was unable to look at him anymore. "You don't disserve to be called Dad!"
"Clara, sweetie, I've changed. Really, I have."
"You've only change your ways of hurting me and hiding it, probably! Just leave me and Mom alone! We don't want to see you ever again and we don't want anything to do with you!"
"That's tough because I'm moving into the neighborhood."
"Then I and Mom will be moving away to a different estate! I was enjoying life here until you arrived! I've made friends and now, you're going to ruin all that!"
"I'm moving to the neighborhood because I want to be closer to you and your Mom."
"Just so you're closer to hitting me again like you did all those years ago!" I look at the receptionist and nod. She dials nine-one-one and my 'Dad' stares at me.
"Who is she calling?"
"The police. I want a restraining order on you! No, wait, got that wrong! I want you back in prison where you can't harm me or Mom ever again! It was injustice that they let you out! Pure injustice."
"You put me back in prison, Clara. How are you?"
"I'll find a way, I'll always do." I get out my Cell and call Mom.
"Yes Honey?" She answers.
"Can you please come to the school because he's back and he won't leave?" I tell her before slamming my phone shut. I face him.
"You called your Mom?" He asks.
"Yes and she's going to protect me the best she can."
"Your Mom's always been an alcoholic, Clara. She won't be able to protect you." He takes a step towards me.
I take a step back from him. "No one will be able to protect you now. I know where you live and I know what school you go to. I know how to find you and I will find you again and again."
"I hope the police get here soon. I can't stand the sight of you, Jarvis." Jarvis is my Dad's name. Jarvis McQueen. So, that makes me Clara McQueen. Daughter of a wife and child beater. He reaches out and grabs my wrist, holding it tightly. I scream out in pain. The receptionists get out from behind their desks and try to pull Jarvis away but he pushes them away. "Let go of me!" I shout.
"You know not to call your parents' by their first names, Clara." He lets go of my wrist and punches me in the eye. I'm going to have a shiner. I fall to the ground in pain.
There was running down the corridor and I see my Mom. "Nice to see you again, love. How's it been?" He straightens and faces my Mom.
"Jarvis, what are you doing here?" She asks.
"They released me from prison and I'm here to be with my family again. I want to spend more time with you!" He kicks me in the stomach and I roll over, bringing my knees to my chest, holding my head against them. I fight back the tears. There were sirens outside the school. Jarvis bends down and hits me some more then turns to my Mom. "I've missed you all so much." He takes a step towards my Mom.
I'm in too much agony to stand up. I look up instead and Jarvis had his Swiss Army Knife out. He picks me up by the collar of my top and cuts my cheeks open. I know they were deep gashes. The police race in, they quickly got Jarvis to the ground and arrested him. As they drag him out, he stares intensely at me. "I'm not finished with you yet, Clara!" He shouts. The police radio in the need for an ambulance. The receptionists place me on a seat and placed tissues over my cheeks and an ice bag over my eye. My Mom wraps an arm around my shoulders.
"What made you attracted to him, Mom?" I ask her.
"He was so sweet and totally the opposite to this." She mutters in my ear. The ambulance arrives and I'm put on a stretcher. Oxygen covers my mouth and I see the sky turn a deadly black. I see everyone was outside, wondering what the commotion was about and I see Kayla, mouth open. They placed a cabala in my left hand and press some pain killer in it. I was in so much pain. They place a thick material over my gashes which stung badly. My Mom was holding my hand. "Hang on, Sweetie. We're going to get to the hospital as soon as possible." She says to me, tears streaming down her cheeks. As her tears were clear, mine were red and stung the gashes more.
They close the doors and the last time I see is the blackness.
The sun was streaming down through the thicket of trees. I come to a clearing and it was full of pansies and tulips and roses. The sunlight made look like they were sparkling. It was beautiful. The grass was a bright green. The trees were full of green leaves and there were birds in them for the flapping I could hear. At the edge of the clearing, were shadows which seemed to contain evil. Then out of the shadows, a figure appeared. From the distance I was at, I could see the figure was a good few inches taller than me. I can see the features appearing now.
It was defiant he. He had blue eyes and brown hair. It was slightly long. He'd place his fringe over one side of his face and he looked like the typical emo dude but something inside told me he wasn't the typical emo dude, there was something pleasant about this person. He smiles at me slightly. It was a smile that shouted: "Help me!" He steps into the clearing and he was wearing black Levi and a blue top with some words on it. The words said: 'Save me from myself… Save me from falling down, Angels of Clarity. Save me frozen inside, Angels of Clarity.' I step forward and we meet half way of the clearing.
I place my hand out in front of me and he does the same. Only a thin margin of air separated our hand.
"Help me, please." He says, his voice soft and firm.
"How? Who are you?" I ask, my feelings mixed.
"My name is Aiden. Please, you are the only one who can help me. Please. Promise me you'll help, promise." His blue eyes sparkle in the light.
"How? Tell me how to help you, Aiden. I promise to help you but I need to know how first." Tears begin to well up in my eyes. He leans close to me and I don't feel a breathe.
"Please, help me." He whispers in my ear.
"How?"
"Help me..." He began to fade. "Please…" And he's gone. I'm in the meadow all alone. His voice echoing in my head. A wind blew, whispering.
"I promise I'll help you, Aiden! I promise!" I shout into the wind, hoping he could hear me.
"Clara? Can you hear me?" My Mom whispers. I groan and I try to move. A bolt of pain goes up through me.
"Where am I, Mom?" I ask, opening my eyes.
"You're in the hospital. You had to have stitches for your cheeks and an x-ray to make sure you haven't broken any bones. Just bruises."
"When am I going to get discharged then?" I push myself up and hiss in pain. Definitely my bones are bruised.
"Tonight. I've called your work and said that you're in hospital and you're unable to work at this moment in time. A few of your friends came round to see you and gave you cards."
I look at the bedside tables. Cluttered with cards with 'Get Well Soon' and 'Hope You Feel Better Soon'.
"Did Kayla come round?"
"No. Who is she?"
"She's my best friend. She'll probably come and see me when I'm home, that's the better choice for her."
"I'm sorry for all of this, Clara."
"Mom, don't be. It's not your fault he was able to locate us, is it? I wonder why he was allowed out."
"God knows, honey."
"I hope he goes back into prison for good. I hate him so much." I pick up the mirror which wasn't overpowered by the cards and I see big band aid's on my cheeks, underneath them there will be stitches then scars. "How long before my cheeks heal?"
"They said it'll take a few weeks and they're dissolvable stitches so all that will be left are scars." My Mom shakes her head. "I feel like such an idiot to you, Clara." I see tears well up in her eyes.
"Mom, you've done the best you can to be a good Mom to me."
"A good Mom would never let her child get hurt by their own Dad." She takes the tissue I offer her.
"Every child has to get hurt at some point. Don't worry about it. So, can I take these band aids off?"
"They said not yet unless you want to go into school looking like Frankenstein. Maybe you would like that, wouldn't you?"
"Are you calling me a boy now, Mom? Where's my bride?" I joke.
"I thought there was something suspicious about you." Her laugh made me fill with joy. She was laughing for the first time.
"Thanks Mom." I say sarcastically. My mind turned back to the dream. Aiden. Why was he asking me for help? How could I help him?
"I've got to go because visiting hours are over. See you tonight, Clara." She kisses my forehead and leaves.
"Love you, Mom." I tell her as she leaves. A Nurse comes in and she smiles. "Hey," I greet her.
"Hello, how are you?" She puts the cards together.
"I'm fine thank you. How about you?"
"Good too. Busy tonight."
"Er… not to be rude but do you know a boy called Aiden? I don't know his last name but his first name's Aiden."
"Can you describe him please? It might help."
"He had blue eyes and brown hair. It was slightly long. He'd place his fringe over one side of his face and he looks like the typical emo dude but he isn't really. Does he ring any bells?"
"No, sorry. Why?"
"I'm just wondering."
"Where did you meet him?" She was presuming that I liked Aiden.
"I haven't yet. He wants me to help him."
"What do you mean you haven't?"
"I haven't met him. He came to me in my dreams and he said that I'm the only one who could help him and I promised that I'd help him but I don't know where he is or anything."
"I hope you're not lying."
"I don't lie, honest."
"Okay. You have to ask one of the older Nurses. I've only worked here for two years."
"Thanks anyway. Do you know if I can move yet?"
"Sure you can, just be careful though." She leaves me. I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and I feel the cold floor underneath my feet. It shoots up through me like the pain did. I stand up and I balanced my weight. It feels good to be standing up. I practice taking a few steps and smile at the feel. This is so good.
"Help me…" A voice whispers next to me. I turn quickly and nobody was there. It was Aiden's voice, I know it was. I begin to feel scared. A fear for me and Aiden makes me shiver.
I need to do something to make my mind keep off him for now. I will find out where he is and why I'm the only one who can help him. I also need to find out how I can help him. Why does he want me to help him? Why am I the only one who can help him? I walk around the small area and try to think. I'm not doing anything without a medium there with me because I don't want any bad ghosts to come after me. It doesn't matter than I do or don't believe in them. Bad luck follows me wherever I go and I don't want it to follow me for all my life.
I find my pack underneath my bed and I get out a pen and piece of paper. I write down what I saw and I draw an image of Aiden. On a clean sheet of paper, I write down ways I can help him but I need to be allowed to go to that party tonight because I need an Ouija board and a group of friends to help me do a séance. I get my Cell from my bag and I have a message from Kayla. She's coming soon. I close my Cell and shove the pieces of paper and pen into my bag.
I look in the cupboards to see if I can find any clothes and thankfully, I had some. I close the curtains and I get dressed into my change of clothes. A red t-shirt, light blue skinny jeans and some black sneakers. I sit in the chair next to the bed and I think about how he looked. There was no sign of him being harmed. There was something strange about him, something secretive. I think he has a secret side he doesn't like anyone to know about. I bet he's a sweet, loving, fun, romantic and great-to-hang-with guy.
In his eyes, I could see torment though. This guy was being bullied or harmed and he wanted help. I can understand that but the question that stirs in my head still is: why am I the only one who can help him? The question confuses me. I'm not special by any means. Just your normal eighteen year old kid. I don't have any physic powers, I can't talk to the Dead, I can't do exorcisms or any of that stuff. So again: Why me? Hopefully, I'll see him again in my dreams and I'll be able to get more answers out of him. Hopefully.
My Mom arrives and the Doctor signs me out and we leave the hospital. We walk home and my mind still on Aiden. My Mom hasn't noticed yet and I'm glad of that. I'm trying to figure out how I can locate Aiden. I don't even know remotely where to begin. I'll ask Kayla when she comes over if she knows Aiden. My Mom was in the kitchen, on the phone as usual. I sit in front of the fire, staring into it. Still trying to figure out the answer to the 'Why Me?' question. I was so confused by what he said. "You are the only one who can help me."
Why am I the only one who can help him? How can I help him? How do I know where he is? I scratch my head. There was a knock at the door and I jump up to answer it. My Mom beats me to it and it was Kayla. Her face was fear-stricken. My Mom goes back to the kitchen; Kayla comes in and closes the door. I give her the best hug I could and we both sit down in front of the fire. The glow from it brightened up her skin and made her look more beautiful than she already was.
"Oh my God, Clara! What happened? I saw you being rushed off to hospital!" She asks me.
"My Dad is what happened. We started off talking and then, he got mad. Gave me this nice shiner, bruised bones and two gashes on my cheeks that will leave scars because I've had to have stitches in them. Hopefully, the police will put him in prison for good."
"How did he get out?"
"He was let out. He got his sentence overturned. Biggest case of injustice since Nelson Mandela, in my opinion."
"Same. Are you okay now?"
"Not allowed to remove these band aids yet but yeah, I'm fine. My bones hurt just a little but, that's bruised bones for you."
"Clara, myself and our 'little' group of friend have decided on throwing you a party if you're okay, tonight actually. So, can you ask your Mom please because we can't plan it another night? We're all loaded on other nights including you."
"Erm… okay. Yeah, I'll ask. I've got something to tell you also." I get up and go towards my Mom. "Mom, can I go out with Kayla tonight? Our friends are throwing a party for me tonight and it has to be tonight because we're all busy on other nights."
"Of course you can honey, as long as you're back before midnight." She puts on her high heels.
"I will. Are you going out tonight?"
"Yeah. I've got money so don't worry. Do you have your keys?"
"Yes, I've got my keys." I make sure in case and I do.
"Okay. Let's go, yeah?" She smiles. I put out the fire and Kayla and I go out of the house. I wait for my Mom to come out before locking the door.
Tonight, the wind was icy cold and fierce. The night seems darker than it usually does and the leaves swirled around in the wind like ballerinas. Kayla leads me towards the place they're holding the party and it's the rickety old house.
There was no paint on it. The wood was gray possibly from the weather and the screen door was almost off its hinges. Most of the shutters on the windows were hanging by one hinge each. The house creaked and moaned as it settled against the weather. There were holes in the roof and the slates were old and with a fierce push from the wind, they would fall to the ground. There was no sign of life around the house apart from the trees. They didn't have life on them either. They all twisted and the branches reached wide. Kayla looks at me. A dim light can be seen from inside.
"So, this is the rickety old house which is rumored to be haunted. Come on, let's go inside." Kayla says, grabbing my elbow.
"Kayla, do you know the name of the boy who died here?"
"No, why?"
"No reason."
"Okay. Let's go in then." She tugs my elbow; I slowly take it step by step towards the house. My guts are telling me this is a bad idea but with the Ouija board here, I can find out where Aiden is.
The porch steps creak underneath our weight, about to give in. There was a single rocking chair at one side of the porch, rocking as if someone's sat in it. The wind was moving it though, it was a strong breeze. "So, what was the thing you want to tell me about?"
"Um… I'll tell you when we're in private." I tell her, gulping hard as we walk in. The inside was gray with few evidence of being done up. The hallway had a hole in the middle of it. The staircase twisted around a wooden pole, leading throughout the house.
The walls were bare and there were a few specs of paint. The windows were dirty. Kayla leads me around the hole and I gaze down into it. I could feel myself falling down it, screaming, thinking it was a crevasse and never be able to get back out. Kayla pulls me into the living room; I was unable to pull myself away from the hole. The living room was bare also except a coffee table (which was huge!) in the middle. There was an Ouija Board set up and ready to use. A pen and a piece of paper were at the side. A couple of candles were lit around the table to give us some light.
David, Derek and the rest of our 'little' gang was here, sitting around the table. A woman in her mid twenties with gray hair sits at the table and she ushers me to sit opposite her. I do sit opposite her but my gut is telling me again this is wrong.
"Hello, I'm Heather Gray. I'm the Medium to help you with the Ouija Board and the séance tonight. You are...?" The woman introduces.
"I'm Clara McQueen." We shake hands.
"Your friends have told me what you've been through within twenty four hours. I'm sorry for what happened."
"Don't be. It's just a run of bad luck, that's all."
"Luck doesn't exist. So, do you want to do the séance first?"
"I hope you don't mind me asking but are you a qualified Medium? Can you do such things like this?"
"I am a qualified Medium, just check out my customer reviews."
"So, you're not fake?"
"No, I'm not." She was patient but I can see that my questions were getting on her nerves. I have to make sure, that's all.
"That's alright then. Sorry about that. I have to make sure."
"It's quite alright. Do you want to start with the séance?"
"I don't mind." I smile. She nods.
