Chapter. 39
“Mother fucker.” Diana seethed as she made her coffee. For the most part her morning routing since dropping back into Salem was the same. Wake up in a sheen of sweat after a fitful night’s sleep, shower, dress, and go don to the kitchen for breakfast. This morning however? She wasn’t rolling with the punches, but wishing to deliver some of her own. I was 12 years old, bullied to hell, and a monster took advantage of me. I’m gonna slap those Robinson bitches when I see them next. Oh, and Elaina said jack shit to defend me. Was it like that all the time?
Diana distantly thought she couldn’t take out all her anger on the redhead for the actions of her scared 12 year old self, but right now, she was wallowing in anger and resentment. Mrs Kelly was an idiot. It should have been obvious I was being bullied. They cut off my damn hair! Diana aggressively stirred an extra sugar into her coffee and ignored the minor spill down the side of the mug. She nearly pushed the knife through the toast as she buttered it. Her hands stilled and a powerful bead of fear surfaced above the sea of anger.
Deep down the bullying, no matter how horrible, isn't the thing that's making me really freak out. That monster dragged me down into that pit with his body. To make me drink his blood...and he drank mine. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she was grateful for waking up at that moment. The logical part of her mind told her that if she had stayed under a bit longer and seen the thing's face, she might have an easier time identifying it. But that part of her wasn't as strong as the cowering 12 year old inside that didn't want to face the beast of her past. There will be nothing pleasant about that memory. Seeing it in the flesh and it drinking my blood...I mean I obvioulsy survived, but in what condition? Diana started to wonder if she was so horribly scared, physically and or mentally, that her mother had to use magic to heal her body and surpress her memories to heal her mind. For all she knew, that was the incident that led to her mother sending her away. To get Diana away from the monster. Her mind went full circle to rage and blame as she saw the cackling faces of Olivia and Jessica Robinson. If they hadn't have pushed me to the edge I wouldn't have gone running to that monster. I wouldn't have been broken enough for him to take advantage and corner me like that.
Agnes was unfortunate enough to join Diana in the kitchen at that moment.
“Oh good morning my dear. Oh no no no deary, let me fix that for you.” She starred to fuss over Diana, having not yet sensed the broken glass mood shrouding the younger woman. “Let me take care of you.”
“Like you took care of me as a kid?” Diana rounded on Agnes and pointed at her threateningly with the butter knife.
“What are you about? Ay I took care of you as a wee one. Are you quite alright Diana?”
“Diana?” Anna came into the kitchen on high alert in her smart blue business dress and jacket. “What’s wrong?”
“Yes or no? Did you two know I was bullied as a kid?”
“No.” Anna shook her head. “Mother told me you didn’t really socialise with others but she never said you were bullied.” Diana narrowed her brown eyes on Anna, weighing her up, and decided she looked genuine enough. Her gaze swept back to Agnes and saw a sheepish look on the old woman’s face. Her lack of answer was also very telling. “Agnes?”
“I suspected.” She sighed and put both hands on her chest. “You struggled to connect with the coven. The girls your age didn’t want to socialise with you because you didn’t have any magic. You would cry in your room when you thought no one could hear you, and whenever I asked how your day was you’d always give the same answer. Fine. I tried to push for more but you never opened up to me. I could never confirm my suspicions.”
“Oh? And how about when I came home from school with my hair cut off? How did that not confirm your suspicions?” Diana threw the knife down on the side with a clatter and put her hands on her hips.
“What? You never came home without your hair?” Agnes seemed genuinely baffled.
“Jessica Robinson cut my braid off at school when I was 12. Like a month before my birthday, I think.” Diana grumbled. “It’s because of that little bitch that I-” -ended up running back to that red eye’d creepy…oh man I forgot. Diana’s mouth was open but formed no words and no sound came out. She sighed and shut her mouth with a shake of her head. He bound my voice during the protection ceremony. I can’t talk about him. Son of a bitch. “Let’s just say I made a bad decision because I was pushed. Oh? And from the many shitty re-runs of my childhood I have at night, I’m getting the strong picture it was a daily occurrence.”
Diana’s rage stung in her chest like a fresh wound. She hadn’t just remembered it after all. She had relived it. She felt the torment and the grief and the fear. She held her wrist, still feeling the ice cold touch of the creature there. One thing my childhood self didn’t know, or at least know then, as that was his astral form.