by Willow Rose
"Look at those hands," he would say and grab her by the wrists. "Look at them. They're made to hold a scalpel. Look at how steady and delicate they are. They're just perfect. You are going to do great wonders in this world, my daughter."
Francesca liked that he had high hopes for her, but she knew she would never be able to live up to them. Especially not when she was dreaming about becoming a writer.
Francesca tried, once again, to fall asleep, but it was hard. She was sleeping way too much on this trip, since she had to be in bed so early. She wasn't tired at all. Finally, she got out of bed and found a pamphlet about the cruise-ship. She had heard there was a nightclub on board.
Francesca looked at her sleeping parents. The ship rocked slightly as it speeded up, probably trying to catch up from the many hours of delay.
They'll never know, she heard her friend Ada say. They'll never find out.
Francesca felt a thrill in her stomach as she made her decision. She went to her suitcase and found the dress she had brought with her, just in case she ever had the chance to go out. She never thought she would actually get to use it.
23
April 2014
THE MAN WAS HAPPY to realize the ship was finally leaving the port. He felt the movements and heard the well-known noise from the engines close to his lower deck cabin. It was like music to his ears. That meant the police had left the ship and he could pick up his project where he had left off.
"There is much to do, Deedee," he said, while carefully placing the needle on his skin. He closed his eyes and bit down as the needle went through his shoulder.
Oh the pain. The excruciating unbearable pain.
Yet it was nothing compared to the pain he felt on the inside of him, deep within his tortured soul. Feeling the pain on his skin as he sewed through the open and infected wound made him somehow feel better. Like he was finally paying his dues.
When he was done, he looked in the mirror.
"Dashing," Deedee said.
The man tilted his head and smiled. Blood was seeping from the holes in his skin. The infected areas were pounding. But it was all worth it. Finally, he felt whole again.
"That we are."
"Busy night ahead."
"I know. Better get going." The man was sweating heavily in pain as he grabbed the long black coat from the hanger.
"I'm sorry, Deedee," he said. "I'm sorry it has to be this way."
Then he grabbed his hat and stormed out the door. The man walked up the stairs towards the upper deck, where he had long been watching the girl. This one was more than just a random donor. This one was special to him and he was really looking forward to getting his hands on her. The man had slipped the parents a sleeping pill during their dinner onboard and knew they would be heavily asleep in their suite by now. Sedated just enough for him to sneak in there and grab the girl. He had been thrilled to see her for the first time when he boarded the ship. Her dad had put his arm around her shoulder, the man remembered. But most of all, he remembered her legs. He had been thrilled to see her beautiful long legs and once he had, he knew exactly what to use her for.
"Those are a girl's legs," Deedee had protested.
But the man had thought it was perfect. Deedee was, after all, just a young boy.
The man giggled as he ran upstairs. Music came from the restaurants and bars downstairs on the ship. It was past midnight and the dancing had started. People were getting drunk. They wouldn't notice a thing. He neared the suite and rubbed his hands together in joy. Boy, how he had looked forward to this. The boy was fun, but this was a sweeter joy. It wasn't just about getting the legs on this girl. It was also about making her parents suffer.
"Make them feel the pain. Take what is dear to them like they did to you," Deedee said.
The man was looking forward to that…To seeing the suffering in their eyes when they realized they were never going to see their precious daughter again.
He stood outside the door to their suite for a few seconds, embracing the moment and preparing himself for what was about to happen when suddenly, the door opened. The man jumped aside and hid in a bathroom in the hallway. Through the door, he watched the girl silently leave the room and close the door behind her without making a sound. She was dressed in a little red dress, much too grown-up for her. The dress and the make-up made her look like she could be in her twenties. The man couldn't believe his luck.
"Going out, are we?" he mumbled with another giggle. "And without your parents knowing it? Tsk tsk! Now don't go and get yourself in trouble!"
She looked around her one more time, then stormed towards the stairs in heels that were way too high for a girl of her age. The man rubbed his fingers against each other once again. He hardly noticed the pain in his shoulder anymore. The excitement drowned it out. He was about to burst with pure delight.
Oh, how much fun this is going to be!
24
April 2014
THE MAN FOLLOWED FRANCESCA into a bar. She looked insecurely around her and tripped a little back and forth before she finally decided to sit in the bar. The man grabbed a booth behind her, so she wouldn't notice him.
Some guy came up to her and asked if he could order her a drink. She accepted and had a cocktail. The man watched her as she sipped it like an adult, while making conversation with the guy who was old enough to be her father. Soon, the guy started to bore her and she told him she had to go. The man followed her out of the bar and into a nightclub at the other end of the ship. She had a map of the ship in her hand to show her the way. The man was enjoying this little game immensely. He walked far enough behind her for her to not notice him, yet close enough to see the looks on the men's faces when she passed them. Some even turned to watch her from behind.
"It's the legs, Deedee. I tell you. Everybody loves her legs."
The girl entered the nightclub and the man followed. It was easy for him to blend into the crowd in the darkness and stay close to the girl. It was crowded in there and the music was very loud. No one asked the girl for ID. She looked old enough and, frankly, no one probably cared.
