78. Theo Fairview
Alexa Play: I’m With You by Avril Lavigne
He was going to touch me again.
There was the familiar, bone-chilling click of the lock as Father Samwell sealed us into his office together.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, Theodora… what are we going to do with you?” he purred as he stalked behind his desk.
My heart was pounding like a caged bird in my chest as I clenched my hands into fists in my pockets.
He took his time as he rummaged through the drawers of his desk before producing the blue skirt and scuffed black shoes he’d made me wear for him dozens of times before.
“Please… No…” I whispered, shaking my head in horror as he approached me, his face twisted in a sinister smile.
“Oh yes, Theodora. You’re going to put these on, and I’m going to teach you how to be a lady.”
Tears stung my eyes, and I dropped my gaze in shame, suddenly unable to bear the sight of those hideous shoes.
He loomed before me, and there was no escape.
There was never any escape.
I was doomed to relive this over and over until I died.
It was so unfair… All of it was so freaking unfair.
I was about to resign myself to the fact that I was going to have to suffer through this the same way I always did, when I caught a glint of silver dancing around my navel.
Blinking back the tears in my eyes, I frowned as I reached for the shiny item with curious, trembling fingers.
It was a silver charm, shaped like a Q-Tip.
This was new.
Where had this come from?
The silver grew hot in my palm, and suddenly, a strong, feminine voice echoed through my mind.
“This is a direct link to me. Every time you hold it, you’ll remember that you have me now, and I won’t let anyone hurt you. Not even the memories in your head. Do you hear me?”
I frowned at the voice that sounded so familiar, and when I looked up at Father Samwell, I realized that I wasn’t the only one who had heard it.
Who said that?
“Give me that thing!” my principal snarled, but I shook my head furiously and backed away, clutching it protectively against my chest.
“No!” I shouted, and he lunged, dropping the skirt and the shoes in his desperation to steal the charm from me.
I darted away from him, panting in terror as I scanned the office for somewhere to hide. I didn’t bother trying the door.
It was locked.
It was always locked.
My gaze fell on the large snake plant in the corner, and I made a dash for it, just as a deep, rolling laugh echoed through the dimly lit room.
‘Finally… something to sink my teeth into…’ the terrifying voice purred. Driven by pure terror, I dove behind the planter, immediately curling into a tight ball behind the tall, twisting leaves.
I clutched my silver charm tightly as I peeked around the base of the plant, and my breath caught as I watched all the shadows of the room gather to form a tall, twisting mass of darkness.
Samwell wasn’t chasing me anymore. He was staring at the mass of darkness with as much terror as I was. We both watched, frozen, as the smoke solidified to reveal the form of a tall, beautiful woman.
She looked like a princess… but not the kind from a storybook. She looked like the kind of princess who would ride into battle on the back of her dragon, laying waste to swathes of men foolish enough to challenge her.
With her dark hair and armor born of shadow, she was both the most beautiful and terrifying thing I’d ever seen.
Her brown eyes surveyed her surroundings, and they burned with a fury so violent I found myself shrinking away in fear.
But the fury wasn’t for me.
It was for Father Samwell, and I gasped as the smoky shadows seemed to pulse, outlining the form of a great, dragon-like monster that curled protectively around her.
The creature was all smoke and shadow, but as it moved, I caught glimpses of sharp teeth and claws.
It was massive.
What was that thing?
‘Such a small, pitiful creature… ‘ the monster rumbled, though it sounded thoroughly unimpressed.
The woman hummed in agreement.
Both the princess and the monster stared at Father Samwell as he cowered before them, and the woman’s lip curled up in disdain.
“Somehow I was expecting him to be bigger,” the woman mused, and I gasped as she took a fearless step toward Father Samwell.
Samwell roared in fury, and suddenly, it wasn’t my principal facing off with the woman and her monster, but a demon.
As if shedding a mask, Father Samwell’s face warped and twisted into something ugly, and I cried out a warning as the evil creature launched itself at the beautiful woman.
The evil man moved so quickly, I knew the princess didn’t stand a chance.
The bones in his fingers snapped and popped as they elongated into deadly claws. Terror ricocheted through me as he reached for her throat with terrifying precision.
“Look out!” I screamed, but the princess didn’t seem concerned.
She frowned, glancing to where I was hidden behind the snake plant, and I cursed myself for distracting her.
But… it turned out there was no reason for me to worry.
As my principal rushed forward, the woman moved to intercept his attack with smooth, lethal confidence.
She wasn’t afraid of him, and I soon learned why.
Shadows gathered around her hand, and I watched in awe as they solidified into a sharp, deadly knife.
In one swift movement, the Princess slipped past the screaming, evil man.
She moved so quickly I could barely follow her, and I gasped as she effortlessly kicked out his knees.