"Everyone sit in a circle and place your hands lightly but flat on the table." The Medium instructs. Kayla sits next to me, David next to her. Derek on my other side and our mates sit around the table. "Touch your pinky fingers with your neighbors and your thumbs together." We do that. "Close your eyes and I will start off the séance." We close our eyes and we wait. "Is there any spirits with us now?" She asks out loud. I get a chill up my spine and there was a knock in front of me on the table. "Knock please. Two for yes, one for no." There were two knocks in front of me.
"How many are you here?" Two knocks. Two spirits. "Do you want to harm us in anyway?" There was one knock but then, further away from me, there were two. The knocks near me were soft when the knocks further away happened; they were fiercer like the wind.
"Do you want to communicate with us?" Duh. They wouldn't be knocking otherwise. I thought. There was a snigger behind me as if something read my mind and agreed. I snap around and saw nothing. "Clara, you ask." The Medium says. I keep my eyes open.
"Do you want anyone of us to help you? If so, touch which one." I ask. There was a scratching in front of underneath the table. I look and it was no one.
Then I feel a hand on my shoulder. Aiden came back to my mind. "Me." I let out in a shaky breathe. The hand on my shoulder goes. "Are you the boy who died in the fire, five years ago?" There were three knocks. Two were soft, the other hard. I gulp hard. "Do you want to hurt me?" I have to find out if one of the spirits wants to hurt me. Two hard thuds answer my question and they came from behind me.
"Shall we move onto the Ouija Board so you can spell out a message?" Kayla asks. Two knocks. I gulp hard and the Medium breaks the link. She brings cards onto the table. The cards were with letters of the alphabet, two cards said 'yes' and 'no', a single card said 'goodbye'.
The Medium places a glass in the center of the table. The wind grows harsher outside and the house starts to creak more. My stomach feels like its tap dancing, I know this won't bring anything good out of tonight until I get my answers, for my mind, for Aiden. Some people pull out including Kayla. They step back and place their hands on the people who were participating shoulders. Kayla gets to write though. I place my finger on the glass as well as the other people.
"What is the message you want to give to me?" I ask. The glass moves to each letter, spinning a few times. It feels weird. You're not moving it; it feels like its floating.
I blink back tears when the message is revealed as: Help me. The Medium looks at me when the glass goes over to me after the message is spelt out. "How can I help you?" I ask, I needed to find out this answer. I was desperate to find this one out, so desperate. The glass moves again. This time, much faster. My heart was speeding up also. The message read: Defeat the Demon and Come to Me. "Is this Aiden?" I ask. The glass went straight to the 'yes' card. "Oh God, Aiden. Who's the Demon? How came I come to you?" I wipe a hand over my face.
The glass went to the D, then the A, and back to the D and back to me. "My Dad? He's the Demon?" it went to 'yes'. "Can you show yourself to me again? Please?" The glass lay still and there was nothing. The Medium moves strangely and then went limp. "Heather?" I ask cautiously. Her head snaps up, her eyes straight at me.
"Defeat the Demon and come to me." She says. It wasn't her voice that came out though. It was Aiden's.
"How can I defeat my Dad and come to you?"
"You must sacrifice your soul to him and then use your soul to defeat him, to kill him. Then your soul will return to your body and you will become immortal, like me. Hurry and help me." The Medium moves strangely and went limp again.
"How do I give up my soul? Kill myself?" I ask, mainly to myself but the glass moves and it went to 'no'. "How then?" The glass was still again. The Medium looks up, back to normal.
"What happened?" She asks, clasping a hand to her head.
"Tell you later." I look back at the glass. "Aiden, are you still here?" It moves to 'yes'. "How do I give up my soul? Help me along here so I can help you, please." I fight the tears welling up in my eyes.
I feel a hand on my shoulder. It wasn't Kayla's hand; it was cold and almost went through me. The glass moves to tell me that I will find a way. "Aiden, I need more help than that." I tell him, half smiling. I hear laughter from behind me. The glass moves again but faster. Spelling out exorcism on my Dad. I couldn't guess what will happen next. "After that, what?" The glass didn't move. I could feel the hand on my shoulder but he's refusing to move it.
"How did you know the boy's name, Clara?" Kayla asks me.
"I had a dream and he came to me in that dream. Telling me his name and that I'm the only who could help him and I promised I would help him." I smile and I place my hand above the cold spot on my shoulder. "A dream?" She looks at me in disbelief like everyone else. I nod. "That's right, in a dream. I feel so sorry for him and I won't stop until he's free." I tell them firmly. "I intend to keep my promise. I always keep my promises." I take a deep breathe. "A couple more questions, Aiden. Who's the other spirit? Is it tormenting you? I could see in your eyes that you were being tormented and I just want to make sure you're alright."
The glass moves this time. The answer to my first question was DEMON. The second answer was 'yes' and HURRY.
"Why is Clara the only one who can help you?" Kayla asks, shivering. The glass gives the answers. DAUGHTER OF THE DEMON and PURE OF SPIRIT, SOUL AND HEART.
"I think he means that only a relative can stop the Demon because they can use the blood bond to make the soul go back to their bodies. I think he means with the second answer is that anyone who has a pure spirit, soul and heart has a more likely chance of becoming immortal they way they left mortally than the ones who don't." The glass moves to 'yes'. I was right. "Why is the Demon tormenting you and why contact me now? Why not back in England or straight after I moved in up the road?"
There was silence. "Have we got an EPV running?" I ask, looking around. There were nods so that must mean more than one. "I want to hear your voice Aiden. Speak out loud, use our energy." I say. "You did before, didn't you while I was in hospital. You said help me."
"Clara…" A voice murmurs. I turn my head slightly to the right and sigh.
"Aiden." I close my eyes a moment before opening them. "Are we going to pack up now or shall we carry on but ask the Demon because I've got a feeling that Aiden doesn't want to answer anymore questions."
The glass goes to 'no'. "You don't want us to stop asking you questions?" It went to 'yes'. "You don't want us to ask the Demon?" 'Yes'. "We won't, don't worry." I stand up. "If you guys experience anything, call me because I want to know." I pick up the cards and I give them back to the Medium. "Thank you for your time, Heather." I say to her. The guys relax as they see me relaxed. Heather leaves without a word and I sit on the floor, next to a candle.
"So, tell us about your dream. You've got us curious." Kayla crosses her arms and sits next to me.
"Well, I was in this clearing in the middle of the forest,"
"A bit like that scene in Twilight with the meadow?" Kayla interrupts. "Er… I don't know. I've never read or seen it. Anyway, it was full of roses, pansies and tulips. The sun was streaming down through the trees. The grass was the greenest green I'd ever seen and the trees had leaves the very same color. Well, around the edge of the clearing, it was pitch black, as dark as this very night and a figure formed.
"It stepped into the light. It was a few inches taller than me and he had blue eyes and brown hair. It was slightly long, just longer than his ear. He'd place his fringe over one side of his face and he looked like the typical emo dude but I knew somehow that he wasn't emo. So, we meet each other in the middle of the clearing." I smile.
"Ooh. A bit of 'Oh La La' next?" Kayla asks.
"No. I place my hand out like this," I place my hand out exactly the same way. "And he did the same. There was only a thin strip of air which stopped our hands from connecting.
"He smiled and I knew it was a smile that showed pain. So, he says, help me please. I ask him what's his name and so he answers. His name was Aiden and that I'm the only who could help him. I didn't understand. I asked him how can I help and then he started to slowly fade away. He kept saying help me please and promise that you'll help me so when he disappeared. I shouted I promise! I feel so sorry for him and I don't want Aiden to suffer like he has already."
"Why has he waited until now then to ask you?"
"I don't know. I'm still waiting for that answer from him."
"So, you're going to try and help a ghost?"
"Yes. I know it's impossible to believe but I am. I want to help him. Why should he suffer just because he's a ghost? Ghosts still have feelings, you know. The Ouija Board and Séance should've proven it."
"I've got a brilliant idea. Why don't we all spend the night over here and investigate like Yvette Fielding and the rest of the Most Haunted crew, like Zak, Nick and Aaron in Ghost Adventures or Jason, Grant, Dave Tango and Steve and the rest of the crew in Ghost Hunters? It'll be awesome!" Kayla's idea was supported with a cheer.
"No, it'll be dangerous. We can't mess with the paranormal if we don't know what we're doing." I feel a weight of pressure of my lungs. I cough to get some air but no change. Kayla pats my back, no change.
"Christ, Clara! What's wrong?" David asks, lifting me up so I stood and Kayla hits my back, not patting my back, literally hitting it. The weight lifts and I'm able to breathe again. "What happened?"
"I don't know. It was so sudden. It was talking to your guys then I felt a huge weight on my lungs. I couldn't breathe. I didn't know where the weight came from; it just came on me so suddenly and just as quickly as it came on, it came off." I clutch my chest and slow down my pulse. "Don't…" A voice whispers in my ear. I look around and see no one was close enough to whisper something into my ear. It must be Aiden.
"Didn't you hear that?" I ask Kayla and David. They glance at each other then at me.
"No, what?" David's confused expression was enough proof.
"A voice whispered into my ear just then."
"What did it say?"
"It said 'Don't' as if saying we shouldn't do what you suggested, Kayla."
"Seriously, Clara. Why would I follow what a voice said? Come on guys, let's do some ghost hunting." She turns and every one stares at me.
"Kayla, I think we should do what Clara said. She's the only one who's communicating with a ghost and that ghost is telling us not to do this." Derek backs me up. He comes and stands next to me. "I take Clara's side. Everyone else is free to choose whoever they want to go to." He waves his arms out to his side. I shake my head and I go to the front door. I feel something stopping me, I want to go but at the same time, I'm reluctant to. I can't leave Aiden alone, with my friends here. I promised him that I'd help him but I can't do that in one night. My Dad is probably back in England or in a cell at the police station.
How am I going to get my Dad exorcized before he goes to jail though? That will be tricky. Maybe Aiden could help me.
"Aiden, I'll be back tomorrow. I promise. Please let me go." I say out loud. My reluctance goes. "Visit me in my dreams like you did earlier. But you have to stay longer so we can talk." I laugh out loud and leave the house. I glance back and I see most of the group coming out.
"Clara!" Kayla shouts, running out with the rest of the group.
"What's wrong?" I run up to her.
"Something scared the living daylights out of me, that's what." "What did it look like?"
"A Demon. Snarling teeth, you know. Horns, disfigurement."
"Are you sure?" I see something in the window. I glance that way, nothing in the window. I thought I saw a person, I thought I saw Aiden. "Of course I'm sure! I wouldn't out here otherwise! Let's go home." I nod in agreement for her sensible suggestion. Everyone decides to go home.
"Thanks for the party guys and remember, you experience anything strange, call me!" I shout when we separate. Kayla lives on the same street as me and we don't separate until we have to. I enter my house, exactly on midnight. The grandfather clock tolls. Strange, it stopped working when I was five and it never worked since then. I go to it and it wasn't working, the pendulum wasn't swinging so how was it tolling? I turn around and Aiden was there. "Oh God, Aiden. You scared me." I laugh at my own shock.
"Clara," He breathes. He looks like he was going to fall over.
"Come and sit down." I lead him over to the sofa and I start a fire. "Do you want a drink or are you unable to…" I let my question trail, feeling uncomfortably. He stands up.
"I don't have time, Clara. He'll find out where I am soon so I have to make this quick." He places his hand in midair like he did in my dream. "Aiden, I have no idea where my Dad is. If I do find him, how do I get the police to let me see him and get the priest in?" I place mine where his is, leaving a margin of air between our hands.
"He's still at the police station and he will be kept there until the trial is due. I'll handle the priest part; you just need to persuade the police to let you see him." He glances back and his hand touches mine. A flurry of feelings flies through me. His touch was cold yet electrical. "After the exorcism, the Demon will be released and you must offer your soul to him in exchange of my freedom. After I get my freedom, I'll rescue your soul and deliver it back to you but you'll become immortal and I'll become a human immortal too but with my powers still."
"I understand. Surely there must be other daughters' whose Dad's are like mine that could help you." I flex my fingers within his and he glances at our hands.
"You're the only one who first noticed me. That means something but I can't remember. Too long ago. So, when I give the signal, you will go to the police station and convince them to let you see your Dad and then I'll bring the priest along. When I enter the room, I have to put chains on his wrists, ankles, neck and stomach; I need you to hold him to the wall while I do that. Okay? Then we'll go on from there."
"I'm so sorry for what happened to you, Aiden. You didn't disserve to die. I know you didn't."
"Don't worry about it. Soon, I'll be alive again." His smile brings one half of his mouth up, it makes me smile. "I have to go but, remember when I give the signal. Plan goes into action."
"What will the signal be?"
"You'll know." He turns and as he walks towards the door, he fades. I stay where I stand and gaze towards where he disappeared. I take my hand down and quickly put out the fire before I lock the front and back door then heading to bed.
I get into the shower, washing my hair thoroughly. Think about when our hands connected. The flurry of emotions that had ran through me like electricity. Was it an attraction? Was I just embarrassed to have a ghost hold my hand? Or was I just angry that I'd noticed him and no other girl did? Was I overwhelmed by how kind he was, how sweet and cute? Whoa, wait. Cute? What was I thinking? How can you think a ghost was cute or any other things to do with the look of the face? I'm going out of my mind. All of this talking to a ghost, my Dad getting out of prison, helping out a ghost from trouble, Demons and me getting beaten up by my Dad wasn't real. I'd wake up in the morning, feeling like I do usually and no worries about my Dad or ghosts or Demons will there in the morning.
I stare at myself in the mirror and write in the mirror; We'll have to wait and see, hey? I didn't believe in ghosts or Demons before all this happened but now, I do. I believe Angels were real because I had met one but nothing else. I exit the bathroom, a towel wrapped tightly around me, and I go into my bedroom. My room was Mongolia colored, the chest of drawers were in the corner with my TV on it. My Stereo was on a shelf above it. My wardrobe was near my bunk bed which had no second bunk. Just a desk underneath the bed. Desk had a laptop and a homework area. My books were next to the chest of drawers and it was full to the brim. My window was long and rectangular with black black-out curtains. Perfect.
I get change into underwear and I hang the towel back up in the bathroom. Corner shower, Granite floors tiles, black towels, and an oval mirror in front of the sink which was next to the toilet. A small circle window. Turquoise blue mosaic tiles set out pictures of a Kingfisher. I go back into my bed and turn off the light. I go on my side and close my eyes. I try to fall asleep but I can't for some reason. No matter how much I toss and turn, I can't get comfortable or get close to sleep. I feel unsafe for some reason. I get up and I lock the door.
Crash! It came from downstairs. Sounded like it came from the living room. Heavy thudding on the laminate flooring of the hallway. "Clara! Are you here, Love?" My Dad's voice booms. How did he get out? I run to the window and open it. I begin to climb out of it when my bedroom door shakes violently. "Are you in here, Love?" He growls. I quickly get onto the nearest branch and climb across it. I go down the tree and I run to next door. Macy was my next door neighbor. I knock on it frantically and she opens the door slowly.
"Clara, come in. Why are you knocking on my door and in your underwear at this time of night?" She asks, pulling me inside.
"My Dad's thrashing around my house trying to look for me, Macy. Please, hide me until I know he's gone for now." I am so scared at this moment. My Dad defiantly revealed the Demon inside him. I need Aiden. Now. Macy leads me into the living room.
"Wait here, I'll get you something to wrap up in." She rushes off.
"Can I burrow your phone to call my Mom?"
"Of course." She shouts down, looking frantically. I quickly press in my Mom's phone number and press it urgently against my ear.
