Ruby Rising

by Leah Cook

  Robert stood in front of her, staring at me, no emotions on his face at all. As he walked towards me his features started to morph, like he was made of liquid. A new face flashed before me, it was a burgundy colour, his features distorted and horns grew from both sides of his forehead. His black hair, sleek and long, draped down his back like a silk sheet. Another flicker and he was human again, as he touched my face he went back to demon.

  “You see me for what I am, do you not Ruby?” He put a mangled finger under my chin tilting it up so I was made to meet his eyes. “Can you see the true me?”

  All I could do was nod, exhausted from the small fight I gave Mikayla and shocked and disgusted at what stood before me. My legs betrayed my silence, shaking in fear at the monster that had wiped tears from my face and kissed me goodnight.

  “You are much stronger than I gave you credit for,” he began to walk in circles around me. Seeing an opening I ran for the door only to be brought to my knees before I came even close to it. “There is no point fighting me, you have been mine since before you were born. I have more strength and power than you could ever imagine.”

  “I will kill you, or at least send you back to where you came from. Or I will die trying.” I spoke the words quietly and forcefully meaning every word.

  “You will try, I would expect nothing less from you. After all you have your mother’s stubbornness, her eagerness to see the world as a happy place, and her need to try fix things.” Pushing me onto my stomach he forced my arms out to the side so I was resembled a cross. He pushed the back of my head so my face was pressed into the floor as he leant his full weight on top of me. I managed to turn my head to the side adding carpet burn to my growing list of injuries. I felt his anger growing as he forced my legs apart with his knees. My underwear was ripped from me in one ugly motion and my bra seemed to disintegrate into nothing at his touch.

  Despite not wanting to scream I did, I fought him as he let my head go to control my loose arm. I felt him grow hard behind me and screamed again. Pulling my arms behind me he held them in place with one of his hands. My shoulders were on fire and at any moment one or both of them was going to dislocate.

  “The world is not a happy place, electus, it is filled with hate, and pain and shame” as he pushed two fingers inside me I sobbed and screamed my tears pouring onto the floor. It seemed to only urge him on, his hardness grew as he pushed against my thigh. He pushed his fingers deeper until he found my resistance. It was agony. “You may be the Chosen One, the electus, but I can still hurt you, humiliate you, and shame you. Just as much as my Little One, my paulo unus, is my child, you will become the host for my earth child. A child created from me, from my power, you will bear me that child. There is no one else more worthy.”

  He pulled his fingers out of me only to shove them back in again more forcefully than the first time. I screamed and cried the pain a cross between burning and stabbing and unlike anything I had ever felt. Despite my feelings of hate, I begged him to stop, over and over. He continued to reach into me tormenting my body and my soul at the same time. He continued to move his fingers viciously in me. I stopped fighting, hoping it would ease the pain, it only served to make him harder and more brutal. I continued to sob, and scream when the pain was at its most intense, and I felt the warmth of my own blood pooling between my legs.

  Suddenly he was gone, his fingers removed from my body and stood in front of me. I didn’t move, unable to, the pain still so strong. I pulled my knees up into my chest in a desperate bid to cover myself up.

  “You may fight me Ruby, but I will hurt you, scar your body and your soul. There is no part of you that I cannot reach that I will not take.” He licked the fingers on his right hand; I knew they were the ones that had been inside me. It was a foul motion, my body convulsed with revulsion as I held back the vomit that threatened to escape me.

  As he turned to leave the room, I closed my eyes and said “You cannot have my faith.”

  Without turning around he simply answered “and where is your God now?”

  Mikayla followed him out of the room and I heard the door lock, only then did I scurry backwards on the floor into a corner of the room, looking down I saw a small amount of blood trickling down my leg. I was terrified of what Friday night would bring, if this was just the start. I was shaking so violently when I heard the lock turn again and Mikayla came in.

  “Put this on,” she threw a white robe on the floor. “There will be repercussions if you refuse. I may not be able to fuck you but I can certainly hurt you.”

  I hated myself for giving in so easily, as I crawled to where the robe lay on the floor and put it on. I hated myself for submitting to them without more of a fight. It was only Wednesday, and I still had to survive until Friday night.

  CHAPTER 27

  After Mikayla had left with what was left of my underwear I sat wedged into the corner as far as I could go and prayed, holding the cross around my neck as if it were rosary beads. I couldn’t remember the ‘proper’ prayers, I knew one was Our Father and another was Hail Mary, but no matter how hard I tried, the words wouldn’t come.

  I had plenty of tears, crying through my silent prayers, praying that my mother was safe, praying that I would survive this. I prayed for more insight and control of my powers. I prayed that I wouldn’t be so broken that I would still be able to find my way back to myself.

  I sat for hours, watching the light change on the wall opposite me, gradually it began to get dark. Blinking, I came back into myself aware once again of my surroundings. I stood up and stretched, still sore from Robert’s invasion of my body, the attack at the hall and the fight with Mikayla. My mouth was dry from thirst, I wondered if they would give me anything to eat or drink before Friday, or if they planned to weaken me through hunger and dehydration so I couldn’t fight as much.

