The Broken

by A. L. Frances

  “What the f—You avin’ a laugh?” Puzzled, he continues, “Kidda, tell you what, it’s getting late, time for you to head to bed.”

  Jess and Eve maintain strong eye contact. Suddenly, Jess gently nods her head. Without any warning or sound, Eve makes her way across to her dad, kisses him and heads up the stairs.

  “Shall we have a nightcap?” Jess says, as if nothing has happened.

  Matthew follows her into the kitchen, confused. “Hang about, what was that?”

  “What was what?”

  “That, just then – that with Eve?”

  “I don’t know what you’re referring to, Mr Honey.”

  “Jess, don’t try to mug me off. And it’s Matthew. You know exactly what I’m on about. My daughter just ignored me like I don’t exist.”

  “She didn’t. Matthew, you’re over-reacting.”

  “My daughter hasn’t walked past me like that for a long time.”

  “So, what you’re saying is, we can’t win with you? Eve no longer gets angry at my presence and this – what – angers you? Shouldn’t you just be happy that we’re getting along?” Walking across to Matthew, Jess wraps her arms around his neck. “Matthew, I don’t know the answer. Maybe Eve’s drawn to me because she has not had female company since her mum died. Maybe she has just missed having a woman around.”

  Pushing her away, Matthew is in shock and unconvinced by Jess’s words.

  “I’d rather you didn’t speak about Lauren like that. She may be gone in body, but she’s still very much a big part of our lives.”

  “Matthew, relax. Here, drink this,” she says, passing him the glass of wine she has just poured. “I told you, I’m here for Eve. We’ve had a lovely evening. Do you really want to spoil our time together because your daughter actually likes me?”

  Sipping his wine and thinking about what just happened, Matthew begins to slowly surrender. Although it pains him to admit it, he knows she’s right. With a hint of embarrassment, he submissively reverts back to his usual understanding and rational thinking self.

  “Jess, I’m sorry, it just took me by surprise. I’m not used to seeing her so distant from me. After everything we’ve both been through… it made us stronger. We’ve been forced to adapt to our new family dynamic, just me and Eve against the world. I suppose I’ve gotten so used to not having to share her with anyone. I lost my train of thought for a moment. I’m sorry.”

  “I know it’s probably strange for you, and Matthew, these moments are going to happen; I ask you just to please take them with a pinch of salt. She’s a daddy’s girl and I’m sure deep down she always will be. Eve must have been happy to see me. I think it’s a great step in the right direction.”

  “I really appreciate that, and once again, I’m sorry, and I thank you for being so understanding. I truly don’t know what came over me.”

  “It’s my pleasure. You’re just being a protective father, which I respect. I expect you to be that way, it’s all new to you both.” Leaning in, she says, “But believe me when I say your family dynamic was worth the decades of waiting.”

  The beachfront is dark and still. You can no longer see the outlines of the boats in the distance. Night’s beginning to fall. The glisten from the street lights can be seen as they start flickering on in the growing darkness. Standing on the balcony with a glass of wine, Jess looks out at the tranquil sea. The waves are breaking gently, and the breeze is calm as the tide has now come in. The view is serene, just like the comforting energy surrounding them. Matthew stands by Jess’s side and places his chin on her shoulder.

  “This is my favourite time of day.”

  There’s not one person present, not even a bird in the sky. Gazing at the small cluster of stars above, Matthew listens to the soothing sound of the sea, enjoying Jess’s company.

  “Can I ask you something?” Matthew says, turning to face Jess.

  “Of course.”

  “Why are you here? I don’t mean that the way it sounds. What I actually mean is, why haven’t you run a mile? My life must seem chaotic to you. What makes you stick around?”

  Jess remains silent for a brief moment and appears to be deep in thought, staring out at the darkness of the night.

  “Do you like to play games, Matthew?”

  “What sort of games?”

  “Games that strengthen your mind.”

  “I suppose.”

