Witch Doctors Inc: SEASON ONE (Completed!)

Part 4.11

A YEAR BEFORE THE DARK AGES
ALICIA

Alicia watched Bethany's shadow disappear around the corner. The maid had been untruthful. She was heading to the attic with a tray of food, but the only person who could be found in the attic was Alicia's mother, and she was not in residence. So who was Bethany feeding? The rats?

No, Alicia thought, it had to be the cat she saw the other day. She was keeping him in the attic and feeding him, despite Alicia explicitly telling her not to.

Alicia knew she wasn't supposed to enter the attic, but if she was to catch the maid redhanded she had to act now.

Bethany turned the key in the lock and stepped into the gloom of the attic. Her lamp illuminated the surroundings.

Alicia's eyes widened with surprise.

Where were the portraits? Where were the candles?

The attic was furnished like a bedroom, with a bed and dresser, and a woollen rug resting between two sofas.

"I'm here," Bethany whispered, a smile lighting up her eyes.

The bedsheets shifted.

Alicia's breath caught in her throat.

The boy was young, perhaps three or four, with sunken eyes and raven hair that hung limply around his ears. His body was misshapen, with bits that were too long and bits that were too short, as if he was put together in a hurry.

The jigsaw boy was made of pieces.

His arms were oddly thin and too short after the elbow. They protruded from the wrong place, too low, and his shoulders hung from his neck like deflated balloons.

He had arms and legs that didn't fit.

The boy's face broke into a lopsided grin when he saw Bethany. Bethany took the tray to him, moving his legs out of the way to place it next to him.

"Buttered scones, just as you like them," Bethany beamed. She broke a bit of scone off and placed it in his mouth. "Delicious? I knew it would cheer you up."

But his smile was seamless.

The boy swallowed and gave a short, weak moan. His eyes moved back and forth.

"Your mother is away this week," Bethany told him, as if knowing what he had wanted to say. "But I will play with you. And I will tell you all your favourite stories."

And when he cried his tears were whole.

Alicia stepped forward. Her footsteps were too loud, even for her. The maid stared at her in shock. The boy's face froze. He fixed his dark eyes on her, on her long raven hair, the same colour as his.

"Bethany...what is going on?"