With These Hands

Amy Purdy was a saleswoman out on her job. She drove around town door to door in her car trying to make some sales on Avon products. She stumbled upon a castle on a hill as she drove. She stared at the house before driving up the hill. From the car she could see a small path that led to a garden. The garden was filled with many garden sculptures. There were many types, there was a serpent and a deer. And there were shrubs with bright colored flowers. Amy was mesmerized by the garden as she looked up at the giant mansion. She could see a shadow from on the windows as she began to walk closer to the house.

She walked down the path that led to the front door. She knocked and waited patiently for the owner to open. She looked around once more before slowly turning the door knob and pushing the door open. She slowly walked inside and looked around the mansion. There was dust around the surfaces and cobwebs forming over every corner. Amy saw what looked like some sort of machines or robots, different types of mechanical statues surrounding the dark mansion. She looked over at a stair case and saw the shadow again at the top of the stairs.

"Hello? I'm sorry to barge in but, I'm Amy Purdy, the representative of the local Avon." She called out as she walked up the stairs following the shadow. She continued to walk the stairs until she reached what seemed to be an empty attic. The floors and ceiling were made of old wood, the ceiling seemed to be collapsing. She looked around and found a certain part of the wall covered in paper. Amy walked over and took a closer look. There were newspaper articles and pictures of different people. She saw one newspaper article that titled 'Boy Born Without Eyes and Reads With Hands'. The front cover showed the boy indeed reading with his hands.

She looked up quickly when she heard a creaking sound. She saw a person hiding in the corner, she couldn't make out the person due to the darkness.
"Hello? Why are you hiding there? You don't need to be afraid." She reassured giving a warm smile. Her smile faded when she a glint of something shining caught her eye. The stranger was hold what looked like sharp knives. "Oh, I'm sorry I intruded. I'll just be on my way." Amy said as she turned to walk away.
"P-Please don't go." She heard a quiet voice say that made her stop.

She saw a young man walking closer to the light. He had dark long hair and pale white skin and icy blue eyes. He was wearing a black leather suit with chains and the knives in his hands were in fact large scissors.
"I'm incomplete." The young man said holding them up.
"Put those down please, we don't want anyone to get hurt." Amy warned. The young man lowered his hands slowly, a sad expression growing on his face. "A-Are those your hands?" Amy asked as she realized they were attached to him. The young man nodded. "Do you live here alone? Where are your parents?" She asked. The young man looked at her confused a bit. "Your parents? Your mother and father?"
"He hasn't woken up." The young man said. Amy nodded as she understood. As she looked closer at the young man she noticed he had scars all over his face.
"What happened to your face?" She asked as she reached her hand up to examine them. The young man flinched as Amy quickly took her hand back. "Um, here I have some peroxide so it won't get infected." Amy said opening her suitcase and taking out a bottle of peroxide and a cotton ball. She poured some of the liquid on the cotton ball and lightly dabbed it over the scars on the man's face. "What's your name?" She asked.
"Andrew." The man said quietly.
"Well, Andrew. I think you should come live with me."



Andrew looked around the neighborhood with a smile on his face as Amy drove. All the houses were painted in different colors, and the grass was as green as it was at his mansion. There were other cars and many people. Andrew looked as Amy parked in front of a blue house.
"Welcome to our home, Andrew." Amy said as she stepped out of the car and walked over to open the car door for Andrew. "Please come in, make yourself at home." She said as they both walked inside.

Andrew looked around the house in awe. It was a simple house with white walls, a couch, a small coffee table and a tv. Andrew looked around the walls and at the pictures hanging.
"These are some of our family pictures." Amy explained pointing at the different pictures. "Here's Paul and I. Paul is my husband. Oh, here's Paul with my son Kevin. This was when Kevin was six but now he's eleven years old." Andrew followed her finger at the small boy. His eyes drifted off to another picture. It was another boy. He was much older than the first one. With flawless skin and chocolate brown eyes, his hair long and dark. He was wearing make up and a black suit. He was absolutely breath taking.
"And this is my other son, Ashley." Amy said. "This was his junior prom with his girlfriend Stacy, he's a senior now." Amy said. Andrew looked at another picture and saw Ashley with another girl, who he presumed was Stacy.
"Let me show you around the house, Andrew." Amy said leading Andrew through a small hallway. "This is Paul's and mine room. Wait here and I'll get you some clothes. Paul's old clothes should fit you just fine." Amy said walking into her and over to her closet. Andrew looked around over the strange things in the house. He had never seen so many colors before.
"Here, try these on." Amy said handing Andrew some clothes and leading him into Ashley's room. Andrew flinched slightly as a ringing sound began to echo around the house. "Oh no it's alright Andrew that's just the phone. Just go and try on the clothes and I'll come back alright." Amy said before walking back in her bedroom and answering the phone.

Andrew looked around Ashley's bedroom. The walls were painted white and there were posters all over the wall and on the mirror of his dresser. There was one in particular he liked. There were nine men, dressed in black with different masks on. There was one with spikes poking out of his head. The top read 'Slipknot' in red dipping letters. Andrew looked over at his reflection. He had never seen his reflection before. He tilted his head slightly and ran his scissors over the mirror slightly. He liked Ashley's room, something about it made him feel safe. He looked down at the clothes Amy had given him and began to try it on, pushing his legs into the gray slacks.

"Yes, there his hands..No I don't think he's ever come down from that mansion before today..I'll talk to you late. Alright, bye." Amy hung up the phone as she walked out of her bedroom to check up on Andrew. She walked into her son's bedroom and saw Andrew struggling with the white button up shirt.
"Oh, here let me help you Andrew." Amy said as she fixed the shirt and began to button it up.
"Thank you." Andrew replied with a quiet voice. Amy smiled at him.



"So, Andy?" Paul said as he and his family began to eat.
"He prefers Andrew, dear." Amy replied. "Kevin!" She snapped at her son who was staring at Andrew.
"Sorry." Kevin whispered as he began to play with his peas, occasionally taking glances at Andrew.
"Kevin, please. Would you like it if someone was staring at you." Amy snapped. She sighed before picking up the small plate of butter and handing it to Andrew. "Would you like some for your bread, Andrew?" She asked. Andrew nodded before using one of his scissors to take some of the butter and spreading it on his bread.
"Thank you." Andrew said quietly.
"Cool! Can I take him to school tomorrow?" Kevin asked.
"Kevin, please." Amy said giving Kevin a warning look.
"So how long have you lived up there, Andrew?" Paul asked.
"For as long as I can remember." Andrew replied. Paul smiled at him.
"Well, welcome to the family, Andrew." Paul said.



"I know everything might seem a bit confusing and hectic now, but in time I hope you can come to see this as your home." Amy said as she tucked Andrew into Ashley's bed.
"Thank you." Andrew replied smiling at Amy. He was wearing one of Paul's mint green pajamas.
"Goodnight, Andrew." Amy said kissing Andrew's forehead before walking out of the room, making the water bed move a bit. As many other nights Andrew did not sleep, he couldn't. Instead he just thought of simpler times...



"...and mankind seize to exist without the knowledge of-" The old inventor read on of his books to Andrew. The old inventor looked up at Andrew. There was no expression on his face. Andrew's top half of his structure was complete, except for his hands. And he hasn't gotten complete control of the scissors quite yet. He had cut himself a few times already.
"You're bored aren't you? Here let's try some poetry." The old inventor said taking out one of his poetry books as he recited a few. He could see the corners of Andrew's lips twitching vigorously as he tried to smile. "It's fine Andrew. Go ahead smile." The inventor encouraged as Andrew's lips grew wide into a crooked smile.