Grimm Night

Tyche was born to loving parents. Thomas was a merchant and had managed to achieve a fair level of success in his ventures, providing well for his wife and child.  Dinah had made friends with a nearby elderly woman, Mary, who had once told her how her daughter died just before she turned 16, with her husband dying not long after. Dinah adopted Mary as her mother, giving both Mary and Tyche the family they deserved, given Dinah’s parents had died.

When Tyche was turning seven, she wanted a ‘high tea’ party with Mary. Dinah spent so much time organising it that she felt fatigued, but knew it was worth it. While the three of them were sipping and laughing, filling their bellies with slices of cake, Dinah went pale and fell to the ground unconscious.

Dinah was diagnosed with advanced cancer, unlikely to see out the year. Dinah did not dwell on this, instead swapping park outings for reading with Tyche in the garden, preserving her strength to spend more time with her daughter. Thomas, however, took the news poorly and spent more time travelling as he could not bear to see his wife become frailer by the day.

Soon Dinah became bedridden and Thomas hired a maid. The maid was there during the day, cleaning and caring for Tyche’s daily requirements, with the nights left to Dinah and Tyche alone. At night they would curl up in bed, book in hand. Tyche would put her head on her mother’s chest, listening to her heart as the words spilled from her mother’s mouth, painting a world of fantasy that would take her far away.

Dinah continued to deteriorate and Thomas spent more time abroad. Mary would stop and visit, bringing Dinah herbal tea. Tyche would beg Mary to return soon, to relieve her boredom and make Dinah happy as she would often seem to almost heal slightly every time Mary would sit and they laughed about old times.

It was after one of these visits that Tyche climbed into the bed, laying her head on her mother’s chest and asking to read their favourite story. Dinah began reading, but became tired and asked Tyche to take over. Tyche, knowing the story by heart, closed her eyes and began reciting the words to her mother. When she came to the end, she realised her mother’s heartbeat had slowed so gradually that she was not aware it had stopped. Dinah had finally taken her last breath.

In the months that passed, Thomas was inconsolable. He went on extended periods abroad and the maid, Heather, moved in full time, bringing her two daughters. On the rare times Thomas was home, Tyche would often go to his study to wish him fair sleep, only to find him unconscious, bottle in hand, Heather cleaning him up to take him to bed and eventually joining him in that bed. Less than a year after Dinah had passed, Heather and Thomas were married, with Tyche taking solace in her mother’s books.

Tyche’s step-sisters were older than her and behaved horridly. Once the daughters of a poorly maid, they were now elevated as dependents of Thomas, with all the wealth and reputation that came with it. Their behaviour and want of luxury increased as each day passed.

Despite his new marriage, Thomas continued to stay abroad, amassing a fortune. Heather and her daughters led a hedonistic lifestyle, dependent on their habits and customs to sustain their desire for attention. Tyche withdrew further into herself, even avoiding her sisters and their ensuing taunts at school.

One night, Heather shook Tyche awake roughly. As Tyche opened her eyes, Heather abruptly said “Your father died. He was driving drunk and crashed the car” leaving the room as quickly as she had delivered her message.

Time passed and the fortune was being spent daily, Tyche seeing little of it. The money went towards social events and ancillary items. Given Tyche was not very social, she received no benefit from her father’s estate. While her horrid family was not home often, it also meant she was the only one to take on cleaning the house. They would return home laughing about their evening and on their emotional and substance highs point out in various sadistic ways that while they were originally the cleaners and Tyche the princess, it was now reversed.

Tyche had only one haven from what her life had become; her books. Tyche even undertook English at her school with gusto, despite what the rest of the educational experience provided her. She would endure the taunting, the malicious practical jokes, knowing that at the end of the day she would be alone with the words showing her another reality of what her life could have been like. When she was 15 Tyche realised that when she read fairytales, in her mind she was the princess and Tyler was the prince.

