The Serpent and His Girl

Sister

         A crashing sound awoke her. Her heart pounding, she pulled back the silk covers. Lowering her feet to the ground, her movements were hushed by the soft carpet. She crept to the doorway, peeking out. There was only a soft light coming from the kitchen, down the hall. Another crash makes her jump.

    She slips down the rest of the hallway, her back pressed firmly against the wall.

"Fuck!" Someone whispers. She slowly tiptoes to the kitchen threshold, peeking in. She raises her arm, prepared to strike at the intruder. She gasps, putting her other hand over her heart.

"Polly! Oh my goodness you scared me!" Veronica exclaims, clutching her chest. Polly jumps slightly, turning around bashfully.

"I'm so sorry, I just thought since I couldn't sleep I'd make some tea quietly." She winces, gesturing to the broken tea cups on the floor. "Clearly I wasn't being as quiet as I thought."

Veronica giggles lightly, and Polly raises an eyebrow.

"Uh, Veronica?" She gestures to Veronica's raised arm, holding a heavy perfume bottle and ready to strike.

"Oh, my bad. Daddy always told me to be careful," she explains, lowering her arm. "Here, let me."

Polly sits at the counter as Veronica grabs a mug for her, then turns on the stove to boil the water in the teapot.

"Are you comfortable besides being nearly attacked at almost-" Veronica looks at the clock,"three in the morning?"

Polly nods, "It's a lot better than my previous 'home', that's for sure."

"Polly," Veronica bites her lip, hesitating. "Where were you all these years? Why haven't you, why were you-"

Polly sighs.

"Well, I probably should tell you to know what to tell Sheriff Keller tomorrow huh?" She chuckles bitterly. "A couple of years ago, maybe a year or two before you got here, I was coming home late from cheer practice. I didn't even like cheer, it was just what my mother wanted me to do. Practice had run late, and I was rushing home. It was past dinner, and I knew, I knew that my mom was gonna be so mad. And I also knew that she would take it out on Betty, and I couldn't let that happen. So, I tried to get home before it started. I was too late. She was two bottles of merlot in, with no plans of stopping. I walked down the hall after hearing thuds." Polly stops, a tear slipping down her face as her breath catches.

"Polly, what happened?" Veronica holds her hands in her own. Polly takes in a shaky breath.

"She was tossing her around like she was, like she was a rag doll. Betty wasn't responding, she was out cold. But mom kept screaming at her, telling her the reason I was late coming home was that I didn't want to have to spend time at home, living with my fat idiot sister. It broke my heart Veronica, and I knew if I didn't do something fast Betty would only get hurt worse. So, I called my dad. I thought maybe he could help. He never picked up, so it was up to me. I quickly called the police, but as soon as she looked up and saw me dial 9-1-1, I was on the ground. She ripped the phone out of my hand. I pushed her off, grabbed Betty, and ran to Fred's. Told him she fell real bad, that my mom was too freaked out to drive her to the hospital. Fred knew something was up, he kept asking me if I was sure Betty fell. I just kept telling him she fell because," Polly sucks in a breath, tears streaming down her face. "Because I was trying to save her. My mom I mean. I thought-I don't know what I thought. That maybe her hurting Betty enough to have to go to the hospital would make her change? That our old mom would come back, she'd change. But I was so wrong, so fucking wrong. The next day after cheer, she was at the kitchen counter with a cup of tea. Behind her, there were these two men. And they dragged me off, claimed I needed some mental rehabilitation or some crap. That I was seeing things. But I know what I saw. I know what she did to her."

Polly breaks down, sobbing. Veronica comes around, holding her. Rubbing Polly's back, she soothes her.

"I knew I had to get out and save her. I knew it, and I tried for two years. Every day as a form of 'therapy' to 'heal my mind' I was shocked, bound, and forced to do heavy manual labor. But I thought of leaving all the time. I made exit plans, got myself some supplies. And I waited. And finally, the night of the rally. They loosened security because they needed most of the personnel to man the rally and help the search. I made my escape, and ran through the backwoods until I reached town hall."

"Polly, that's unimaginably horrific. I'm so sorry, but I'm so glad you're out of that place. Just so they know, just so they can shut that place down and investigate for wrongful keeping, where were you kept?" Veronica asks.

"The Sisters of Quiet Mercy" Polly says darkly.