"Hello?" She answers on the third ring, just my luck. My Mom sounds out of breathe, heavy breathing down the phone.
"Mom, it's me. I'm at Macy's house. Dad's in the house, looking for me at this very instant so I escaped through my bedroom window and I came to Macy's. Don't come home for tonight or tomorrow. I want to make sure it's safe before I'm letting you near there." I explain quickly.
"How did he get out of the police station? How did he get into the house?" She asks, fear thick in her voice.
"I don't know for both questions. Mom, listen to me. Do not come home tonight or tomorrow, okay?"
"Yes, okay. Are you alright?"
"I'm just a little shaken but I'm alright. I have to go. Speak to you soon." I hang up before she could answer. Macy comes back down with a bathrobe in her hands. I put it on and we sit down on the sofa. "Thanks Macy. Sorry to wake you up at this time of morning. I'm just so scared." "I know. Your Mom told me what he did to you when you were younger and earlier today. I'm sorry for you and your Mom. Do you need a bag of peas of your eye? It's defiantly a good shiner." She smiles and plays with a strand of her hair.
"No, thanks. You just go back to bed. I'm going to see if I can see if my Dad leaves yet." I shiver.
"No. I can't go back to sleep when I've got a scared to death young woman in my living room, looking out for her dangerous Dad. I'm worried sick for you and I mean that. Where's your Mom?"
"You know how she is. Sleeps with random men so I don't know where she is. I told her not to come home tonight or tomorrow until I've made sure Dad is no longer there."
"You should be the Mom instead. You'd make a good Mom if you choose to have children. It's worth it."
"I don't know if I want children or not. I've always looked after my Mom since my Dad. She has been a good Mom to me; she's done the best she can. She had a violent husband for the best part of fourteen years. They were together for three years before the got married and he turned violent when I was four. So, fourteen years."
"That's a long time."
"Tell me about it."
"Did you ever figure out what made him start the abuse?"
"Nope. He confessed he just wanted to hit me over and over."
"Did he do any serious damage?"
"Just a few scars and bad memories but no. Still can have babies if I choose to." I look out of the window and shake my head. If I find the right man to have them with. I sigh at the thought. Will I find the right man to have babies with? Then my mind lingers to a thought. Could ghosts have children? I can't believe that I was asking myself this question. Why did my mind linger over to it? "Do you think I'll find the right man?" I ask Macy suddenly. I face her and cross my arms.
"What? Of course you will. You're young and gorgeous. Why are you asking?"
"I'm just wondering. You're young and beautiful, Hell! You're gorgeous, every man's dream and you're single."
"Honey, I'm not every man's type. As for you, you're everything a man wants. You're beautiful, likable, multi-skilled, talented, kind, calm, well tempered, loving and sporty. What's not to like about you?"
"Why do men just have sex with you and go?" It wasn't personal.
"Because they think that sex is necessary, that's why. Their minds are so simple and they can be controlled easily."
"Have you ever come across a man whose mind is so complex that you can't work out what they're thinking never mind doing?"
"No. Why, have you?"
"Sort of. Two people I think have complex minds."
"Ooh, do tell."
"My Dad for one, he has a complex mind." That's because there's a Demon inside him, slowly making your Dad destroy himself inside out. "And one is a boy I dreamt of when I was in Hospital." It wasn't a dream, it was real. A ghost invaded your private space! Your dreams are private, idiot! A voice tells me inside my head.
I glance out of the window and I see my Dad in the streetlight. The streetlight gives him a more evil look. The way shadows were casted on his face, making his eyes look black and deep inside his skull. I swear I could see the start of horns on the top of his head. He looks angry, knowing that he couldn't find me. He sniffs the air and comes towards here. "My Dad's coming towards this way, Macy." I whisper to her, getting down on the floor. She nods.
"Go up the stairs and into my bedroom. Spray my perfume everywhere to let your smell blend in."
I go up the stairs quickly and into Macy's bedroom. All pink. Pink king-sized bed, pink walls, pink curtains, pink stereo, pink TV and a pink dresser full of make-up and perfume. I rush towards it and I quickly spray perfume all over the room away from me. There was thrashing from the hallway downstairs. I duck under the bed and beg that it wasn't my Dad. "She's not here, Jarvis." I hear Macy defend.
"I know she's here because I saw here come this way." My Dad's voice was barely recognizable to me. It was almost a snarl.
"She probably jumped over the fences and hedges; she isn't in my house, that's for sure." I can hear Macy trying to hard to get rid of him.
"My daughter can't climb a tree, never mind jump over a fence or tree. Why are you hiding her, Macy?"
"You'll be surprised what Clara can learn while you've been on the inside. How do you know that she can't jump over fences and tress? Maybe she can climb trees now. You wouldn't know, of course."
"Oh trust me, I'd know."
"How?"
"I have people who inform me about my daughter's progress and update me on what she can or can't do."
"She's not here, okay? I'm going to go now."
"Clara is here alright. I can see it in your eyes." I can hear him smile. He pushes Macy against the wall and his heavy footsteps climb the stairs. Footsteps that seem to shake the world from my point of view. I try to keep my breathe steady, my heart as close to normal I can and I pray that he doesn't find me. "Clara, sweetie. Come out of hiding, I know you're up here. I'm going to take you home now." My Dad smirks.
The door opens slowly and purposely. "I can sense you." He murmurs, smelling the air. I prepare to bolt from under the bed and downstairs if he looks under the bed.
"Jarvis! I'm going to call the police!" Macy shouts from the bottom of the stairs, she sounds like she's been hurt.
"I'll be gone before the police are here and I don't leave empty handed, trust me." He comes towards the bed. Adrenaline pumping through my veins to cover up my fear. Don't let him smell your fear. A voice inside my head tells me.
I don't see my Dad anywhere now. It's clear. Run for your life! Before thinking twice, I rush out from under the bed and head towards the stairs. Macy wasn't there. Two arms wrap around my waist and I scream. "Clara," Oh God, it was my Dad. He puts me on his shoulder and goes down the stairs two at a time, whistling cheerfully.
"Put me down, Jarvis! Put. Me. Down. Now!" I see Macy in the kitchen, a knife in her stomach, and her eyes on the doorway. The blood spills all the way down her nightgown and dead. Macy was dead. I thrash and scream. Neighbors came out of their houses and rush inside quickly.
"Oh Clara, I'm going to make up for those six years in the next year or so." A hint of amusement stains his voice. I scream again.
"No! I want nothing to do with you!" I shout, I look up and I see Aiden.
"I'm your Dad; you want everything to do with me." My Dad forces me against a car bonnet, still warm, and places a gag around my mouth. He then ties my wrists together behind my back. I use my legs to kick him in the shin and in between his legs but he didn't even flinch. I look around. Why wasn't anyone helping me? Aiden was nowhere to be seen. I start to cry. My Dad places me in the passenger seat and plugs the seat belt in.
He gets in next to me and I see a blade shine in the streetlight. My heart pounds against my rib cage. He looks at me and makes the blade run smoothly down my skin. My pulse jumping when he skims it over my collar bone. I moan and try to keep calm. Not working. "Clara, I think I should tell you this. I'm not your real Dad. Your Mother slept with too many men and one night, she was so wasted that she forgot to use a condom and decided to keep you. Me? I was keeping her in a forceful relationship until the coppers took me away. So, since I'm not your Dad, I think it's appropriate to tell you this. I've always imagined raping you. I've imagined you naked, bleeding on my bed. The scent of your blood filling my nose.
"So, tonight, I'm going to make my dreams come true. Tonight, I'm going to make you bleed and I'm going to make you plead me for mercy. In the end, I'll kill you. And then, I'm going to kill your whore of a Mother and the bloke who she slept with to make you." He unties the bathrobe I burrowed off Macy and places it firmly apart. "Such a beautiful body, such wonderful memories of hitting you when you wouldn't be aroused as much as I was." He lets the blade glide across the bare skin of my stomach. He wasn't going to cut me yet. I moan again. I look out of the window and I saw Aiden. Help me here! I shout at him, knowing he couldn't read my mind.
His eyes open with fear and he steps through the back door. I shake my head again. "Now, now Clara. Keep calm. It's going to be an enjoyable night." He pats my thigh. I turn my head, Aiden wasn't there anymore. Jarvis starts the car and we drive through the streets. The streetlights flashing overhead and no one was around so they could see what kind of distress I was in. Jarvis pulls over and smiles at me. We were at an abandoned warehouse near the docks. The warehouses were used to store fish when the docks were still in use, now; it was a paradise for drug paraphernalia.
"Home for now, until I get somewhere more… disserving for such a beauty as yourself." Jarvis strokes my cheek with the forefinger. I shake my head and struggle as he pulls me up out of the car. I try to spit out the gag but it wouldn't bug. The smell of old fishing nets and the old fishermen markets burns my nose and I try to hold my breathe. Failing badly, I try to ignore the smell. There were a few blokes outside the warehouse we were heading to. All look like Jarvis.
"Well, well, well. You've caught the catch of the day, Jarvis mate." The male in dark blue tracksuit says, walking up to me. He eyes me up and down and his hands press my breasts. "A juicy catch at that." He smiles and he has trouble taking his hands away from my breasts.
His right hands travel down my body, past my navel and I struggle again. Jarvis grabs a handful of hair and tugs hard. The man's hand reaches my panties and slips his hand inside. I moan and sob again. His smile widens. "Shall we take her in and she what she's like?" He takes his hand away and opens the warehouse. I feel so violated. His hand was caressing the part I wanted him to go nowhere near! Inside, the big lights were off but I could see from the moonlight there was an office at the rear of the building. The space between was full of tables, dart boards, pool tables and TV sets with camcorders.
The man in the blue tracksuit picks me up and carries me over to the office. A single light flickers on as a switch is pressed. It was a desk lamp. The glass was painted black. I see my worst fears confirmed. There was a bed angled at forty five degrees with ropes at every corner. A camcorder was on a tripod and on, ready to film. The man in the blue tracksuit makes me lean against the bed and presses his body against mine. His hands untie the rope at my wrists and quickly takes off the bathrobe. He places my hands in the ropes which were connected to the top right and left corners of the bed. I have no more tears to cry, I have no more fear running through me and I have no more hope.
He lets his mouth trail down my chest, then my stomach and unties my legs. He quickly slots the ropes which connected to the bottom right and left corners to my ankles. I was spread out like a slave on the rack. He stands back and smiles. "Right now, let me get comfortable before I start recording, love." He tells me, taking off his jacket, revealing a tight tee underneath. He takes that off, revealing a hairless chest and a flat stomach. He had no stubble and looked remarkably young. He takes off his bottoms. He wore no underpants. He presses record on the camcorder and walks up to me.
His mouth connects on my neck at first. His hands clasp my breasts and I feel him get a boner. His hands go behind my back and undo my bra. He laughs against my skin and I try to struggle out of the ropes and try to stop him doing this to me. He undoes the straps and tears away my bra, kissing them lovingly. "Nice juicy breasts you've got." He tells me. I moan. His hands reach down towards my panties. I try to shout but I couldn't. I feel him rip away my panties, leaving me bare. He plunges two fingers into my pink flesh and I try to cry out again but it was no use.
His free hand did the job of squeezing my right breast. Oh God, how did I get myself into this? Why do I disserve this? I ask myself. Next, he picks up the camcorder and brings it forward. "This is Kitten; she is my favorite pussy ever. Isn't she beautiful?" He turns the cam towards my breasts. "With lovely big plump breasts enough to make any man happy for the rest of his life and perfect long legs which hide the treasure." He bends down and forces my legs apart as far as the rope would let him. "She is a wonderful pussy, don't you agree?" He places the camcorder back on the tripod and brings it to the side.
He kisses my cheek and I thrust it to the side, facing the camcorder. I try to speak, but again, the gag. "Feisty too." He steps between my legs and turns the camcorder around, turning it off for a minute as he tries to get inside me. I sob loudly. He turns the camcorder back round and smiles slightly. "And I'm in." He tells me before making my whole body shake and shiver with disgust. "Look at those breasts, perfect. Feel good too." He informs the camcorder. I sob again and he locks gazes with me.
I feel like my life is shattering right in front of my eyes. Everything's a blur from the tears in my eyes, my body grows numb with each second the coldness of the office hits me and as he continues. He bellows the name he gives me, Kitten if you don't remember, and he occasionally talks to the camcorder. I shake my wrists and ankles to see if I could loosen them but no luck. I can't feel anything anymore.
Blue Tracksuit stops and gets dressed. "Ah, Kitten. I'll let you rest before I send Kyle up. You're a good un, a really good un." He smiles. He leaves the room. I groan quietly, my body aching with pain he inflicted on me by using me as a punching bag in my stomach and biting into my skin, almost breaking my skin. I feel like a dirty dish clothe. Ragged, used and unclean. My body aches to be back home, to have none of this happening to me nor anyone else. No one should go through this, no matter how much they disserved it or an idea of fun. What will they do with me once I'm done being used as a sex toy? Will they kill me and dispose of my body?
Will they keep me to create meals and clothes and all that? I shake my head, not wanting to think about that kind of stuff. I flutter open my eyes and Aiden's leaning over me. His eyes firmly on my face. He pulls the gag away from my mouth. He plants his hands either side of my head. I take deep breathes before coughing.
"Aiden, what are you doing here?" I ask him, my voice hoarse.
"What have they done to you?" He daren't move his eyes from my face.
"Help me please. I will carry on trying to help you but I need to get out of here."
"Clara, I wish I could but I can't. I'm not allowed to mess with fate." His eyes are steady and boring into my eyes.
"I won't be able to help you otherwise. Oh God, please Aiden. Please."
"I'm so sorry, I really am but I can't. You will get help. I'll send for help but that's about as much as I can do." He places his forehead against mine. "I'll send the police around as soon as possible."
"Hurry, please." I plead. There are footsteps outside. Aiden quickly places the gag back in my mouth and disappears. I turn my head away and the door opens.
"So, you're the minx my boys have been talking about." This must be Kyle. I turn my head towards him. Black Tracksuit. "My, my. You are exquisite." His blonde hair hung freely just past his ears. "I'm Kyle by the way in case the last didn't tell you. So, let's see what on the tape so far and then I'll know what to do, other than entering you." He goes over to the camcorder. I forgot it was on. Oh God. Aiden. I moan and try to lurch off the bed, no good. He pulls up a chair and watches the tape. He nods a few times. He suddenly frowns.
"Now I know how to pleasure you but, I'm going to ask you a few questions." He pauses a moment, standing up. "How did that gag from your pretty mouth get pulled out?" He pulls my gag out to answer his questions. I keep quiet. "Come on, Love. Tell me."
"If you let me go, I'll answer." I say, thinking I can bargain my way out.
"No chance. I'm not letting you get away until we're finished with you."
"Then I won't answer." I can feel a smile tug at my lips. Kyle places the gag back in my mouth and smiles.
"I'll pleasure you first and see you if answer after." He places his forefinger on his right hand in my pink flesh between my legs.
I moan and sob again. Soon after, I stop. Finally seeing that I can't carry on because they won't let me go. He smiles and, using his left hand, worries my left breast nipple between his thumb and forefinger. His finger plunges deeper into the flesh and my nipples stiffen as an initial body reaction. "You feel in the mood to answer yet?" He asks, I turn my head away and close my eyes. "I guess I'll have to go to torturing if pleasuring you isn't working." He takes his hands away from me. I snap my eyes open and he shows me a knife.
