Not my best. Niko tries to talk Sophia into giving him Cal when he goes off to college.
I want to take Cal with me.” I said it very simply. This is what I want. There was no way to fool her regardless. She already must of known what I wanted.
Sophia smiled. I can't remember her smiling at a good time for a good reason. And nothing had changed. “You want the little monster?” she shrugged at me. “Too bad. You can't keep him there.”
“Not at the college, no.” I paused. “Do you want him around?” I asked logically, knowing the answer. She just needed to know how much. How much do you want him, Niko? She was testing me now, and I had to give her what she wanted.
She snorted at the question. “Only if he's worth something, sweetheart.” she said.
“He is to me.” I replied, narrowing my gaze to give her a cold stare. I didn't need to ask her what she wanted. She knew the power to decided was in her hands. Money.
“You're going to keep giving me...half. Half of everything you make.” She stated simply, rolling the bottle she had been drinking from around in her palms, checking my reaction. “Hand it over.” She held out her hand.
“And you will let me take him?” She just looked at me. I dug into my pocket and pulled out what remained of my paycheck from last week. I'd already given some money to Cal to get something for himself; he rarely got the chance. But I had enough left. I'd give her half, like I always had. Give her half and save what I could. It would be tight, taking care of him and paying her for the right to do it. The right. When we both knew I was the one who shoud have that right!
But I could manage it. I counted out exactly half of what I had in my palm, not what I had really made, but what she could see with her own eyes that I had. I put it in Sophia's open palm.
“Take him.” She said immediately, breaking the fierce eye contact we had shared so she could count the bills. “But that.” She pointed at the remaining money in my hand. “Better keep coming my way. Every check, every scrap of money- half of everything. Do it a while, and you can have him.” She shrugged.
“I'll take him now.” I corrected. Whatever it takes to take care of him.
She gave me her most foul grin. “No. And you know why.” That wasn't a question. Yes, I knew why... She had to have control. She had to have me on my knees and begging for the chance to take him away from her abuse.
Having me around...it was his only motivation. Keep Going. Don't look back at the claws and the teeth and the pale skin and the glowing red eyes I've glimpsed through a window now and again, watching you. Look ahead. Towards the future. Towards what is right and good. Towards me. And I will chase the shadows away. I will save you from them. I will give you sweet dreams, and the will to survive, and love, and fish sticks and cartoons. And I'll save you from yourself. From everyone and everything. I will protect you. Turn away from your other family. The monsters and the monster that looks so human. Look away from yourself. The mirror that distorts your image and makes you wish to hear “Caliban” is your name. The one that whispers “I am a monster.”
“Two months.” And we began to haggle.
Over my brother.
She chuckled. “Two years.” she said.
“No way.” I wouldn't wait to save him that long. Not because I didn't love him enough, but because I did. I wouldn't let him suffer so much. “Six months.”
“A year or nothing. One year or you don't get him.” Her way of saying “I want to be sure you're serious. Pay me and I'll do anything.” Literally. If she had no qualms doing that with that...thing before over some gold....if I was as sick as she was I could have payed her and she would do the same for me. As long as I could pay. Disgusting creature.
I repressed a shiver at my own dark thoughts. She was more than a whore. “One year.” I agreed, or rather, I was forced to agree. She nodded.
“One year and you can take him with you- as long as that payment continues until he's eighteen.” Of course.
“You have my word.” I looked deep into her eyes. Unspoken...Yes, I am very serious.
She nodded. Fine. All shaking on it would do was give me the bitch's alcohol intoxicated germs. And I try not to curse.
Well...Some people don't deserve common courtesies.
I want to take Cal with me.” I said it very simply. This is what I want. There was no way to fool her regardless. She already must of known what I wanted.
Sophia smiled. I can't remember her smiling at a good time for a good reason. And nothing had changed. “You want the little monster?” she shrugged at me. “Too bad. You can't keep him there.”
“Not at the college, no.” I paused. “Do you want him around?” I asked logically, knowing the answer. She just needed to know how much. How much do you want him, Niko? She was testing me now, and I had to give her what she wanted.
She snorted at the question. “Only if he's worth something, sweetheart.” she said.
“He is to me.” I replied, narrowing my gaze to give her a cold stare. I didn't need to ask her what she wanted. She knew the power to decided was in her hands. Money.
“You're going to keep giving me...half. Half of everything you make.” She stated simply, rolling the bottle she had been drinking from around in her palms, checking my reaction. “Hand it over.” She held out her hand.
“And you will let me take him?” She just looked at me. I dug into my pocket and pulled out what remained of my paycheck from last week. I'd already given some money to Cal to get something for himself; he rarely got the chance. But I had enough left. I'd give her half, like I always had. Give her half and save what I could. It would be tight, taking care of him and paying her for the right to do it. The right. When we both knew I was the one who shoud have that right!
But I could manage it. I counted out exactly half of what I had in my palm, not what I had really made, but what she could see with her own eyes that I had. I put it in Sophia's open palm.
“Take him.” She said immediately, breaking the fierce eye contact we had shared so she could count the bills. “But that.” She pointed at the remaining money in my hand. “Better keep coming my way. Every check, every scrap of money- half of everything. Do it a while, and you can have him.” She shrugged.
“I'll take him now.” I corrected. Whatever it takes to take care of him.
She gave me her most foul grin. “No. And you know why.” That wasn't a question. Yes, I knew why... She had to have control. She had to have me on my knees and begging for the chance to take him away from her abuse.
Having me around...it was his only motivation. Keep Going. Don't look back at the claws and the teeth and the pale skin and the glowing red eyes I've glimpsed through a window now and again, watching you. Look ahead. Towards the future. Towards what is right and good. Towards me. And I will chase the shadows away. I will save you from them. I will give you sweet dreams, and the will to survive, and love, and fish sticks and cartoons. And I'll save you from yourself. From everyone and everything. I will protect you. Turn away from your other family. The monsters and the monster that looks so human. Look away from yourself. The mirror that distorts your image and makes you wish to hear “Caliban” is your name. The one that whispers “I am a monster.”
“Two months.” And we began to haggle.
Over my brother.
She chuckled. “Two years.” she said.
“No way.” I wouldn't wait to save him that long. Not because I didn't love him enough, but because I did. I wouldn't let him suffer so much. “Six months.”
“A year or nothing. One year or you don't get him.” Her way of saying “I want to be sure you're serious. Pay me and I'll do anything.” Literally. If she had no qualms doing that with that...thing before over some gold....if I was as sick as she was I could have payed her and she would do the same for me. As long as I could pay. Disgusting creature.
I repressed a shiver at my own dark thoughts. She was more than a whore. “One year.” I agreed, or rather, I was forced to agree. She nodded.
“One year and you can take him with you- as long as that payment continues until he's eighteen.” Of course.
“You have my word.” I looked deep into her eyes. Unspoken...Yes, I am very serious.
She nodded. Fine. All shaking on it would do was give me the bitch's alcohol intoxicated germs. And I try not to curse.
Well...Some people don't deserve common courtesies.