Tyler was 17 and everything she was not. He was outgoing, well liked and an overall achiever at anything he put his hand to. While she wanted to avoid him in the same way she avoided others, he would try and be nice to everyone, including her. Tyche’s sisters became aware of her crush and one day Tyche went to school to find posters proclaiming her love for Tyler everywhere, supposedly penned and posted by her. Tyche was mortified and ran home but found her mind kept drifting to the embarrassment of having to face Tyler.

Tyche began frantically cleaning, in the vain hope that the physical activity would drain her anxiety, and entered the study, finding Heather’s ledger with bags of white powder. Tyche read over the names and amounts, realising that her dear step-mother had commenced selling drugs to pay for their extravagant lifestyle.

This find was both a curse and a salvation. If Tyche gave this to police, Heather would be charged. She would be free from Heather, but would enter the foster care system. While Tyche thought anything was better than this, she had heard stories about foster families which made her cringe. The thought suddenly came to her that it would also mean her spiteful sisters would be taken from not only their mother, but also the lifestyle they had become accustomed to. Their potential misery spurred Tyche into action.

Tyche burst into the police station, asking to see the officer in charge. She was taken into a room and presented him with the ledger, the account of her find tumbling out from her lips at an excited and furious pace. When she reached the end of her tale, she stopped, unsure what to say. The officer looked her up and down, placing the ledger closed on the table between them.

“Tyche is it?” he slowly drawled.
“Yes. Please tell me you will arrest her” Tyche begged, not realising until then how desperate she sounded.
“I presume you brought it straight here and haven’t shown anyone or confronted your step-mother?” he uttered with a deep solemn voice.
Tyche found herself slightly intimidated now that the attention was focussed on her and her actions. She looked to her feet “um, nobody knows. I came straight here sir.”
He grinned “Sir is too formal, please just call me Michael”.
Michael reached across, holding her hand within his “Go home, leave the ledger with me. I’ll be around later and we can deal with Heather.”

Tyche went home. By then Heather had returned, discovering the ledger missing. Her sisters advised that Tyche left school because she wanted to have sex with a boy who was not interested in her. Tyche ran to her room, Heather’s tirades about taking others’ things and wanting to be a sexual deviant following her and echoed on her closed door. Tyche’s eyes were red from tears. It will be over soon. Soon he will be here to take me away from all of this.

Tyche heard the doorbell. Listening to Heather’s voice, she slowly descended the stairs and looked towards Michael. He glanced at her briefly “Maybe we should discuss this more privately” he muttered, Heather showing him into her study. Unable to hear what was being said Tyche returned to her room; picking out items pack when there was a knock. She hesitated, fearful that Heather had thrown Michael out and was going to punish her. “Tyche, it’s me, Michael.” Opening the door, she noted the house behind him was empty.

Michael came in and sat on her bed “Tyche, come, sit down. I need to talk to you.” Tyche sat down beside him, waiting to hear that she had been rescued like a princess in a fairytale. “I spoke with Heather. She denied it at first and told me you were trying to get back at her after how she behaved when she found out about school today.”

Tyche went to interrupt and explain, but Michael held up his hand “I persisted and she admitted the ledger is a record of her dealing drugs. Now, with her reputation and her clients being exposed, a lot of damage will occur. I told her I believe that this damage can be managed adequately and how I wanted to proceed.”

Tyche tensed, feeling it would not be a form of management she deemed adequate. Michael, sensing her reaction, put his arm around her “I told her my main priority is to make sure you stay safe. I will keep hold of the ledger and visit once a week to ensure she is treating you fairly. I’m here to protect you Tyche.”

Michael leaned in to kiss her but she jumped up and backed away slowly towards the closed door. “Tyche, you are such a beautiful young woman. I know you want to learn about the ways of men from what happened at school. I want to protect you and Heather has agreed I should do this.” Michael rushed Tyche, thrusting her onto her bed “In fact she agreed so emphatically that she and your sisters have left us alone to give us some privacy.”

