The Girl in the Window

Chapter Eleven

The next two days passed excruciating slowly for Athena and Derek. Nothing unusual happened, although that just made them even more nervous. Effie was quiet in her head. Athena would look out the window every hour hoping to see Mr. Schneider walking to the door with the Priest. Disappointment ran through her when she would never see them. Derek would pace back and forth impatiently. More than once he threatened to go get the Priest himself. Athena would have to calm him down and remind him to trust Mr. Schneider. 

She couldn't anger Effie. She wasn't going to try to do anything that might make her snap. If the worse that she was going to do was destroy her computer, then Athena was going to leave it at that. Athena couldn't let Effie threaten them anymore and the only way to make sure that both of them are safe is if they didn't make her mad. 

"Trust him, Derek," Athena reminded him slowly when he began to pace again. "He knows what he's doing." She expected Effie to pipe up in her head, but she never did. This made Athena more nervous. She had to be plotting something. It should have made her feel better that she wasn't saying anything. That would mean that she wasn't mad, but Athena couldn't get it out of her head that something was wrong. 

Derek scoffed and rolled his eyes. "If he knows what he's doing, then why is he not here?"

Athena shrugged her shoulders and looked back out the window. She was wondering the same thing. But she didn't want Derek to know that she was losing her faith in Mr. Schneider and his Priest. "Maybe it's hard to find a Priest to clean the house and us. Maybe if you remembered what was in that book, you could tell me why it's taking so long." Derek gave a loud sigh and stomped upstairs. Athena turned to watch him and shook her head sadly. She walked and sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. Her leg was starting to get better. Her limp wasn't as severe, but her leg was still a little swollen. The bruises were slowly turning green. Growling when the TV wouldn't turn on, she started shaking and hitting the remote against her palm, hoping it would fix it. But it didn't. 

"This was working yesterday!" She threw the remote down on the couch, got up, and started to pace. Her leg was starting to heal, but it still caused her to limp. All of this stress and worry was starting to make her frustrated. She knew that Derek was getting frustrated as well, but she couldn't help him. She couldn't help herself right now. She had to wait for Mr. Schneider and his Priest. She didn't have enough patience right now. 

All of a sudden, she started to feel lightheaded. She stopped walking and placed a hand on her forehead. What's wrong with me? she asked herself. She slowly walked over to the couch and sat down. She placed her head in her hands and sighed, closing her eyes when her head spun. When she tried to open her eyes and look up, her head spun even more making her stomach churn. She bent over and placed her head between her knees. 

I know what's wrong with you, Effie's voice popped in her head. Her voice was singing as she taunted Athena. 

Shit. Tears started to form in her eyes. Effie was still in her head. Effie was still here. She hoped Mr. Schneider would find a Priest and come here soon. She tried to stop crying, knowing that it'll bring on another headache, but she couldn't stop. She felt helpless. 

You are helpless, Effie's laughter filled her head. You're under my control. 

"Athena?" Derek asked worriedly from the staircase. "Are you okay?"

She heard his footsteps get closer and felt him sit down next to her. "I don't know. I was just walking around the house, and I got lightheaded. Now, my head is spinning, and I don't know why." Tears continued to flow down her cheeks. She didn't try to raise her head again, she didn't think that her stomach would hold its contents if she did. 

I know why, Effie's voice sang out. Why don't you tell him about me? Why don't you tell him that you hear my voice in your head? I have a feeling he wouldn't believe you, but he might. There was a slight pause. Why don't you have a gamble? Athena could see the wicked smile that spread across Effie's face. 

"Did you have breakfast this morning?" Derek's voice brought her back to the present. Distracting her from Effie's voice. He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. 

Athena started to nod her head when a wave of pain shot through her head, making her stop. "Ouch! Yes, I did." Now I have another headache. Why are you doing this Effie?

I want you to suffer as I did. Effie spat at her. 

I laid in that hole! Athena argued back. What more do you want?

You didn't feel pain like I did. At this moment, Effie's voice sounded small. For the first time since Athena had met her, she sounded more like the little girl that she was. Athena almost felt sorry for her. 

Derek placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let me get you some pain medicine." Athena knew that pain medicine wasn't going to help. She knew that Effie was controlling her head and causing the pain. She still didn't want to tell Derek about Effie's voice, but she doesn't have a choice now. She let him get the medicine in the meantime. Derek came back a few minutes later with a glass of water and a couple of pills in his hands. "Here." He placed each of them in her hands. "Take these."

Athena opened her eyes to swallow the pills and placed the glass of water on a coaster in front of her. She placed her head back in her hands. Hoping that the pills would have some effect on her, she looked around the room and smiled at Derek. "Thanks." She took a deep breath, faking that she was better. Her head was still pounding. "I think I know what's wrong with me." She started picking at her fingernails, refusing to look at him. 

Wow, you're really going to tell him. Effie's laugh filled her head causing another slice of pain to go through her head. What an idiot. 

Shut up!

Derek sat back down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, trying to comfort her. "Do you think it's Effie?"

Athena nodded slowly. "She never hurt me without actually touching me at the asylum. Except, maybe because she's linked to me, she can hurt me this way."

Duh. She could feel Effie roll her eyes in her head. 

"I just want her to be gone," she sighed. "Derek, I can hear her in my head." Tears started to threaten to come out again. 

Derek was quiet at first. "You hear her in your head?" His voice was slow and calculated. 

Tears started to form in her eyes. She was starting to think of herself as a crier. She had never cried this much before. "You don't believe me." She paused. "That's fine if you don't believe me, but I'm not crazy! I hear her voice in my head. She's been communicating with me. The past two days she's been silent, but now she's speaking up again." The entire time, she kept pointing to her forehead. 

Derek was quiet but squeezed her shoulders. "I believe you, sis. Why do you think she would attach herself to you?"

Athena shrugged. "She told me before she locked me in that hole that she wanted revenge and for me to feel her pain. I just heard that a couple of minutes ago in my head." She took a deep breath. "I thought she was satisfied when she locked me there, but I guess not."

"Do you know if she died in that hole?"

Athena nodded. "I have a hunch that she did – but it's just a hunch. A big one." She looked out the window, making her headache worsen from the bright light. "I'm going to lie down in bed." She got up slowly, but still swayed on her feet.

"Here." Derek started to try to lift her into his arms, but Athena stopped him.

"I can walk, but just help me up there, please." Athena knew she was being stubborn, but she still wanted some sort of control over her body.

I'm surprised he believed you, Effie scoffed. That pisses me off.

If you lay a hand on my brother, Athena started to threaten.

Effie started to laugh maniacally. What are you going to do, Athena? Nothing. Fucking nothing. Your brother is mine and you'll regret making me angry. 

--------edited-------