Pretty Red Eyes (previously "KING, AGAIN")

20| mr teddy

20; mr teddy

The world was silent; drowned out. 

Chelsea lifted a heavy arm to support her body. Her movements were slow and weak, her head spinning and vision blurry.

The surrounding voice has faded out and she's in a vacuum now.

The rusty floor was changing shades, the grey darkened to black. She shook her head and blinked hard. 

Tilt the bottle and spin its liquid. 

A white fur teddy bear laid on its back on the rusted floor. Its belly sliced open and the cotton stuffings spilt out. 

Chelsea crawled over to her teddy on all fours, her tiny hands reaching out. They frantically push at the cotton stuffing as she attempts to contain them inside her teddy bear. Red stained the white cloud-like cotton stuffing. Little Chelsea kneeled before her favourite teddy bear, her matted hair hanging over her face.

She tugged a strand of hair behind her ear, smudging more stains across her face. 

"C'mon Mr Teddy," she whispered, seemingly distressed and out of breath as she continued to push at the stuffings. 

Behind her, heavy footsteps drew closer. Chelsea couldn't look back, she couldn't stop saving Mr Teddy.

The footsteps stopped directly behind her. Little Chelsea tried to pinch Mr teddy's cut wound close. 

"Baby," a masculine voice came through. "Now's not a time to be playing."

Little Chelsea's hands started moving faster, and her breathing quickened too. She thought she might even puke on Mr teddy. A soft sob escaped her lips.

The man standing behind her crouched down and gently grabbed her elbow with his thumb and index finger. "Sweetie......"

"Mr Teddy..." Little Chelsea gripped onto the furry-clothed bear, the tears pooling in her eyes.

The man pulled at her thin arm to get her to face him, but the little girl refused to bulge. So, he tried again. "Baby..."

When she still refused, the man yanked her away from the racked teddy bear. His force threw her backwards, sending her to fall back. One of her fists tightly clutched the little stuffed limb of Mr teddy. The man who spoke with a gentle tone was long gone when Chelsea finally looked up at him.  With his jaw clenched and lips tight, he was looming over her now. Little Chelsea could only chew on her lower lip in an attempt to resist her tears. 

He reached out a hand before her. "Now, hand the toy over."

Little Chelsea shook her head harshly, her limbs working to push her body backwards. Mr teddy's little hand was still in her small fist. His stuffings were flying out but she had no time to catch them anymore.

"Listen to me, pup. I'm all you have now." 

Chelsea's nose is blocking up. The heat behind her eyes was spreading. She could no longer breathe. A desperate gasp escaped her mouth and her vision completely clouded. 

"You're too old to be playing with toys." He told her sternly. "You will learn to fight soon, no more childish play."

He approached every time she retreated. "Don't test me, pup."

Chelsea dared retreat another step and his arm lunged at her. As she struggled to keep Mr teddy, the sharp bracelet cut her skin.

The bracelet dangled around his wrist, a little delicate key chained with an initial letter. Chelsea whined as the air touched her new wound. 

A memory flashed by. 

The bracelet dangling between long fingers, the thin chains swinging with the wind. A burst of masculine laughter broke the silence and a woman sobbed loudly. The scene was fading in and out like a disappearing thought.

"Do you remember this bracelet?" He questioned, "My darling, I loved you like it was real."

A bitter laugh ghostly filled the air. 

"I'm sorry..." was all the women kept sobbing out.

Back in reality, the man had snatched over the wrecked teddy bear. He extended a claw and pierced the teddy mercilessly. Helpless as ever, little Chelsea could only watch as her waterwork rolled down her dirtied cheeks. 

"I told you to fucking not, pup." He scolded, "I'm all you have now, so quit being difficult."

He threw the limped furry toy across the room and straightened his clothes before turning to leave. Leaving little Chelsea backed against the cement wall, her cheeks stained from tears and clothes dirtied and torn, alone again.

Mr Teddy...

Chelsea's eyes fell onto the wrecked stuffed animal across the room. The blood on its fur dried and crumpled now. Mr Teddy's tummy had deflated from the loss of his stuffing. Chelsea wiped her eyes roughly with the back of her hand and sniffed back her snots.

Tilting her head up, she could only stare at the dusty ceiling. She could only blink away her tears now; she could not cry anymore. Mr Teddy was not a living thing despite his name. Mr Teddy was never alive. Yet, Chelsea could not save him from harm.

Mr Teddy could not scream in pain when he was pierced, nor could he wince and hiss from pain when he was thrown aside. But, Chelsea had heard it. She had heard it all. The agonising screams, knees bent and falling over. All the breathless begging, the helpless cries. They filled her head like an empty glass cup held by a thirsty owner; the liquid poured, and poured until the contents overflowed onto the ground.

She couldn't save her parents.

She couldn't even save Mr Teddy; he wasn't even alive.

And he was all she had left.

The lump in her throat only continued to swell. It inflated and filled every inch of space within the walls of her air passage. Chelsea gasped loudly and her body thrust upwards, ripping her from her bed in the maid's chamber.

Her hand found their way to her chest, where the wild beating heart sat speeding on overtime. Her hair, clumped in sweat, draped over her face. Chelsea could not forget.

A past memory or a bad dream.

Her heart didn't stop racing as the whisper echoed once more.

And he was all that she had left.

.    .    .

a/n:

Happy New year!

I've returned with an update on the first week of 2022. I hope this story has been enjoyable thus far.

Once again, thank you for all your support!

always hopeful for the future,
v. reign