Broken Crayons Still Colour

Chapter 8

~Emma's POV~

I woke up what must have been hours later because it was light outside. I tried sitting up but both of my arms were completely dead and I was very weak. I was back in my own room so Master Henderson must have bandaged up my arms and then carried me into my room. A few minutes later, Master Henderson came in and noticed I was up. "Ah, you're up. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes. Thank you, Master." I was really scared because he was being kind. He still had a straight face, but it was better than him screaming at me, so I was happy. He came towards me and asked, "Can you feel your arms?" I shook my head,
"No Master."
"You're still going to have to go to school because I need to go to work, but you can go to class with me and do your work there, so nobody is suspicious of your arms."
"Yes, Master." He pulled the covers off me, picked me up and took me to the kitchen. He sat me on the kitchen counter as he started to take my blood covered bandages off. I flinched as he slowly peeled them off and replaced them with new bandages. He then picked me up, took me back into my bedroom and sat me on the side of the bed.

I became extremely nervous as he started to take my shirt off. He didn't say a thing as he grabbed my school clothes and dressed me. I could tell he was enjoying it. He was trying his hardest not to smirk the whole time, closing his eyes once in a while to compose himself, as he purposely rubbed his cold hands around, feeling my body, not caring about how I felt about it. This made me extremely uncomfortable. I had been thinking about that sort of thing a few weeks prior, about what would happen if he got bored of verbally and physically abusing me, and began to want more... I shivered at the thought of it. When he had finished dressing me, he left the room with my blazer, put it on the kitchen counter and then came back into my room, picking me up once again. 

He took me to the kitchen table, sat me down and gave me a hot water bottle. He placed it on my arms and said, "Hopefully this should make you start having a bit of feeling in your arms." He went and got some cereal out if the cupboard. "I know I don't usually give you breakfast, but you really need to eat something. You lost a lot of blood last night and I don't want you to pass out again." I nodded my head as he started feeding me. I felt extremely awkward and I could tell Master Henderson was enjoying this as well. Once I finished, he washed everything up, and then picked me up and took me to his car. "I'll only be a second. I just need to get your blazer and my coat." I nodded my head and he walked back into the house. He came back out, got in the car and then started driving.

He was being worryingly kind, the majority of the drive. The first thing he asked was, "So, who are your friends at school? You seem to hang around with people older than you a lot."
"I spend most of my time with 2 Sixth Formers, Master."
"And who are these Sixth Formers?"
"James Craig and Chris Winkless-Clark, Master. They both do A-Level Maths, Science and Music."
"I see. How did you come to know them?"
"They are both in String Group, Master. I know everyone in String Group quite well because there are only 6 of us."
"Ah. Do you hang around with anyone your age?"
"No. Not really, Master... Nobody my age really likes me..."
"What about that boy you were talking to in Computing when you were going against my rules?" He raised his voice a bit at the end which startled me.
"I'm sorry, Master." I looked down at my lap to avoid eye contact.
"It's okay. You have been punished for it and you won't do it again... What about the boy?"
"I have only spent about 2 hours with him, so I don't really know much about him, Master." He nodded his head and we sat quietly for the rest of the drive. When we reached the school, we went straight to Master Henderson's office, where he told me to sit down. He then asked me, "Do you have any more feeling in your arms yet Emma?"
"A bit Master, but not enough to use them for anything. I have already tried lifting them but they're not strong enough, Master."
"You may have to miss classwork today if you cannot use your hand to write..."
"If I still cannot use them by the start of school, I can catch up on all of the class work later, Master." I said, completely innocently when suddenly Master Henderson slapped me and shouted, "You will do no such thing! Do you even remember why your side is completely bruised! The only lessons you will EVER catch up on are Computing and PSHCE, which you have neither today! Unless your behaviour improves today, your punishment will end with you being hospitalised! Do you hear me?!" I was completely speechless so all I did was nod my head, and he replied with, "That isn't a great start, is it Emma... Do I have to bring back what I did to you the week I first adopted you?" I shook my head violently and said,
"N...No, Master..." I hadn't stuttered in front of Master Henderson since I first met him, which definitely showed him that I understood. He then completely relaxed and said to me, "You are going to come to the lessons I am teaching today. You are not allowed to talk at all once you enter those classrooms and if you do..." He paused for a second. "You will be punished..."