She briskly got dressed while Brahms moved like a baby deer newly born and wobbly. His hands had come up and she thought he was going to cover himself like an embarrassed schoolboy but he had hitched a sigh instead and turned to get his clothes.

She made her way to the kitchen. She had never seen him drink alcohol...well being honest she had never sheen him drink anything, But this was the UK and in the UK tea was practically mandatory. She put a pot on nervously fiddling with the bottle in her pocket. A spurt of terror grabbed her when she turned and saw Brahms standing in the room. His mask was back on denying her the opportunity to read his face.

"The Mask again?"

He reached up and pressed the mask harder against him. He didn't have to speak. She knew that was a means of control for him. A way to hide. A kind of strange safety blanket.

He was standing at the door holding the train track. " I'm making us tea Brahms. Have some tea with me ok?"

He hesitated then nodded. "Play with me!" he held the box up.

There was no reason to deny him. Once she was free she didn't care if he sat in a corner all day and sucked his thumb. She winced, that was too tame for Brahms.

Destroying a house wasn't outside the realm of possibilities. Killing anyone who tried to stop him was also feasible. He needs to be locked up. She glanced around. Well locked up in an asylum and put on medication. I wonder why his parents didn't do that. Were they that embarrassed? Was it fear?

Brahms appeared delighted when he added water to the train and it began to move along the tracks steam rising from the small chimney. She realized after a moment he was looking at her hard. She realized she was bouncing trying to work off excess energy now that she was so close to being free.

She looked at the train and cleared her throat wanting to get his attention off the way she was behaving and involved elsewhere. Hell maybe she should give him a blowjob then drug him. If he died he'd go happy right?

"People buy trains, tracks and stuff to make landscapes. They fill up whole rooms so you can walk in and watch the trains go by. Sometimes they even set it up with real water in the waterfalls. Little trees and towns. It's so beautiful and fascinating to see all the tiny details. Once I was at a museum..."

Brahms abruptly leaned forward and knocked the entire train set down.

"Brahms!" she looked with dismay at the track in pieces and the train still spinning its wheels sluggishly steam still drifting out of it. He stood over her clenching his hands his eyes narrowed in fury over what she didn't know. He glared at her pulling in one breath then another.

"What on earth is wrong with you?" She hissed.

His voice was low and ugly "I'll...I'll never see...any train room."

Marissa sighed "Did you want to?"

"I'll never leave.."

"Brahms..."

"I'll never leave." He shouted. She started to scoot back realizing she was in danger.

He snatched her up as if she were a rag doll and shook her causing her to bite her tongue. The taste of blood filled her mouth.

"You'll never leave either! You have to promise me! Promise me!" He shook her again making her teeth rattle.

"Brahms I'm right here." She gasped. What the hell was going on? Things had been fine a moment ago. She swallowed as the blood sluggishly welled up. She wondered if she got away alive if she'd have to get stitches on her tongue. It was unappealing thought.

He stared at her angrily for a moment then contemptuously dropped her. She fell on her ass and coward against the stereo.

She met his eyes and shivered. He took a deep breath and his voice was only slightly high pitched. Whether he had decided he didn't want to use the childish voice or he was too upset to do so she didn't know.

"Chess."