Current...Past...Sin...Alexander...Forum...Notes...Survey...D-land

Possession?
2004-02-21 - 10:07 p.m.

When Lex finally awoke, he cautiously made his way up the stairs and into the boathouse. From the opening, I saw the man who was across from Lex. His clothes were tattered and he seemed so angry, so hateful. I scanned his mind and found exactly that: He was hateful towards someone, or some persons, and just wanted to get away.

I was unable to look any further into his mind, however, because the man suddenly attacked Lex, throwing him back down into the basement. When I tried to question Lex, he acted cold to me, even though I had done nothing. I was agitated and insulted, and decided to leave to seek out this man myself, as I was curious to delve deeper into his mind.

I hurried up the stairs and without trying, I opened the door, breaking the bolt that held it closed.

I saw him running towards the manor, so I followed, but then he fell swiftly to the ground. As I approached, I saw that he had slipped on a patch of mud and had twisted his ankle slightly in the process. He was lying on his stomach with his head buried in his arms. His body shook with sobs. I looked into his mind, and did not find the malicious, villainous man that I had seen earlier, but instead, only a frightened and distressed boy. I was utterly confused.

"Please," the boy sniffled, having heard me approach. "Please don't tell them�"

"Tell who? Tell them what?" I asked, confused, kneeling down next to him.

"That Paul tried to escape!" the boy cried. "They'll hurt Teddy if they find out! Don't tell, please don't tell� they'll hurt Teddy� they'll kill Teddy!"

I didn't understand the situation at all. He called the person who has fought Lex "Paul" as though it were someone other than himself. I had seen a ferocious, beastly man attack Lex, the same man that was now boyish and sniffling in front of me. I was truly confused, but to calm the boy's franticness, I replied soothingly, "I won't tell. Calm down.... It's alright now. No one will know, I promise." I pulled him up to sit in front of me so as to get him off the muddy ground. With a choked sob, he threw his arms around me, still frightened that I might tell someone what he--or Paul, rather--had done.

I stroked his matted hair gently and murmured words of comfort until he stopped crying a few minutes later. I felt him go limp in my arms for a few seconds, then he pulled away from me suddenly.

His eyes widened, and he said, "How did I get here?" His voice was now more mature, more fitting of his age. I looked into his mind again and found characteristics of a completely different person. Again I was confused.

I asked, "You don't remember?"

He looked down at his ripped and muddied clothing and creased his brow. "Lord, I must done something terrible," he said, then added, "But I did not do anything. I do not remember... What has happened?"

"You� you don't remember?" I asked again. I scanned his mind quickly, discovering that he really did have no idea what was going on.

"But how did I get here?" he questioned once more.

"I don't know," I answered, then asked, "�what's your name?"

"Theodore," he replied simply.

I though back to what he had said earlier while he was distressed. "You're Teddy?"

"My relatives call me thus," he answered, slightly confused.

"Why are 'they' trying to hurt you?" I asked, concerned.

"I do not know what you are talking about," he replied, his voice sincere.

"But you just said� Oh, nevermind," I decided to change the subject. "Do you live there?" I pointed to the LeNoir manor. He nodded, so I stood up and said, "Come on, then. I'll take you home. You need some new clothes." I slung one of his arms around my shoulders to help support him as he walked, as his ankle still caused him discomfort.

A young woman answered the door, looking most distressed. She gaped when she saw Theodore. "Teddy? Teddy, where have you been?! What have you gotten yourself into?!" she was near frantic with worry. She shouted back to a maid within the house to prepare a bath for Theodore.

A dark-haired man behind her offered, "Well, do not just stand there, man; come inside."'

I stepped inside, Theodore's arm still across my shoulders.

The young woman asked, "Teddy, what have you done to yourself? You are tattered and muddy! But, oh--thank you so very much for bringing him back, monsieur. I am Christine LeNoir, Teddy's sister, and this is my husband, Marc." Despite my being angry with Lex, I was excited to finally find some of Lex's family, though I had no idea how they were related to him. "I hope he was no trouble for you," Christine added.

"I'm Sindor Arnon," I stated. "And it was really no problem--"

"Monsieur Arnon, surely you jest!" Marc replied. "One does not come back home looking like Theodore and have had caused no problems!"

"Marc, please!" Christine said, wiping dirt from Theodore's face with her handkerchief. Theodore looked to the ground, confused and ashamed.

Before anyone could say anything more, a maid entered stating that Theodore's bath was ready. He slowly let go of me, then gingerly walked by himself down the corridor, holding onto the wall or other furniture for support. His brow was still knit in confusion as he walked away from us.

"He's telling the truth�" I said to Marc and Christine. "He really doesn't remember�"

"Nonsense," Marc replied, still agitated.

"Truly, Monsieur Arnon, the Abbot Francis--that's the local vicar--says it must be possession," Christine explained regretfully. "He seems possessed by demons who control his body--that is what the abbot said--and so he remembers nothing when these possessions take place. Teddy is such a good boy� the abbot said the Devil taunts the pure-hearted. It's been like this for several years, monsieur, and there is no other explanation for it."

I dismissed the talk of the possession; stories of demons and devils had no validity to me. "Earlier he spoke as if he was just a lad. He said there were some people who were going to harm him, or had harmed him in the past. Do you know anything about this?"

Christine looked away and stammered, "Of course not."

There was something odd afoot in this LeNoir household, but I decided not to press the matter.

"So what exactly did he do this time?" Marc asked, changing the subject.

"Nothing major," I lied, not wanting Theodore to get into any more trouble. "He tripped in the mud and twisted his ankle." I purposely failed to mention anything about the attempted 'escape.' I did not think Theodore was frightened that Christine or Marc would hurt him, but I had promised not to tell anyone, so I did not.

"It looks like he was in a scuffle of some sort!" Marc assumed.

"Well, only a little one� my friend unintentionally surprised Theodore, and in fright, Theodore struck at him," I lied again. "His clothes must have got torn somehow in the process."

"Is your friend alright?" Christine asked, concerned.

"I do not know; I left him outside," I replied indifferently.

"Well, do go fetch him, Monsieur Arnon!" Christine said. "What if he is hurt? Bring him here so we can take a look at him to see if he has any wounds."

"I'm sure he's alright." I figured his hurts would have healed by now.

"Nonsense," Marc countered. "I pray you, bring the chap in here or my wife will have a fit. Furthermore, Theodore, I am sure, will be delighted to apologize."

I had no choice but to agree. I exited the house, promising to return shortly. I headed back to the boathouse swiftly to find Alexander and take him up to the house.

*All the rights to Sindor (the graphics and text included) belong to Leah Jenner. No reproduction or republication without written permission.