Trust in a Stranger (part 5)

‘Hi.’ She whispered, approaching him from behind, seeing him sat on the bench.1

She smiled his way, he turned, an emotionless expression.2

‘Oh my god…’ she said, seeing his whole body.3

He was topless, with the usual black drainpipes on. She stared down, his eyes wide open, his head looking up to her, his arms lay limp either side his legs. Her breath stopped, blood covered his chest, dripping down onto his trousers, lining his arms also.4

‘What happened?’ she asked, her mouth gaping with shock and fear.5

She looked up at his face as he turned, his eye liner smudged, and then she saw, blood dripping either side his lips. 6

‘Fuck, talk to me,’ she said, approaching him.7

He sat motionless, as she shook him, trembling with worry.8

‘Makabre, talk to me, what’s going on?’9

He turned after several shakes, looking into her eyes, greyer than ever, his skin whiter than before, as he stared up at her, his mouth now open, attempting to find words to say.10

‘Talk.’ She spoke, a pleading whimper in her voice.11

‘I…he…I…’12

‘What? Who? What happened?’13

He sat motionless still, she saw his white shirt beside him, hanging in his limp hand. She grabbed it, wiping the blood from his chest, to touch it was freezing…14

‘He tried to kill me…’15

‘What? Who did? Where?’16

And then she saw, the slits lining his back, and his arms. And she slowed, knowing she needed to calm.17

‘I didn’t mean to… he… he lashed out, said I couldn’t go to the doctors…’ he spoke in a monotone voice.18

‘Who’s he?’ she whispered, her hand on his, dry blood still visible.19

‘Him… my… my… Tim,’ he whispered, his eyes almost tearful, but still he sat motionless, not responding to her touch.20

‘Who’s Tim?’ she asked.21

‘My… father, he tied me up, saying I couldn’t go… he used the…he hurt me…’ he said, lowering his head. 22

She ran her hands across his neck lightly, pulling him closer, wanting him to know it would be ok.23

‘It’s ok.’ She whispered.24

But he continued, looking up to her. ‘He said they mustn’t know… she agreed…but I tried to go… I wanted to… so he grabbed me, hitting me with the mirror...I blacked out, and woke in ropes, as he hit me… I couldn’t help but cry…. He said I was meant to be strong…born to be strong… he said that’s why he made me…the ropes loosened… I couldn’t take it…my mum was screaming for him not to… and then I hit him, again and again… I couldn’t stop… it wasn’t me… I just I didn’t want him to hurt me again…’25

He stopped, regaining breath, his eyes scanning, as the reality sank in, and a tear fell.26

‘It’s going to be ok…’ she whispered, wrapping her arms around him, placing her hands in between the cuts, holding him close, she ran her hands through his tangled black hair, trying to calm him.27

‘I just want to be a normal child Cammy… that’s all I want…’ he said, weeping more and more in her arms.28

She didn’t fully understand yet, but knew not to push him, supporting him. She moved him along the bench, pouring a little of the water she had brought with her, onto the shirt, and padding his back lightly.29

They sat for what seemed like an hour, him weeping in her arms, feeling slightly better for it. He trusted her more than he trusted anyone… he began to think she would accept him for the truth. He hesitated, sitting in thought, as she stayed quiet beside him, listening to the wind, as it blew through the trees. She brushed his skin, remembering how cold he was, and removed her coat, placing it over his bare chest. She glanced up at the street lamp shining bright, the only light to be seen amongst the trees, except for the shining moon above her. She gave him a sympathetic smile, hoping he would be ok, she had known him for so little time and yet had built a care for him, created a space for him in her life. Yes, he was going through a hard time, but did that mean he was not normal, maybe but he was kind, generous, sweet and his abnormality could only be blamed on his troubled home and social life, misunderstood she figured. She heard him whisper, and turned in slight shock, he glanced up at her, as she gestured for him to repeat what he had said. And then the words came… the words he knew would change everything…30

‘I’m…I’m a night child…’31