1Pairing: Odd and Sam
Note: Italics mean it happened in the past.
Rating: Pg-14-ish.
Warnings: This has rape, prostitution, and suicidal tendencies in it. Please don't read if you can't handle it. You have been warned.
Author's Note: I've been really busy lately, sorry guys. But I'm back and writing. So, please forgive me and enjoy the chapter.
Brightlights lit up the sky and she smiled as she crossed the street and approached the ticket booth. A line of kids, teens, and adults stretched halfway down the walkway and she went to take her place, blowing warm air on numb fingers.
"Sam!"
She looked up, smiling when she saw Odd walking toward her. "Hey, I'll be there in a moment, let me get my tickets," she called. Odd nodded, sitting on a bench inside the carnival gates. "Handstamp please," she said as she handed the money over.
The guy behind the booth took the stamp, rolling it in the glow-in-the-dark ink before stamping it on her hand. "Have a nice time," he said.
"Thanks," she said, smiling brightly at him. She followed the crowd of people inside, smiling as she made her way over to the bench he was sitting on. "Hey," she said.
"Hey," he replied. He jumped down, wrapping an arm around her. "How are you?"
"I'm good. Really, really good." She grinned at him. A northern wind blew lazily through the carnival and she smiled, twirling on the hard ground. The crunching of leaves and brittle grass followed her and Odd smiled as he watched her.
"You seem to be in a good mood."
"I love this kind of weather," she sighed, leaning against him.
"I can tell," he teased. She laughed, running fingers through his hair. He smiled at her. "Where to first?" he asked.
"I don't care, we can do anything. I feel like I'm on top of the world tonight," she laughed. She pulled out of his arms, twirling, wide-armed again in the lanes between attractions. People passing by gave her strange looks, but she seemed oblivious to their stares, laughing as the wind blew fallen leaves around them.
"Careful Sammy...don't get lost."
She smiled, watching the leaves blow through the carnival, silhouetted by the bright lights. Children her age were running through the pathways, shoving grimy Euros into the hands of vendors and eating sticky cotton candy, corn dogs, sodas, popcorn, and various candies. Others were standing in line, shoving each other to get on the ride first.
"Come on Sammy, let's go on the Ferris wheel."
She turned, smiling up at Mommy, taking the offered hand. They made their way past the various booths and roller coasters. A small petting zoo was tucked into a corner. "Come on Samantha," Mommy said, tugging her along. They got in line for the Ferris wheel and she stared around her at the falling leaves and dull coats and jackets of the carnival-goers.
She felt the harness being lowered over her and she looked around confusedly. She didn't remember getting onto the ride. But that didn't matter. Odd was next to her, grinning and holding her hand tightly in his. She smiled back at him as the ride started with a great clanking. They were up, soaring down the track, turning upside down and looping back again.
They were all screaming, hands raised toward the sky, now the ground, now the sky again. She felt one of her gloves come loose and spiral away in the wind but she didn't care, she just grinned again at him. He smiled back at her, finally letting himself hope that she was returning to normal. That she would be alright.
A screaming monster hurled toward them, eyes glowing red and foul-smelling smoke issuing from it's mouth. She screamed along with the others, letting her head fall back, letting the wind run gentle fingers over her wide-spread palm, catching bits of it in between her fingers before releasing it into the night sky. They looped again and she smiled as the others screamed behind her. A girl squealing loudly that she was going to be sick.
Stumbling off the ride, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, nuzzling the top of her head. "Having fun?" he asked.
"Tons," she replied, voice lilting a little. She spun out of his grasp in front of the speakers, putting on a small show, hips swaying in time with the music. He grinned as a crowd began to form, watching her lose herself. Or maybe finding herself.
She had fallen asleep in the back of the car, stretched out on the backseat, a warm coat draped over her small frame. Dark hair framed her face and she snuggled closer to the coat, inhaling the scent of Mommy. Her fingers were sticky from the bag of cotton candy Mommy had finally let her buy and her cheeks were pink from the wind and cold.
The car slowed and she felt it jerk as it hit a bump, and then another. Slowly she began to sit up, looking out at the lightening sky, blinking tiredly. "Mommy?" Her voice sounded small and frail, even to her own ears.
"Hush baby, we'll be there soon. Here, have some Cola and lay back down," Mommy replied, handing her a cup of coke with a straw. She sipped slowly, yawning wider as they passed into wheat fields.
Guys were whistling and she was grinning, enjoying the attention. She raised her hands into the air, dancing around and letting her head fall back as the wind played with her hair. Some guys were leaning in, wolf-whistling to her and she smiled back at them. Odd glared at them, grabbing her arm and dragging her away.
"What's up?" she asked, tilting her head as she looked at him.
"Nothing, I just thought we could go on another ride or something..."
"Oh..sure. Sounds great," she said smiling. "How about the Ferris Wheel?" she asked.
He smiled back. "Okay."
They made their way to the giant wheel, waiting in line behind screaming kids and lovesick couples. The wind picked up again and Odd reached over, wrapping an arm around her waist. She smiled back at him, resting her head on his shoulder.
She awoke inside a dimly lit room. It was sparsely furnished, just an old bed, bureau, and bookcase. The wallpaper was peeling off and the whole room smelled old and moldy. She scrunched up on the bed, trying to see, before making her way to one of the doors in the room.
