The Woe We Deserve

Chapter 15

Xavier's encounter with Enid had done little to ease his anxiety. Instead, she'd stirred up all the emotions he'd been trying so desperately to keep at bay. He sat alone in his shed like he had for years. Wednesday's company was a new development in his Nevermore experience, so why did the place now feel so empty?

He thought about his conversation with Enid. Perhaps she was right that he should have been more insistent about sharing his dreams with Wednesday. He just couldn't bring himself to do it for many reasons. The first one being that he was scared. Maybe he hadn't shared with her for the same reason she wouldn't share with him. They were both trying to live in denial to some extent.

Xavier also felt very hurt. As much as he had longed for a relationship with Wednesday, there was a small part of him that was bracing for heartbreak. As well as things had been going, Xavier knew it was in Wednesday's nature to be stubborn and abrasive—it was only a matter of time before she broke his heart.

He knew that wasn't fair; she was really trying. But trust isn't something you can rebuild in a day, and prior to their courtship, Wednesday had done many things to break it.

So backing down seemed like the right thing to do. They were both tangled in a web of their fears and insecurities, so how could they help each other break free?

Xavier didn't have an answer to that. He didn't seem to have an answer to anything at all. Even his dreams were no help. So he did the only thing that he was any good at: burying his feelings under layers of paint. With every stroke of his brush, the blank canvas disappeared a little bit more, and so did the suffocating anxiety he felt in his chest.

He wasn't expecting any company, which is why he almost fell off his stool when he heard the wooden doors of his shed rattle. The inside handles were chained and locked for his protection, so he got off his seat and stood by the door, waiting to see if they would shake again.

"Wednesday?" he called. Maybe Enid had talked some sense into her friend. Against his better judgement, he freed the lock from the chain and cracked the doors, peeking into the dark forest surrounding him. He caught some movement out of the corner of his eye. One step outside to get a better look, then another. Nothing.

He shook his head, feeling like a paranoid fool, and turned to head back inside. Then he heard the ground crunching under the weight of someone's feet.

"Xavier! We meet again."

He turned, trying to put on a brave face, but the last voice he wanted to hear was that of— "Tyler. Shouldn't you be in prison? Or a mental ward?"

"I should," he chuckled. "But those transport vehicles were designed for loons and serial killers. Not monsters. Literal monsters. You know what I mean."

Xavier said nothing. Tyler Galpin took slow steps towards him. He wore all black, his hair was long and disheveled.

"What do you want?" Xavier finally asked, trying to stall. He reached his hand into his pocket slowly, trying not to draw any attention to himself. As he gripped the flat screen in his hand, he discovered the value of phones with actual keys on them.

"Let's take a walk," Tyler replied.

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

"You can walk with me, or I can drag you by hair." Tyler smirked. "You know how much Wednesday likes it, so let's do this the easy way."

Xavier clenched his jaw at the mention of her name.

"Oh, sorry," Tyler said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Touchy subject? I know you guys are going through a bit of a rough patch."