The Rabbit Hole || ONC 2023 ||

Chapter 10

"Are you Kal?" Marie asks again.

The kid nods. "That's me! And you must be Roan's new partner!"

Marie nods. "I am."

"That's so good. Roan is lonely and could use a new friend."

Marie tries to hold in her laughter.

"Have you met Mr. Teddy?" He holds up his stuffed bear by its armpits.

"I have not."

"Well, this is Mr. Teddy. He's my best friend."

Marie eyes the teddy warily as its eyes almost seem to glow. "Nice to meet you Mr. Teddy."

She swears the teddy moves its head in something that looks like a nod.

Kal drops the teddy back to his side again. "Do you want to play a game?" he asks. "It's been so long since I've played a game!"

Marie almost feels bad for the kid. She would if he wasn't a little creepy. "I'm sorry sweetie. But I can't. I'm here to ask you questions."

He frowns and juts his lip out in a pout. "But questions are so boring!"

She grits her teeth in an attempt to not yell at him. Why is he being so difficult? "But it'll help you."

He crooks his head to the side. "Help me?"

Marie nods. "It'll help you be at peace. You can finally rest."

But playing is fun.

Marie jumps back as the voice echoes around them. She looks back down beside Kal where the teddy is supposed to be hanging in his hands. But it isn't. It's standing beside Kal on its two furry round feet. Its head is tilted up so its beady little eyes look into Maries soul.

She takes another step back but reaches her hand out to Kal at the same time. "Why don't we just sit and talk over here?" she asks. Away from the scary teddy bear.

"You can't leave Mr. Teddy out of the conversation!" Kal exclaims, stomping his foot at the same time.

"I didn't-"

"But you did!" He stomps his foot again. "I heard you!"

Marie gulps. This is going to be harder than she thought.

"Kal, please," she begs. "This isn't you! This is just the revenge speaking. Let me help you."

But playing is so much more fun.

"But you're hurting people!"

Kal doesn't watch her. His gaze lands on the teddy bear instead.

Hurting? But that's just the marvelous part of ruining everything.

"That isn't playing then!" Marie shouts. But her words are like a whisper.

"But they ruined everything for me," Kal whispers. He looks up at Marie. Tears well in his eyes and almost hide the fear in them.

Marie wants to both wrap Kal into a hug and run away from him at the same time. She takes a deep breath as she ignores every instinct in her body telling her to run away. She takes a step closer to Kal. Then another and another.

As she gets closer Mr. Teddy watches her. His eyes glowing brighter and brighter. She ignores it and focuses on Kal. The kid is the part that still has innocence in him. The part that just wants to rest and not be scared. And if she can talk to him, convince him to stop seeking revenge then maybe he'll help them and she'll be able to help him.

"Kal. That's all over now. I know it must feel like it isn't, but it is." She thinks about her dad and the people who told her she couldn't do it. That she wasn't good enough. It's not the same as what Kal went through but it's the closest experience she has. "Everything is okay now."