  “Well, when you play, let’s say, a board game, you have your piece and you move around the board. Yes?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, when you play any game, you don’t know the outcome, and it’s exciting, do you agree?”

  “Yeah, I suppose so.”

  “Well, what is it you do with your excitement?” She pauses as though she’s waiting for Matthew to answer her question, but before he has time to speak, Jess continues, “It becomes your energy. You put all that enthusiasm into winning the game. The thrill of the chase enables you to focus, and you will literally do everything you can to win. Only you know that you’re not going to give up. That’s the way I live my life. It’s like a constant game. I can predict what I desire the outcome to be. Do I always get it right? Yes. Do I always win? Most definitely. I’m a winner, Matthew.”

  “So, I don’t understand… What’s that got to do with why you come back and don’t run a mile?”

  “You see, Matthew, Eve’s precious mind is wide open. She’s like a lost piece on the board, just wandering around, waiting to see the outcome of her fate. I’m the master of my mind and the leader of my board. I am here to empower her.” Turning away, she continues, “Don’t worry, though. You should know one important thing about me, Mr Honey, or Matthew, as you me to call you. I always take good care of my pieces.”

  With these words spoken, Jess turns to him and pulls his body onto hers. She locks eyes with him and whispers on Matthew’s lips, “Mi temono.”

  The mood instantly changes. There is a powerful vibrational shift in the air around them. The waves of the sea are no longer calm; they rise high and come crashing down, one after the other. This dark eerie energy is strong, overbearing. They are not alone. From the distance there is a sudden loud squawk. Jess and Matthew, oblivious to this, remain locked together by their sight. Her eyes become overcast with a grey mist. Matthew, now breathing her in, is unaware of the sudden changes around him.

  The loud squawk sounds again and again, travelling closer with each second that passes. No sooner has this sound journeyed through their eardrums, and embedded deep into their minds, then a huge, black raven, bigger than your eyes have ever seen, circulates above them at a great height, flapping its beautiful and strong glossy wings. Matthew and Jess haven’t so much as flinched. They are unaware of this magnificent and great bird, remaining totally entrapped within the moment and aware of nothing more.

  Tucked in her bed, Eve is blissfully dreaming. She looks extremely angelic, sleeping with Gregg on the pillow next to her head. A deep, eerie mist slowly seeps through the cracks around the door into the room and sets about corrupting the innocent energy. The mood within the room becomes dark, gloomy and suppressive. The curtains begin to move as a breeze blows through the room.

  Eve’s leather-backed personal diary is in its usual position, closed flat on the desk. The mist travels past Eve as she shudders in her sleep and encircles her diary, taking over its secrets. There is a sudden gust, so forceful that the diary stands no chance of remaining closed, and is once again forced to flip open. The pages riffle, turning one after the other without any physical assistance. Eventually the paper stops fluttering and the diary lies open on a double page. The pages are covered with blue-inked scrawled writing that reads as follows:

  “I thought about you a lot today. Me and dad were driving on the motorway to auntie Christina’s house and we ended up driving past the place where me and you went paintballing. I
started laughing to myself and dad asked what I was laughing at. So, I told him.

  “I told him about the time where you were lay behind a hay stack and I was high up near the tree top. You couldn’t see me, but I could see you. I heard you shout, ‘Evelyn Jade, I’m going to win this game, I just know it.’ Then I shouted, ‘Don’t be too sure, Mum,’ and I shot you about five times. Dad started laughing, and he said that was one of your greatest qualities of all, your ability to have fun no matter what. He said he wouldn’t go paintballing with me. He’s too scared of getting hurt. But not you, mum. You had no fear.

  “The drive was very much silent after that. But I could still see you. I could still see your smile and hear your laughter. I relive the days we spent together a lot. I will never lose them, after all, it’s all I have left of you.

  “Don’t worry, I’m looking after Dad and Gregg. I just wish I could speak to you one last time, see your smile one last time. I miss you, Mum. I miss having a mum. Someone I can go to. Someone I can share my days with. Someone to go shopping with. I miss everything about having you. I miss mum.

