A Star Wars TFA Prequel: "Why Aren't You Scared of Me?"

You Should Be Scared of Me

I light another candle. Tonight I'm allowed to sleep and I thought I'd be so glad to finally get to bed. But now I can't fall asleep. Every time I lay down I think of home and of Mom. I don't want to miss her, she's the one who sent me away in the first place. Then she asked me to come back once it was summer break, but I told her I want to stay here. I don't hate her, like I hate Dad. But  sent me away, when she felt I was too difficult, for someone else to deal with.

I walk to my bookshelf and take down the book on the Sith Code. Reading always helps me fall asleep.

There's a light knock on my door and my stomach instantly tightens. Please don't let it be Hux again. 

I go to unlock the door and the hinges creek as I open it. At first I don't see anyone standing there, then I look down at a head of blond hair.

"Hi," Rey says in a small voice.

I frown. "Where did you come from?"

"Jakku." She sticks her chin up and gives me a defiant look.

I grin. "I wouldn't be so proud of that. Jakku is where all the crooks and bad aliens of the galaxy go to escape going to prison, or paying their taxes."

"No it's not!"

"Shhh..." I kneel down to Rey's level. "You can't be here. I'll get in big trouble." She doesn't look too concerned about that. "You'll get in big trouble," I say to her. She crosses her arms and doesn't look like she's going to be leaving anytime soon.

"Rey," I give her my most serious look. "I'm training to be a Sith Lord and I do evil things now. I've always done evil things like hurt people, even when I was two years old. People would get hurt when I got mad. You should be scared of me."

Rey gives me a curious look but doesn't respond. 

"I could hurt you, or kill you by accident," I say. She uncrosses her arms and her hand comes up and smacks my cheek. I blink in surprise. Did she just slap me? But her tiny palm stays against my face. 

I take her hand away. "You can't touch me or I'll get into tr... or you'll get into trouble."

Rey shrugs and I realize she doesn't care about getting into trouble. 

"If you touch me you'll get really sick and die," I say.

Her eyes go wide and she shoves her palm in my face again. "Is that why you have the red spots on your face? Because you have a disease? And you're going to die?"

"No!" I take her hand away again. "And I don't have red spots. Don't touch my face, or my cloak, or my hands. And don't come to my-"

Rey squishes my nose with her palm. "What about your nose? Can I touch your nose?"

"No." I push her hand away. "Why aren't you scared of me?"

"You're not scary."

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're not."

"If I get mad I could kill you."

"You won't."

"How do you know?"

"Because I can tell. Mom says it's my gift. I can tell when people are nice inside or if they are evil."

I stare at her for a moment. A sound in the hall makes my heart speed up. "You have to go."

"Can I stay here? I'm scared in my room."

"No."

"But I can't sleep."

"Then go in your room and stay awake there."

"I want to stay here. I don't want to be alone."

"No Rey. It's against the rules."

"Everything is against the rules!' Rey says loudly.

"Shhh..." I grab her by the shoulders, then quickly let go. "You're right though," I say. "There's a lot of rules here."

"Why?"

A shadow moves in the torchlight down the hall. Someone is approaching. I hesitate a moment then pull Rey in the room and close the door behind her, turning the handle all the way so it doesn't make a click sound when I shut the door. I slowly release the handle.

"If you get me in trouble I'll..." I turn to find Rey pulling out my grandfather's burned helmet from under my bed. "Don't touch that!"

Rey jumps back, letting it go.

"It's mine!" I yell. "You can't just grab my stuff. It isn't yours!" I push the helmet back under the bed. Rey backs up until she hits the wall, then covers her face with her hands. I'm still on my knees, having tucked the helmet safely back under my bed, and I wait to see what she'll do next. She slides down onto the floor and hugs her knees. Then the sobbing begins. 

I groan inwardly. "I told you that you wouldn't want to hang out with me," I say, feeling bad but not wanting her to know that. "Just go back to your room."

"I'm sorry I touched your toy," she says, her voice muffled from beneath her arms.

"It's not a toy."

She keeps crying. My shoulders ache and I sigh loudly. "Please just go. I want to sleep."

"I want to sleep too," she says lifting her head. Her face is streaked with tears. "I can't sleep in my room, it's dark and scary and cold and I can't light the candles by myself." Her bottom lip quivers.

"Why do you cry so much?" I say, trying to sound angry.

"I don't know," she says, crying more, only this time she isn't covering her face and seeing her cry makes me feel like crying. I go over to her and sit down beside her.

"Just... stop crying, okay?" I say.

She takes a few deep breaths and looks at me. "I just cry at night, because I always think of my mom and dad." She hiccups then continues. "In the daytime I can forget and go look at the plants or play with Mr. Rock... Oh no!" she screams her last words and I jump away from her in surprise. "Mr. Rock! I have to get Mr. Rock! He's going to be so scared! I forgot Mr. Rock!"

"Shhh..." I put my hand over her mouth to stop her from yelling but my palm covers her whole face and she giggles. I pull my hand away. "Can you stop yelling?" I whisper.

She throws her skinny little arms around my neck and hugs me tighter than I would have ever imagined she could. "Please can we go get Mr. Rock please, please, please-"

I try to peel her off of me, but she's got a death grip on my neck.

"You can go back to you room."

"No, it's too scary. Please go with me."

"If I say yes, will you let go of me?" I ask.

She quickly releases me. "I'll show you the way. I know all the places in the school and I even drew a map. I'll show you my map! It's in my room."

"I'll walk you back to your room and you can be with Mr. Rock, okay?"

"And then will you stay, too?"

I'm about to say no but then realize that the best thing to say would be yes, even though I'm not planning to stay.

"Yes," I say.

Rey's face lights up and she gets up off the floor. "Okay! Let's go!" 

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Author's Note: I've noticed people adding this story to their reading list so I will start posting chapters again.