The Devil Child

Chapter Six

Polly breathed in, then out. She sat in the pew, next to her parents, listening to the familiar music of marriage as a beautiful bride walked down the aisle. She was nearly crying, and her father beside her was in the same state.

Her eyes fixated on the groom, and she felt something twist in the stomach. She felt like the sight in front of her didn't sit right. She couldn't picture herself walking down the aisle, looking into the eyes of a man. It just didn't add up for her.

She knew marrying a man was the norm, but there was something about it that made her squirm uncomfortably. She just couldn't picture it. She just couldn't picture herself alongside a man for the rest of her life.

She didn't like sitting here feeling this way. She most certainly didn't like feeling like everyone in the room knew she felt this way.

"Will you stop fidgeting?" her mother sternly asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You look more nervous than the bride!"

She felt more nervous

She watched as Doctor Higgins stood at the front of the bride and groom. He was the new priest at church, and already Polly didn't like him. There was a certain glint in his eyes that spelled danger, and Polly wanted nothing to do with that.

Even now, as he was marrying this couple, Polly felt chills run down her spine. The way he looked at them was terrifying, like he knew something they didn't. Like he had something planned for them.

The ceremony wasn't long, much to Polly's relief. She hated sitting there, watching as the happy couple kissed and celebrated. It was sickening to Polly, because she couldn't relate. She wanted, so badly, to want that. But, she didn't, and it made her sick. Sick to think that there was something wrong with her, that she was different, that she was wrong.

She stood up on wobbly legs. Her mother placed a hand on her shoulder, and bent her head low. "I think I saw food on a table out back. You should eat something; you look pale, dear."

Polly nodded, but she couldn't concentrate on her mother's words. She couldn't stop replaying the kissing scene in her head, and when she pictured herself doing the same, it didn't feel right. Didn't look right to her.

She moved to the food table. Her dress, which was white and pink, would stain easily, so Polly ruled out the messy foods right away. She knew her parents would be very disappointed in her if she spilt something on her dress.

So, she moved towards the snack foods, and grabbed a cookie.

A hand hand fell on her shoulder, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Shivers ran down her spine, and she didn't have to turn around to see who it was.

"I need to talk to you. Care to join me in my office?"

It was Doctor Higgins, of course, and Polly couldn't say no. She knew that from the tone of his voice, and the authority he had over her, so she nodded mutely and held tight to the cookie in her hand. Her heart was racing, her body felt clammy, and fear pooled in the pit of her stomach.

Something was wrong.

She stepped into his office, sitting down in one of the red chairs, settling into the cushion. A puff of dust fanned up around her as she sat, indicating that no one had sat in the chair in a long, long time.

It made Polly's stomach churn with the thought that she didn't belong there. It was common knowledge that no one ever went into Doctor Higgins' office. And now, here she was, sitting in an unused chair, watching as Doctor Higgins stood in front of her.