Scar Red

How To Tame A Beast

"You might look all skinny but you sure do weigh a ton," Anne grunted out. "And stop squirming!"

From her laboured tone, she owned a pair out of the two pairs of hands carrying me...at least I thought she did.

"My plan was better, we should've gone with it." That had to be Judith, whatever plan she must've had, I'm glad they didn't go with it. There was no doubt it would've involved mice.

"You know we can't argue with Susan, Judy. As much as we could've taught her a nice lesson with our fists, Sus's plan is good too."

I had been trying to scream or say something—anything, but something was lodged in my throat so I couldn't do any of that.

The sounds of their hushed sardonic snickers and the jingling of keys did nothing but stir the uneasiness I felt. They finally let go of me, letting me stand again and suddenly I was shoved somewhere, the force inducing me to fall before I heard a door slam shut.

I coughed out the cloth lodged in my throat and looked around. It was dark and my vision was still adjusting. Instantly, with the moonlight streaming in from the huge window, I was able to make out certain things. Inconsolable fear overtook my senses as I realized the room I was in—the one they shoved me into.

To stifle my screaming, I threw a hand over my mouth and shuffled backwards until my back hit the wall beside the wardrobe as I began to hear movements a few feet away from me. My cheeks were already wet with tears as I rocked myself back and forth.

"I don't deserve to die in the hands of a homicidal madman..." I sniffled.

"I've been good, apart from the few lies I tell to get through, ooh Lord, I'm so sorry..." I whimpered as different horrific scenarios replayed in my mind.

Something heavy hit the wall near me, the impact blowing the strands of my hair into my face before it collapsed to the ground. That only made me sob harder. My heartbeats thundered in a cadence enough to rouse the dead.

"Mommy!"

His footsteps were growing ever closer and something was telling me that whatever he hurled at me next wouldn't miss my body.

"Ooh!" I cried. This was the second time in my life that I felt this way; hopeless, so afraid. I never thought I'd say this but being burnt alive, I'd take that over death at the hands of a homicidal neanderthal.

Even if I made it out alive there was no guarantee that my working here would continue. The cameras must've caught my image and I'd get fired...that was what they wanted, that was the plan...

"Rosy sweet r-ro-sy..." I breathed shakily and out of impulse, clenching my eyes shut.

"L-lo-lovely a-and p-pure..." I sniffled again as more tears streamed down my face.

At that moment, I popped an eye open, confused and scared as to why everything had become silent. I caught a glimpse of him; his hands were digging into his hair as he knelt, his long brown locks obscured his face but I felt his gaze on me before I heard a growling noise emanating from him.

I feared the worst as he took a knee closer to me and sang louder to drown the sound of my racing heartbeats. I didn't know why I was simply singing in that dangerous situation as my thinking faculty was greatly distorted. I normally sang when I was feeling lighthearted, I sang because it was soothing but right then it wasn't.

"One in a m-illion..."

Feeling somewhat intrigued, I watched him clutch his head once again at the sound. It seemed that my song had an effect on him or maybe it just irritated him.

I began to sing something else and when he growled again, I continued with the first one;

"Dark as the night...

Their words will hurt...

Aggravating, painful...

Why let me tell you..."

He was now leaning against the wardrobe very close to me, eyes closed. He had lapsed into what seemed like a semiconscious state. Now that all the adrenaline had died down, my face was flushed and my eyes were now hurting from all the crying—my throat too and I was incredibly appalled due to that man's proximity to me not to mention that he wreaked.

My voice was now nothing but a placid hum, soft and gentle as I mustered the courage I needed to get up and get out.

Soundlessly, I stood, nearly wincing out loud when a pang washed through me, the sensation sprouting from my arm. Forcing myself to endure it, I proceeded to take off my footwear. The last thing I would do was to risk any sudden sounds ruining my only formidable plan, all the while never ceasing my humming.

Drawing a feeble breath and taking one last glance at the psychopath behind me, I took a step, doing well to let my foot descend as softly as possible. My field of vision was immensely subdued by the gloom as the faint lighting cast by the moon did nothing but accentuate the room's eeriness.

I neatly skipped over the pieces of what he had hurled at me, apparently, it used to be a clock. This only reminded me of just how much havoc he was capable of.

As soon as I was on the other side of the door, I locked it from the outside using the bolts before hastening to be on my way.

His arms pounding on the door echoed throughout the vacuity in the wake of my departure.

Wincing, I pulled the stray shard that was lodged in my arm, letting my sore body sag against the wall as I recalled everything that had taken place in the last fifteen hours yet in the centre of it all, some stuff left me in utter bewilderment.

How was it possible that my Mom's song had an effect on him and just what exactly was it doing to him? Was it aiding or making matters worse? I hoped the former was the case.

I wasn't going back to the maids' room until I spilled my guts to Evelynn. I thought it was high time I let her handle stuff, me doing the handling had only gotten me nowhere. At that juncture, there was nothing left to lose.

* * *

* *

"So, you finally mustered the courage to speak up now didn't you?" She laughed dryly.

We were in the designated room for superiors like them and unlike ours, it offered a much more serene atmosphere.

"You knew?" I said, bewildered.

"Of course, I know everything that goes on, Carina, and sometimes I decide to remain adamant."

I was staring at my palms now, feeling guilty for all the lies I'd spewed every time she inquired about it.

"Susan's a troublemaker and I'll make sure to deal with her and her g**g. You needn't worry." She patted my shoulder.

"Is that all?" She continued.

"No," I voiced, a few questions lingering in my mind. "I have a few questions about Madam's son, Evelynn."

Her brows ascended. "Ask them then and please be swift, I have to get busy soon."

"What happened to him?"

