Where Jezebel Went | ✔

Chapter One

I arrived at my home an hour after I had started the fire, taking pleasure in the unwinding chaos and desperate screams that reverberated in the entire neighbourhood. As I tried to sneak in through the front door, I heard mother's shaky voice, "Liam?"

I froze, holding my breath. Why wasn't she asleep?

She emerged in the corridor, dressed in a pink nightie and her frizzy hair disheveled. Her coal black eyes shone under the dim light as she approached me, her slender hands gripping my chin, urging me to look at her. I swallowed hard, averting my eyes to the floor.

"Where were you the entire night Liam?" she inquired, knowing too well that I was absent from home. Suddenly, she thrusted her face close to mine. "Where were you? This is unacceptable behaviour. You're not supposed to leave the bed till I wake you up in the morning. I'm disappointed in you."

I had upset mother, I had let her down.

She sniffed, her head tilting up, smelling the petrol and smoke that my clothes reeked of. "Speak now!"

"I burned his house! I burned Josh!" I broke down, hot tears flowing down my cheeks. "I didn't mean to worry you---"

She started to violently strip my stinking clothes, clawing at the buttons and nearly ripping the fabric. I stood there shamefully, my Batman t-shirt and trousers dropping on the floor. Next, she pulled down my underpants and once naked, she grabbed my arm firmly, dragging me behind her.

I watched her in guilt, crossing my arms in front of my body as she drew me a bath in the bathroom, dipping her fingers in the filled tub to check the temperature. Her fingers were a blood red when she withdrew. She then gestured me to get in and I reluctantly did, the boiling hot water prickling my bare skin. My body ached everywhere, but I didn't deserve any better. I had displeased mother.

She crouched beside the tub and cupped my wet cheeks. "You had been a very bad boy today. You went outside without my permission. You went out alone in the dark. There are monsters . . . "

Who'll eat you whole without any mercy. Mother won't be there to protect you.

". . . who'll eat you without any mercy. Mother won't be there to protect you then," she finished and I didn't interrupt her.

Mother hated when I intervened in her business.

Applying deliberate pressure, she wiped the snot below my nose. My skin felt raw and it throbbed at that spot. I didn't complain, mother didn't appreciate it.

"I'm so sorry mother, I didn't mean to anger you. I-I had to do this, I had to punish Josh. He had been lying! Liars are bad people. Bad people need to be punished," I explained desolately and she stared at me, an unfathomable emotion glinting in her eyes.

I had seen that look after she made my left eye droopy, it hurt that time, I was praying this time it shouldn't. Everyone at school already called me weird, I couldn't imagine what else they would call if my other eye appeared equally miserable. Instinctively, I shrank back.

"I'm sorry---"

"You didn't burn anything tonight, do you hear me? You didn't do anything wrong."

"But mother I---"

"Listen to me Liam!" she raised her voice, then almost instantly softened her tone, "When the cops come, you know nothing about the fire. You were sleeping here. You never left your dear mother's side."

I nodded obediently, knowing she expected me to do so. 

Her demeanour changed within seconds and she smiled slowly, patting my shoulder dotingly. "Lovely Liam. My sweet, sweet boy. Clean yourself properly and I'll go make you warm cocoa."