Warlock's Storm [Completed]

Chapter Three - The Sob Story

Everyone has a sad story. A sob story that pulls at the heart strings. Samantha's story was really not so bad. It's not like she came from a war-torn country. She wasn't a refugee fleeing terrorism. There were lots of things that had never happened to her. In fact, to many people, her life seemed pretty darned tootin' good. And in many ways it was.

The sobbing part started when her parents split up when she was a baby. The details are not so important. She couldn't remember them anyway. How important could things be if one cannot remember them? She assumed, not very. However, after the divorce, her father had moved away and she couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him. She missed him. And that was sad. When she visited with friends, she saw how nice it could be to have a dad. Father's Day sucked the big one.  It never failed that they always did something special at school for Father's Day. She was lost.

It wasn't that her mother didn't try to provide a stable home, in fact, in some ways it was that her mother had to try so hard. She provided a nice apartment for Samantha to live in. They had some nice things. But her mom had to work two jobs to provide for Samantha and that meant Samantha spent quite a bit of time alone. It also meant that when her mom was home, she was tired. She was only human, after all and she had to sleep, right? Sometimes Sam felt like she had to face the world on her own. However, it was not very long before her mother remarried  a pretty cool dude. And she was found. She had a dad. And, more importantly, she had a mother who wasn't exhausted anymore.

This particular step-dad was very kind and loving. He also happened to be a pretty good athlete and his job playing tennis led them around the world to various places. Samantha was still quite young during this time and with all of the new places, it was inevitable that she would become lost again. She wasn't lost in the same way as when she missed her dad... she just never felt like she was home.

Finally they settled down and had a home again. She went to school and made some friends. And she was found.

One fateful day, while she was playing with her Barbie dolls in her bedroom, she could hear arguing. She crawled silently along the wall towards the kitchen so she could hear better. She needed to know what was going on. But she never really did get a good understanding. She just knew that he wasn't around any more after that. Her mom, once again, had to kick work life into high gear. And Sam felt lost in the world again.

After a time, her mother found a new partner in life. He seemed nice enough. And Samantha was found once again. This new, successful lawyer promised them the world. Her mom quit her job and they moved to a country almost exactly half way around the world. Life was exciting and full of adventure. He had lots of money and spent it lavishly on Sam and her mother. He smiled as he watched them enjoy his gifts. As they travelled to their new home, they lived in luxury and wanted for nothing.

Sam didn't feel lost until his true colours started to show. He was just so mean to Sam and to her mother once they settled into life so faraway from family and friends. He hit them and yelled at them. He cursed her and touched her. He called her so many names that she started to believe them. She was lost in a way she'd never been lost before. She lost parts of her that she didn't know she could lose. It wouldn't be easy for them to escape from under his merciless control. They had no supports in their new home. They didn't know anyone. They were alone. He might bring the occasional gift, but only after maltreatment. He might smile indulgently, but only after particular harshness.

After five years, others started to see him for what he really was as well. And while many men who abuse the women in their lives can put forth an appealing front for long periods of time, this particular man began to treat other people in his working life with some maliciousness as well. They politely asked him to leave. He decided to take them back to their own country and Samantha started to feel like she might be found again. Perhaps she could find herself again.

But, her mother never left and therefore never gave her a chance. She would stay lost.... close to home, but not home. With a dad who was no dad. Never alone, but always alone. Still lost.

And here she was. Lost in this small town with things crumbling around her on every front. This was the story that she told Tyler as she looked into his soul through the storm.  And he listened. And he cared. And she was found. And this time she was found for good.

~~

Tyler looked at her and wondered where she got her strength. Sure, there were people who had it worse, but she'd gone through a lot in the past 15 years. While their situations were worlds apart, he felt a connection with her that he hadn't felt before with any other being. In that moment, he decided that she would never have to be alone again. Ever.

"The last person in that story... he's your step-father now?"

"Yeah. He's pretty horrible."

"Uh, yeah, I'd say so. What would you like to see happen to him?" Tyler asked this question with a quiet confidence that Samantha found rather unnerving. She was afraid to tell him about her violent fantasies. What kind of person envisioned things like that so vividly? She struggled internally, totally humiliated by her weakness. The silence stretched for a few long seconds. "Okay, so leave that to my imagination then, I guess." He smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile back.

"How did you know about my 'rough lunch break'?" And now it was his turn to look uncomfortable, which she didn't expect. "What? What do you think happened to me during lunch?"

"Well, it only takes someone with eyes to know that you were upset. And when I saw you leave, I just had a feeling you shouldn't be left alone. I hope you don't mind that I followed you." He sat beside her on the couch as put his arm around her shoulders.

"No, I don't mind. Thank you for coming. I needed to talk to someone. It helps." 

Tyler looked down at her through the corner of his eye and smiled to himself. Maybe it does, he thought, maybe I should try it some time. They sat on the couch, cuddled in, for a long time. Tyler thought about her past and what it meant for her present. No wonder she experienced such confusion and insecurity. He thought it was funny how people were influenced by their past. So fragile. But then he realized that her story wasn't in her past. It was still her present. She was still in the middle of her sob story. The thought filled him with a fury so forceful it almost scared him. He had grown very attached to this beautiful girl. He felt so protective of her. He couldn't let anything happen to her.

Tyler realized that Sam had actually fallen asleep in his arms. He slowly moved away, laid her down and looked at the design he'd put on her left wrist. It had faded. Watching over her had used up some of the magic. He took out his pen,  traced over the symbol and watched as it became more solid again. He smiled with satisfaction. He had joined them at the perfect time. He could read the intentions of those girls, and it hadn't been good. He was glad he had intervened when he did. His body sagged with relief as he watched her breathe deeply in peaceful sleep. He looked over at the sink. Then at the drawer where the blender was. She needs someone to look out for her, he thought, and I am just the Warlock to do it.