Chapter 3

Arson woke up in the same spot as where he had collapsed. He looked around dazedly and froze when he saw Ophelia's eyes staring into his own. He whimpered with terror and tried to back away. He cried out in pain as his hands fell upon the broken pieces of the plate he had dropped the night before.

'I'll have to clean that up,' she said quietly. Arson pressed his hand to his body with fright. He flinched and tried to move away as Ophelia reached out towards him. He looked into her eyes again and saw no anger, only a gentle warm expression in her eyes. Her hand moved towards him again, and this time he did not move away. Instead, his muscles froze, ready to run if need be.

'Sssh…it's okay,' she whispered. 'It's all right.' Ophelia gently took Arson's hand in her own and bound it, gently picking out the pieces of ceramic from his hand. She suddenly looked at his face and frowned. Arson's heart began to beat fast. Something was going to happen. Something was going to go wrong.

'Why don't we forget this all happened?' she said suddenly. Arson looked at her, as though taken aback. 'I know I haven't been as good to you as I have been to your sister. But are you willing to forgive me?' Arson nodded fervently and pressed himself against her, weeping. He closed his eyes as he felt her arms wrap around her. Maybe…maybe life was going to be better from now on. Ophelia pulled away from him and ruffled his brown locks and picked him up.

'Why don't you watch a bit of television for now?' Arson smiled happily and nodded and then watched his mother go into the bathroom. He listened to the water as it ran from the tap and then turned his attention back onto the television. His mother seemed to float out of the bathroom, her chocolate coloured hair tied up in a pony tail, making her face seem somewhat younger and innocent. She grabbed her purse and then her house keys and left. Arson wasn't particularly worried by this. He stood up to go and do his homework but then paused. He hadn't even been given permission. And maybe this was all just a game his mother was playing on him? It had happened before. He could still remember the time when she had given him clean clothes and had allowed him to eat with the family, so then she would give a good impression to the Social Worker and then show that she was a perfectly capable mother. Arson knew she was; she showed only too plainly how good a mother she was when she played with Val and cuddled her and read her stories. As for him…he was a curse, and he deserved everything he got.

The seven year old stood in the middle of the living room, thinking and reasoning. He was lucky he was even living here. Of course, he should be grateful he had any clothes and that he still had a roof over his head. He sat back on the couch, thinking that he would not disobey his mother.

The keys turned in the lock and Ophelia came staggering in, her eyes red and her face flushed. She glared at Arson and then rushed towards him, slapping him hard, causing blood to well out of his nose.

'You lazy little shit!' she bellowed. 'Who the hell said you could sit down and watch the TV?' Arson frowned and rubbed his stinging face sheepishly.

'You did.' Ophelia bore down on him.

'You lie!' She whirled around and forced the bags into his hands. They all contained the same thing; alcohol. Arson didn't know that. Perhaps if he had he would have sent it all crashing through the window. Arson ran to the fridge and quickly put away the bottles, making them clink musically. His mother stood behind him, breathing down his neck, making him even more afraid. So nervous was he, that one bottle slipped out of his grasp and smashed on the floor. This only served to infuriate her more.

'The curse is getting out of hand!' she hissed in a singsong voice. 'It must be taught a lesson. It must be shown that it cannot disobey my commands.' She grabbed a knife and then dragged Arson roughly by his arm to the bathroom.

Arson watched in terror as Ophelia turned the cold water tap on, filling the tub right to the top. She ripped Arson's clothes from him, until he was only dressed in his jeans.

'Get in.' Arson obeyed with alacrity, his fear of his mother banishing his fear of the water. 'I saw why you began to hurt last night. And it gave me an idea. You have to stay in here until I let you out. And if you try to move, I'll kill you.' Ophelia showed him the knife and nicked his cheek with it. Arson felt the sharp cold blade piece his skin and shied away. Drops of blood dripped into the water. 'Lower,' she commanded. Arson looked at her blankly. He screamed as Ophelia shoved his body totally under. His shriek died to a gurgle as water flooded his nose and mouth. His arms thrashed wildly, sending water splashing everywhere. He managed to get his head above water.

'I understand! I'll do it! I'll do it!' he cried. Ophelia let him go and sat back, relaxed. Arson sank down low, keeping his nose just above the surface so then he could breathe. He closed his eyes against the pain and concentrated only on breathing in and out, in and out. He opened his eyes a few minutes later to see that his mother had gone. Instead, Val looked down on him, her eyes brimming with tears.

'She's not here anymore. She went out.' Arson slowly closed his eyes again. His eyes rolled back in his head and his hands slipped from the sides of the bath. His nose sank below the surface. Val shrieked and grabbed his cold hands and pulled him up so then he was in a sitting position. 'Arson! Arson! Wake up!' Val grimaced as she saw the angry sores and marks that the water had made on his skin. His body was deathly cold, and his skin had turned into a milky white, his lips turning a faint tinge of blue. Val sobbed with fright.

'I don't want you to die…' she whispered. 'I don't want you to die. But what can I do? If I say anything she'll hurt me too…and I'm scared…forgive me!' She dashed into her bedroom and got out each towel and blanket she could find, and ran back into the bathroom, trying to care for her brother as much as she could. Arson's eyes slowly flickered open but he could make no move, or no sound. Tears welled from his deep brown eyes as he realized how helpless he was. Val tensed up as she heard the front door slam. She swallowed hard and tried to urge Arson to stand up. He shook his head, indicating he could do nothing. Instead, he closed his eyes, waiting for the blow from his mother that would kill him. It was during that time that he slipped into a state of deep unconsciousness.

Ophelia walked into the room, her eyes hooded with weariness. She looked at Arson and then at Val, slowly holding her arms out to her. Val hung back, uncertainly. She began to weep and ran to her. Ophelia's voice dropped to a gentle whisper.

'It had to be done…it just had to. It was getting out of hand and it needed to be taught a lesson.' Val looked up at her, her face streaked with tears.

'Please don't finish it. Not just yet. Please…' Ophelia looked her at her daughter contemplatively.

'It's a curse. But I love you. Just one more day with us. And then it will be over.' Arson made no move as he lay on the tiled floor. Ophelia gently picked him up, trying to convey to Val that she had meant what she had said. For Val she would do anything, even prolonging the curse. For Val she would end anything she wanted. Everything was for Val now.