He pulls my gag out. "As you can see, this is a knife. A very sharp bladed knife to be exact, just as sharp as an axe." He places it to my stomach and I feel it slice into my stomach. It wasn't a deep gash. I scream out in pain. "Now tell me, how did the gag get removed from your mouth?" He asks again. I see Aiden over his shoulder, staring at my face, trying hard not to look down. He shakes his head.
"I don't know how."
"Who's Aiden?"
"My Guardian Angel." I lie. I feel a breeze and I look to my right. A feather lands softly on the floor.
"Yeah right. Your Guardian Angel would've stopped you from getting here. So tell me, who is Aiden? Did he remove the gag?"
"Aiden is my imaginary friend and I don't know how the gag got removed." I shout. Another slice in my stomach.
"You better start telling the truth or your body's going to have more scars than it has already."
I see Aiden shake and take a step forward. I shake my head. "Please, I am telling the truth. Please let me go!"
"Oh Love, if it was a simple as that." Kyle smiles again, the knife cutting my flesh again. I hiss in pain. The numbness coming back.
"Why isn't it?"
"You are a woman. Jarvis and Harrison have been in prison for years and I haven't seen a woman in years. We came out or back with the feeling of finding a girl who will fill the category and who we can pleasure with ourselves with. That happens to be you. We can't let you go just like that" He clicks his fingers. "Until our desires are filled."
"How long will that take? I have to get back home!" I scream when he cuts slightly deep into the top of my stomach.
"As long as it takes. Hey, my pleasures are filled. It's just up to Jarvis and Harrison. I'll see you around though. Do you want the gag to stay off?" He places the knife down and faces me again.
"I have a feeling you're going to put it back in my mouth."
"I won't. So, do you want it off?"
"Yes please. Can I get a drink of water at least, please?"
He takes the gag from around my neck and smiles at me. "Thanks."
"Of course you can have a drink of water. I'll bring it up in a minute." He walks out of the door. Aiden was gone. I look towards the feather and it wasn't there. A boy stood there instead. Tall, dark and handsome is the category I'd fit him in. His eyes were like a cosmic blue, I swear I can see stars in them. His short hair was hidden under a Chicago Red Socks red baseball cap and a well structured face.
"Who are you?" I ask, seeing his wings were golden behind him.
"Your Guardian Angel." He sounds amused.
"But… but…" I can't think. My mind was a huge pile of mess. "Why are you here? You shouldn't be here!"
"I've always been watching you, Clara."
"Answer my question!"
"I couldn't help but show myself when you said the ghost boy was your Guardian Angel. It amused me so much." He walks to the camcorder and turns so it faces the wall. "It won't capture any sound while I'm down here of us talking so you have nothing to fret."
"Aren't you supposed to stop me from getting into mess like this?"
"We're supposed to lead the way. We're not like Patch from Hush, Hush or any of the follow up books."
"Pardon? I don't read books often."
"Never mind." He lifts his gaze to me. "Didn't you get the signs of how to stay out of this kind of trouble? I sent you loads."
"What signs? If you give me a few, I might recognize them."
"Like the signs of the wind and all that. I even replied to the message on your mirror." He steps up to me.
"I didn't go back in the bathroom. And how is the weather a sign of danger? Hey?"
"If the weather is bad, you're in trouble. If the weather is good, you're not in trouble. Common sense should've told you that." The door opens at that point. The Angel disappears and Kyle comes in, laughing and a bottle of water in his hand. I feel like I've been in a desert for days and the bottle of water is like a miracle. My eye follows where the Angel went and I give the direction the finger.
"Here, Love." He opens the bottle and slowly pours the liquid down my throat. I feel refreshed.
"Oh God, that's nice." I say, he smiles and pulls the bottle away. "It should do. You're been here for at least a week now." He pours the liquid back into my throat. "You need to eat as well. I'm sure there some food around here, if not, we'll get you a burger."
"I'm a Vegetarian."
"We'll get you fish 'n' chips, then. Need to fatten you up. Almost able to see your ribs." The bottle finishes and he places it on the desk.
"A week? Are you sure?"
"Yeah. You're on the news as well."
"It doesn't seem like a week." I look down at myself and I see he was right. "You're right. Can I tell you something?"
"Sure."
"I don't want the camcorder to hear it. Come closer, I want whisper it into your ear." I smile when he leans close.
"What do you want to tell me?" He turns his face slightly towards mine.
"What if I fall pregnant? You haven't thought about that, did you?"
"I have actually. It's called protection."
"What if the condom split though?"
"Both of them?" I look at him as if to say; I don't understand. "One inside you and one covering us."
"You put a condom inside me?" A shock and disgust mix.
"Yes, did it while you were asleep."
"I can't think of a suitable word to describe all of you."
"It'll stop you getting pregnant at least." He smiles and Blue Tracksuit enters the room again. Kyle pushes away from me. "Why are you in here?" Kyle asks, turning his back to me.
"Cheitan, Jarvis wants to see his daughter so he can, you know." Blue tracksuit informs Kyle. Kyle nods.
"Okay. He will soon but I want to spend sometime with her at this moment." He waves his hand and Blue Tracksuit goes.
"What did he want?" I ask.
"You heard what." He faces me again. He pulls up a chair and sits on it the wrong way. His arms on the back and legs at each side. He sits at the right side of me. "So, you want anything to eat? I'm peckish so, you better make up your mind now before I leave."
"If you don't mind." I look at my stomach. "Are the cuts deep?" "No. They'll heal pretty quickly." He stands up and places the chair back at the desk. "If I untie you, will you stay in here and behave?"
"Yes. I can't go anywhere, can I?" I let out a sarcastic laugh. "What if they come in while you're gone?" I nod towards where my Dad and Blue Tracksuit might be. He laughs.
"I'm going to lock the door so they won't be able to enter. While I'm gone, there's a shower in the back room so if you want, you can have a shower. There's some towels in there and soap."
"Thanks. Please don't take too long, I don't like being alone long." What was I staying? His company has been good and I'm alone for too much. He gives a lazy smile, half his mouth going up and he unties the ropes. I rub my wrists; he stays standing next to me.
"I shouldn't be long. Take a shower, you disserve one." He turns and leaves. The door clicks shut and I'm alone. No Aiden and no Guardian Angel. I take a few painful and wobbly steps, hissing in pain and I make it to the shower. It was around the corner and a little way down the corridor.
The bathroom was a dull white and looks like it was used seldom. There was a sink which was very dirty. The taps were covered in lime-scale. The mirror above was spotless surprisingly. In the corner near the door, was a cubicle which I think contains a toilet. A bin was next to the door. I take a deep breathe and reach between my legs and feel for the condom. It wasn't there. I sigh in relief. Next to the sink, there was a toilet rack which consisted of a blue towel, a peach colored towel and a meant to be white towel. The window was a tall, slightly wide window which was also painted black. Just to the right of it, there was a big cubicle. The shower. The smell of bleach lingers in my nose and makes me feel light headed. I take step by easy step towards the mirror. Bruises all over me, my black eye has gone down dramatically and the cuts on my stomach will leave scars.
I step into the shower. The tiles on the walls were a tired blue. The shower was an electric powered and the floor had a funny feel to it. It was waterproof this room. I put the old shower dial towards HOT and there was a refusing groan from the water pipes until the water eventually came out. It was cold at first. I stand in the far corner, away from the water. I stick a hand in the water and it was the right temperature. I back into the heat, slowing down the pain soon to come from my stomach. I see the soap on the little shelf next to the shower. I face the water, hissing at the pain as the water cleans out my wounds.
I wash my hair with the plain water and wash myself with the soap. The feeling of disgust and the feeling of like being a used rag sticks no matter how much I clean. I sit down in the water eventually. Facing the corner with my knees up to my chest, my head buried in them and I shake as my skin becomes used to the water temperature. The good thing about showers is that you can't tell if you're crying or if it's just water droplets from the shower. I shake violently but I make no move. I cry because I miss my Mom, I miss Kayla and I miss the way it used to be. Just the two of us, me and my Mom. It was great like that.
The water suddenly turns off and a soft fabric wraps around my shoulders. I snap my head up and see who it is. Kyle. He looks so angry with himself and so sad. "Get dry, I'll find you something to wear." He mutters. I stand up and wrap the towel tighter around myself.
"You're soaking wet too." I comment. His blonde hair sticking to the sides of his face. Water dropping off his face and his clothes clinging to his body, giving me an idea. He must do a few miles each day for a body tone like that. He looks down at himself and shrugs. "You go find yourself some dry clothes. There's no point of me getting dressed since I'm going to be raped again by you all." I hang my head low and limp past him. He grabs on my arm.
"Harrison and Jarvis will but I'm not. I never have either. They won't rape you if I don't allow them to. Get dry while I find you some clothes. I'll find some after you're wrapped up." He walks away before I could reply. He hasn't raped me? Where's the proof of that? I step out and I slowly towel dry myself and my hair. I keep the towel around me as I step back into the corridor. I could hear arguing.
"Cheitan, what the HELL do you mean we can't rape her?" My Dad.
"I mean you can't rape her. She's had enough and it's time to let her go." Kyle/ Cheitan says in my defense. Why is he defending me?
"Hell no! We are not letting her go. Do we have to kill you just to rape her? If we do, that's messed up." Blue Tracksuit says.
"You can't kill me. I'm a more powerful Demon than both of you."
"How can you be more wrong?" My Dad laughs. "I'm the more powerful one out of all of you." A deep, sinister laugh.
"We can't keep your daughter like this though. It's not fair on her!" I hear someone fall to the floor.
"I'll decide what's fair and what's not. My daughter is my daughter and I'll do what I want to her."
"Why are you still doing this to her though? Your desires are full, you both said so yourself." Kyle appears against the corner. I quickly duck into the bathroom and peer out.
"Our desires are never full when my daughter is involved." My Dad thrusts him against the wall, hand to throat and ready to kill him. Kyle doesn't struggle one bit. "Where is she?"
"She's busy at the moment. Just come back later. She needs to eat otherwise she isn't any good. If she isn't good in health, she won't be able to struggle or cry just the way you like it, Lucifer." Kyle pries away my Dad's hand and he smiles.
"True. I will come back tomorrow and I want her in good health." My Dad turns and leaves. Kyle takes deep breathes and snaps his head towards me. I quickly duck behind the wall but I know it was too late. He saw me. It would be impossible if he didn't. He was a Demon and he'd might as well be blind if he didn't see me. I shake my head and step into the corridor. Kyle was just about to turn the corner.
"I know you heard all of that." He grabs my arm and drags me towards the office area. "I need you not to say a word that you heard all of the conversation. It's important that he doesn't know otherwise, it's gonna hurt a whole lot more than it already has."
"Why?" I'm pushed to the desk and Kyle pins me against it. I keep hold of the towel and stare at him. His eyes look all around me hastily. "Because no human isn't suppose to know about us Demons. That's why and you're not supposed to know what they're planning to do with you. It's against the rules." Kyle tells me frantically.
"You're going to let them do that to me, aren't you?"
"I'm afraid so. I can't fight off Lucifer. He gets what he wants."
"Kyle, I'm begging you. Don't let them do that to me, please." I grab his t-shirt and hide my face in it. I fight back the tears that were threatening to come out.
"I can't do anything. I'm sorry but I'm not strong enough to do anything." He steps away and stares at me. There was no way out of it. The look on his face told me that. "So, I'm powerless to do anything." I shake my head and I shudder.
"You have to try to do something. Call the Police or at least let me call my Mom so I can tell her that I'm… er… okay at least."
"Defiantly not. They'll kill me because they know that I called the Cops and I let you make that phone call. It's a defiant no."
"What am I going to do then?"
"Just go with the flow. Let them rape you."
"And you're just going to stand by and watch?"
"I have no choice. I want to help you, I seriously do but I'm unable to at this moment." He runs a hand through his hair. "Unless…" He lets the sentence trail off, stepping close me again. Our bodies are pressed against each other's and the atmosphere grows tense between us. I'm staring into those blue eyes, and I can feel his muscular stomach under my hands and his hands on my hips.
"Unless what?" I ask, partially knowing that I had asked.
"I steal you away and we get married and have children. Lucifer will know that you're out of bounds then." He breathes on my lips.
I push myself away and stare at him. "What's wrong?" Stupid much? I push him away and he gets hold of my wrists.
"No. I don't want to get married to you and have your children. That's not going to happen." I tell him, my voice was a mere whisper.
"It's the only way you can get out of this place and Lucifer from taking you away and doing all this to you again. If he catches you, he might not do it so nicely." Kyle's gaze was firm and serious.
"Oh God, Kyle. What am I going to do? I don't want to go along with your plan and I don't want to go with the other possibility. There must be some other way. There must!" I start to panic. Kyle lets go of my wrists and shakes his head. I know that there isn't another way out. "I…" The words get caught up in my throat. He pulls me close and hugs me. This isn't the way a captor acts towards the hostage, I know from films but I need comfort at the moment and he was the only one around to give me that comfort.
"Don't worry. You'll get out of here, I know." He mutters into my hair.
The following week was HELL! My Dad (Lucifer) and Blue Tracksuit (I presume is called Harrison) kept on raping me. Kyle and I ate fish 'n' chips and other foods that will get me back to my normal health, close to it anyway. Aiden didn't pay me another visit since. Kyle and I would have a talk and a laugh. I enjoyed his company so much. He made feel like that he does truly care about my health, hygiene and all round- me. I can see it in his eyes the care. His eyes turn a bright blue every time I see him and he was a great guy to hang with. What would my Mom think though? She would think he's the one for me and want me to go out with him. She usually does with every guy she sees me talking to.
Kyle places his bottle next to the desk lamp and glances at me. He's looking at the papers on the desk, curious of what the building was before they stole it from whomever and decided to rape me in it. I look over his shoulder and place a hand on his back. He turns his head at me and smiles. His smile will always warm me. Even if I'm in the saddest of moods, he will always lift the sadness and make me happy.
"What was this building before now?" I ask, running a hand through his hair. His hair was like silk. I notice that we've gotten really close. My Mom would defiantly think he was the one for me.
"This building was used to store the fish after it had been brought in, waiting for market day to come." He looks back at the papers. Even though his touch sends electric pulses through me, I don't love him. I snap my head to an unrecognizable sound outside the warehouse. Sirens. Were they really sirens? The sound becomes clearer.
There were sirens blaring outside. Aiden. He told them. A smile spreads across my face. Kyle looks at me and went straight to the camcorder. Before he could escape, there was gunfire and he falls to the ground. I look up and I see a police woman.
She rushes to me and unties me. I look for the bathrobe and wrap it back around me. The woman heads me over to two policemen and they take me outside. An ambulance was there. The paramedics rush to me and there was pandemonium inside the warehouse. I hiss when they touch my wrists and ankles. They place bandages around them. I see Jarvis, Kyle and Black Tracksuit (must be Harrison) handcuffed and pushed into a police van. Kyle stares at me, his eyes telling me that we'll find each other again. I don't want to see his face again in my entire life.
The police carry out the camcorder in a bag and place it in the booth. I see my Mom run at me. She hugs me tightly.
"Clara, oh God. What happened?" She asks, pushing me away. I shake my head, breaking down into tears. "I've got some clothes for you; I'll be back in one minute." She rushes off and I'm left in the hands of the police. The woman walks up to me.
"Clara McQueen?" She asks.
"Yes, that's me."
"We're going to need a statement and to ask you a few questions about your ordeal. Is that okay with you?"