The man kept a close eye on her while she received drink after drink in the bar from strangers and danced with all of them. She seemed to be enjoying herself immensely and soon she was very, very drunk. It was clear she wasn't used to drinking.
A guy kept grabbing her behind and trying to kiss her, but she pushed him away. She went for her drink, but he grabbed her and swung her back on the dance floor. She whined, then laughed and danced with him again. The guy tried his luck again and put his lips on hers, but she slapped him across the face. The guy then slapped her back. So hard she fell onto the floor. People around them were too drunk to notice what was going on and no one reacted when the guy slapped the girl once again and yelled at her.
"Don't you ever do that again!"
Then he grabbed her arm and, while she was sobbing and slightly confused, he pulled her up and out of the club. The man followed. Outside the nightclub, the guy pulled Francesca by the arm and, even though she protested, she was forced to go with him. She was too drunk to know what was really going on.
"Where are you taking me?" she asked, talking slowly and sounding suddenly like the child she was.
"You're coming with me. I have been paying drinks for you all night, little girl. Now I'll have my way with you. It's payback time. I'm guessing a young girl like you haven't exactly told her parents where she is, so if you don't want me to tell them, you better do everything I tell you to. Everything."
Francesca whimpered. "But…But…I'm only thirteen. I've never…"
"You're thirteen, huh?” the guy said. "Well, I like them young." He pulled her aside then brought her outside on the empty deck of the ship. He placed her in a corner and put his hand over her mouth. He pulled up her dress and put his hand up under it.
"Oh yes. You sure are young. A virgin, huh? Well, it's my lucky day. Virgins are my FAVORITES!"
"Please don't," Francesca pleade
d. She was crying now. No one could hear her because of the winds and the roaring ocean.
The man was watching the spectacle from a distance, smoking a cigarette. The guy was all over Francesca, licking her ears and neck and groping her with his big hands.
"Please don't do this," Francesca sobbed.
"I'll do exactly as I please. Just you wait and see," the guy said, moaning with arousal.
"No. No. I'll do anything. Just not this."
"Shut up!" the guy said and slapped Francesca across the face again. Now she was crying heavily.
"Stop it. Stop hitting me."
The guy hit her again. This time, with his fist in her face. Then he turned her around and leaned her up against the wall. He pulled her dress further up. "Slut," he hissed and pulled his own pants down. He put his hand over her mouth and whispered.
"Now I'm gonna make you a woman."
Just as he was about to enter her, the man stepped forward and placed his cigarette butt in the guy's right eye. The guy screamed and cupped it.
"Aaaargh! My eye! My eye!"
"Step away from the girl, you freaking bastard. Step away from her. NOW!"
The guy staggered back and forth yelling all kinds of atrocities at the man. He walked backwards towards the railing and came very close to it, when the man reached out his arm and pushed him over it.
25
April 2014
"ARGH!?"
Francesca screamed and ran towards the railing. She spotted the guy she had met in the club right before he hit the water and became quiet. Then she shrieked and turned to look at the man who had been her savior.
"Wha…What happened?" she asked, with a trembling voice. She hadn't seen what happened after he was burned with the cigarette. She had covered her face, thinking he would hit her again and, when she looked again, the guy was suddenly gone. "Where…where did he go? Did he…?"
The man lit another cigarette and nodded while blowing out smoke. "Yes, Francesca," he said. "He fell overboard. These things happen when you're drunk and not careful. He won't bother you again." The man smoked and tilted his head. "Now, there Francesca. Don't cry. There’s no need to cry."
Francesca tried to hold back her tears and ended up sobbing. "It's just…It…I…I was so scared. And now he's…he fell, you said?"
"Yes, Francesca. He walked backwards and fell overboard. He was drunk. These things happen."
"I think he was…I think he was going to rape me. If you hadn't shown up…," Francesca stuttered.
"Yes, I know. I saw it all. You really should be more careful."
"Did he really fall?" she asked again. "Shouldn't we tell someone? Shouldn't we tell the captain and have him stop the ship or something?"
The man finished his cigarette and threw it in the water. "Don't you worry your pretty little head about that. I'll take care of it. Now, let's not think any more about him. My dear, are you alright? You still seem a little shaken."
"I…I think I'm alright. My cheek hurts though," Francesca said. She lifted her hand and touched her nose. It was bleeding. "Oh my God," she said. "I must look awful. I can't go back to my parents looking like this. They'll know I snuck out and got myself into trouble. They'll never let me leave the house again. I'm going to be a prisoner for the rest of my teenage years."
Francesca started crying again. The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a package of Kleenex. "Don't cry. Here wipe your eyes. I might be able to help you."
She sniffled and looked up at him with her big brown eyes. "Really? You can help me?"
"Yes. I might. We need to stop the bleeding first, then I can cover most of the bruises with make-up. I work in theater and have a foundation that can cover anything. But it's all back in my cabin. Let me go get it."
Francesca grabbed his arm. "Don't leave me here. Please let me go with you. I don't want to be alone. Not after what happened."
