Back at the House

“Where is Jo?” Amelia asked Gilbert. “She was supposed to be here ten minutes ago. We are but a block away.”

“You mean Josie?” Gilbert asked. “That's what we agreed to call her in private, yes?”

“Yes,” Amelia said. “Where is she?”

“I don’t know,” Gilbert said. “Probably up to foolishness at school, or maybe she is disobeying us and staying at Alcott’s house.”

“She will get a severe punishment now,” Amelia said. “The girl is becoming rowdy. We have no use for her if she can’t know her place and do what she is told.”

“Josephine is nowhere near ready,” Gilbert said. “Ever since that day, we have been trying.”

Amelia began to silently weep. “Oh Lord! What have we done to deserve this? God. Why can’t you just heal our Josephine?”

“Josephine isn’t being devout enough,” Gilbert said. “Maybe we have to punish her more severely.”

“Perhaps,” Amelia said. She walked over to a locked drawer, and pulled out a key from her pocket. After unlocking the drawer, she pulled out a big wooden stake.

“That method should be used sparingly,” Gilbert said. “Josephine won’t recover for weeks after we cut her with that.”

“That should give her some proper motivation to pray to God more wholeheartedly," Amelia said. “Let’s visit Josephine now, while Josie is out doing whatever nonsense. Also be sure to lock the door, darling. Josie will have to wait if she wants to get into the house.”

Gilbert locked the front door. The door made a loud creak. Afterwards, Gilbert sighed and said “I don’t like to see our Josephine be writhing in pain for that long.”

Amelia walked over to Gilbert and caressed his cheek. “Darling, we must do this. It’s not just our daughter that is writhing in pain. It’s the demon inside her as well. Maybe if we hurt her just enough, the demon will escape her body. Or, she’ll be more sincere and forthright with God.”

“Alright. This will hurt our daughter, but it will also help her far more.”

“Very well,” Amelia said. “Let’s get armored up for protection and then go to the basement.”

They both walked down to the basement. Amelia unlocked the door, and entered the room where their daughter, Josephine was. The TV was still playing while she was sleeping on top of her Bible.

“WHAT A BLATANT DISGRACE!” Amelia screamed. She violently shook Josephine awake.

“WHA,” Josephine screamed. “Oh. M-mom and d-d-dad. How are you?”

“You were sleeping?” Gilbert asked.

“Yes,” Josephine looked down. “I sincerely apologize. I was just tired. I’ll read now-”

“This is just careless on your part,” Amelia said. “You know it isn’t even nighttime with our specially made tempered glass for you. This proves it. You simply do not care about changing your situation.”

“No,” Josephine cried. “I do. I do. I really care. I wish I could explore the outside world. I wish I could never crave blood again.”

“But you don’t care enough,” Amelia said. She showed Josephine the wooden stake.

Josephine stared at the stake in pure horror. Her eyes widened and she froze.

“Please don’t.”

“I’m afraid we must,” Amelia said. “This will make you think twice before sleeping on the Bible instead of reading it and absorbing God’s word.”

Josephine started to move back. Amelia walked closer as Josephine moved.

“I swear I’ll never sleep again,” tears filled her eyes. “J-j-just don’t touch me with that.”

“We’ll see afterwards,” Gilbert said.

“NO,” Josephine screamed. “NO!”

Amelia raised the stake, and stabbed Josephine’s thigh.

∞

At the school, twenty minutes later . . .

Twenty minutes had passed. Mr. Killian stopped reading his book, and looked at the clock.

“Looks like it’s time for me to switch to Mr. Lucas.”

“You children have been surprisingly good,” Mr. Killian. “Quiet.”

Josephine and Alcott didn’t say anything in response.

“Alright,” Mr. Killian said. “See you both tomorrow.” He walked out of the classroom.

“Alright. If you want to return to your house, now it's time,” Alcott said. “We can try to pry open the windows.”

“Yes,” Josephine said. They both got out of their seats and rushed toward a window.

“I’m not going to ask if you’re sure because I think I know the answer already,” Alcott said.

“Good,” Josephine said. They both started to pry open the windows. But the windows were indeed stiff, and proved immensely difficult. Suddenly they heard the knob turning.

As the door creaked open, Josephine and Alcott rushed back into their seats to see Mr. Lucas enter the room.

“Hello, Josephine and Alcott,” Mr. Lucas said. “Mr. Killian told me you both were very well behaved. So I have no worries.”

And I have many, Josephine thought.

After waiting for another dreadful thirty minutes, Mr. Lucas began to walk out of the room. As soon as the door closed, Josephine and Alcott rushed back to the window to try to open it again. After immense effort, they managed to pry open a slight opening in the window. But the knob turned again. Just like with Mr. Lucas, they had to rush back to their seats.

“Everything alright children?” Ms. Harrison asked.

“Yes,” they both said in unison.

Another thirty minutes passed before Ms. Harrison began to walk out. Josephine’s patience was beginning to wear thin. They rushed toward the window.

“We got an opening,” Alcott said. “If we make it larger, it’ll be noticeable. This is our last chance.”

“I know,” Josephine said. With all the strength they could muster, the windows cracked open inch by inch. Soon it was wide open. Suddenly the doorknob started turning.

“Go,” Alcott said. “I’ll take whatever punishment they offer me for allowing you to flee.”

“You’re the best,” Josephine smiled. She slipped through the window and landed headfirst on the grass.

“Ouch,” she cried. “But I need to run.”

With a mix of fear, pain, and exhilaration, Josephine started running as fast as she could home.