"Yes, that's fine." My Mom rushes back. Jeans and a top in her hand. "This is my Mom." I introduce her.
"I'm Sergeant McLeay." The police woman introduces herself. My Mom shakes hands with her. I take the clothes out of my Mom's hands and I go to the side of the warehouse and put on the clothes. Thankfully, there were a bra and panties. I come back out. "Miss McQueen, are there any other injuries you sustained apart from your wrists and ankles?" Sergeant McLeay asks me.
"Yes, three cuts to my stomach." I lift my top up and show her the three cuts. "They'll heal alright on their own." Quickly pulling my top back down. My Mom holds me tight.
"Right. Would you like to come down to the station with us, please? Mom, you can come along if you want." The Sergeant leads us to the police patrol car and we get in the back. The policewoman radios in and starts to drive. My Mom never lets go of me as we head towards the station. Kyle had hardly anything to do with the torment I'd been through. He only did the minimum and he gave water and said that he'd get me fish 'n' chips."
"How long are they going down for?" I ask McLeay.
"They should get twelve years each." She answers as we walk towards the interview room. The table was in the middle of the bare gray room, a tape recorder on the edge, a lamp hung above it and four chairs. "Take a seat. My partner should be here any minute." She gestures to the chair. I sit down next to the tape recorder. My Mom sits down next to me. A tale man goes into the room, security guard.
A couple minutes later, there was a glass of water in front of each of us and a man comes in. Tall, cheerful and sinister suits him well. His deep set eyes, his dark brown hair short, tall, muscular and yet, he looks like the cheerful type. "This is my partner, Constable Peters." She presses the recorder. "Two-twenty pm, thirty first of the tenth two thousand and eight. Interview with Clara and Kylie McQueen. Interviewers Sergeant McLeay and Constable Peters." She says.
"So Clara, may you describe what happened on the night you were taken away and what happen to Macy Stevens?" Peters asks.
"I was inside after going to a party my friends threw and I was in bed when I heard these heavy footsteps and my Dad's voice booming. So, I climbed out of the window and I went to Macy's.
"I was only in my underwear and she gives me the bathrobe and we talk about my Dad and my Mom's past when I see him come towards the house. Macy told me to race upstairs and spray perfume all around the room so I did and I hid under the bed. I had to hide somewhere. So, Macy confronted my Dad and he barged past her, coming up the stairs. He enters the room I was hiding in and suddenly he goes after a couple minutes. I felt I had to run. So, I dashed out of the bedroom and hesitated at the top of the stairs. Arms wrap around me and my Dad placed me on his shoulder. We go downstairs; I was kicking and screaming when I saw Macy.
"I couldn't believe what that beast had done. He'd stuck a knife through her stomach and left her to die. So, he carried me outside. The neighbors came out and saw I was in trouble but daren't intervene. My Dad forced me against the car bonnet, placing a gag in my mouth and tying my hands and ankles together. In the car, he told me how I wasn't his daughter because Mom had slept with someone else and it wasn't protected sex. So, he told me how he'd always wanted to see me naked with him inside me.
"He took us to the warehouse and the guy in the Blue Tracksuit came up to me, squeezed my breasts and smiles. He wanted to see what I was like so they took me inside. Blue Tracksuit guy took me into the office and tied me to the bed and set up the camcorder. I tried as hard as I could to get lose, to tell him to stop but I couldn't scream. I had a gag in my mouth and then, he stopped. Kyle came in and he watched the tape over, he didn't want to do anything like that to me or something along those lines and he took the gag out of my mouth and asked me some questions. I refused to answer them. I asked for a drink of water, he said sure and went to get me a bottle of water. I struggled again to get the ropes loose but no luck.
"He came back laughing and a bottle of water in his hand. He poured the water into my mouth and it felt like heaven. He took it away, he asked me questions and I refused to answer them again and he used a knife to cut my stomach or was that earlier? I can't remember exactly. My mind's like spaghetti at the moment. So, we talked. I drank the water and he said that I needed to be fattening up because I'm close to anorexic. I didn't know it had been a week. It seemed like one day to me. So, that's when you came in and saved me. I thank you so much for it also."
"Do you know what the male in the blue tracksuit was called?"
"Kyle told me he was called Harrison."
"So, Kylie McQueen, is what Jarvis McQueen said was true?"
"No, Clara is his daughter." My Mom answers.
"Why would he say she isn't?"
"Because I go out every night and get drunk and have safe sex with random guys."
"Every night? Do you have a job to pay for the alcohol?"
"I don't have a job, no."
"So, how do you pay for the alcohol and the excessive going out?" "My daughter gives me the money. She has a job."
"Clara, why do you give your Mom money to go out?"
"Er… I like the peace and quiet sometimes. I get to think about my Mom cooking down stairs in the kitchen or any danger whatsoever. I can concentrate better also when I'm alone on homework." I answer.
"Aren't you worried what can happen to your Mom on these nights out? She's sleeping with random men."
"I am worried but she's had a violent husband for fourteen years. I think that she chooses carefully the random stranger."
"You do know that you will need counseling after, don't you?"
"Of course."
"Do you have anything to say about the accused?"
"Kyle was the kinder one and he should be set a lower jail sentence. He didn't force me to have sex with him and he offered me a drink and wanted to buy me food. He cared for me."
"Kyle Gladstone is the one we have wanted for other offenses."
"I didn't know that. I hope my Dad gets sentenced for life and Harrison. I'm not too sure about Kyle now."
"That's understandable. We have been informed that you were admitted to hospital not too long ago. Why was that?"
"My Dad was at school and he wouldn't go until I'd spoken to him so I did. He hit me and cut my cheeks. That's why."
"Mom, did you see any of this?"
"Yes." My Mom smiles shakily.
"That's all for now. Thank you for your time. You will be needed at court for your testimonies." McLeay says looking at her watch. "Interview terminated at five minutes past three pm, thirty first of the tenth, two thousand and eight." She turns off the recorder and we leave the room. "See you in court and we'll let you now if we find anything." We shake hands and I see Kyle being hauled past me. His eyes connect with mine. "Is that Kyle?" The policewoman asks behind me. I step out into the corridor.
"Yes. Can I speak to him, please?" I turn. "Please."
"Why would you want talk to him?" My Mom asks.
"Please." I ask again. McLeay nods and I and her follow to where Kyle was being dragged to.
I enter his cell and he looks up at me. The door closes behind me. "What are you doing here, Love?" He asks.
"I wanted to talk to you. What are the other offences they want you for?" I sit next to him. He runs his hand all over his face.
"Petit things like stealing from an old woman and illegal drag races. Why?" Suspicion grew in his eyes.
"I told them that you disserve a light sentence because you didn't enter me and you gave me water and you were going to buy me food."
"I'd be lucky if I get off with anything lighter than five years."
"Where did you go which made you so unable to see women?"
"I went to a far away place called prison in a different state. No women whatsoever so yeah. I'm sorry for this whole thing, I wish it never happened." There was genuine sorrow in his eyes for me.
"What did you do to get into prison and how long were you in there for?" I take a deep breathe of shock when I let my head rest against his shoulder. I snap it up. "Sorry." He just smiles.
"I was in there for best part of fives years because I stole an old banger of a car. A VW Beetle from the early sixties. Wasn't worth much now."
"Why did you steal it then if it wasn't worth much?"
"I was just dealing drugs back then. I wasn't on drugs; I dealt the drugs so I needed money so I could pay for the electricity for the lamps for the cannabis plants. And, it was worth a shot."
"You're just going to get sent down harder because you dealt drugs." "Doesn't bother me much. I've got an eternity. So, why did you come in here again?" He laughs when he sees my reaction.
"I wanted to talk to you. You know my Dad? Haven't you noticed there's something strange about him recently?"
"Nope. He's been acting strange since he went into prison."
"How'd you know that?"
"I was friends with him before prison and we had the same cell."
"What do you think could be causing that?"
"A Demon possession."
"You're serious?"
"Yeah. Why not?"
"Demons don't exist."
"They do. You're sitting next to one right now."
"You're not a Demon. You can't be."
"I am. Lucifer's taken possession over your Dad's body by the way." He smiles and I look towards the door. Aiden was stood there. "And I can see him. You alright there, ghost?"
"You can see him?"
"Yeah. I'm Demon after all." He places me on his lap and moves along, making a space for Aiden. Aiden's a little hesitant before sitting down next to Kyle. "So, what's your name, ghost? I'm Kyle."
"Aiden." Aiden answers.
"Cool name. What you want, both of you?"
"I want to become solid again." Aiden says straight away.
"You want to become a human but with all your powers and immortality. So, how are you going to accomplish that?"
"We're going to use my soul to lure the Demon out of my Dad and Aiden is going to return my soul to me and he's going to become solid. I'm going to be immortal." I answer.
"It's not that simple actually. I should know." Kyle says, looking at then at Aiden.
"How? I've read The Book of Calico and it said that it was simple." Aiden questions, confusion filling the air.
"The Book of Calicodoesn't mention Lucifer. Lucifer is the Demon possessing Jarvis. I can tell you how you can be human and withstand all yours powers and be immortal but it'll cost you."
"What do you want in favor of the secrets?"
"I want what's on my lap at this very moment in time." He smiles at me. Aiden tenses his body and I see something in his eye that doesn't want to make that kind of deal.
"I'll give you full immunity of the police department for the eternity but I'm not going to let you have her."
"It seems like a good bargain. How are you going to pull it off though?"
"I'll delete any trace of you in the mainframe and hide any crime you commit, placing it on someone else's shoulders."
"For the eternity left?"
"Yep. So, is it a deal?" Aiden glances at me. I feel like I'm in the Negotiation room where they try to bargain with terrorists or in between two people who are trying to talk a person out of committing suicide.
"Sure. Deal." They shake hands and Aiden stands up.
"Now, tell me how to become solid and immortal and make Clara here immortal." Aiden faces me and holds out his hand.
"To defeat Lucifer, you need a relative's soul which so happens to be Love's soul. You need to lure him out of the body and into a Pentagram which will trap him. Unfortunately, Love's soul will be trapped also. So, to release Love's soul, you need to reach in but only your arm and grab onto her. Lucifer will see this and he will try to keep her soul in there with him. If he does try to do that, throw salt at him and he will back away. So, quickly pull her out and it will hurt her and place her soul on a chair.
"You make Lucifer suffer until he agrees to turn you into an immortal human with your powers still intact. You get Love's soul and you say a spell. An immortal spell, can't remember what it's called or what the words are, and her soul will become immortal. Once it re-enters her body, she will become immortal as well. And there you have it. You send Lucifer back down to Hell and that's it. You won't see him again unless he possesses another body and hunts you down or you die. Then, you will see him and he will make sure you suffer for what you did to him and he will." Kyle explains how it works while I get up his lap and takes Aiden's hand. He leads me towards the door.
"You can't do it here though. You have to do it in a graveyard or something. A Holy place. Here is no good." Kyle stands up and goes to the door also. "I recommend the Church. He can enter it but he can't do any evil in a Church." He steps out my Mom's hugs me. The police officers look at Kyle, confusion filling their eyes.
"What are you doing in that cell, Sir?" McLeay asks.
"You arrested me for no reason and you decide to let me out."
"Right, you can go now." McLeay looks at me and nods. "Off you pop." She nods towards the door.
I exit out of the building first and Kyle's hand pulls me behind a wall. He just stares at me.
"Well, Love, he kept up his end of the bargain. Tell me how you both came to know each other." Kyle asks.
"My name's Clara, not Love and we met each other in a dream. Ever since then, I've been able to see him." I answer him.
"A dream? When, how and why?"
"Yes, a dream. It was at school, Jarvis had come and he refused to leave until we had spoken so, we spoke and he punched me and cut my cheeks open. I was rushed to hospital and I had blacked out.
"So, that's when the dream came. I was in the middle of a forest, in a clearing and then he appears. We talk a bit. He told me that he wanted me to help him so I promised to help him. And he wouldn't tell me how until later on in life. He came to me because I was the only one who could help him seeing that I'm Jarvis's daughter and I'm pure of soul, spirit and heart. Apart from that, I have no clue at all."
"I see. So, nothing going on between you two except business?"
"Nothing but business. Why?"
"Doesn't matter. Just my imagination running wild, you know?"
"What were you thinking, Kyle?"
"That you and him were more than business."
"Can ghosts still have children?"
"Depends on if they're strong spirits. Aiden's a strong spirit so he can still have children. It all depends on how strong you are."
"If a human and a ghost have sex and produce offspring, what are the children called and what will they do?"
"The offspring will be called Judts. They will be human but they will have the ability of telekinesis, invisibility and immortality."
"What about you Demons? Can you have offspring?"
"Yeah. We're just immortal and can change into deformities to scare people. Reproductive system still work as well as every other system."
"Do you choose the woman you have offspring with?"
"Yeah, pretty much. If it's not the right woman, our instincts direct us to the right woman. Not our soul mates though, that kind of thing doesn't exist in Demon laws."
"What happens if you do find the right woman?"
"We won't stop until we have that woman. Our lust grows stronger and when the woman is found, bam! We bed them straight away so we have claimed them as ours."
"Have you found the right woman yet?"
"Now, why would I let such a thing out?" He laughs.
"I'm just curious. What are Demon-human offspring called?"
"They are called Haifis."
"Strange names for two different types of offspring."
"Tell me about it. But, why do you call your offspring babies?"
"I have no idea but I detest that word."
"What? Babies?"
"Stop saying it."
"Why do you hate it?" He takes out a packet of cigarettes from his back pocket and lights on up. He slides down until he's on the floor.
"It doesn't suit it well. It's an infant." I sit down next to him.
"I think that about the Haifis. It's an infant, not a Haifi."
"How do you become a Demon?"
"You're sent down to Hell for bad judgment and if Lucifer decides you're strong enough to fight in the Apocalypse, you're a Demon." "So… you're strong enough to fight in the Apocalypse." I nod in understandment but he laughs. "What's so funny? You just said so yourself. If you're strong enough, you're turned Demon and you fight in the Apocalypse. So, you're a Demon and that means you're strong." He shakes his head at my statement.
"I'm nowhere near strong enough. I'm a Demon because they needed someone who was good with strategies and I'm very very good at planning out strategies and positions. I used to be an Army Lieutenant when I was human and that exactly what I did."
"How did you…" I didn't want to be insensitive about the subject.
"Die? I was running with my regiment and we were crossing No Man's Land and, I stepped on a land mine. I was dead instantly. My legs didn't get blown off, or my arm, I died instantly."
"Gee. I'm sorry about that."
"Don't worry about it."
"Why did you go into crime?"
"I went into crime because when I was in the army, stealing and fighting was the only things I learnt."
"Stealing?"
"We stole the enemies' weapons so we could compare it with our own and make ours better. That was why I stole things and had fights because it was the only thing I knew what to do. It's hard dying in the army, coming back alive as a Demon and trying to fit in with all you humans and not knowing anything except for fighting and stealing." "I'm not saying it easy." I stand up. Kyle stands up and throws the cigarette to the ground and put it out. He places both of his hands on my arms and forces me back against the wall. "What are you doing?" I ask and he stares at me, his eyes searching me for something.
"I can't control it any longer. I need to kiss you." He begins to lean in. His breathe became hot on my lips and he presses his body against mine, pressing me into the cold stone wall behind me. His breathe mixes with mine. It's almost like a drug sensation.
