Acid Eyes: Part 2

Check here for Part 1!

As promised, I bring you the conclusion of last week's teaser. What do you think?

My heart leaped at these words, but I refused to let her see my excitement. I put my head down, hiding my smile in the collar of my starched shirt.

“But Miss…” Another upraised hand cut short Professor James’s words.

“It is clear that Karl had nothing to do with whatever Wilhelm has been up to, so let’s not waste his time. Perhaps, you could escort him to his next class.” Her voice pushed him toward the door.

Professor James nodded his head and reached out to place his hand on Karl’s shoulder. “It looks like your lucky day, my boy. Time for you to get to class.”

“It is not, however, your lucky day, Wilhelm,” Headmistress Valentine held the door open for me.

I disagreed with her but only in my head. Any stolen moment with her felt like a reward. Only a boyish crush could fill my otherwise sane mind with such foolish thoughts. Too caught up in my fancies to care, I stepped lightly into her office.

As I sat down in the solidly uncomfortable wooden chair reserved for visitors, she followed me into the room. The clicking of her heels stopped just behind me. I started to twist around to face her, but she placed one hand gently on my head to keep my eyes pointed forward.

“I’ll keep this short, Wilhelm. I don’t want you to be brought to my office again. If you get in any more trouble, the professor who catches you will choose your punishment.”

“I…” I started to speak but her grip on my head tightened.

“Don’t argue. I know you’re a good boy. You just enjoy coming to my office too much.” As she spoke, she released her grip and circled around to sink into the high-backed wooden chair behind her desk.

She focused large, dark eyes on me. I winced under her harsh gaze, finally lowering my eyes to the floor. We sat in silence a few seconds longer before she cleared her throat.

“You do understand?”

I raised my eyes to look into hers as I sullenly agreed. “Yes, ma’am.”

“You may go.” She gestured toward the door before turning her attention to a thin pile of papers on her desk.

I waited a moment, watching her in silence. She didn’t acknowledge my presence. Finally, I turned away from her and stepped out the door. The bell rang as I reached the courtyard. Plodding steps carried me to my next class. The rest of the day slipped past as a numbing haze fell over my heart and mind. I couldn’t recall anything that happened after I looked into Headmistress Valentine’s eyes and saw only disappointment and annoyance. Her expression continued to haunt me as I crawled under my blankets and hoped for the swift arrival of dreams.

~

I woke with a start. As my eyes furtively scanned the room, I listened for any indication of what had awakened me. At first, I only heard my own shallow breathing. Then I realized someone else exhaled out of sync with me. Assured that my roommate, Hubert, slept on the twin bed against the opposite wall, I looked toward him. Unmade blankets revealed empty sheets.

“We need to talk.” A surprisingly familiar voice echoed in the darkness.

I peered toward the foot of my bed, finally discerning a feminine form. “Headmistress?”

At my words, a soft light glowed around her, illuminating her face in a blue glow. “Of course. You still want to talk to me, don’t you?”

“But, you said…”

“I have reconsidered. I need you to keep playing your pranks, so we can see each other.” Her voice cracked and changed as she spoke, becoming more masculine.

“I don’t know.” I bit my lip as my skin began to crawl.

Resuming soft, feminine tones, she tried again. “You’re not really hurting anyone.”

“I almost got Karl in trouble today.”

“But you didn’t.” She offered a reassuring smile.

“But I could have…” She opened her mouth to speak but I interrupted. “And some of my pranks are a little dangerous.”

“Now is no time to grow up and take responsibility.” Her voice changed again as she mocked me, sounding more like a growl than a caress.

“You’d never say that.” At my declaration, something twitched behind her back.

“I wouldn’t.” The admission caused the façade to fade.

Those rich, brown eyes disintegrated first, as if acid ate them away from the inside. High, softly rounded cheeks dissolved next, losing their hint of pink in a wash of orange red. The color spread to the rest of her face and the soft curve of her neck. Her teeth morphed into long fangs. Her forehead widened and lengthened to make room for twisted horns of blackened bone. Now a man with burnt red skin stood gazing at me. A forked tail undulated slowly back and forth, the only outward sign of his frustration.

“Why wouldn’t you let me keep leading you with honey? I need more rascals like you. I can’t lose even one.” The hoarse whisper echoed through the room.

“Are you…?” I couldn’t allow the name to cross my lips.

“Just do what I want. It’ll be fun…” Surveying my face, he added, “And I won’t have to hurt you.”

“I can’t.” Despite the fear, I forced out my denial.

“You will.” He hissed and steam poured from his mouth.

He took a step toward me. I pulled the blankets tighter around me. He took another step, exposing his fangs in a horrid grin. I closed my eyes. He touched my arm, encircling my wrist with his long fingers. My flesh began to burn, searing pain coursed up my arm. Acrid smoke filled my nose, causing my closed eyes to water. I whimpered as he coiled the fingers of his other hands around my other wrist.

“Go ahead. Make me keep hurting you.” He laughed.

I screamed.

~

“Wilhelm, wake up.” Hubert’s round face peered down at me in the soft glow of the desk lamp.

“Hubert?” I stared at him, looking for some sign of deception. Reassured by the innocence of his sleep-fuddled face, I relaxed.

“You okay?” He released my shoulders unconsciously wiping at thin crusts of powdered sugar that always found a home in the corners of his mouth.

“Yeah. I’m fine. Just a nightmare.”

After a few more moments of scrutiny, Hubert nodded understanding and padded back to his bed.

“It’ll be okay, Wilhelm.” He offered before pulling his own covers over his head.

“Thanks.” I offered more for the comfort of the light than his words.

As I gazed at the burning bulb, I decided to change the course of my life. I decided to no longer find reasons to be called into the headmistress’s office. I’d have step down as the leader of our pack of ragtag boys. I sighed. In fact, I may no longer hold claims to popularity, but hopefully the nightmares won’t return.