The Astounding Swarm

Chapter One: Scarlett Fairchild

CHAPTER ONE:

Scarlett Fairchild

“I need you to get rid of this scar.” I announced as I lifted the small, light blue crop top over my head revealing the dark purplish, jagged reminder of a night I was trying so hard to forget. I could tell the man was fascinated as he traced the length of my scar with his clammy finger all the way from the top of my neck, trailing down to my right shoulder and ending where the skin of my middle finger met the end of my fingernail. I shuddered as he lifted his touch from my skin, a small smile on his unusually tight lipped face making him look ten times scarier than he already did but I knew I had no other choice but to come to him. I had literally tried everything else in my power to remove the scar and I was sick and tired of applying bottles upon bottles of concealer each and every day. No, I would suck it up for the couple of hours this would surely take, then go home and forget the scar, and this dark, musky room that helped solve everything.

“Well, I can get rid of that scar of yours Scarlett, but first you have to tell me why you want it gone so badly.” The man who simply referred to himself as The Cure replied before coughing up a lung into his nasty, tattered handkerchief. I bit my lip, hesitant to revisit that terrible night but Tessa, one of my best friends from school had warned me that this would be the cost of getting fixed so of course I had no other choice but to tell this strange man a story that I hadn't told in nearly eleven years.

“My mom and dad were asleep one night and it was storming outside, the dogs were whining and barking like crazy, the thunder was booming and lightning was lighting up my bedroom and me, I had a phobia of thunderstorms at the time so of course I was terrified, but what was I supposed to do, so I ended up just white knuckling my barbie blanket and I waited for the storm to pass.” I spoke as the memory played out in my mind, so vivid that it was as if I was literally there and as much as I wanted to stop, for some reason the words just kept spilling out of my mouth, the vision just kept going and there was no pause button in sight.

“All of a sudden I heard a loud bang and even though there were thunderous booms every three minutes, I knew that something was off. So, like I said before I was terrified, more so at that point then ever but my curious nature kind of took over and I just had to take a look. I hopped out of bed and tiptoed through the dark hallway, down the stairs and into the living room where a dark figure was hovering over my dogs, who seemed unusually quiet and calm given the circumstances. Of course I just assumed it was my father who was giving the dogs treats or something because they had woken him up but when the figure turned around to face me, the hazy moon light streaming through the large windows and revealing this mans face, proved that my thoughts had been wrong.” I let out a loud sigh, looking over to The Cure, who seemed as if he was on the edge of his seat, I on the other hand wanted nothing but to evade the nightmarish tale and spin a web of happiness but I knew I couldn't, so I continued on.

“So there I was, face to face with the stranger who had somehow managed to break into my house. I was stuck frozen, I literally couldn't run from the spot I was in, couldn't yell, couldn’t even cry as the man walked towards me, a devilish smile on his tight-lipped face. He stopped short about a foot before me and in a whispery voice that I will never forget he asked me one thing. He asked me for my name. So I stared at him, my eyes wide as saucers and unable to speak a word as he lunged at me, grabbing the collar of my pajama shirt, asking the question again and again with that voice of his. 'S-s-scarlett' I was finally able to squeak and then he let me go, dropping me to the floor in a heap and I was foolish because I actually thought he would leave after that... ” I trailed as I rubbed at the scar on my arm subconsciously.

“Go on.” The Cure demanded as he motioned towards my scar. “You still haven't told me how you acquired that magnificent thing. How do you expect me to rid of it if you still haven't told me how it came to be? I need details.” I narrowed my eyes at him, annoyed that he even had the nerve to call something so hideous 'magnificent' but of course, I had no other choice but to carry on.

“He told me the name Scarlett didn't suit me. That he could make it suit me and I was too scared to answer so maybe he just took that as assurance, I don't know but about two seconds later he pulled a small pocket knife out of his tattered, leather jacket and I remember the way it gleamed when he lifted it in the air. I also remember how it felt when he glided that same knife from my neck to my right hand, ignoring my screams of agony before he ran out of the living room, disappearing into the darkness and leaving me there bleeding on the floor. My parents ran in soon after but it was too late, the deed was done. I'll never forget that man though, because he was the one who put real meaning to my name.”

I could feel tears stinging my eyes as The Cure clapped furiously. He stood up from the stool he was sitting on and walked over to the metal bolted door at the end of the room, unbolting it before standing there as if he was showing me out. I looked at him, utterly confused as to what exactly was going on, I had given him what he wanted, so what was his problem? “I need you to get rid of this scar.” I said for the second time since being in the room but he just stood there, a small smile on his face.

“I'm afraid I can't get rid of that scar.” He said simply as he stood by the door, unmoving. I pounded my fist on the small wooden table full of surgical tools next to me sending scalpels flying through the air.

“What the hell do you mean? I gave you everything!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, the tears I'd been trying so hard to suppress flowing freely now as I looked at him painfully.

“No Scarlett, I gave you everything.” A whispery voice answered and my own caught in my throat. It was him. .