Tyche went to scream, but Michael’s mouth clamped on hers, his tongue forcing its way into her mouth. By the time he lifted his mouth, he had also lifted her dress, moving his hand into her underwear and his fingers over her skin. He moaned in her ear as he undid his pants “I know you want me and I know this is the best way to protect you.” Tyche turned her head to the side, looking out the window and pretending she was elsewhere, somewhere this was not happening, a place where people would hear her scream.

Tyche lay on the bed, the dress she was to be rescued in now stained and torn. Michael stood and dressed himself, then leaned in and kissed her forehead “I’ll come and protect you again next week”. Tyche heard the front door close and stood, looking at the small patch of blood on her bedspread. She noted how shaky her hands were and headed for the bathroom, showering in heat so high her skin was red. She sat on the floor of the shower, knowing that now not even water could make her feel clean, and finally cried.

Taking her bedding and putting it in the tub to soak, Tyche decided to burn the dress.  Watching the flames, she knew there was no point in telling anyone what happened. It was her word against theirs and she did not even have the ledger as proof.

The next day, Tyche returned to school, feeling numb. At lunch she did not notice Tyler beside her until he spoke. Tyche’s heart stopped the posters!

“I know it wasn’t you Tyche.” Tyler sat down beside her “I know it was your sisters playing some kind of dumb joke. To be honest, it’s girls like that which make it so much easier to stay single.” He laughed softly, lying down. Tyche did not tell him that it was probably because they wanted to date him that they did it. Every girl in the school wanted to be on Tyler’s arm, yet he somehow eluded them all.

“You know and I know that despite I know it wasn’t you, they won’t know.” He grinned. “So I have come up with a cunning plan Blackadder. My birthday is next week. My parents are going all out because I’ll be turning 18; apparently that is some sort of significant age. Come?”

Here he is being nice again “I think I’m pretty much grounded after yesterday. But I can ask.” She tried to smile, but knew there was no point; Heather would never let her go. Plus, with what happened the night before it did not feel right being in Tyler’s company now and this was unlikely to change in the near future.

Tyler stood up “Well let me know if you can. No pressure and no expectations.” He swished his hand out, bowed briefly and then wandered off as the lunch bell rang.

The rest of the day was a blur. Tyche kept thinking about Tyler’s invitation. Was there a way she could get Heather to let her attend? Walking in the front door she spied Heather and knew there was no hope.

Tyche went up to her room and was reminded of the night before. While her experience with Tyler caused a brief reprieve of the memory, it was now caving in on her and she could not breathe. Tyche headed to the park to read, thinking she would be alone until she heard a voice “Tyche, is that you, my how you have grown!”

Tyche looked up and saw Mary. My god, I haven’t seen her in ages. After her mother died, Heather had stopped Mary’s visits. Mary sat “Why dear girl, you are a sight to behold. What have you been doing with yourself? I bet whatever it is your mother would be proud.” Mary gasped as Tyche started to cry “Oh dear girl no, why the tears? Quick, we will have a cup of tea and sort it all out.”

Tyche got to the end and looked expectantly at Mary. She had not intended to blurt everything out, but sitting with Mary and her tea just made her feel so safe. This is probably how my mother felt, why she liked Mary so much. A silence permeated the room, Tyche feeling uncomfortable in the gaze of Mary who was obviously processing the information. Just when she thought about leaving, Mary leant forward “Now dear, I can’t prove this happened… but I think I have a solution. Every day when you come home, get your books and come here. That way if this evil man comes, you are not home.”

Tyche hesitated “Do you think that would work?”

Mary sighed “Only time will tell dear, but what I do know is your mother gave me something I didn’t have – a daughter and grandchild. I owe it to both of you to try my darndest.”