  I knew Mikayla was in the house, or whatever this was, I could sense her around me. I wondered if I’d even hurt her with the light that had been pulsed into her face. Part of me hoped that I had, and another part of me hoped that I could reach the real Mikayla, the one whose body Robert’s Little One had stolen.

  I realised that I also no longer had the dagger, and wondered if anyone had checked my pockets when they had taken my clothes.

  I looked at the window and wondered if I could reach it. If I could just get up there, maybe I could crawl out of it and get help. Although I had no idea where I was, I hadn’t heard a single car or any road noise since I had been here. Maybe Julie’s car would be here…I sighed when I realised that would mean I needed the keys. My lifestyle hadn’t given me the necessary tools required to hot wire a car.

  I took a running leap at the window, my fingers grasping the lip of the window sill and I managed to cling to it for a second before I fell. I repeated it again and again, but not being able to get enough hold to pull myself up. I needed a bit more air. Air I realised.

  “So stupid Ruby!” I thought back to the fight that I had had with my mother in the kitchen, the result being a knife being thrown at the fridge. That was air, not fire or water or earth, or even the weird light that pulsed through me at times. Not even electricity could have forced that knife into the fridge.

  I felt hope for the first time since leaving Julie’s house as I stood below the window and closed my eyes. I meditated to get my mind ready. It was the same way I had learnt to control my water ability, over time, slowly and deliberately. I prayed that I would have the strength, the knowledge and the faith to do what I needed to do.

  I willed the air to move around me, keeping my eyes closed. I felt the heat in my feet, slowly rising through me. As it rose up through my stomach I opened my eyes and focused on the window above. I felt it move through my shoulders and my hair whipped around my face, I focused it all under my feet and soon I was hovering just slightly off the ground. If someone had of walked in I would have been doing a damn fine Iron Man impression.

  I let out a huge breathe that I didn’t realise I had been h
olding and focused again. Forcing more energy through my body and around me in waves as I slowly gained more height. Once I was waist level with the small window I grabbed on and put all my weight on one knee leaning against the cool glass to keep my balance. The air around me calmed, as I perched precariously on the small shelf the window sill offered. I flicked the small latch, hoping it would move, again holding my breath.

  “Damn it!” I swore when the latch refused to move. In my anger I nearly fell off but managed to regain my balance and used my foot to lock myself in place. I waited for another idea to come but when I heard voices I knew I had waited too long. Swinging over the edge and dropping down to the floor just before I heard the door unlock.

  “Put your hood on and follow me.” Mikayla didn’t bother with any pleasantries, just barked the order and waited.

  For a second I thought about challenging her. Without Robert here to save her I might be able to win, I had outsmarted her before at least. The moment passed when I saw she had two black hooded companions waiting at the door behind her. I pulled the hood over my head and followed her out of the room, despite the robe that covered me I still felt naked and exposed.

  The immediate room was large and empty, except for a small fire pit in the middle of the floor. There were two doors identical to my own on my left and again on my right. I wondered if anyone else was being held here.

  “Turn around.” Mikayla stood in front of me, a length of white rope in her hands, “and put your hands behind you.”

  “I’m not going to run Mikayla, you don’t need to tie me up.” Her slap hit me hard, across the face; I stumbled backwards and was grabbed by the two people wearing the black robes, forcing my arms behind me before I could retaliate.

  “I said, put your hands behind you.” She repeated as she pushed her weight into my shoulders, leaning just enough to hurt, as she deftly and roughly tied my hands.

  “Couldn’t do it without slapping me huh?” I pushed away from her, shrugging off the two that held me. “Or was it just because he did it first?”

  “Take her to the altar.” I could hear the venom and anger in her voice as she walked the opposite direction.

  I was guided outside, a small bonfire burned about twenty metres away from the main building. I looked around and couldn’t see another house light in the darkness at all, it was completely black.

  As we walked towards it I noticed a few more black robed people seated and silent around the fire, none of them looked up as we approached. I couldn’t tell if they were men or women, boys or girls, old or young. I counted six seated around the fire. I was walked around the other side of the fire and saw a large cross embedded in the ground about three feet away from the fire. In front of it was a large black altar, the glowing fire reflected in it. It was made of onyx, the same as the dagger with my blood in it.

  “Ah, Ruby, I’m glad you could join us.” As Robert approached everyone knelt before him, lowering their heads. “We have someone here who would like to see you.”

  Behind him walked Mikayla in a blood red robe the same as Robert’s, her black hair flowing out the sides of her hood. In her hands she held a chain, I followed it behind her and realised she was pulling someone in a white robe along with her. The short chain attached to a metal collar around their neck. Their head was bowed, the hood covering their face, I had no idea who was under it and it terrified me.

  I was forced again to my knees, unable to move as people began to hum around me. Mikayla walked to the altar where Robert stood his hands raised over the fire.