It led to an old bathroom. The faucets were rusty, as was the tile in the shower and tub. It was dingy and smelled bad. The lights were dim here too and buzzed loudly. A glint on the wall drew her eyes to a cracked mirror and she saw a pale face looking back at her from around the cracks. She turned, hurrying out the door and closing it quickly.
The second door opened onto a hallway. Peeling paint and the smell of cat urine seeped through the walls. "Mommy?" she called out softly.
"Oh baby, what are you doing up?"
Her mother came from one of the rooms, dressed in a nightgown and robe, tying it shut as she approached. "Where are we Mommy?" she asked tiredly, rubbing at her eyes.
"At an old friends'. Here, I'll get you some soda and you'll feel better," she said. She disappeared down the hall, returning a few minutes later and handing her a soda. "Drink up darling," she crooned. She felt tired again, yawning as her mother led her back into the room.
A man appeared in the doorway. "We'll finish later, I want her while she's still out."
They were wandering through town when the first snow started. She grinned, laughing, and tilting her face up to the white flurries. The clock struck twelve and she sighed, looking at Odd. "It's magical, isn't it? Like the snow was waiting for midnight, for the magic hour, before it started falling..." she trailed off and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.
"Completely," he agreed. He leaned in, kissing her gently and she sighed. "Come on, we better get back."
"Do we have to?" she asked.
"Yes Sam, come on," he laughed. She sighed again as they headed back toward her house and Kadic. Their paths split at the school and she continued on to her house, glancing up at the snow.
It was her favorite time of the year, the time of the year when everything was given a fresh start. A clean slate. She wished life was that simple. She pulled her key out, unlocking the front door and slipping inside.
"Samantha. So nice of you to join us."
She jerked, looking up and seeing her dad leaning against the doorframe leading to the living room. "What?"
"You've kept Mr. Evans waiting for almost an hour. I hope you know how to make it up to him," he told her. He grabbed her arm, leading her into the living room. "I'm sorry James, it seems she lost track of the time. Nevertheless, you'll get your money's worth. Don't worry." He shoved her in front of him. "Sam, why don't you show James your room? I'm sure he'd like to see that."
"Sure," she said dully. "This way." She turned on her heel, leading the way back to her room.
She lay in bed, she didn't want to get up. Yes she did. She wanted to be clean. Needed to be clean. The urge rushed through her body but she couldn't move. Couldn't even move as the door opened and her mother entered, sitting on the edge of her bed.
"How you feeling darling?" she asked, brushing back her hair. She managed to turn her head away. "I know you don't like this, I don't like it either baby, but we're doing this for you. For your schooling. For university. You need money to go to a university," she murmured. She sighed and stood. "I'll let you get cleaned up," she said finally, leaving.
She stood quickly, barely making it to the bathroom in time as she vomited into the toilet. She sat back, wiping her mouth with her hand. She felt sick still, nausea building in her stomach, burning her throat, but there was nothing left in her. Nothing.
The water was on in the shower. She didn't remember turning it on... She rubbed her temples, everything was foggy. She couldn't remember, didn't remember... She stood, flushing the toilet and entered the shower, feeling the water scald her skin. One more cut wouldn't hurt. One more slice wouldn't matter.
One more...one more...
"Hi, I'm Odd."
"Is that your name, or your personality?" she laughed.
"Name," he shouted over the music. They wandered outside onto the patio, away from the music. "You're a great dj," he said.
"Thanks. The name's Sam," she said, holding out a hand. He laughed and shook it. "So, what're you doing here?"
"Just here for the party," he replied. "You wanna dance?"
"Love to." He led her back inside the room where the music pounded from the speakers. Someone else's turn to play dj. She was here to dance. "You don't go to the local school, do you?" she asked.
"No, Kadic."
"That's...nice."
He was worried, he hadn't seen her in days. He looked at Ulrich who was sitting on his bed, flipping through a sports magazine. "Your going to look for her, aren't you?" he asked idly.
"I'm worried Ulrich. I've called and called her cell and nothing. Nothing. No answer. And the last time I called it went straight to voicemail!"
"So...why are you still here?"
Odd grinned and took off running. So Ulrich wasn't pissed that he and Sam were together again, that was one less thing to worry about. He ran to her house, the driveway was empty, windows dark. Not necessarily a good sign.
The back door was open and he entered, looking around. Silence. "Sam?" No answer. He made his way to her room, looking this way and that. Nothing. He opened her bedroom door, it looked ransacked. Clothes were everywhere, the drawers of her dresser scattered.
"Sam!"
A creak sounded then the house was silent. The bathroom door was partly open, and he walked over, shoving it open. "Sam?" It was pitch black inside, he fumbled along the wall until he felt the light switch and flipped it on.
His stomach churned and he felt ready to throw-up. The floor of the shower was red, blood having seeped into the tile. The mirror was cracked, red running along the hairline fractures, painting a spider web of blood. There were bloody clothes stuffed inside a hamper, half hanging out, and a razor in the trash can.
"Shit," he muttered. This was not good.
Author's Note: Well, there you have it. The new chapter. Expect more soon since I'm home sick for the next two weeks. Joy of joys.