Mary poured Tyche another cup of tea “Now drink up. I’ll cook some dinner and then you can go home and sleep.” As they ate dinner they talked and she even managed to laugh at some of the stories Mary told her about when she was little. When it was time to go Tyche flung her arms around Mary “Thank you so much.”

Six days passed and Tyche did as Mary instructed. Tyche would get up early to make sure she was still doing housework and then when she got home she would go to Mary’s where she would eat, drink tea and return home feeling safer each time. Tyche had shared with Mary things she had never told another, even Tyler’s invitation.

On the sixth night, Tyche returned home realising that she had begun to feel happy and there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Soon I’ll be old enough to leave home and live with Mary and nobody will hurt me again. Routine led her to enter the dark house as quietly as she could. When Tyche reached the stairwell, Heather’s slurred voice rang out in the room “I don’t care where you have been or who you have been doing your deviant little things with. What I do care about is that policeman was here before and you weren’t. He’ll be back tomorrow and if you are not here I will personally drive you to his house!” Her voice became loudly forceful “I will not have you ruin things for me! Do you understand that you pathetic little bitch?”

Heather moved towards her unsteadily. Heather grabbed Tyche’s face, her fingers pressing so hard the nails left imprints on her cheeks “Your mother was a whore, your father a drunk and you are their pathetic progeny. I will use you as I see fit!” Heather released Tyche who ran to her room, closing her door as she heard laughter from downstairs.

The next morning Tyche was beside herself. She knew she could not go through the experience again. Tyche opened her door and found a note If you are not here tonight, we will find you and do unimaginable things to you. Shivering with fear, she thrust the note into her school bag and ran out of the house.

Tyche’s mind kept drifting to the piece of paper crumpled in her bag. With Heather’s connections there was nowhere to hide, nobody to help and plenty of people motivation to locate her should she run. At lunchtime, Tyche could not tolerate the thoughts any longer went to Mary’s.

Tyche rapt on Mary’s door, praying she was home. As the door opened, Tyche fell into the hallway, collapsing with hot tears streaming down her cheeks, the sobs coming from her throat preventing speech. Tyche grabbed the piece of paper from her bag and gave it to Mary “That horrid wicked cow of a woman. That’s it! Get up; we need to end this.” Mary led Tyche into the kitchen and made tea.

“There dear, let the sugar and warmth soothe you. I will be back shortly.” Tyche heard footsteps above. Mary was walking with purpose, but Tyche could not assign the purpose to the steps, blaming her scattered frame of mind. A voice broke the silence, Mary was talking to someone. Tyche froze, hoping that Mary was not confronting Heather or informing police.

Mary returned, Tyche did not know how long she was gone, but noted her cup was empty. “Mary, I had better go and face this. I don’t think I have a way out of it anymore.” Mary pushed Tyche back down; the girl surprised at the untold strength of the woman “I won’t hear of it. Here is what we will do. I cleared the spare room and you will stay here. I have some money and my niece has been asking me to come live with her. Charlotte lives about three hours away and I just spoke with her and told her I would come. I have also told her I am bringing you with me, but of course not why. We leave tomorrow dear and then you will be free.”

“But –“ Mary cut Tyche off “It will be safe and the idea you are here with me will not even cross that witch’s mind. I have a surprise for you to cheer you up too. I was going to wait for your birthday, but I think now is the right time.” Mary exited the room briefly and returned with a beautiful dress.

“This dress was meant to be for my daughter. I have told you before that she passed away when she was about your age. Well Lucy was meant to be going to a dance a few days after she died. She had been ill awhile, so we encouraged her to go and saved our money to buy her this. Unfortunately, her illness took her earlier than expected. I tried to give it to your mother, she was such a slender and petite woman your mother. But she refused and the dress has still never been worn. I want you to have it Tyche, a symbol of your new life beginning.”

Tyche had never seen something so beautiful “I… I don’t know what to say” and cried again, but this time with happiness.