She could have sworn she saw a small creepy smile grow on his face.
You're just being paranoid, Francesca. Just because one guy was mean to you doesn't mean every guy you meet will be. This man actually saved your life.
"Okay," the man said. "Then follow me."
Francesca smiled and they walked arm in arm inside the ship and continued towards the stairs. Francesca felt so secure with this man and leaned her head on one of his shoulders like she always did on her dad's.
She was still bleeding from the nose as they reached the lower deck. She held her head back and covered the nostrils with the paper towel like the man had told her to, while he found his keycard and slid it through. He opened the door and held it for her.
"Ladies first."
Francesca giggled. She had never been treated like this or been called a lady before. She walked inside his nice little cabin and the door shut behind them. The cabin wasn't as big as her parent's suite, but it wasn't as small as she had feared either. It had a living room and a bedroom. But no windows. Only wooden paneling all over, making it a little dark and old fashioned.
"This is nice," she said, but didn't really mean it. It wasn't bad, but there was just something about this place that was a little…well, she didn't have the words for it.
"Sit down on the couch," the man said and pointed at a small brown couch. Francesca sat down.
The man smiled. "I'll get my things. They’re in the bedroom. Don't forget to lean your head backwards. Your nose is still bleeding."
Francesca held her napkin to her nose again and leaned her head back.
"Be right back," the man said.
Francesca nodded without looking at him. He went into the bedroom and left her alone. Francesca was getting a sore neck from holding her head in this position, so she let her head drop for a second when her eyes suddenly spotted something in the small living room. There was something pinned to the walls in front of her. What was that? Polaroid pictures? She got up and walked towards them. She looked at them one after another, while gasping. She stumbled backwards with her heart thudding in her chest.
"I got it," a voice said from behind her.
She shrieked and turned. She looked directly into the man's face.
"You like my photos?" he asked. The creepy smile was back.
"What…who…what is that?" she stuttered with fear.
"My work, you like it?"
"I…I…what is it?"
"Oh. You want to meet him? Of course. Where are my manners? You should meet him. I'm so sorry," the man said. He grabbed the black coat and pulled it off.
"Deedee meet Francesca. Francesca meet Deedee."
26
April 2014
I WOKE UP AROUND two o'clock because I thought I heard someone screaming very loudly. But when I opened my eyes, the sound was already gone.
Was it just a dream?
I looked over at Victor, who was in my bed. Then I shrieked. Victor was awake and sitting up. He was looking directly at me.
"Victor, goddammit. Don't scare me like that!"
He didn't say anything.
"Are you alright? Was it you I heard screaming? Did you have another nightmare?"
Victor didn't react to anything I did or said. He sat completely still.
"Victor? Are you alright? Oh my God. You're shivering."
I reached over and turned on the lights on the wall. I looked at my son. His eyes were open, but he didn't seem like he was awake. He didn't seem to be looking at anything. Just that blank stare that completely freaked me out.
"What's wrong, Victor? Did you dream something?"
Suddenly, I spotted something under his nose. "Is that blood?" I found a paper napkin and wiped it away. More was coming from his nose. "Victor. You're bleeding. Lean your head backwards and hold this to stop the blood." I placed another paper napkin in his hand, but he didn't hold on to it. It fell onto the bed.
"Victor!" I was almost crying now. "Victor. You've got to wake up. You're bleeding from your nose."
The door to Christoffer's room opened and he came out in his
PJs. "What's going on?"
"Victor is just having a bad dream," I said.
Christoffer came closer. "Is he bleeding?" he asked, terrified.
"Just a little nosebleed," I moaned, trying hard not to freak out and scare the boy.
"I'll get some more tissues," Christoffer said. He went into the bathroom then returned with a box of Kleenex. He pulled one out and held it on Victor's nose, gently wiping the blood off. I was moved.
"It's not so bad," he said with a calm voice. "My sister Ida gets nosebleed all the time. It's not as bad as hers. But he has to keep his head back."
"I know," I said.
Suddenly, Victor looked at me. His face was expressionless. His lips were moving, but I couldn't hear what he was saying. I moved closer and realized he was singing, muttering the words under his breath.
"Tweedledum and Tweedledee agreed to have a battle. For Tweedledum said Tweedledee had spoiled his nice new rattle. Just then flew down a monstrous crow, as black as a tar-barrel, which frightened both the heroes so, they quite forgot their quarrel."
"Victor you're really scaring me here. Please snap out of it," I said and snapped my fingers in the air, thinking the sound would wake him from this trance.
"It's the rhyme from the book," Christoffer said.
"What?" I asked.
"Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass. The twins…Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Alice recites the rhyme when she meets the twins," Christoffer said.
"Maybe I should call the doctor," I said.
I reached over to get the phone and dial the receptionist's number when suddenly Victor's body seemed to relax and fall backwards. I put the phone down and walked over to him. The blood had stopped and his eyes were now closed. I leaned over to listen to his breath. He was breathing normally.
Christoffer shrugged. "I guess he fell back asleep. I think I'll go back to my room then."
