Psychopathy

Chapter Three

     "Theo!" Theo snapped awake to see his mother in the doorway of his room.
     "Mom..." Theo complained. "Ten more minutes..." and closed his eyes again, letting sleep overtake him.
     "Theo!" Melinda repeated. "It's time to get up, fuzz-face!" She said with humor. Theo felt the cold air touch his body as Melinda pulled his blanket off. "It's school time!"
     The word 'school' hit Theo like a smack to the face. "Urrrrrgh..." Theo groaned. School was the last place he wanted to be right now.
     "Come on! Come on!" Melinda chanted as she left the room. "Time for school!"
     A few minutes passed before Theo finally rubbed the sleep from his eyes and rolled out of bed. School... Theo thought with disgust. He was not looking forward to seeing Roger, Jace or Mason this morning.
     Theo padded into the kitchen feeling somewhat refreshed. He needed a better night's sleep than that cat nap.
     "Good morning, sunshine!" Melinda said, fumbling with something at the counter. "I stayed up until two A. M. making you this!" With a proud expression on her face, Melinda held up a big pot of oatmeal mixed with brown sugar, and something else that he couldn't make out. Then, she stuck a ladle in the pot, scooped it in a small wooden bowl, and set it at the table with a spoon.
     Theo was halfway finished with the oatmeal (that slightly tasted like pork) and decided he couldn't eat anymore. She stayed up until two making this? In the midst of his mother's jabbering, he noticed a sharp beam of light shining in his eye from across the kitchen. He looked near the shine, and noticed one of his mother's large kitchen knives, shiny and newly cleaned, lying on a towel on the counter. Something about it... just...
     "Okay, Theo, you need to leave in about five minutes, so finish up your porridge quickly, and get out the door. I'm going to do laundry." Without moving his eyes from the beautiful knife, Theo nodded at his mother, and heard her leave the room. Beautiful. That was the way Theo saw the knife. Magnificent. And it has power... with it, I could gain power... Theo hadn't noticed that he was already halfway across the kitchen. Power over others... Theo slowly picked up the knife, sure not to make a sound, and turned it over in his paws. He felt the weight of the knife, and ran his fingers down the cool metal blade. I have to take this. Theo felt as if his life depended on this knife. Quietly, Theo took the knife over to the door and opened his bag.
     "Theo, wait!" Melinda's voice from the laundry room scared Theo half to death. As quick as he could, Theo shoved the knife inside the backpack, latched it closed, and swerved around.
     "Y-yes, mom?" Theo stuttered, slightly sweating. Please don't notice... Theo held the backpack on his back, and put his paw on the handle, trying to look ready to go.
     "I almost forgot!" Melinda said, smiling. She took out a bright red scarf from behind her back. "This will keep you warm." She then wrapped it around Theo's neck, leaving a length to hang at his front. Melinda lifted her paws to her furry cheeks as she gazed at Theo. "Oh, it's perfect!" She said with a smile. Theo felt that same annoyance at his mother. Why did she have to treat him like a baby?
     Theo opened the door without responding.
     "Oh, and no more swimming, okay, sweetie?" Melinda called as he walked out the door.
     "Yeah, yeah," Theo replied. He pulled the door shut behind him, and saw the white world of snow. A cold breeze bit his nose and tips of his ears.
I don't need this, Theo thought as he started to pull the scarf off of himself. I can survive on my own. Theo stopped, rather shocked at himself for using the word 'survive.' A small moment passed, and Theo pulled the scarf back on, this time pushing the extra length to his back. Theo felt the welcoming warmth. It's cold out here anyway, Theo thought, and carried on.
     As Theo continued along the snowy trail, he felt a sharp realization. Did I just bring a knife with me to school?