Chapter 4

Lucy trudged slowly back to the cabin as quietly as she could. As she got closer, she couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched. About 2 yards from the cabin, the mad man came bolting from around the corner. He ran full speed towards her. Lucy braced herself for a blow, but instead he lifted her up as gently as China, and took her into the cabin. He set her down on a chair and poured her more broth. She pulled out the loaf and split it in two, laying half by his bowl. He wasn't bothering to hide his scars, and it was as clear as could be he was excited to see her. Lucy tired to eat her soup calmly, but he kept grinning at her-it made her nervous.

"I came back-"

"I know. I'm glad you did."

"You know why I came back?"

"No, why?"

"At the village, a Lord Bryan showed up and started asking questions. He'd heard about stealing and lights in this cabin," Lucy paused. The man had jumped at the name of the Lord, but not reacted to the reports of stealing. "Were you stealing?" she asked.

The smile had slipped from the man's face at the mention of Lord Bryan, but now he frowned and glared at Lucy's question.

"And if I was?" he said darkly.

"It will get us into trouble and its wrong."

"What do you mean us?" asked the man excitedly.

I told Lord Bryan that I was living in the cabin, and I said with my brother when he asked me more questions. When he left, the priest started asking questions."

Lucy told what had happened while the man watched her warily. When she finished he looked at her expectantly.

"And?"

"And what?" asked Lucy crossly.

"Are you really going to stay and be my sister."

"I don't know."

"But you said you would!"

"I also said you were my brother and we were injured in a fire."

"Weren't you injured in a fire?"

"I was but you weren't!"

"How did the fire start?"

" I don't know!"

The man paused for a moment, and then asked:

"What was your family like?"

"None of your blooming business!"

"It is if I'm your brother."

"You aren't! I just said that cause-"

"You're staying."

"No!" shouted Lucy. Now she had done it. Her heart was pounding again. She knew she needed to be calm after last night, but she was starting to feel trapped. The man eyes grew wide and he crossed over to Lucy. He put his hands on her heaving shoulders.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Calm down."

He tried to open her blouse, but Lucy pushed him away. "Stop that!"

"I'm trying to see what is wrong."

"It's a weak heart. That's all. It's indecent for you to look."

The man gave Lucy a blank stare.

"I mean it's wrong. A person wears clothes to remain modest, and no one must look at them naked."

"I thought clothes were for the cold."

"That too."

"Lord Bryan didn't' care about modesty," snarled the man.

"About that, Lord Bryan is different from the Lord I saw last night."

The man nodded. "His brother."

"Did they run a hospital?"

"I don't know. We were in his castle. He'd catch us and take us there. Then he'd... He caught me when I was a little boy. Offered me a ride home. Instead he took me to his castle. For days he gave me horrible things to drink, or shocked me with a rod. When I was a little older, he tried to rearrange my face. The pain was intense. At night we'd sneak a look at his books and see how to heal ourselves. Make the pain go away. One day I stole a knife and tried to cut off his hand. Instead, he shocked me with the rod and cut off my hand. Then he sewed it back on. That gave him an idea. He started cutting me and healing it back up. Trying different ways. Sometimes, he'd cut off a body part and sew a new one back on. My new ear doesn't work."

Lucy look horror struck. The man stated this horrible history so calmly, without an emotion.

"The other Lord too?" she asked.

The man shook his head. "I didn't see him till the night we took the castle."

" How did you escape?"

"I didn't. One day Silence snuck away his keys. She gave them to me. We all snuck into his room and tried to kill him. He and his brother got away, but we blocked up all the doors and secret passageways. He's never been able to get back in."

"Who is Silence? Who are the others?"

The man shook his head. They sat in silence for a while.

"What do they call you?" he finally asked.

"Lucy. What's your name?"

"We didn't have names, but they called me Cut."