She laughed, before frowning. "As it is not in my power to reveal the susceptible reasons as to what caused it, what I can say is that it happened suddenly, five years ago. Since then, it's been hectic.

He had developed a tendency to hurt himself and most times, people around him. He's been to several psychiatric hospitals and all have been to no avail. He just came back from the fifth one a few weeks back. His case is a very complicated one."

I nodded in understanding.

"It's such a pity though he used to be a fine young gentleman... It's imperative that no one comes near him or where he stays—you should know that." She continued.

"Yes I do," I replied, compounding more guilt in myself.

"Good, I will be off now and I expect you to go shower and get cleaned. You can have a day off today," She told me.

"Really?"

"Of course."

I had been dodging Bambi throughout that day 'cause there was much to explain and I didn't think I was ready for that yet.

Luckily, when I got to our room, it was almost empty and neither Susan nor a member of her entourage was to be seen. I guessed that Evelynn had already summoned them. I should've done this long before.

After a few minutes of resting and sleeping, I decided to act on my thoughts as everything Evelynn told me resonated through my mind. So, that was where I was headed then.

I made a beeline for the West wing. After slithering my way past the cameras, I reached the door. Listening for any movements with one of my hands on my medallion, I was met with an eerie silence.

On placing my hand on the knob, I hesitated. My boldness had suddenly dissipated, causing me to rethink my choices. I was risking a lot of things just by stepping foot into that area however, I had a purpose so there was no use dithering. No risk, no reward.

Taking several tentative steps in, I looked around. Light flooded the room unlike last night and I saw the changes that had been made since Bambi and I came there.

The bed on the second level was now on the ground level and the stairs had been barricaded heavily. After what Evelynn told me about his tendency to hurt himself, the barricades made sense.

Heavy breathing behind me stirred my senses, my heart plummeted and all of my hair stood on end.

As I spun I was met with piercing silver-grey eyes regarding me silently, they seemed to bore to the depth of my soul as familiarity though rimmed with malicious intent sparked within them.

His facial hair had swallowed a large portion of his face as it was overgrown, unkept, and shabby. The skin leading down from his ears towards his throat and around his mouth was covered with it and his lips were beginning to pull into a snarl.

Instinctively, I scuttled back before deciding to stand my ground. From my peripheral vision, I saw something sailing through the air at breakneck speeds towards me and quickly dodged before it made contact with my scalp.

"I'm trying to help you!" My voice was exasperated and my breathing was fast.

The cut that I had sustained yesterday still stung a lot and now I was faced with the possibility of suffering more harsher, aggravating wounds. Now, I was thinking that I should've listened to my better judgement yet I never did.

Still wondering where he was getting all the stuff to throw at me as the room was almost utterly rid of dangerous things, I didn't notice how close he had come to me until he lunged, slashing my elbow with yet another glass shard.

"Ooh, God!" I screamed, wincing. Yesterday was simply luck, it was evident that I had underestimated his hostility.

Backing up, I leaned against a wall still clutching a hand to my injured elbow, I could hear his footfalls approaching, probably to finish what he had started as I gulped hard.

"Once they gathered...

Colours so radiant...

Red like crimson...

Green as nature..."

The effects were reeling in just like the day before. Though wounded, I still was in awe as I tried to connect the dots on how and why a simple song could do something as incredible as that. I made a mental note to ask Lenny.

"Hold onto your heart...

Hold unto your soul...

To everything that keeps you whole..."

I whispered, stepping towards him. He had dropped his shard which I kicked away for my own safety. His eyes shot open the moment I ceased my singing. He was now kneeling which I imitated to meet his eye level. I scrutinized them...

These weren't the eyes of a monster nor were they inhuman. They were just...lost, unsure, vulnerable...things that couldn't have been discerned before. I had reason to believe that the song was working positively.

Now this up close, angry red marks, several bruises, and a laceration on his lower lip were visible as they were emblazoned across his features, owing to his self-destructive abilities.

My elbow stung again, reminding me of one of the million reasons why I shouldn't be there. I groaned before glancing at my blood-stained palm that I used to cover it and then at the cut itself, at least it had stopped bleeding.

I glanced at him again before deciding to go find something to aid his wounds as I stood up. His silvery gaze never left my figure. He was just silent, somewhat entranced and I wondered if he was capable of speaking...or at least muttering coherent words.

The ensuite bathroom was exquisite and it left me surprised at how exactly that place was intact but I just washed my hand before applying some ointment I found from a drawer to it.

Clutching the bottle, and some band-aid, I stepped outside only to find him trying to rip out a sleeve of his shirt—not that they weren't already in rags anyways. I resumed humming once I got to him and he relaxed back after a few minutes.

I worked on the places he let me touch, all the while trying to reassure him that I wasn't an enemy. I never ceased the song throughout nor did his creepy staring...I think it was a crazy people thing.

I was still fraught with fear nonetheless, trying to act otherwise. After having cleared the room of potential weapons and making sure he had lapsed into the same dazed state as yesterday, I took my leave after silently congratulating myself.

I was happy that maybe...just maybe there was a way to prove that doctor's words wrong and that there was still hope for him.

"Hey," someone greeted me just as soon as I rounded the corner. "Bambi?"

I froze, thinking that I was busted as I turned only to see Bambi.

"Hi..." That was my response.

"What are you up to, Rina?" She mused with an annoying tone.

Having taken umbrage I said, "Don't call me that, Denise," I watched as her smile faded 'cause she knew what it implied when I addressed her with her actual name. "Just don't."

No one called me that, for any reason. Only one person was permitted to do such. Remembering Jared and the memories we shared, I clutched my medallion as I turned on my heel and began walking in the opposite direction.

"Well sorry," she mumbled. "Hey! Wait for me!"