  “You will always be my queen. I’m sorry I was your daughter; you might have lived if you had a different one.”

  Unaware that her true inner thoughts and emotions have been revealed, Eve remains in her peaceful state. She’s oblivious to the grey mist seeping through the room. Lying face up, Eve’s expression is pure. She is surrounded by the softest, white cotton bedsheets, with rose-gold detailing. This vulnerable young girl is entirely unaware of her chosen fate; not only this, she is unaware of the practicality she is soon to face. Eve’s been elected for a great purpose. Selected from billions of souls. The wisely chosen “Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses” possessive rhyme is slowly taking over tiny sections of her soul. Carefully wrapping its evil charm and vindictive energy around her existence, each word is overpowering her identity, removing one tiny section at a time, so it is not to be detected, until the moment is perfect, and the possession is complete. But under whose control?

  As the mist begins to thicken, it gradually travels towards Eve. Reaching the legs of her bed, it slowly moves up the frame and embeds itself in the wood. Rapidly, the atmosphere within the room changes. Once enlightened by innocence, once embracing purity, this very same room has now been taken over by a deceitful entity. The mist circles around Eve outside of the bedsheets, then wraps itself around her outline and travels through the gaps in the sheets. It sets about surrounding her body, which is covered only by her late mother’s nightie. It forms bonds that appear to restrict Eve from moving. The mist is preparing the room for the arrival of its master, the leader of the dark fate, who has so carefully selected Eve. The Dark Empress.

  Continuing the take-over, the thick grey mist now circulates around her face. Her expression is no longer pure. Her features are slowly changing. Her skin tone is being taken over. No longer natural, no longer pure, its shade is unknown to the world. Eve is changing to a light shade of grey. Her features twitch as the transition takes place. The room is now empowered by the deep and deceitful mist, ready for the arrival of its owner.

  There isn’t a living person in sight, not a single soul can be seen, and yet a voice can be heard very quietly in the room. The words that echo and radiate throughout the bedroom are: “Non temere di me.”

  As the final soundwave disappears, the mist gradually begins to descend away from Eve’s face. The transition has started to take place. From out of the mist a grey wounded hand appears and rests on the top of Eve’s head. A quiet humming can be heard. Black blood begins to ooze from the deep rips in the hand. The humming turns to singing and the implantation of the possession begins:

  “Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses – your soul is mine. Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses – you’ve been chosen for the dark side.”

  The rhyme is very gently repeated, over and over. As the tainted hand moves around Eve’s face, the lyrics begin embedding and taking possession of her brain’s living cells, one individual cell at a time. A dark, evil energy circulates within Eve’s blood and quickly changes it to a sinister thick black substance as it fixes itself to every part of Eve’s DNA. The nails of the hand travel down Eve’s face. Black, razor-sharp and dirt-filled, these nails can rip the flesh from your bones with ease. As this sinister body part descends over her features the reality of the transition begins to show. Eve is no longer Eve. Her skin tone is the deepest shade of grey. Her lips are black. Deep rips begin to appear on her once innocent and beautiful face. Once formed, they begin oozing the same black substance that has taken possession of her DNA.

  “Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses – your soul is mine. Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses – welcome to the dark side.”

  With the final lyric sung, the grey demonic hand pushes Eve’s face at force and throws her into the dark abyss of her own mind.

  Eve is falling slowly, surrounded by darkness. She is limp, as if her spinal cord has been removed from her body. An evil and unknown entity continues to drag Eve’s innocent soul deeper and deeper. She’s powerless, no longer the master of her fate. Taunted by the unknown and entirely unaware that she’s sinking further and further into the abyss of her own mind, Eve is petrified.

  She finally comes to stop. Eve remains completely still. She can hear only her heart beating and, as her sense of fear heightens, she can feel each individual pump as blood pulsates throughout her body. Frantically looking around, she sees there’s nothing and no-one, there. She’s sitting in complete darkness.

  Being the brave young lady that she is, Eve shouts, “Hello?”

