“Sometimes losing everything is the only way to begin” – TK Kiser

Everything in Anthony Krell’s life seemed perfect, and they were, until one day it all fell apart. Well, it had been falling apart for some time now…. Anthony’s wife, Tori, was a beautiful woman with silver hair and deep blue eyes. She was a smart, successful woman with phenomenal talents in everything performance-related. Acting, singing, dancing, songwriting. She was perfect. Well almost perfect. When Anthony fell for Tori, she was an independent woman, willful and headstrong. Her drive to succeed was incomparable. A couple of blissful years later, Anthony proposed and a few months later they married.

It was only after the first trimester that Anthony noticed something was off. Tori was constantly rummaging through Anthony’s study. Although he hadn’t kept anything Tori wasn’t aware of in his study, he was disturbed and asked her what she had been looking for. It was then that Tori gave him that cold, menacing grin masked with innocence and said, “It’s nothing Tony, I was just looking for a pen I left here by accident, I haven’t found it yet.”

It was okay for his wife to go through his stuff. He knew what he signed up for when he decided to marry.

After Tori brought Kiya into the world, her attitude seemed worse. She was quite often living in an unknown headspace, distracted, leaving their two-week-old baby girl unattended. Anthony thought Tori was going through some sort of postpartum depression so he decided to suggest therapy to Tori. Safe to say she had not taken well to that comment and accused Anthony of calling her crazy and demented.

Anthony had promptly given up on that idea, not wanting to stress his wife any more than she was. Soon after  Kiya’s fourth birthday, Tori began asking for another child, claiming  Kiya had grown up too fast and she wished for another baby to coddle. Anthony, although hesitant, gave into Tori’s wishes. 

Nine months later, baby Tobi came into the world, well, just barely, it was a difficult labour. Kiya was absolutely ecstatic to see another small human in her old crib. She was only 4 but she already was the best older sister to Tobi, always taking care of him, changing him, and feeding him. Tori had cared deeply for Tobi for two years. She had even accidentally neglected Kiya to care for him. It wasn’t a good sign. When Anthony had come home from work particularly late one night, he hadn’t expected to see a semi-dressed 6-year-old Kiya in a puddle of her own vomit, hyperventilating and sweating. After  Anthony rushed  Kiya to the hospital, Anthony had given Tori a stern talking to, only to receive the same menacing, innocent grin as she apologised and promised to take better care.

She did not take better care, well not behind Anthony’s back. 

For the two Krell babies, Saturday and Sunday became heaven. Their Mama was especially nice and they got good food and warm clothes and their Papa was at home to play with them. Monday to Friday were not the best, their Mama went into Papa’s study and stayed there for hours and somehow always exited the study wearing something different from what she had entered the room wearing. Their Mama also forgot to feed Kiya and her little brother. Kiya always had to change Tobi after he had an accident because she wasn’t aware of how to change diapers and Tobi wasn’t potty trained yet. 

Their treatment became progressively worse through the years and  Tobi learned to say "shut up" before he said “Papa”. Kiya had turned cold and emotionless. Anthony didn’t understand where he went wrong. He loved his children. His daughter had finally hit double digits and he couldn’t be happier but Kiya just gave her dad a small smile and gratefully received the classy sweater his father gifted her. It hadn’t occurred to Anthony that maybe Tori wasn’t as loving as she seemed. Anthony thought maybe the kids would love more siblings. 

Anthony thought it would be nice to adopt. Enter the twins, Kayn and  Howie. Both Kayn and Howie had quiet personalities. However, if anything, they were observant. They noticed what was going on within 48 hours of being there. 

Kiya was unnerved by the new additions and didn’t know how to protect them from the demon they called “Mama”. Two months into their stay, Kayn noticed bloodstains in front of the study and the fourteen-year-old immediately told his twin. Howie quickly carried Tobi in one arm and pulled Kiya along to the farthest point from the study. Kayn called his adoptive dad and put the phone in his pants’ pocket. Anthony was thrown off by the sudden call during work hours but received the call, almost hanging up when he thought  Kayn had accidentally called him. He wasn’t able to hear anything from the other side of the line, until a crash from the other side alarmed him and prompted him to pack up his stuff and head home. 

“Uh Mrs. Krell, what are you doing?” Kayn asked quietly, noticing Tori holding a fountain pen dripping with something that definitely wasn’t ink. The floor was covered with shards of glass from the vase that was previously on the table.