Little sparks shoot through me and my mind wasn't thinking logically. This is the man who held you captive for a week with his friends and now, you're going to kiss him voluntarily! What are you thinking, girl? The little voice inside my head shouts repeatedly. I didn't want to think that Kyle was the one who held me captive, and the one who wanted to pleasure me in a different way to what Jarvis and Harrison had treated me. I want to think that Kyle is the one, the one who will treat me like I should be treated and the man who will keep me protected from harm. His touch sent a thousands tingles down my body. The sight of him isn't too shabby and isn't the best but it reminded me of what I wanted my husband to look like.
Kyle wasn't exactly Mr. Good Personality or Mr. Right but not all men are perfect, some have their good and bad points. Bad point about Kyle: He's a Demon. Good point: He cares for me. Bad point: He held me captive. Good point: He's like my dream husband. The list could go on. Even dream guys have bad and good points.
His hands lock onto my hips and pull them towards his hips. I let my head fall back against the wall, Kyle's mouth skimming down my jaw line, my neck and lastly my collar bone. I place my hands on his shoulders and I try to get a grip back on reality but I couldn't, it was gone. His mouth skips over mine again and I take a deep breathe as he leans further down towards my mouth, almost touching them. He wants me and I want him. We just needed to complete this with a kiss. "Clara, come on! We're going-" My Mom shouts. I snap my head away and look at her. She was stood there, hands clasped on her mouth and she looks between me and Kyle. "I'm so sorry, I'm going now. I'm so sorry." She says as she slowly backs away. I push Kyle away and go toward my Mom. I run a hand through my hair.
"Mom, are we going home?" I ask her, needing to get my mind off that almost tantalizing kiss I'd ever have.
"No, no. Go back and say goodbye to your…um… friend."
"Why did you come over here than?"
"I just wanted to tell you that we're going to move somewhere else."
"Are we still going to live in America?"
"Yes, of course we are."
"Where are we moving to then?"
"California."
"But that's on the other side of the country. No, I want to stay here. I have friends here, I'm doing well in school and my finals are coming up soon also. We can't move there. We have to stay in the same area; we just have to move to another neighborhood."
"Clara, I can't stay in this state. Macy was killed and you were raped here, it's too much for me to take."
"You go to California but I want to stay here. Life is almost good here for once. I can look after myself." I have been able to since eleven years old. I keep the thought to myself in case I offend her.
"Are you sure, honey? Or is it because you don't want to hurt anyone's…" Anyone meaning Kyle. I'm not in relationship with him! I don't even like him! I want to shout at my Mom but that close call really contradicts me. "Feelings? I'm sure they'll understand." My Mom finishes.
"I'm not in a relationship with him, Mom. It was just a moment."
"I didn't say that you two were in a relationship, did I?"
"No, but I know you were thinking it."
"Why would you let a man do that to you unless you're not in a relationship? It wasn't a moment, you two are together."
"Mom, we are not in a relationship! We got caught up in a moment, that's all. I hate him, Mom!" It was entirely true, I know that.
"Sweetie, I know it's hard admitting to a relationship after all what's happened to you but you have to admit it."
"Oh my God! Kyle, get your ass here now!"
"What's up, Love?" He asks, unknowing to the conversation my Mom and I are having.
"He's even got a nickname for you." My Mom says as she points out the obvious. I slap my head.
"Please tell my Mom that we are not in a relationship and that what she saw was us caught up in the moment." I look at Kyle.
"Mrs McQueen, we are not in a relationship and we did just get caught up in the moment. I assure you." He tells my Mom gently.
"Thank you, Kyle." I mutter under my breathe. My Mom nods.
"You two make a good couple if you did get together." She says.
"Does that mean I can stay here in Pennsylvania?" Kyle snaps his head towards me when I ask that question. "I'll explain later." I whisper to him. My Mom runs a hand through her hair and thinks deeply about it. Kyle digs his hands into his pockets and keeps his head bowed.
"You must call me every day and you must update me when you ring."
"I will. I'll even keep the house in tip top condition if you want to come back at anytime." I smile at her and place my hands in my back pockets. I frown. God, my Mom's leaving to go to the other side of the country. Will I be able to keep out of trouble and look after myself?
"Good." My Mom simply says. "I'll be leaving at the weekend by the way. I'd better go home and pack. See you soon, darling." My Mom pecks me on the cheek and walks off. I couldn't move, my limbs refused to. Kyle places a hand on my shoulder and gives me a shake.
"Yo, Love. You wanna tell me what just happened?" Kyle asks.
"Er… I would if I could move. Can you… er… drag me along back to the wall so I can think and sit down?" I look at him and he smiles. Instead of gripping my hand and pulling me to the wall, he picks me up in his arms and carries me over to it. He places me down on the ground. He sits next to me.
"Right. Explain to me, everything." He says, lighting up another cigarette and blowing the smoke away from me.
"As you know, my Mom saw us caught up in the moment and she thought we are in a relationship but she told me also that we're moving to California. I didn't want to move and my Mom thought that I didn't want to hurt your feelings because she thought we're in a relationship. So, I kept arguing with her that I'm not in a relationship with you and so, I called you over and when you said Love in front of my Mom made the argument worse and that's when I asked you to tell her we're not a relationship. You heard the rest."
"Why does your Mom want to move?"
"Because of my Dad, Sherlock Holmes." I smile and face him.
"Oh, sorry. I'm brain dead at the moment."
"I understand. But, hey! I'm staying."
"Are you going to stay in the same house?"
"No. I'll buy a new house when I have the money."
"I've got a spare room if you want it. It's just a block over from where you were living. Just because it's you Love, you can have it for free."
"Oh God Kyle, I don't know. I want to spend these last few days with my Mom. Thanks for the offer though, I'll defiantly think about it. Promise." I sigh deeply. "Life is going to be different without her." Kyle shoots me a disbelieving look through the smoke.
"Be honest, Love. It isn't."
"What do you mean?"
"Jarvis told me all about your life and your Mom. It isn't going to be that much different. You just won't have to hand your Mom money and expect her back in the morning. Not a lot of difference."
"Je, thanks for the support."
"I only tell it like it is."
"Alright then. Do you love me?"
"Yep." Kyle answers simply.
"Christ! Okay… why?"
"Why not? You're a beautiful, young, great, sporty and funny girl. What is there not to like?" He smirks slightly, taking a drag.
"You saw my body though! I bet you're just after that."
"Nope. I don't care that I saw your body; I want you as a person not just as a sex toy. I love you for who you are."
"Oh Christ!" I stand up and Kyle does also.
"Where are you going?"
"I don't know. I need to think, Kyle. I find it strange that you admit your feelings just like that." I stop and glance back. He was walking towards me and I shake my head. "Kyle…"
"Hey, calm down. I take it you're not used to boys saying stuff like that or telling you how it is. You should hang out more with friends." He places a hand on my shoulder and laughs.
"No, I'm not. What do you expect of me? All my life I was attacked by my Dad and I've been raped by you, my Dad and Harrison. All my life, I've been afraid to trust anyone and I always think that you men are only after me to use for sex. It's hard being me."
"I didn't rape you, not technically. I actually pleasured you but I never ever used you for sex. Right now, I can pick you up in my arms and run away to an abandoned house or cottage or in the woods and have sex with you but I'm not and I won't. They had sex with you, I didn't. And also, it's hard being me. I feel for you, I really do but you're not the only one with the hard life."
"Ew, Kyle. I didn't want to know that part." I scrunch my nose up. "You don't get the clues, do you?"
"No, I don't. I was never good with jigsaws." Bad joke, I know.
"Do you remember when I told you about when the male Demons find their right woman?" He starts to walk away, hands in pockets leaving out his thumbs. I keep up with him.
"Yeah. What about it?"
"Think. I haven't had sex with you, I'm patient, kind, generous, concerned and I'd do anything for you and remember what I said about me taking you away from here to an abandoned house or cottage or in the woods. Piece them together, your brain is needed."
I think hard about this. Male Demons never stop until they find the right woman and bed her and put that with what he described to me and then the way he acted. He hasn't had sex with me yet so, that's got to mean something. I snap my head up finally putting the pieces in place and I shake my head. Oh Crap. He keeps looking straight forward. "No, I can't be. Oh no. I'm only eighteen." I try to run but he chases after me and wraps his arm around my waist and holds me tight against him. I can feel his breathe against my ear and we stay still for a moment. I force my heart to slow down and he relaxes his grip.
"You are. It's doesn't matter about the age. You are my right woman." Kyle doesn't let go of me, but his arm loosens.
"How come you haven't bedded me yet then?"
"I don't go that far unless I'm invited."
"What?" I turn and look at him.
"I'll only have sex with you if you want me to."
"That's…um… very Gentleman like of you." Awkward!
"Bet you didn't think I'd be like that before."
"No, not really."
"You can't get over this, can you?" He stands in front of me and smiles. I push him away from me.
"Not really. I need to go home and spend some time with my Mom before she leaves. And then, I'll have to arrange counseling sessions and save up and all that. Complete high school and go to college."
"Whoa, calm down. Take a step at a time. You don't need counseling sessions, you just need to write down what happened and try to reason with yourself that what happened was awful but it's time to move on. That's all you need to do simply." He grips my shoulders firmly yet softly and shakes gently. I place my hands on his biceps and shake my head.
"And you would know how?" I ask him, snapped out of my trance of planning out the impossible or the almost impossible.
"You try being in prison and not be traumatized. I'd like to see how you would cope. I did exactly the same as you and look at me; I'm at peace with my mind. Well, I was until I saw you." He smiles reassuringly. I relax my grip and I close my eyes for a second. What if the method he told me worked? "You okay now? You're not in a trance anymore if so, I'm glad. I was worried I'd loose you forever." He jokes, or at least I thought he was joking.
"Yeah, I'm good for now. So, how does this method work exactly? I'll try it to see if it works but if it doesn't, I'm getting professional help end of." I force myself to smile but my nerves of the fact that I'm his woman, his right woman and I was slowly but certainly falling for him. I'm scared of him, why shouldn't I be? He's a Demon and he pleasured me against my will. He had kept me prisoner for a week and I was traumatized by what I saw and experienced. Wouldn't any person be, male or female? I have a right to be scared, but I also have a right of falling for men who aren't what they seem.
Oh God, what about Aiden? What would he think if the person trying to help him was falling for the person who kept me prisoner? He'd think I'm scum and wouldn't want to talk to me again, only at the times he'll have to, just so I know what to do next. Aiden wouldn't forgive me also and we won't talk after the exorcism we do on my Dad. Damn Kyle, damn Aiden, damn my Dad and damn my Mom! Why should I put up with everything right now? I'd like to know why Aiden wants me to help him now and not when I was around fifteen years of age. I would've probably coped with everything better otherwise.
When I was fifteen, I wanted a boyfriend. I wanted friends but I didn't because I was still in England, trying to get over what my Dad did and get used to having my Dad in prison when he was in my life for most of it. I'm a strong woman who doesn't need a man to protect her. I know that much. Every woman is strong and most of us don't need a man for ourselves to protect us from the harms of the world… unless we really needed them to save or protect us. Most women would have a man by their side who would do exactly that. Most of them would have probably encounter some kind of supernatural creature of their own and found out that the person is their soul mate or something. Christ, life's so hard when you just want it to be easy.
"Are you listening to me? I'm answering your question here and your eyes are glazed over and you're not even looking at me." Kyle's voice pulls me out of my trance.
"Er… No, sorry. I was thinking about something. So sorry."
"I'll tell you later. So, what were you thinking about?" How did I know he was going to ask me that? I almost say 'you' subconsciously but I manage to stop myself. I place a hand on my forehead for a moment.
"I was thinking about how women are strong and how we can protect ourselves without you unless we really needed you to keep us safe and protected from the harms of this cruel world and that most women have probably met someone who belong in the supernatural already and have found out that that person is their soul mate and that life is hard when you want it to be easy." I say the alternative without thinking. I groan at the huge mistake I've just done by explaining what I was thinking to Kyle. I run a hand around my face and turn away from Kyle, the smile on his face was now gone. I start moving my feet, walking away from him and back to my house.
"Hey!" He jogs in front of me just as I reach the front door. I turn my head and he was smiling again.
"Yeah?"
"You were right. You women are strong if left alone but you do need we men to look after you and keep you from any harm at all. Life is so damn hard when you want it to be easy but that's the way life is." "What is this leading up to?" I push open the door and walk inside. I hear Kyle behind me. I look up and he was stood at the door, leaning on the frame. "You can come in, you know." I go to the kitchen and fix up a cup of tea. "Drink, Kyle?" I ask him as he strolls to me.
"No, thanks." Another smile plasters on his face, bigger than the ones before.
"So, what is all that talk leading up to before?" I shake my hair out of the way and he places his hands on the counter behind me, just short of my hips. Kyle leans close to me, his breathe was warm against my face and I could smell him. A mix of Lavender, Roses and mint. It smells wonderful and I try to keep myself from taking his shirt off and sniffing in the scent. I carefully place the cup against my lips and expecting the hot liquid burning my lips. But, it wasn't hot anymore, it was cold already. I hadn't left it that long, surely. I look down and the cup was empty. Putting it aside, I study Kyle, trying to figure what he's going to do next.
"I want to be the man who will keep you from the cruel world." "Did I hear that right? You want to keep me from the cruel world?"
"Yep. You." Point blank again.
"Is that because I'm your right woman, isn't it?"
"No. I want to protect and keep you safe. I'd love to do that."
"Why?" I was officially confused.
"I don't know why. All I know is that I want to keep you safe from harm." Kyle tries to step closer, a very thin margin of air keeping us apart. I place a hand on his chest and he places his on top of mine, trapping my hand against his chest.
"Is that instinct?" I avoid his gaze. I direct my gaze to the side, on a spot in the kitchen floor.
"Yes, and it only happens when a Demon has either found his right woman or there's something special about the human. In your case, you're related to Lucifer." I can feel his eyes searching for a reaction. "Doesn't that mean that I'm half-Demon?" I have to ask, I didn't want to be but if I am, bad luck. Kyle chuckles.
"No, you're not. You would've become Demon by now. Sixteenth birthday you become a Demon."
"Then how am I related to Lucifer?"
"I don't know, that's what I'm having trouble about myself." His free hand cups my chin and turns my head gently. I lock gazes with him. "You look so much like him and you have that same powerful energy but you don't use it for evil, you don't use it at all in fact."
"What does Lucifer look like then?"
"I can't describe him. You'll see when you take that…" He restrains himself from swearing. "When you take him out of your Dad's body. You will be amazed at the similarities."
"Why did Lucifer fall?" It was a risky question to ask, I know.
"I'm forbidden to answer that. Everyone, except the archangels, God and Lucifer of course, doesn't know."
"Why only them? Doesn't the bible know also and the people who read the bible know too?"
"They think they know the story but they don't actually despite being written by the archangels themselves. They changed the story just ever so slightly but apart from that, it's true. And God, the archangels and Lucifer know because they don't want any of it going out so other angels or Demons and replicate what Lucifer did."
"If you don't know, how come you seem so knowledgeable about the subject? You seem to know more than you're letting off."
"I only know this because I was once Lucifer's right hand man. He would tell me about why he doesn't reveal the story but, despite being his most trusted man, he never told me it. To be honest, I don't want to know. Good thing I naturally don't like stories, hey?" He lets out a very quick smile before it goes again. He lets go of my hand and places them on the side of the counter again, just a millimeter separating my hips from his hands. I can feel his breathe hot on my lips and I close my eyes instinctively, wanting this moment to come quicker. I want this unexpected moment like what happened in the police car park, just behind the building.