  Suddenly, she doesn’t feel alone. Breathing heavily, as her heartrate begins to speed up, she bravely shouts once more, “Who’s there?”

  With yet again no response, she cups her head in her hands and begins to sob. “Please, Mum, just say it’s you,” she says gently under her breath.

  Music begins to play in the distance. It is making its way towards her. Slowly removing her hands from her face, Eve tunes in her ears. There are no lyrics, but she can hear a clear tune being played. It’s “Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses”.

  No sooner had she recognised this piece of music than Eve is thrown into a flashback.

  Eve stands in the corner of the day room. She can see herself as a small child. She looks around the room in amazement at all the decorations, lights and presents. Eve works out that it’s Christmas day at home. The kind of Christmas day she used to share with Mum and Dad. Suddenly, she sees her mum walk into the room. Little Eve, who’s sat by the tree, looks up and her face lights up with joy. Mummy has a present in her hand.

  Eve runs over to her mum and goes to throw her arms around her… but passes right through her mum’s body. She falls against the wall, and remembers that it’s not reality, it’s her memory. A deep internal sadness takes her over and tears begin to form in her eyes. She makes her way over to the tree and kneels beside her younger self. She watches as her mum picks up the excited little version of herself. Her beautiful mum, her wonderful, beautiful, life-fuelled mum places little Eve on her lap. She’s ready to open her special present.

  “Are you ready, my angel? Father Christmas left this one especially for you,” her mum says.

  “For me?”

  “Yes, my angel, for you. Here you go.”

  Little Eve can’t hold back any longer. She begins ripping the colourful and carefully crafted wrapping paper off the present. In her excitement, she throws it on the floor. Little Eve holds in her hand the most gorgeous, handcrafted wooden jewellery box. It has elegant white-gold detailing, and on the lid Eve’s name has been carved into the wood with the same white-gold trimming. Her little face lights up.

  “Evelyn Jade Honey, this is for you to cherish always. I made sure that Father Christmas got this especially for you to put all your treasures in. And, guess what? It’s extra special. Do you want to know why, Evelyn Jade?”

  “Why, Mummy?”

/>   “Because listen…” She opens the lid of the box. A delicate, tiny ballerina appears and begins twirling around to the tune of Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses. “This was my favourite nursery rhyme when I was a little girl, just like you.”

  “Weally, Mummy?”

  “Really, my angel.”

  Eve watches as her younger self hugs her mum tight.

  “Dank you, Mummy, I wove it forever.”

  Eve snaps out of the happy memory, finding herself once again surrounded by darkness. Her head begins spinning round and round as she tries to work out why this is happening to her.

  Matthew is struggling with the bedsheets in his sleep. His moans become louder and louder. “Why… No – wait, why are you doing this to me? Please, don’t take her away from me. Noooooo…” he shouts, and suddenly wakes. He is soaking wet with sweat from head to toe. The room is dark. As he grabs the glass of water from his bedside table, he feels an unwelcoming, unnerving and eerie energy surrounding him. Placing the glass back on the side, Matthew turns; he sees Jess isn’t in the bed. The light in the en-suite isn’t on either. Wondering where she is, he shouts out, “Jess,” but he gets nothing back.

  Eventually, he climbs out of bed. He pinches himself harshly in order to make sure he’s not stuck in a cruel entrapment. Slowly making his way towards the door, Matthew no longer feels alone. Suddenly a huge gust of wind blows through the room. Matthew stops.

  “Jess… Eve?” Once again, he gets no reply.

  He looks over his shoulder. He feels as if someone is standing right behind him. But, as soon as he turns, he sees there’s no one there. Shaking his head and trying desperately not to let fear become his primary emotion, Matthew quickly makes his way over to the window to shut it. He stands back in shock and gasps. The window is already shut tight. He rushes towards the door, almost tripping over his own feet on the way. Not wanting to be a coward, Matthew calmly opens the door, and then bursts out onto the landing. Looking around, he sees no one is there.