“Why do you call me that?”
“With your green eyes and small frame, you remind me of a fairy or a pixie,” he says before he leans in and kisses me.
I want to ask him if what he said early this morning was real. Am I his? Is this our place now? Does he really want me? But I don’t because I know once he knows the truth, he’ll run just like everyone else, or he’ll call me a freak too. When his fingers brush over my scars, I sigh feeling that healing again.
“Come on. Let’s go get some breakfast, then I’ll run you to your place so you can pick up some more clothes. I’m not letting you go until after Christmas. Besides, we need a Christmas tree.”
“I don’t celebrate Christmas.”
“Why not?”
I can’t tell him the real reason. It’ll expose more of my freakiness.
“I live in a town that celebrates it year round. What’s the point?” I lie.
“Come on, pixie.”
Coal insisted on driving me to the house. I figure Leon is still hungover from last night’s bender when I don’t see movement inside.
“Stay here, I’ll be right back.” I jump out of the SUV and run up the trail to the shed. I can’t have Coal seeing where I really live. The lock isn’t on the door and I can’t remember if I locked it when I left. I open the door and find Leon standing inside. I step back as I take in the anger on his wrinkled face. He looks like the devil himself.
“Where have you been, you little bitch?” he yells.
“I’ve been with a friend.” I look at my sleeping bag that’s now destroyed. The knife still dangles from his hand, feathers laying at his feet. My clothes are all destroyed too. My backpack ripped apart. “Why?” I beg as tears roll down my face.
“Murderers don’t deserve anything,” he growls.
“Murderer? What are you talking about?” Coal’s voice comes from behind me. My head drops. Now he knows.
“Didn’t she tell you? She killed her mother.”
“What?” Coal’s voice sounds tortured, and I turn to defend myself.
“I didn’t do it. I was a baby,” I say, but he steps back from me. My heart breaks.
“Did she let you fuck her? Did you pay her good? Because she’s going to need the bail money. I called the cops as soon as you pulled up for trespassing. I kicked her off my property a week ago,” Leon yells.
“Shut up.” I look at him. “I didn’t kill her.” I turn back to Coal. “Please, I didn’t know how to tell you.” I reach for him, and he takes my hand and pulls me out of the shed.
“Do you live in there? Is he telling the truth? Who is that?” His questions roll off his lips so fast.
“He’s my father. I swear I didn’t do it. I was a baby. Please don’t leave me,” I beg him.
“Murderer.” My hair is pulled from behind me as Leon bellows. He swings me around and wraps his hand around my throat, squeezing hard. “You killed the only woman I ever loved. I’ve waited eighteen years for revenge.”
I look up as his other hand comes down with the knife aimed at my chest. I close my eyes knowing there is no way I’m going to come through this unscathed.
“No,” Coal yells, and my eyes flare open in time to see him knock the knife away. Leon’s nails rip into my throat as Coal pushes me away. I fall and land hard on the ground.
“Coal, no.” I try to yell when I look over and see him punching Leon, but nothing comes out. Then the sirens break through everything.
“Let him go, Coal, now,” the sheriff yells.
“He beat me up for no reason. Do your job and arrest them both.” Leon’s speech is slurred, his face bloody. My vision blurs but I force myself to keep watching.
“Call an ambulance,” the sheriff says to someone.
“Pixie, are you okay?” Coal falls at my feet.
I try to answer him but the words are trapped in my throat. Then there is nothing.
A beeping sound, voices I don’t recognize in the distance, and a smell I know all cross my senses as I open my eyes to a dim hospital room. I slip from the bed glad I’m not hooked up to an IV drip, and make my way across the room. I stand at the door and listen for a moment trying to see if Coal is out there.
“I’m sorry, Lee, but Leon has pressed charges.” I hear the sheriff’s voice. “The judge will see him tomorrow and decide on how to proceed.”
I need to see Coal but I’m afraid he’s going to blame me for the trouble he’s in. I look around the room trying to find a way to escape without Sheriff Kullen and Mr. Rumble knowing. The only other door in the room leads to the bathroom. I look inside and am happy to find it’s a Jack and Jill style with an attached room on the other side. After carefully checking to make sure the other room is empty, I return to my room and slip the pillows under the blanket, making it look like I’m in the bed sleeping. I look down at my clothes, they are dirty but still mine. I find my shoes near the bed and slip them on. I’m quiet as I sneak into the next room. Peeking out the door, I see the nurses at the desk but no one else. It looks the sheriff and Mr. Rumble have dispersed. I exit the room and move down the hall, careful not to draw attention to myself. When I make it to the hospital entrance, I keep walking until I reach the curb and hail a taxi. I give the driver my address. It’s the only place I can think of to hide where no one would look for me, and I’m hoping some of my clothes survived Leon’s anger.
After spending the night in the shed, where I used my jacket and paint canvases to keep myself warm, I’m now standing in line at the bank waiting for my turn. Leon thankfully didn’t come home, and the sheriff didn’t find me. I’m in the only pair of jeans that didn’t get cut up. These plus the pair I had from Coal’s house are all the jeans I have to my name. I found out the judge granted Coal bail. I can’t afford the full bail, but I can pay his bond, which is five thousand dollars. I’ve already paid for the first semester of art school, and what’s left in my bank account was to help with finding an apartment and my travel. It’s everything I have, but Coal doesn’t need to suffer for my problems.
Taking a deep breath, I walk into the sheriff’s station and right up to the counter after taking care of Coal’s bond. He wouldn’t be in here if it weren’t for me. If he had never met me, he’d be safe in his big house away from me and my fucked-up past.
“I want to see Sheriff Kullen,” I say to the woman behind the counter.
“Pixie?” I turn to see Coal being led by sheriff’s deputies into the lobby.
“I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault.” I rush to him, but a deputy steps in front of me and stops me.
“I’m sorry, miss, you can’t come any closer.”
“Are you okay?” Coal asks, looking around the deputy. “God, I thought he was going to kill you. I couldn’t lose you, Kiera. I love you.”
“I…” He loves me?
“Staff Sergeant Bridger, you need to come with us.” I turn to see men in military uniforms with guns on their hips and a pair of shackles in their hands.
“No. You can’t take him. I paid the bond. He should be able to leave.”