He crumbled to the ground, and before he could right himself, she fisted his thinning hair and jerked his head back to expose the long, pale line of his throat.
“The way my wife talks about you… I was expecting some huge, scary monster.”
The princess whispered these words directly into the vile man’s ear as she reached around him to press her dark blade against his pale throat.
I watched a thin line of blood form beneath the sharp knife, and the man literally trembled in terror as the woman’s dragon-like creature crept closer.
“But you’re not a monster, are you?” the princess hissed, forcing her blade more firmly against Samwell’s throat.
He let out a pathetic whimper, and she sneered.
“No. You’re just a man. A weak, pathetic, little man.”
Then, with her blood red lips curled in disgust, she sliced Samwell’s neck so viciously I caught a flash of white spine before she threw him into the waiting claws of her beast.
Her creature flowed forward like liquid smoke. In a rush of dark scales and sharp teeth, it slammed into the evil thing that was the source of all my nightmares.
I flinched at the horrifying crunch of bone as the monster clamped down on my abuser’s chest with its powerful jaws.
Father Samwell tried to scream, but it only bubbled through the gaping hole the princess had sliced through his throat. This caused her monster to laugh as it hooked its large claws into the man’s flailing, broken body.
“Yes. Scream for me, tiny man. I’ve waited so long to hear your pitiful shrieks.” The monster purred happily as it began to consume the dying corpse of my abuser before my very eyes.
The princess watched her monster devour Samwell with a satisfied smirk on her face, and for a long moment, the room was filled with the wet snap of bone and the thick, tearing sounds of teeth ripping through flesh.
Soon, the numb blanket of shock began to melt away, and I was left feeling raw and vulnerable.
Unable to process the confusing mix of fear and relief… I quietly began to cry.
Clutching my silver Q-Tip, I huddled into a ball behind the planter, burying my face in my knees as I sniffled and sobbed, doing my best to keep quiet, in case the princess’ monster decided it wanted to eat me next.
“Theo.” The woman’s voice was gentle now, and I peeked up with a jerk to find her crouching on the other side of the planter with an outstretched palm.
She didn’t try to touch me. She just sat there on her heels, watching me with soft brown eyes and a tender look on her face.
“It’s okay, sweet girl. You can come out now,” she whispered.
Shaking with terror, I glanced at the monster behind her.
It was still feasting loudly on Samwell’s corpse, and the woman glanced over her shoulder to take in the gruesome scene.
The corner of her mouth tilted up as she watched her beast suck the marrow out of the evil man’s bones.
It seemed to please her. After another long moment, she glanced back at me.
Taking in the terrified expression on my face, she seemed to understand that I was afraid of the creature that had killed Samwell, and her expression softened.
“Don’t worry, Theodora. You’re safe now. My monster would never hurt you. It protects us,” she assured me, and I blinked up at her beautiful face, still feeling unsure.
“Come on. Take my hand. Let’s get you out of here,” she encouraged me gently, and I glanced down at the hand in question.
Even her fingers were pretty.
They were tipped with blood red nails that matched the crimson ring on her left hand.
Something about that ring felt familiar.
It made me feel safe seeing her wear it, and it made me think that maybe it really was okay to accept her help.
Tentatively, I reached forward, slipping my much smaller hand into hers, and she smiled.
The whole room seemed to light up, as if her smile alone was enough to chase the shadows away. I squeezed her hand, and she tugged me out from my hiding place. As I crawled towards her, all the things that made up my principal’s office seemed to slowly melt away.
“I’ve got you,” she hummed, wrapping me up in a tight hug. She smelled like brown sugar and vanilla, and as her scent flooded my nose, I found myself melting into her as a warm, calm wave of relief swelled through me.
“I’ve got you, sweet girl. He can’t hurt you anymore.”
The truth of her words raked through me, and I instinctively threw my arms around her neck. Burying my face in her throat, I finally gave in to my emotions, and a deep, bone-shaking sob ripped through me.
She made soft soothing sounds as she gathered me up in her arms, cradling me against her chest as she got to her feet.
“You’re okay. You’re safe now. I’m here. I’m here, and I promise I’ll never let you go,” she whispered. I wanted to say thank you, but I couldn’t form words. All I could do was cling to her as I cried helplessly into her shoulder.
She didn’t seem to mind, though. Humming gentle promises against the top of my head, she stepped past her monster and whatever was left of my demon on her way to the door of the quickly dissolving office.
She balanced me against her hip with one arm and used her free hand to unlock the door.
Pressing a kiss against the side of my head, she swung the door open and finally… I was free.
“Let’s go home,” she whispered.
Then she carried me out of the room I’d been trapped in for decades.
And she didn’t look back.