text: Their voices rolled on in my head like the recordings of my mom’s voice. I sat on the couch and made myself a glass of wine and watched the reel play. This one was *Summer 1982*. It was Mom holding me over a picnic blanket at some sunny lake. I was cherub-round with wispy blond hair that matched the woman laughing on the screen. “Percy Goldman, you turn away the camera right now,” she said. The camera angle shifted and I saw a spectacled man on the right of the blanket, smiling, his glasses glinting in the light. *Bastard*. The glass in my hand shattered. I looked down, my hand shaking, and grimaced at the red spot that was rapidly growing on the carpet between my socks. The bell chimed and snapped me out of my reverie. I got up, kicked the rug so that it covered the spot, and then hastily looked for a change of pants. Then I changed my mind and took off my skirt, pulling up my underwear so that my ass was more exposed. I ran to the front door and opened it. Grinning was James, and next to him his girlfriend Helen. “So Dollface,” he said. “How can I help ya?” Helen scoffed. “She’s been so waiting for this day. With that mug she’d have to beg or go to Mr. Harrison to get laid.” Mr. Harrison was the old janitor at our school. I forced myself to smile. “Please, come in.” James sauntered into the living room and plopped himself on the sofa. “So, wanna start dancing or what?” he said. “Sure, let me touch up a bit in the bathroom.” Helen rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” I walked into the bathroom and turned the light on. As I started wrapping a piece of cotton around my injured palm, I felt a cold sensation brush across me. She was here. “Are you sure?” she wrote across the mirror. The message vanished as quickly as it appeared. “Yes,” I wrote back, using some of my blood. “I love you honey.” In a second the mirror was clean again. I looked at my face, pale and white, my hair now fully brunette -- those Goldilock years were gone -- and finished bandaging my palm. I took off my shirt and peeked out of the bathroom so my breasts were showing. “Hey, I’m ready,” I said. I tried to sound flirtatious but it sounded weird and robotic. James didn’t seem to mind. He dashed to the bathroom, followed by Helen. I pressed play on the little radio I kept on the counter and some Britney Spears began to play. *Hit me baby one more time*. I started kissing Helen and undressing her. I could see James getting aroused and put out a hand to pull him closer. His weight pushed us backwards, and I was sandwiched between the people who had tortured me every day since I’d come to Washington High. *I must confess, that my loneliness--* “Mom, now,” I said. The lights went off. As they screamed, I could feel blood erupt onto my chest and thighs, and I came. \ More demons at r/ladyandthepen.