Handsome Devil
Prologue
2007
Grabbing the little girl in my arms, I ran towards safety. Quickly I closed my bedroom door and set her down on my bed. Her sobs filled the air, breaking me apart. Hugging her small fragile body I hush her pain and wipe her tears away. Her big black eyes stare at me with such intensity that I’m forced to look away. Her small four year old hand cups my cheek, bringing back memories.
“Listen here,” I grab her chin, making sure to keep eye contact. “If you want to live you need to listen to me. There are rules here, rules that you must remember for the rest of your life. Do you understand?” She lets it all sink in before slowly nodding; black locks swinging everywhere. “You can’t go home, you can never go home—“
“Never?” Her innocent voice cracks, causing me to swallow the lump in my throat. “No.” I whisper back to her. She bites her lip, holding back tears. “I already knew that.” Her confession stuns me. “How?” I croak.
“He told me.”
Somehow that doesn’t surprise me; it sounds like Him.
“There are three main rules that you have to follow, ok?” She nods in response.
“Rule #1 Never trust anyone. Rule #2 Never run away from Him, that only provokes Him. Rule #3 Never tell anyone about Him or Us.” Her big eyes watch me closely as I speak, sucking in all the information. Eyes fill with such intelligence, acknowledgment of the world and a sorrow so profound; unlike a regular child’s eyes.
“Promise me you’ll remember.”
She takes out her pinky, causing me to smile, and wraps it around mine, “I promise.”
And despite the fact that she’s just a kid, I believe her.
I hug the small child closer to me, fighting back tears. I know, oh so well, how she feels right now; I once went through the same thing 5 years ago. I remember feeling lost and scared--I had no one.
I kiss her forehead and smooth her hair, "It's all going to be alright little one." I smile down at her; she stares at me.
"That's not my name." Her eyes softly glare at me. "I'm not a little girl anymore." She huffs.
I hold back a smile, "Then what is your name?"
She pouts before answering me, "My name is Coraline," she steps out of my embrace to get a better look at me. She extends her small hand for me to shake, "what's your name?" I grab her tiny hand in mine and shake it.
"Adele, my name is Adele."
Grabbing the little girl in my arms, I ran towards safety. Quickly I closed my bedroom door and set her down on my bed. Her sobs filled the air, breaking me apart. Hugging her small fragile body I hush her pain and wipe her tears away. Her big black eyes stare at me with such intensity that I’m forced to look away. Her small four year old hand cups my cheek, bringing back memories.
“Listen here,” I grab her chin, making sure to keep eye contact. “If you want to live you need to listen to me. There are rules here, rules that you must remember for the rest of your life. Do you understand?” She lets it all sink in before slowly nodding; black locks swinging everywhere. “You can’t go home, you can never go home—“
“Never?” Her innocent voice cracks, causing me to swallow the lump in my throat. “No.” I whisper back to her. She bites her lip, holding back tears. “I already knew that.” Her confession stuns me. “How?” I croak.
“He told me.”
Somehow that doesn’t surprise me; it sounds like Him.
“There are three main rules that you have to follow, ok?” She nods in response.
“Rule #1 Never trust anyone. Rule #2 Never run away from Him, that only provokes Him. Rule #3 Never tell anyone about Him or Us.” Her big eyes watch me closely as I speak, sucking in all the information. Eyes fill with such intelligence, acknowledgment of the world and a sorrow so profound; unlike a regular child’s eyes.
“Promise me you’ll remember.”
She takes out her pinky, causing me to smile, and wraps it around mine, “I promise.”
And despite the fact that she’s just a kid, I believe her.
I hug the small child closer to me, fighting back tears. I know, oh so well, how she feels right now; I once went through the same thing 5 years ago. I remember feeling lost and scared--I had no one.
I kiss her forehead and smooth her hair, "It's all going to be alright little one." I smile down at her; she stares at me.
"That's not my name." Her eyes softly glare at me. "I'm not a little girl anymore." She huffs.
I hold back a smile, "Then what is your name?"
She pouts before answering me, "My name is Coraline," she steps out of my embrace to get a better look at me. She extends her small hand for me to shake, "what's your name?" I grab her tiny hand in mine and shake it.
"Adele, my name is Adele."