That moment felt wonderful and I want to feel exactly the same as I did when it happened. I could sense his lips closing in on mine. I can hear a loud banging, Kyle quickly pulls away and I snap my eyes open. "Expecting anybody?" He asks, pushing himself away. I try to catch my breathe and get my mind back in order.
"No. I wonder who it could be." I take step by step, checking that my balance was still alright. I place my hand on the door handle and I glance back. Kyle was leaning against the door frame which separated the living room to the kitchen. He has his arms crossed and his feet crossed at the ankles, leaning against the frame on one shoulder. His eyes only on me.
I open the door and arms fly around me, forcing me into a hug. "Thank God, you're safe!" Kayla's voice pierces my ears.
"Hi to you, too. Yeah, just a bit traumatized but I'm safe." I answer, pushing her back. Today, she was wearing a pair of loose fitting vibrant pink jeans, a tank top and sandals. Her hair was let down and it drape over her shoulders like curtains.
"Clara," She pulls me outside and she keeps glancing towards Kyle. "Yeah."
"Who is that hottie you've got in your doorway?"
"That's Kyle. I met him while I was held prisoner. He didn't rape me but he offered me food and water to drink."
"Ooh. I hope I didn't disturb anything when I knocked." A flicker of hope in her eyes shone. Could she really believe that I could be going out with him? I hope not!
"No, we were just talking. That's all."
"Are you sure? I can go if you want to get back to what you were doing." Her mouth twitches at the corners, hiding a smile.
"Yes, I'm sure. We were only talking, that is all." I rub my temples. "Okay, I believe you. Anyway, how are you coping with the trauma, honey?" She leads me back inside and to my sofa and we sit down. I sit with my legs stretch out and my arms crossing my chest.
"I'm find. Kyle is helping me through it because one of his ex's have been through the same thing but on a slightly minor scale and he's letting me talk about my feelings. He's a great guy; I don't know why anyone would want to dump him." I chance a glance back and I catch him smiling slightly. I place my fringe behind my ear. Kayla nods and her gaze flashes to Kyle for the fifth time during the time I was speaking. "Clara, I'm glad you've got someone to talk to, who has experience with traumatized women. Remember, I'm just a phone call away and just a couple of blocks away." She taps my knee gently.
"I know. I'll call if I need you. Kayla," I stand up and walk over to Kyle. Gripping his arm, I tug him towards Kayla. "This is Kyle and Kyle; this is my best and greatest friend in the whole world- Kayla." I know I was going to get slaughtered by both of them. A telling off by Kayla and then I'll get told off by Kyle no doubt. Kyle holds his hand out and Kayla shakily shakes it. I can tell she was going to be straight on the flirting boat. Kyle would probably sense it but he wouldn't give one, would he? "Ah, the smooth talker." Kayla says flirtingly.
"You could call me that." Placing his hand back in his pocket. Kayla chuckles.
I go back into the kitchen and pour myself a cup of apple juice instead of making a cup of tea. I step out and I see Kayla already playing and flirting on him. She's like a fire when she starts to flirt with boys. If the boy flirts back, they'll get on like a house on fire. From what I can see, Kyle was leaning against the arm of the sofa, hands in pockets and he was nodding. His eyes were straying, indicating that he was tired of listening to Kayla already. His eyes lock onto me and I quickly step into kitchen. Kayla was still talking when I prepare my tea. I get out the pasta from the cupboard to the left of the window, creamy Tikka Masala pasta sauce from the cupboard on the far right.
I get out a pan out of the bottom draw underneath the sink and when I turn to place the pan underneath the sink, Kyle was there. "I'm getting sick of listening to her. Is she trying to flirt or something?"
"You'll get used to it, trust me. She is trying to flirt with you. She flirts with every boy she wants despite having a boyfriend of two years." I answer. Kyle shakes his head. "I know, it's awful."
"She can't have me. I'm taken." He says blankly. I keep quite for a moment, trying to take in what he just said.
"Whatever you say. Remember, I've not gotten into a relationship with you and you've not claimed me so… you're not technically taken."
"I will claim you, one day. And, you will get into a relationship with me." He says that with a sincere promise hidden in his voice. Making it, for me, inevitable to stop what will soon become real. From what I've learnt from Kyle, what he says will come true. So, if he says that I will become his girlfriend, I will. If he says that he'll claim me, he will and I will give myself to him. If he says that he wants children, that's a defiant no. I am not having children. End. Of. Story.
"Kyle, do you want children?" I ask the risky question.
"I don't know. Only if I'm like settled down permanently, yeah."
Oh God, he wants children. Great. With me? Oh please, let him find a different woman to want to have children with.
"Do you want…" I shake my head, unable to finish the question.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"
"What if you find the right woman before you actually get the chance?"
"Ooh. Sounding a bit territorial over me, Clara." He says my name and I feel relief that he calls me by my real name.
"Just answer the question." I quickly glance at him and back to the ground.
"Are you jealous that I might find another woman before we can start a life together, a family?" I can hear amusement and seriousness in his voice. He wants to know the answer to this. Honesty or lie?
"No, of course not. I'm only curious. So, answer the question."
"Come on, Clara. Tell the truth. You're jealous, aren't you?"
"No, I'm not jealous. Now, answer my question."
"Okay. I won't find the right woman before we get the chance to have a family together because once a Demon has found her, he won't leave her. A bit like the soul mate business. Once you find your soul mate, you're not destined for anyone else. Similar to that."
"So, I'm stuck with you forever?" I raise my gaze to his chest but no further. I didn't want him to know the truth. I am jealous that he might find someone else but that's it.
"Oh yeah. And I can turn you into an immortal so you won't age."
"Aren't I going to turn immortal because of the help I'm giving Aiden?"
"No, you'll become part immortal, you'll still age."
"What's stopping you from turning me immortal already?"
"I haven't had the chance." He chuckles.
Kayla comes in and gasps when she sees Kyle standing so close to me and I'm not reacting. I turn my gaze to her.
"What's up?" I ask casually.
"I… I have to go now." She struggles to gather words because she wants Kyle and seeing him standing so close to me made her jealous. It's obvious because when she's jealous, she loses her words.
"Why?"
"My… my… my Mom wants… wants me to be back because I'm visiting my… um… Grandma."
"Oh. Send my love to your Mom and Grandma. I'll see you soon, yeah?" I walk to her and we hug.
"Yeah. See you later." She pushes away and looks at Kyle, fluttering her eyes flirtatiously. "Bye, Kyle," Kayla turns and leaves, dragging me along with her. I step outside and close the door.
"No need to be jealous, you know." I tell her.
"You had a hotter-than-a-super-model boy standing close to you and he adores you. I'm jealous of that."
"You've got a boyfriend. And, I'm not going out with him. We are only friends. He's older than he actually looks." It wasn't exactly lying. I don't know how old he is. I never thought about asking and he never thought about telling anyway. Fair do's. Kayla's bottom jaw practically drops.
"Are you kidding me? He adores you, you let him stand close to you and you were flustered when I arrived which must mean you almost kissed him." She bites her lip. "So tell me the truth tomorrow and I want the details of how you met." She turns and starts to walk down the sidewalk. I smile and shake my head.
"Why?" I shout after her.
"I'm actually going to see my Grandma."
I go back inside and Kyle's standing in the door frame of the kitchen, an eyebrow arches when I shake my head, my grin still on.
"What did she say about me?" He asks, suspicious.
"You said that you are a hotter-than-a-super-model lad. Sorry about her, she gets out of hand at times."
"Hotter than a super model? Has she actually seen me?"
"In a friend way, she's telling the truth. You are hotter than a super model. If every girl saw you, she'd melt. But not me, oh no."
"You've melted quite a few times actually. I can tell by the way you react when we have our moments." Damn it! He won.
"I get caught up in the moments."
"No, you don't. You actually want to be with me, you want to kiss me and you want me to do stuff to you that you don't even know it yet." He walks silently over to me and pins me against the door, his hands on my wrists above my head and his legs blocking mine. I take deep long breathes, trying to calm my heart down with all this. Kyle smiles.
"Your heart's beating faster because all of this is new to you and you don't know what to make of it." The smile grows a notch. He lets go of my wrists and places his hands on my waist. My heart beats faster and my breathe comes in short pants. He was right. I am all new to this and I don't know how to make of it. I feel his hands go round to the small of my back and push me against him. His hard, muscular body against mine. Even through the top he was wearing, I can feel his ridged hard muscles against my body just quivering with need. He lowers his mouth to my ear. "I want you so badly, Clara." He breathes against it, placing his hands beside my head.
"Kyle, no. I'm not ready." I place my hands on his chest. I try to push him away but my arms won't respond. Do I want this?
"You are, trust me." He steps back and stares at me.
"No, I'm not. I need sometime alone." I mutter mostly to myself.
"You want me to leave you alone? Why?"
"I've just come home from being raped! Think!" I shout accidently.
"Okay, okay. I'll leave. You've got my number if you want anything." He goes to the back door and leaves. I slide down the door and look up at the ceiling.
"My life's a mess. Demons, Ghosts and my Mom moving house. Defiantly a mess." I mutter to myself. I stand up and go back to the kitchen to have my tea.
Three years later…
At six o'clock, I hear the front door open. I lift my head from the Physics Revision Booklet and go to my bedroom door. I see my Mom walking through the lounge to the sofa. She sits on the arm and cries. "Mom?" I ask, jogging down the stairs to her. "What's wrong?"
"Clara, I hate to tell you this but Jarvis has seen me and he wants to kill me. It was only brief our meeting but the anger in his eyes told me that he hated both of us so much." My Mom sobs.
"How did he get out of jail?" I rub my Mom's back. She has to leave soon and leave me behind to face my Dad. I need Kyle and Aiden to help me protect myself against my Dad.
"I don't know. I'm going back tomorrow and I've found a nice little house for you to stay in but I haven't bought it yet."
"Where is it?"
"It's on the next block over. Near Kayla's house."
"Okay. The houses there are cool. I'll have a look tomorrow and see how much it is and then work out how long I'll have to save up to buy it. Then tax it and all that." I say it mostly to myself again.
"Clara, are you sure you'll be alright on your own here?"
"Yes. I've got two men to look after me and I've got Kayla to keep me company." I smile, reassuring my Mom.
"Men? Who?" Oh Crap. I wish I hadn't said anything now about them. I sigh deeply.
"Kyle and Aiden."
"Who are they?"
"Kyle is the guy you met before and Aiden is a friend from school."
"The guy who I saw you almost kissing, Kyle?"
"Er… yes. We're not in a relationship and nothing's going to happen. Look, Mom, you'd better go and pack. When's your flight?"
"Ten in the morning. I'll see you in the morning, yeah?"
"Of course you will. I'm doing Physics, Maths, Geography and then be doing English homework. I'll also look at possible colleges."
"You mustn't do too much, Clara."
"Don't worry, Mom. I'm not doing too much. I've my finals in two weeks time and I need to revise as much as possible. I'm staying after school for at least an hour every day to make sure I understand everything with my tutors. Go and pack, don't worry about me." I push Mom off towards the stairs. She slowly goes up them. I run a hand through my hair.
I hope Aiden will be willing to help me. I know Kyle will but for a certain price – most likely sex – and I know I can count on him. When did he give me his cell number? Speaking of cells, where is mine? I think back and it was in my room on the dresser. I jog upstairs and found my cell there. I pick it up and look through my contacts. Kyle was right there. I close my cell and get back to revising and doing the blasted algebra homework.
I toss and turn in my bed, trying to get to sleep but all I could think about is the house down the road. I have a strange urge to go hunting in that house, see if I can find Aiden. I take my cell, put on jeans and a top. Then my Kurt Cobain limited edition converse and tie my hair back. I find my flashlight and leave the house as silently as I can. Outside, I call Kyle. I want him to come along because he'll keep me safe and he can't resist adventures. That's what he shouted out at me.
"Clara, why are you calling at this time?" He asks on the third ring.
"I'm just wondering if you want to go for a little exploring for a bit. You seem like the person who jumps at the chance to go exploring." I bite my lips nervously. Please say yes.
"Where and why?"
"The abandoned house near my house." I leave out my answer for the second question.
"Now answer the second question." He sounds miffed. Was he angry?
"I have this sudden urge to go exploring there. I've only been in it briefly and that's when I first spoke to Aiden in real life. So, you're in?"
"Sure I am. You know the tales of the place, don't you?" I hear a rustle behind me and I see Kyle step out, smiling. The moonlight brings out his features. Making his eyes look like pure silver and his skin like marble. Kyle's hair had silver streaks in it and his smile had a more dazzling look to it. My heart quickly races at the sight of him. All of a sudden, I was aware that I wanted him. I want him to kiss me; I want him to claim me. I want to be with him especially. He places his cell in his back pocket of his jeans. He was wearing jeans and a red top with a Japanese design on it. The design was like a dragon, that's for sure.
The moon made his clothes look dull which made him more mysterious and eerie. Kyle's shoes (converse from what I can see) suited him well. His movements were made more graceful by the light. I try to place my cell in my pocket without having trouble but I fail and I drop it in the long grass which is my front yard. Kyle picks it up, bending down on one knee to retrieve it. His eyes meet mine and they reflect the moon in them. So beautiful was this sight, I hold my breathe. It was caught in my throat and I couldn't let it out.
He places my cell in my left hand front pocket, his touch sending tingles down my leg through my jeans. Kyle hooks his index finger on each hand in one of the loops and pulls me close. "You look beautiful tonight, Clara. If only I could capture this night and place it in a frame." He comments on me. I still can't breathe. His beauty stuns me still. Then…
He lets me go.
I let out a shaky breathe and gulp hard. Regaining control of my throat, voice and breathing. I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out. Kyle laughs and shakes his head so his fringe was out of his eyes for a moment. I close my mouth and wet my lips, preparing to speak. I close my eyes, rub my forehead and let out another breathe. This one was more stable than the one before.
"How…" I glance behind him where the darkness was and then at him. "How did you arrive so quickly?" I finally manage to get it out.
"I can feed off the power of the moon and move like a Vampire. I'm the only one who can do that, thankfully."
"Oh. Okay. Thanks for getting here quickly then. How can you harness the moon's power and use it then?" I turn and start walking towards the house. Kyle keeps up with me easily.
"I don't know. I just lap it up and use it in whatever way I choose."
"Alright. So, what can you use it as?"
"I can use it for speed, strength, and mind powers and even to compel women." A slight smile on one side of his mouth draws my attention. "At the moment, I'm not using any so you have no need to worry." He adds when he sees my worry.
"I'm not worrying." I lie. "Don't use it on me though. I don't want to be compelled into anything." I warn him. I use the finger action of pointing to warn him. He nods.
"I won't use it yet. And if I do use it, it won't be to make you do anything. I'll ask you if you want to do anything." Another side of his mouth curls up. I know exactly what he was thinking.
"I'll make sure I won't agree to anything that you ask if you're thinking in that way."
"You will, trust me." I hate it when he says 'trust me' because I know that I will surrender to it. By my own will also.
"Do you have premonitions or something? You seem to be making these predictions towards me and I've got a feeling that they're going to come-" I stop myself before I can say anymore. I wish I just kept my mouth shut. Oh God. He's going to know what I think and I don't want him to know but now because I can't keep my mouth shut, he will. "You're almost there. It's instinct. And I know that you think that you're going to give yourself to me willingly, I can tell by the look on your face. The distance in your eyes as you realize what the future will bring and what you will do." He chuckles. We stand outside the house. The wood creaking eerily.
