“Thank you,” he whispered, unable to respond in any other way.
Darkness enveloped Rule, as he lay in a small room on a twin-sized bed, his arms clutched to his body, the jacket imprisoning him.
Tears slid out of his eyes. He didn’t know why Mom and Dad threw him away and left him with such mean people. Freya had been with him until they forced him onto a plane and separated them.
“Rebel?” Rule cried, longing for his twin’s rescue. “Reb! Helpme. It’s dark. It’s so dark. I hate the dark.MOM!”
Neither answered, and he sobbed.
“You promised, Mom,” he called hoarsely. “You promised you wouldn’t send me away. I love you. Mom? Mom!MOM!”
He listened for her footsteps or the jingling of his father’s spurs.
The door squeaked open, allowing bright light to flood the room.
Hello, Rule.
No! No! Go away! Please. I don’t like you anymore.
He thrashed. “Mom!”
Coldness enveloped him and wings flapped. Horrified, he lifted his head. A leathery bat demon swooped toward him. He kicked, unable to free his hands, screaming in fear. Those brownish gray wings spread, flapped again. The demon flew to him, landing on his chest.
Shrieking, Rule twisted away to escape its fanged mouth, growing ever closer. He landed on the hard floor, but the thing stalked him. Water seeped through the floorboards, filling his room with bleachy pool water. The bat demon rose above him.
“No! No! NO!”
Rule couldn’t breathe or escape. Turning again, he saw…Rebel, her blonde hair spread out, gray and lifeless in the pool. “Rebel! I want Rebel. I want my sister. Mom, come back. Mom, Mom, Mom. I want some chocolate chip cookies. I’ll be good. I don’t want to be here. I want to be home. Please, Mom. Please, please, please. Don’t leave me—”
The overhead light flickered on and someone ran to him. A moment later, a cool cloth slid across his forehead. The scent of apples broke through his fear.
“What have they done to you?” Freya lifted Rule’s head onto her lap. “I have to call Dad.”
“You’re calling my Dad?”
“Uh, yeah. Stand up,” she said gently. “It reeks in here. Let me open the window. Are you hungry?” she asked, getting him to her feet and helping him to his before turning and opening the window. “You’re supposed to be on the damn first floor, not the second,” she growled.
Fresh air blew around Rule, carrying away the scent of pee and vomit.
She guided him to the bed. “Let’s get you out of this 1800s torture method.”
It took her a few minutes to free Rule, but he finally had use of his hands and arms again.
“Are you hungry?” she repeated.
“I don’t know.” He was exhausted.
“Wait, here.”
Rule rushed to his feet. If she left, the bat demon would drown him and Rebel again. “No! Don’t leave me, Freya. Please.”
But she was already gone.
Another gust of wind blew around Rule. He blinked. If he stayed there alone, he wouldn’t escape that thing this time. Stumbling to the window, he peeped out. It was dark and cool, although he smelled dirt.
Without giving it another thought, he jumped.
March 8th
