Chapter 3 Did you miss me?
When Susan woke up she was inside an empty room tied on a chair with her hands behind her back facing a fireplace. The walls were made of stone and the floor was wooden.
"I see you finally woke up Susan."
Teatime came and sat in front of Susan on a chair he brought with him.
"It's so nice to have someone here to talk to."
"Let me go Teatime."
"Oh, no, Susan. You see I have been planning my revenge for so long and now it's time." He got up and walked behind Susan where a window had to be as she felt a soft breeze on her neck after a clicking sound. He had opened a window.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I must be going. But don't worry, I'll come to check on you in a few hours."
Teatime left Susan alone. She tried to think why he'd done that. She'd expected something more painful. Something with knives and other sharp instrument… Maybe he was preparing for that while she was there unable to move. Bugger!
Some hours passed. The soft breeze evolved into a cold wind, filling the room and making her shiver. It was such a cold winter. Bugger! Susan felt the cold freezing her bones. It was even worse since she was unable to move. Even her breath would freeze a few inches out of her mouth and fall as tiny crystals on her lap. At some point she lost consciousness.
……………
"Hello Susan. Did you miss me?" Teatime said as he entered the room grinning.
Susan's eyes burst open at the sound of his voice. She was too cold to reply. In fact she was shivering but didn't want him to notice that.
He moved to close the window and sat in front of her again.
"So, Susan what did you do while I was gone?"
She just gave him a cold Look. He maintained his grin. Teatime stood up and lit the fireplace.
"You know, many people freeze to death out there. Even little children. Numerous match girls die out there and little boys keep staring inside warm houses only wanting a toy and a gentle heart to lead them through the dark. But all they find is your grandfather. And nobody does something about it."
"What's you point Teatime?"
"My point is that people die all the time. I was just doing my job. Was it really necessary to kill me?"
"You said it yourself. People die all the time. You were just one of them. Besides I think the world is better off without you."
"Oh, really? I think the same counts for you too."
He stood up and moved closer to her leaning forward to look her in the eyes.
"Try as you may to have what you call a normal life you will never fit in. You know you're different."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You're a freak."
"No Teatime. You are one. I'm just a teacher."
"Just a teacher? You are duchess of Sto Helit. Nobility. You are Death's own granddaughter."
Susan gave him a Look but he simply ignored her. The Look made no difference to him? Susan was surprised.
"So, what do you want now?"
"Revenge."
"Are you going to kill me then?"
"Kill you? Where's the fun in that?"
He took a few steps towards the fireplace and put the poker in the flames.
"You know" he said "you were right about that cat. And I never had another pet since then."
He grinned evilly.
"Until now. You will be my pet."
Susan glared at him. She was not feeling cold any more.
"Your pet?"
"Well, yes. It will be fun. At least for me it will. So, are you hungry?"
"Excuse me?"
"I am supposed to feed you."
"When I break free I'll feed you to the nearest alligators" she said between her teeth.
"What did you say. Susan?"
"That you are going to pay for that."
"Really?"
Teatime grinned and took the poker from the fireplace. Some parts of it were red from the heat. He looked at the poker and then at Susan. And with a sudden move he made, Susan saw the poker coming her way with immense power. She closed her eyes while a part of her wondered where he'd hit her. So he really was going to pay her back and he'd use a poker to do so.
She heard a noise. A couple of seconds passed and but she felt nothing. Susan opened her eyes hesitantly and saw the poker was just next to her shoulder. If she tried to move she'd get burned He had hit the chair she was tied. Teatime smiled innocently.
"Don't you ever forget who's in charge here" he said.
Susan did not answer but looked at him with anger. He put the poker back in the fire and left the room.
…………
About half an hour later he returned with a plate, a fork and a knife. Susan watched his every step carefully. He sat in front of her again and started cutting a stake. That's when Susan first thought she was hungry. Did he really have to eat right in front of her? And why did he have to eat anyway? He wasn't even alive. So he did that just to torment her. And he wasn't even eating it.
When he had finished cutting the stake he forked a piece and put it in front of Susan trying to… feed her? She instinctively backed her head.
"Have you poisoned it?"
"Why would I do that?" he asked innocently.
"To kill me?" asked Susan ironically.
"I already explained that you are my pet and I have to feed you."
"And I have to believe you hired a cook just to feed me."
"Who said I hired a cook? I cooked this myself."
"And you still expect me to eat this after you cooked it yourself? That's even worse than poisoning it."
"You don't really have to insult me you know. I am a good cook but if you don't want it then just stay hungry. I won't lose my patience because of this. I'll leave it here in case you get hungry."
"But I am tied on the chair. How am I supposed to get it? Not that I will anyway."
"That's not my problem" he said and tried to leave.
When he'd reached the door he turned around and looked at Susan who was glaring at him.
"You have one last chance. Will you eat this?"
Susan tried to say no but she had been there a day and she was hungry.
"All right."
He fed her a few bites.
"So what do you think?"
"I've had better but this could be worse."
"I'll take that as an indication you like it."
She did not want to tell him he was right. She did like it. He was a great cook and Susan could not deny it. But she would not praise him either. If it was up to her he would be begging to be sent to the dungeon dimensions just to get away from her.
Before she had finished her meal Teatime got up and took the plate away.
"Dinner's over. If you hadn't bothered me with your ridiculous protests you would have eaten more. I hope you learn something from that."
"I hate you!"
He turned back and leaned to her face.
"Good" he said.
Susan looked away and felt his breath tickling her ear.
"Because I hate you too" he added.
For a moment he froze there and Susan looked at him with the corner of her eye. In his mind scenes from the past had come. As he was that close he could smell her hair and he remembered the time in Toothfairy's castle when he was close enough again. It was a smell like roses and other flowers. It had an effect on him. It made him lose his concentration.