Your Teeth In My Neck

Appeasement

"Can I have a word with you almighty leader?" Campbell mocked. Cutting off Cassandra and Ali as they walked to their respective duties.

"Now's not the time Campbell." Cassandra said and Ali shrugged. They both already knew what this way about.

"She stays with me." He stated flatly. There was humor in his expression but his eyes remained cold, "You want this to work peacefully don't you Cassandra? Because this place is a ticking fucking time-bomb."

"What's your point Campbell?" Ali shot back.

"My point is that to appease the masses." He gestured broadly around him, "Especially the ones with a pharmaceutical dependency." Campbell raised an eyebrow at Cassandra, "You need compliance. Order. Or maybe the word is—appeasement."

Cassandra stiffly stood with Ali shoulder to shoulder. She had already caved inside. The fallout of defying her cousin just for the sake of it wasn't worth it, not this time, "You don't have to worry." She answered reluctantly, "I was never going to separate you and Maggie." Then she turned, Ali following in turn and continued walking.

"Asshole." Ali muttered under her breath.

"Fighting him because of how we feel doesn't protect her." Cassandra shot a deflated glance to her sister, "It might actually do much more harm than good."

Maggie was holding the poster for the prom when Campbell walked into the kitchen. He had just gotten home from his shift helping to fix the town and kissed her on the forehead before washing the grime off his hands. "Hey," She looked up, "How was it?"

"These fucking incompetents can barely take care of themselves let alone the things around them." He responded. She didn't know what to say so she shrugged it off. She hadn't been given responsibilities yet for some reason.

"I made you lunch." She told him and pulled out the steak sandwich she knew he loved with fries, "Just keeping it warm in the oven."

"That's my girl." He grinned, and leaned over to kiss her on the lips as she handed him the plate. "Grab the ketchup and a beer would ya?" She snatched a fry from his plate and popped it into her mouth, nodding. As she turned away he set himself up at the counter, "What would I do without you?"

"Starve." She quipped, placing the condiments and cold beer down in front of him. She popped one open for herself and sipped it delicately.

"Aren't you underage?" She giggled and Campbell's attention was taken by the flyer still left on the table, "Kelly just doesn't know when to quit."

"Might be fun." Maggie said quietly, blushing. Campbell took another big bite and looked up at her. She had busied herself with cleaning up the dishes.

"Got a date yet?" He joked.

"Nobody's asked me formally." She shrugged. Campbell stood up from his seat and she looked up at him expectantly, with a smile but he just sauntered by her and headed upstairs. "Ok then." She sighed and went back to the dishes. He returned a couple minutes later with a box in his hand.

"How's this for formal?" He smirked and opened it in front of her. Her eyes immediately lit up. It was a beautiful shade of pale periwinkle with an intricate bodice and long flowing layers of chiffon, "Like it?"

"It's so beautiful." She touched the gown very carefully and then sprung into his arms, "Thank you Campbell." When she pulled away there were tears in her eyes.

"So you'll go to the prom with me?"

"Yes, of course, yes." He kissed her passionately.

"I can't wait to take it off of you." His lips went to her neck and he bit her suggestively.

"Promise not to rip?"

"I never make promises I'm not sure I'll keep." He winked and went back to his lunch, "Why don't we get some practice in. I have another shift but make sure you're waiting here when I get back." He threw his napkin on the plate when he was done and stood up, throwing back the rest of his beer. He encircled her in his arms and she looked up at him, "It's been a while since I've seen you in your cheerleading outfit."

"Are you going to the dance?" She asked Elle. The two were doing their nails and watching a movie on Elle's bed. She'd never been to her house before but it was nice, homey, you could tell whoever lived there had loved each other, "You were a dancer right?"

"I don't know. It's not like anyone will ask me."

"There's not a lot you're missing with this crowd." Maggie noted.

"You and Campbell are going I assume."

"He got me this gorgeous dress." She responded, "He's bought me one for every dance. This is going to sound weird but I actually went shopping for a prom dress with my friends before all this happened just because I really wanted the experience." Elle looked up and tried to gage Maggie's face.

"Did you choose one?"

"Yeah, but my mom would never have bought something like that for me even if he did let me wear it."

"What did she think of him?" Elle asked, "Campbell I mean."

"I don't think she cared enough to actually form an opinion." Maggie admitted and blew on her nails, "Well except for--" She stopped.

"Except for what?"

Broken glass. Screaming. Blood.

"Maggie?" Her mind could barely digest that it was Campbell's voice, "Get the fuck away from her! Maggie stay still, do you understand me, don't move. Fuck." There was so much glass. The living room coffee table was in shards around her, along with the framed family portrait she had been trying to avoid. Campbell was careful not to move her so more glass would embed into her skin as he hoisted her up, stung by some shards that had clung. "Get back you fucking cunt, can't you see what you've done? I'm taking her to the fucking hospital now!"

"Maggie. Maggie I'm sorry."

Sobbing.

Her head lulled to one side. She caught the glimpse of more blood and opened her mouth to try to speak.

"Shh baby. Just stay with me ok? I'm right here. Stay with me."

Maggie shook her head and forced a smile, "Nothing, long story." She glanced at the time and shot up, "Sorry I have to go he's going to be home soon."

"Oh ok." Elle was a little disappointed but returned the offered hug.

"I'll text you tomorrow ok?"