  “Tonight, we sacrifice a life so that we may create new life in two night’s time!” He roared, his voice booming into the night. “Tonight, you witness the destruction of a believer of the faith that once deserted me, threw me out without a second thought.”

  He looked directly at me and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

  “Have I not opened my doors to you? Have I ever turned anyone away? Do I not offer you power, control, sex and a future?” The humming grew louder, as his voice grew louder. “And all you have to do for what I offer, is to follow me, do the small things that I ask of you.” He paused as he walked to those who worshipped at his feet, stopping momentarily at each one. “If you no longer believe that you need to be here, that you want to be here or deserve to be here, feel free to leave. Your debt shall be collected at the end of your life on earth.”

  Nobody moved, the humming continued to grow; he now had to yell to be heard over the top of it.

  “Bring her forward!” He yelled, and motioned for Mikayla to bring the sacrifice forward. I was shaking and wanted to vomit, but I still watched as Mikayla brought forward the white hooded victim.

  Mikayla walked slowly past me to the altar, bowing her head at her master before pulling roughly on the chain and forcing the victim to their knees on the onyx altar in front of Robert. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breathe, when I opened them Robert pulled back the white hood and pulled my mother’s head up by her hair so that we could all see her face. The humming ceased and nobody spoke.

  The sound that came from my body was neither a voice nor a scream, it was primal and animal like. Mikayla laughed at my torment, enjoying the pain that I was in and the fact that I could not help my own mother. I fought the force that held me prisoner in my own body, as tears poured down my face. My mother’s face was so badly bruised and swollen that I could barely recognise her, tears also poured down her face mingling with her blood and turning pink as her one open eye met my own.

  “I’m sorry,” she mouthed and I cried out for her.

  “Please! Please don’t hurt her anymore. I’ll do anything you want! Anything!” I screamed.

  Robert came and stood in front of me, a knife glinting from the fire in his hands. Grabbing me by my pony tail he pulled my head back roughly and placed the blade against my throat.

  “Why Ruby, how very noble of you.” He smiled at me his voice controlled. “You would willingly trade your own life now for that of your mother? She never wanted you, you know. She hated you for reminding her every single day that you were a product of rape, of hate, of lies, pain and deceit.” He stood in front of me so I could not see my mother’s face, but I heard her cry out.

  “Liar!” I screamed at him and then I heard a tortured cry tear from my mother’s lips and then silence. “If you knew her at all, you would know that we have a bond like no other, it’s only you who is born from hate! Only you who continually grows hate and pain at the promise of things that you can’t even give.” Blood trickled down my neck, dripping into my robe and between my breasts as he cut into my flesh. It wasn’t deep, but it was enough to hurt, I refused to cry out, refused to let pain show on my face.

  “Strip her!” I heard movement at the altar and knew my mother would be standing naked before all these people.

  “You will pay you know, you can’t just do what you want to people! I don't get who or what you are. You will pay!” I pushed everything I could muster through my body as fast as I could, my love for my mother and the need to save her, the need to protect her from the people who had hurt her nearly eighteen years earlier. I held onto my love for her and I prayed to keep her safe. The bolt of light that hit Robert pushed him backwards, he dropped his knife and I reached for it instinctively finally able to move. The bonds that had tied my wrists fell free. I watched as he fell at the foot of the altar, hitting his head and blood oozed out. His eyes were both furious and shock at the same time and still black as the darkest night.

  I held the knife to my own throat and everything seemed to slow down.

  “Let her go!” I pulled myself to my feet, not taking my eyes off him, as he slowly raised himself up. “You need me for Friday night, alive, if you kill her now, you will lose the one person on earth who can give you what you want.”

  “You are merely a child!” He spat at me, “you think you can give me orders! I would rather wait another thousand years than bow to your desires. You are a womb! Tha
t is all!” But the single barely visible flick of his eye gave him away.

  I side stepped until I was able to see my mother clearly, she was still kneeling and Mikayla held her by her hair.

  “Mikayla, let her go!” Mikayla laughed and did nothing. I dug the knife into my neck and felt more blood oozed down my neck, much deeper than the cut that Robert had given me himself. I knew the cut wouldn’t be fatal, but it would still get my point across. She still didn’t let my mother go, but her eyes clearly believed that I was not going to give in.

  “I love you!” I mouthed to my mother and saw the fear and understanding cross her battered face before moving the knife to my wrist and held it out in front of me and sliced across, blood poured out, the wound was deep and I knew that without medical help I would die in a few minutes. I repeated the action on my other wrist. Even if I couldn’t save my mother, I couldn’t give the Devil a baby of his own, I couldn’t bring that sort of hell onto earth.

  For a second no one moved as I dropped to my knees, the knife falling from my hand as I watched the blood pool on the ground in front of me.

  “Get her on that cross now!” His voice was booming again, loud and it echoed in my head. I felt relief as the blood continued to drain from my body. Relief that this would be over soon and I would be free of him forever. My only regret was not being able to take away my mother’s pain.