Derranged

Chapter 5: Carlos Confounded

"They think I'm callous
A low-life hood
I feel so useless
Misunderstood"

Mal accepted the towel that Carlos provided her from the linen closet in the hallway.

"The bathroom is down the hall…last door on the left," said Carlos.

Mal saw Carlos rubbing his hands together as if washing them with imaginary soap. She suppressed a small chuckle. Carlos always did this when he was nervous. Mal ran her hand through her dirty, greasy purple hair and watched Carlos go a shade red. She couldn't imagine the last time that Carlos had anyone else in this house, particularly a girl. Then again, she couldn't remember the last time that she was in close proximity to a boy. The bit her bottom lip and continued to stare at Carlos. A bead of sweat formed at his brow as he continued to stare at her with those dark eyes.

"Carlos…" started Mal as she took a step closer to him, something primal taking control of her mind and clouding her senses. Carlos felt his face grow hotter and he began to feel dizzy as this stunningly attractive girl before him grew closer and he knew what she wanted. It was something he wanted for as long as he could remember.

Suddenly, Carlos turned behind him.

"I hear her waking up!" he hissed, clutching his face in his hands, "Quick…get in the shower and I'll meet you after. If she questions it, I'll say that I'm just getting the water ready for one."

Mal didn't hesitate. She clutched the towel and rushed toward the bathroom. Once she was in the bathroom, she turned the lock on the door for good measure.

Mal was nervous about Cruella waking up and finding her, but she was equally excited to have a proper shower. She couldn't remember the last time she had one properly. Showers were few and far between on the island, only existing in the more prominent villains' quarters. Maleficent had one, but had forbade Mal from ever using it. She didn't want to take a chance of Mal damaging it and denying her one of the only luxuries in this hellacious Isle.

She stripped herself of her clothes and proceeded to make the necessary pumps from the chrome lever on the wall in order to get the shower primed and ready to go. Once it had a steady stream and proper temperature, she got in and breathed a sigh of relief. It felt wonderful…more wonderful that anything she had felt in such a long time. She began to lather her body with the soap scrub, getting many weeks worth of dirt and grime off, enhancing the paleness of her skin. Her hair, once properly shampooed, was starting to get it's softness back in a way that made Mal smile. She was so preoccupied with her shower that she failed to notice the flicker of light beside the towel rack. A small hole had been bored into the center of the intricate patterns of the floral wallpaper. One would never notice such a thing if it hadn't been for the person on the other side removing the cover to the other side. The light illuminating the next room shined through the hole for just a brief moment before the space was darkened again by the eye of a voyeur. Someone was on the other side of the wall, watching Mal intently and overwhelmed by passion.

After making sure Mal found the bathroom safely and giving his Mother a few moments before he checked on her, he was wrenched by an overwhelming desire. He went into Cruella's parlor and approached the portrait of her in her finest Dalmation coat that she had commissioned and shipped all the way from her original home back in Aurodon. Upon removing it, he leaned his head towards the hole in the wall he had drilled in case a situation should ever arise. He could see vividly on the other side and his heart quickened when he saw her. Mal was getting ready for a shower. She reached her arms up and stretched, her dirty white t-shirt riding up and exposing her pale, smooth midriff. Carlos's pulse grew faster. She slowly removed her shirt, exposing a white bra that had long since been in need of replacing. The wire had been repaired a few times and resewed with blue thread on the left, red on the upper right. Carlos turned his head to think. Mal didn't sew with that precision. Evie must have done it; she was great at sewing when she happened upon thread from time to time.

Spying on Mal was decidedly immoral, but so much had been denied to Carlos in his short life and at this point, he didn't care. What more could they do to him? What more could…Mother do to him? He returned his gaze back to Mal, unaware of how much time had passed. She had already doffed her pants and undergarments and was stepping into the shower. Carlos's eyes widened as he saw her back riddled with scars and cuts, some fresher than others. He rolled up his own sleeves and saw the scars covering his arms, with two burn marks that Cruella had given him with her curling iron. He closed his eyes. It couldn't happen again…not Mal…not to Mal…He wouldn't let her.

No…Mal is resourceful, Mal is smart. He didn't know why she was here, but if Cruella attacked her, Carlos secretly wished that Mal would survive and come out victorious.

Carlos put back the painting and entered his mother's room and saw her silhouette still in bed, not moving. He inched closer in the darkness, careful not to disturb her.

"Get that whore out of my house," said the voice in a cold rasp.

"Sh-shes not a whore, Mother," said Carlos in a soft voice.

"Get her out or I'll skin her like I did those puppies," added the voice from the bed.

"I won't let you do that," said Carlos, defiantly.

"Well now…getting big for your britches, eh boy?" mocked the voice from the bed.

Carlos stood his ground, though he was always nervous when his Mother laughed.

"Come closer, boy…" she whispered, "Listen to me carefully…"

Carlos moved slowly and silently, a creeping fear enclosing upon him. Once he had his left ear to her lips did the message become sparkling clear.