The wind grows chilly and fast, picking up leaves that dance in the wind like Ballerinas. I gulp hard. Suddenly, I don't want to go in there but I want to at the same time. Kyle places an arm around my shoulders and squeezes me briefly. "Right, let's go in."
"First, what's in there? Aiden said that's he's being tortured by a Demon. Who is this Demon and why Aiden?" I ask hastily. Kyle freezes mid step. He lowers his head and shakes his head.
"He's targeting Aiden because he knows a few things about him and he doesn't want Aiden to have you."
"What are you saying? Also, answer my first question!"
"Aiden's in love with you, Clara. And the Demon doesn't want him to turn you immortal so he's torturing Aiden."
"Who's the Demon?" I step in front of Kyle and place my hands on his chest. Kyle ignores me and goes to the front door.
"Are we going to go exploring or not?" He asks happily. He wants to forget about the question but why? Why won't he answer it?
I stand by his side as we go up the stairs. The stairs creak underneath our weight. I feel like I'm going to fall through them and into the deep pit in the floor underneath me. There was water from all directions and it made the atmosphere worse. The atmosphere was already creeping me out but the dripping water made it worse. The images of bodies and their blood running down the cracks in the floor and then dripping on the unsuspecting person beneath runs through my mind. Shivers go up my spine.
We reach the first floor and the rooms smelt of Damp and there was no glass in the windows, the outside's chilly wind whooshed in and that sent more shivers my spine. I know Aiden was here, I can feel him. The bedrooms were bare and there were holes in each of the rooms. The house creaks, settling into the night's wave. Going with the flow, I suppose you can call it. Kyle comes to a halt when there's movement in the room to my left. I look at the room. It was a little smaller and there were burn marks all over the walls. Flames have licked up all this room, the energy was dark and heavy. I feel like I was struggling for breathe in heavy smoke.
I see Aiden step out of the shadows and I stare at him. Half of his face was all burnt away. Pieces of his skull and a lot of muscle were on show. This is where he died. He steps out further into the moonlight and the front of his torso was covered in blisters and his legs were just black. I can feel the tears well up in my eyes.
"Clara, don't cry." He says, his voice as hoarse as mine feels.
"Aiden, I'm so sorry." I collapse to my knees and bend over. I try to gasp for more air but I couldn't.
"It wasn't your fault. It was mine really. I was the one who didn't get out of bed because I was too much in a deep sleep."
"That's not your fault." The door slams shut behind me and the density of the air and the feel of constriction lifts. I look up at him. "Why did you choose me to help you?" I ask once my breathe was back.
"For years, I've waited to find someone who was related to a Demon to come along and help me become mortal again. You arrived."
"I'm sure there's plenty more girls related to a Demon. Why me?" I stand and rest against the door, still trying to get my breathe. Aiden looks out the window and laughs.
"I've been waiting for a girl who's related to a Demon and who can love me for who I am, not what I am. You are that girl."
"I'm not in love with you. I love you as a friend but you're not boyfriend material for me." I say, shaking my head, fighting back tears. Aiden walks up to me and places both hands on my head.
"I know but soon that will change. But you're friends with that Demon at that moment and he's ruining everything I've planned."
"What has Kyle done to you?"
"He hasn't told you? He's the one who's torturing me!" Aiden lets go of me and watches my face for a reaction. When I show none, shock makes his eyes go misty. "You love him!"
"No. He's not boyfriend material for me either."
"You're lying! I know you are. I've seen how you are around him and I've seen your moments also. You love him but you're too scared to admit it!" In that second, Aiden becomes like the person I've never known him to be. I never expect him to be like this in the short while I've known him. He shakes his head and smiles amusingly.
"I don't love him! I love no one except my Mom! The moments were mistakes." I add a little quieter. No, those moments weren't mistakes. I wanted those moments even though I didn't consciously know it.
"Never mind all that now. Clara, Lucifer's looking for you. And he's outside. Remember what you promised me. The time is now."
"No. It'll have to be at a later time. I… I can't… face him now." It had only been three years since the rape. I still haven't gotten over it.
"You have to. I know you're not the person who breaks promises." He's trying to make me feel guilty so I would face my Dad tonight just to help Aiden get a human body. No, I'm refusing right here and now.
"Aiden, I can't face my Dad at this moment. He raped me! If I face him, I'm going to cry so tonight, I can't help you. Not tonight." I turn to open the door but it doesn't budge. The lock was long gone.
"But you promised me that you'll help me."
"I keep that promise but I can't help you out tonight. I keep that promise but I cannot help out out tonight. I refuse to do it and you can't force me." I face him again, unaware of the tears streaming down my cheeks and my heart beating loudly.
"Clara," He reaches his hand out towards me.
"Kyle! Help me!" I shout simultaneously and instinctively. Aiden wraps his arms around my waist and thrusts me away towards the window. "Kyle!" I scream, there was a crashing against the door.
"Clara, everyone can hear you." Aiden mutters into my ear. I struggle to get his release off me; I stumble through his arms and run to the door. I bang my palms against it until I couldn't feel them anymore.
"Clara, move away from the door." Kyle's voice comes from the other side. I stumble back from the door but I keep a distance away from Aiden. He wasn't anywhere in the room from what I could see. There was silence in the room. The wind outside the house grew chiller and it was whipping the house. The house under the pressure of the wind creaked and I thought it moved with the wind. The roof sounds like it's about to collapse above me and the floor suddenly seemed unstable. I could feel it giving away under my feet.
The door crashes open and goes towards the window. Kyle looks for me and smiles, seeing that I'm safe. He reaches out for me but I remember that he was the Demon who was torturing Aiden. I take a step back away from him. "What are you doing?" He asks, confusion swallowing me whole. I was confused about Aiden and Kyle. Could I trust Kyle after Aiden told me that Kyle was the Demon torturing him? I feel a loud crack! from underneath me and suddenly I feel nothing under my feet.
I hear a blood curdling scream as I fall. I see Kyle's face as I slip further into the darkness of the house. He quickly disappears and I wait for the impact of the wooden floor. But it doesn't come. I close my eyes, not wanting to see the roof above me and the floor as it slips further away. My heart beats faster, it roars in my ears and I can feel sweat beading on my forehead. I feel the floor beneath me. My head crashes against the floor first, and then my legs and my back rises until it smacks the floor. I hear cracking with means that a couple of bones are either fractured or broken. All the noise goes from my ears and the feeling from my body go also. I couldn't open my mouth and I couldn't breathe.
It was dark and I couldn't see anything. I was alone also. My heart begins to pound hard that it crashes against my ribcage. What had happened? I remember falling but how and what happened after that? A light burst to my right and it blinded me for a second. My Guardian Angel appears in front of me, smiling.
"Well, that was so unexpected of you Clara." He says to me.
"What are you on about?"
"You are dead at the moment. I can take you to Heaven or back to your body where you shall live on. It's God's choice. He's making the decision the moment."
"I'm dead?"
"Yes. Don't be surprised. You fell through two floors and hit the concrete floor on the basement in that house."
"Don't be surprised? How dare you? I just found out that I'm dead!" I try to storm away but I couldn't move.
"I've been dead since the 1600s." He turns away from me. His head angled slightly down as if receiving a whisper. He nods once and faces me. "You're going back." He tells me briefly before taking my arm and everything going black.
"Clara?" A concerned voice whispers in my ear. I feel pain spread out in my body but I open my eyes nonetheless. A face is blurry in my vision. Blonde shaggy hair, blue eyes and handsome. My vision focuses and Kyle's staring down at me. "Thank God you're alright."
"Kyle," My voice was hoarse. "What happened?" I couldn't turn my neck. I could feel Kyle's hands on my head, holding it still.
"You fell through the floor, you hit your head against the floor and it knocked you out. You hit the floor like a ragdoll. I was so scared that I had lost you." Kyle presses his forehead to mine.
"What damage is done?" I take a deep intake of breathe when our skin touch. He closes his eyes and smiles.
"You've bruised a few bones, broken your right wrist, cracked your head open but I managed to stop the bleeding." He lifts his head up but he kept his eyes closed.
"How did you stop the bleeding and why aren't I in a hospital as of yet?" I reach up to him with my left arm, it aches but I ignore the pain. "The ambulance is on it way. I called them as soon as I reached you." "You didn't answer my first question. How did you stop the bleeding?" "I fed you some of my blood to help the healing process. Don't worry; it wasn't enough to turn you into a Demon." Kyle opens his eyes when sirens roar outside the house. He takes off his top and folds it. He lifts my head gently and slides out from underneath me and places his top in return. I hiss in pain but he squeezes my hand. "I won't be long." He mutters as he leaves. Kyle jogs.
I keep quiet. I hear footsteps rush towards me. I see green from the corner of my eye. Paramedics. Kyle kneels down beside me. A stretcher is placed next to me. The paramedics were made up of two men and one woman. They rush to my assistance. I black out again as I'm put in the ambulance. Kyle holds my hand all the way.
I hear beeping when I awake. I feel a hand over mine and a mask over my mouth. My eyes flutter open. My right wrist was in a dark blue cast and I was in a flower power nightgown. Kyle's eyes were steady on me. A woman enters the room. It was a minute before the face registered and it was my Mom. Kyle gets up off his seat and offers it to my Mom.
"Clara, I came as soon as I heard." My Mom starts. I groan and try to push myself up but Kyle places a hand on my chest and stops me.
"Take it easy. If you want to sit up, I'll have to haul you." Kyle jokes but with an edge of seriousness.
"Mom, I thought you would be living your new life away from here." I place my left hand on the bed rail and stare at my Mom.
"I couldn't leave my daughter in the hospital with a broken wrist, could I? As soon as he called me, I knew I couldn't leave just yet without knowing that you're out of harms way."
"I am out of harm's way though. Kyle keeps me safe. I fell and that was because I wasn't looking where I was stepping. So, it was my fault." I see my Mom was worried about me nonetheless still. I sigh deeply and look at Kyle. "Can you lift me up please, Kyle?" I ask politely. Light shone in his eyes. I don't know why. He places his arm around my waist gently and lifts me up until I was sat up against the pillows and upright.
Kyle hesitates to take his arm from around my waist, knowing that it'll be a while since I'll let him do that again.
"Clara, just be more careful. Why did you go into that old house anyway when you knew it was unstable?" My Mom asks, snapping my attention back. Kyle's face has been so close to mine, so close that I could feel his skin radiate off his skin and warming mine. His lips were so close to mine that I could reach out to him and taste those plump lips against mine. I just want him to kiss me for the first time since I met him.
"I had the sudden urge to go exploring in there. I called Kyle to come with me and I didn't look so I fell down. He found me and called the ambulance thankfully." I chance a quick glance and I see him smile.
"A sudden urge? Why?"
"I don't know, Mom. It was just a sudden urge." I take a deep sigh. I look at Kyle; his stare was steady, not saying a word. "I don't know if I should tell you about this, Mom." I breathe; warning flamed up in Kyle's eyes. He didn't want me to tell her, why?
"Go on. You know you can tell me anything." She leans forward, getting ready to pressurize me into speaking the truth.
"I need to ask Kyle about it." I rub the bridge of my nose and I concentrate hard. "Because he was part of the reason why I'm alive now, so I'm in debt to him. So, everything that has happened to me and other people want to know, I have to ask him if it's alright to discuss it with him." My Mom slides away and nods respectively.
"I'll be in the café, getting a cup of tea." She excuses herself and then leaves the ward. I rest my good arm against the rail and lean towards it, placing my head on my hand.
"Shall I tell her, Kyle? She has a right to know. Her daughter is messed up in a plan to get a ghost his solid body back and she saw me almost kissing you. She saw me almost kiss a Demon."
"I know this is hard for you but the answer is no, you shouldn't. It's for her protection. If you let her get involved then you'll be asking for a lot more trouble than just a broken arm." Kyle comes to my left side and takes my hand in his; I could feel the blood rush to my cheeks.
"What should I tell my Mom? She'll want an explanation."
"Just tell her that you can see a ghost but it's not doing you any harm."
"What if she asks for more?"
"Don't tell her anymore then. Just say, 'that's all I'm telling you' and then end the conversation of it."
"It's not that simple. Trust me." I shake my head and smile to myself. Kyle cups my chin and stares at me. The feeling of wanting to kiss him came back like a Tsunami wave but with more force than ever. Was it because I had a broken right wrist and I was in a hospital bed? I have no clue but I don't want to find out. "So, what did they do to my arm?"
"They straightened it and put it in a cast."
"No operation?"
"No operation." He confirms. I let a sigh of relief go.
"So, when can I change?"
"Right now, actually. You were so out of it I had to change you into the night dress you're wearing at the moment so they could get better access to your wrist. Your trousers are still on and I didn't take advantage of you while you were out cold." He smiles, bends down and gets out a top of mine. It was a ROCK ALL NIGHT, SLEEP ALL DAY t-shirt. One side goes down my shoulder slightly and the bottom bit was loose so it swung freely. It was my favorite top after all.
"Thanks." I say and I begin to swing my legs over the side of the bed. Kyle has his hands at the ready if I almost fall.
My feet touch the cold floor and I hold on to the railing with my good hand, regaining my balance. I take off the night dress and quickly put on the top. It was tight but it was also loose. I look at Kyle; his head was turned towards the window. "I owe you a lot."
"No, you don't. I still owe you." He turns his head towards me and smiles again. I know I was blushing now.
"How do you?"
"Because I helped Harrison and Lucifer keep you captive. I held you against your freedom and that cannot be repaid."
"Kyle, listen to me. You owe me nothing. I owe you for saving my life and for all this you're doing for me." I step close to him, my heart threatens to come out of my ribcage for the hundredth time at least, and I lean my face against his neck. He wraps his arms around me and his head turns towards mine. I could feel his breathe on my neck.
"Clara, it's your turn to listen to me. You do not owe me anything. We're even. Why you might ask and the answer is because you're my right woman and nothing will ever change that."
An uncomfortable cough interrupts the silence of heart monitors and other alarms and footsteps. I push myself away quickly; Kyle keeps his hands on my waist though. It was a Doctor I presume.
"Er, yeah?" I ask, uncomfortable knowing that he just saw us like that.
"Clara McQueen, you can go now." He tells us before turning and walking away swiftly. I shake my head.
"I am so glad I can leave. Sick of being in this hospital." I say mostly to myself. Kyle chuckles deeply and leads me to the exit of the hospital. His arm was tightly around my waist.
"I'm sick of being near the hospital. Spent most of my life here." Kyle lets out mindlessly. Dare I ask him why?
We reach the exit and my Mom was waiting for us near a car. She was talking to a man. Wearing shades, light brown curly hair and he was dressed in skinny jeans and a leather jacket. Did he think he was Elvis or something? I hope not.
"Who's that?" I ask Kyle, we had stopped walking and sat down on the bench just outside the entrance.
"That's your Mom's boyfriend. She slept with him and they wanted to see each other and got into the relationship. He doesn't care if she's an alcoholic and sleeps around with people because he does the same."
"How do you know that? Have you been spying on my Mom?"
"His name is Carlo Ermanno. He's my mate. So he updates me."
"Your mate." I repeat. "Does he think he's Elvis?"
"Elvis inspires him. So, yeah. I do think that he thinks he's Elvis. Can't sing or do anything like him though. Pretty funny when he tries."
"Right. So, do you know when my Mom's leaving?" Let's see if he knows this tune.
