In the Arms of a Villain

6

"Good. Keep that up," I smile slightly.

"Hair up, eyes down, now...sizzle."

She jumps back. "It popped on me!"

I narrow my eyes. "I will not tolerate weakness! Now turn the burger over."

"Roy it's hot!"

"Flip the burger! If you don't, you will starve today!"

"But the oil—!"

"Do you want to eat? If you do, flip the burger!"

"But I—"

I narrow my eyes. "Don't tell me I wasted a week weaning you off the toaster for you to tell me you can't use the stove. As a villain you will use heat for multiple things. Burning people, making cookies—important things!"

She nodded with determination. "Yes Roy! I will!"

She flipped the burger. The oil popped and burned her.

I sigh, as she flinched. I grab a towel, wiping the oil.

"After a while, it won't be so bad, okay? But for now, I'll help you. Learning to feed yourself is the first step to independence."

I step back, and watch her cook. She's doing alright. Standing in front of the pan, not even flinching anymore.

She's getting better.

I turn the TV on. Her interest is immediately turned.

"Keep paying attention to the pan or It'll burn!" I scold her. "But listen. This is how children learn these days. It's why they're such little shits."

I keep the TV on and she quietly finishes cooking, fixing herself a plate and sitting down at my feet.

She watches the TV with intense interest. I smirk, and hand her my phone.

"Search. Anything you want to know you can find it on the internet."

"Everything on the internet is true?"

"No."

"Is everything on TV true?"

"No."

"So, why am I watching to be smarter?"

I smirk. "Because theres always a lesson it. You learn a lot about evil based on entertainment. Look. This is a video of several people, hurting someone else, for no reason. Do you know it's on the internet?"

She shook her.

"Someone had to stand there. Silently. Watching. Filming. Doing nothing to help, content standing in the sidelines, documenting horror like it wasn't right in front of them. That's what humans are now," I smile. "Evil, bystanders or victims."

She frowned. "Society is numb to suffering, even their own. And yet, they're also so sensitive that even the slightest thing takes away their will to live. That's why I terrorize them, because they're useless."

She search things like wild fire. I see her eyes scanning the pages like crazy. She reads very quickly.

She's smart.

"This, is this real," she points to the TV her eyes on the phone.

It's a rom com. "Depends. It's not common, and that ideals presented are unrealistic especially for a villain. But it exists. Somewhere. I guess."

She swipes the screen and I change the channel.

"What about that?" She asked, looking up, pointing to something.

It's the definition of evil. Profoundly immoral and wicked.

"No. To be evil...is to be immoral and wicked when you know you have a choice not to be. To evil, is in the crucial moment when you don't have time to think of what's right, you do what wrong. And like it. That's evil."

She nodded, studiously looking over other the material I've given her.

Her hair falls in her eyes as she switches her focus between the phone and the TV. Constantly consuming the media of today will corrupt her faster than I can by word of mouth.

I leave her there for a while. I leave the house, and start my walk of terror. When she's better at this stuff I'll take her with me.

Wonder what kinda dumb face she'll make?

Mister Lawful Good is waiting. His eyes narrow, arms crossed.

I roll my eyes. "What?"

"She hasn't come out of your house in two days. Since you set fire to that building,"

"I did no such thing. And she's reading. Isn't it illegal for you to be on my property without my permission."

"Technically not. Black—"

"My name is Roy," I growl.

"And your soul is black. Leave her alone."

I smirk. "How could I?" I step toward him. "She begged me to take her and teach everything I know. I only went, what do you say? Where I'm needed."

He grits his teeth. "Black!"

"Maybe I'll tech her a lesson in your behalf? She's got a lot of questions about how make babies. Maybe that's what I'll teach her next."

He shakes in indignation. I chuckle.

"You really get too fucking riled up.
Mind your business, sheriff. The chances of me killing you are low right now," I start walking away.

"But they're never zero."