“Oh! KayKay! Come here!” Tori called Kayn with that smile. Kayn put his guard up and slowly walked towards his adoptive mother.

“Mrs.Krell you can call me Kayn, I don’t mind” Kayn offered, absolutely hating the nickname Tori had for him.

“Nonsense! I call you KayKay because I love you!” She said; something about the way she spoke made Kayn feel uncomfortable.

Kayn finally reached his adoptive mother and stood stock still at the sight in front of his eyes. 

An object vaguely resembling a little kid was on the floor next to the study table. The kid was covered in writing. Writing which was carved into their skin with the fountain pen his mother was holding on to. 

Kayn slowly backed away, slipping his hand into his pocket to record the call. All the time he had wasted on police shows was finally paying off. 

He started trembling with fear but stood strong and started talking. 

“D-did you do that?” he asked, half knowing the answer.

“Oh well of course I did, I brought him through the passage to help out with you kiddos, but he was screaming the whole time, I really don’t understand why? He was clearly begging on the streets and I so generously offered him a job as a babysitter and all he did for his entire interview was scream how much he wanted to leave and for me to not kill him. I did as he asked. I didn’t kill him, I only wrote his duties on his skin in case he forgets.” she said as if it was supposed to be obvious.

Kayn gestured to the kid, “he’s b-bleeding, miss. Shouldn’t we help him?” 

Tori’s eyes widened unnaturally, her voice raised, “Now child, why would you want to go and do that?” 

Kayn winced at the sound and started walking out of the study faster.  Tori noticed him moving away so she followed him while wiping the bloody fountain pen in her hand. 

"Now now KayKay… why are you walking away from me? That's no way to treat your beloved mother?" 

"W-with all due respect, Mrs.Krell you are not my m-mother." 

"NONSENSE!" Tori shrieked and Kayn's terrified tears finally started to fall.

He noticed an open door to a dark place opposite the study and where he had previously seen a bookcase. On the floor in front of the passage were tracks of blood.

The boy had held his own for long enough and fainted, unable to deal with the fear any longer, for he was still only a child and expecting him to not pass out in front of a murderer is far-fetched. 

Tori smirked at the falling body. The sight of Kayn laying on the floor in all his 5 foot 4 glory had set another unknown fire in her. She wanted to see that little stoic boy destroyed. She wanted to beat the rudeness out of him. She wanted to carve the golden rule into his skin so he would never forget it. 

Tori reached Kayn and grabbed his right arm and dragged him. She dragged him right next to the little boy from earlier who had passed away due to blood loss by now. She tutted at the lifeless eyes of the boy and kicked him away.

She placed Kayn gently against the gigantic table in the study and stood back up. 

She twirled her pen as she walked around the table.

"Hmm… Pen or ruler? Pen or ruler? Pen or ruler?" She chanted continually.

Anthony was horrified. He was simply horrified and terrified for his children. He loved all of them from the deepest depths of his heart. He loved them to the point where he frowned when either one of them scraped their knee from a fall. He was worried sick for Kayn who had been around that- beast and who was passed out on the floor with that beast.

Anthony was only a floor away from the study when he finally dialed 911 and filled them in as quickly and quietly as possible.

Anthony picked up a golf club from their showcase and held onto it as if it were his lifeline. He ran up the last flight of stairs, freaking out at the blood in front of the door.

He barged in without any warning, just in time to see his oh-so-perfect wife digging a metal ruler into his oldest's left thigh. 

Kayn had fainted and his thigh laid, bloody, with "Ki" carved halfway to the word "Kind".

Anthony yelled and threw the golf club at his wife's head, only for it to hit her face and her to move back a couple of inches and drop the ruler. It was enough for Anthony.

Anthony had noticed Kayn stirring in pain and had only thrown the club to buy enough time for his son to move away.

Kayn woke up and it only took a look at his thigh, a look at his dad with the reddest face, and a look at his adoptive mother holding her jaw as it bled, to realise what had occurred and what he had to do.

Kayn used the last of his energy to crawl away from the psychopath and hug his dad's leg.

Anthony placed a firm hand on Kayn's head. 

"You did absolutely amazing squirt. Go ahead and relax now. I have this under control." He comforted Kayn.

Kayn gave a half-smile to his dad, "s-sure d-dad" and fainted yet again.