After dinner and copious amounts of tea, Mary told Tyche to go and get a good night’s sleep. Tyche hung the dress on the back of the bedroom door. She looked out the window and could see her house from here, well Heather’s house now. Heather and her sisters were in the front yard talking to Michael I guess they have started looking for the girl who could bring down the house of cards she smirked.

Tyche could not sleep. She thought of not seeing her family again. She had no friends to say goodbye to and she could always replace her belongings. Tyche thought of the books which had belonged to her mother. While it pained her to leave them behind, she knew Dinah would understand. Normally Tyche read from her favourite one before bed, the story they read together the night Dinah died. Tyche began repeating the words quietly in the dark. Tyler!

Remembering the party, Tyche wanted to see Tyler one last time. Creeping out of bed, she slowly opened the door and could hear Mary’s faint snores. Tyche put on the dress, brushing her hair. Shoes in hand, she crept out of the house. Once in the yard Tyche put her joggers on doesn’t really go with the dress, but I can go barefoot when I get there and then began walking at a hurried pace.

Tyche was not concerned she would be found at the party, her family were now otherwise occupied. Reaching the park near Tyler’s, she stopped and took off her shoes, hearing the party nearby. Tyche stood there, trying to build up courage when she heard a voice “See I knew you could come.” Tyche jumped and whirled around, seeing Tyler on the swings “You scared me!” “Sorry, I’m just taking time out from my own party. Let them carry on with their teenage shenanigans, they won’t miss me” he drawled as he slowly swang to and fro.

“But it’s your party, surely they would know?” she sat on the swing next to him.

“The ones in the front will think I’m in the back, thee back the front. Anyone looking for me will get distracted and think I have just been moving about. It’s all good. Well it would be, but now somebody knows my secret” he joked, poking her gently in the side.

“Listen, Tyler. I don’t know how to say this. I’m, I, I can’t stay long but I wanted to come and see you. I don’t think you’ll see me again for awhile.” Tyche looked at her feet, embarrassed that her desire to see him revealed her feelings.

“Tyche, I can’t pretend to know what is going on with you, but I know it’s something heavy. I also know you won’t tell me what it is.” He knelt before her “but if you believe we won’t see each other for a long time, will you do me the honour of having this dance?”

Tyche looked at him, not knowing what to think “There isn’t any music.”

Tyler took her hand, lifting her from her seat “Then we dance to the music in our head and heart”.

Tyche, barefoot and nervous let Tyler hold her close and they moved in time with each other, as if it was meant to be. The church bells rang midnight. She pulled away from Tyler “I have to go!” Tyche kissed Tyler, sweetly but passionately. While he was left dumbfounded she began racing home, leaving her shoes behind her.

Half way home, Tyche slowed to an amble. Distracted, thinking about what had happened with Tyler; she did not notice the hands coming for her until she was firmly in their grasp. A woman’s voice came from the shadows “I warned you. I told you we would find you bitch.” Tyche realised the voice and hands did not belong to the same person. Heather emerged from the shadows “Do you know what you have done?” and struck Tyche’s face, the sting bringing tears to her eyes. “Now you will learn the concept of consequences, you will learn what happens to girls who disobey their mother!”

Tyche writhed, but could not escape. “You’re not my mother!” she spat, as Heather punched her in the stomach. The hands released her and Tyche fell to the ground, winded.

Michael stepped in front of her and leant down “I tried to protect you Tyche, but you just wouldn’t let me, why couldn’t you let me?” Michael and his foot flew into her face, connecting with her mouth splitting her lip, the blood sliding down her chin.

Smiling at his work, Michael moved to the side, letting Heather come forward. “You think you can out game me whore? Well just you try. We will hurt you, defile you and make you fear for your life. When you wish for death as release we will do things to make you scared to let go of your breath. We will condemn you.”

Tyche saw a glint in the moonlight as Heather crouched above her she has a knife! “Do your worst you druggie slut!” Tyche felt no pain, instead hearing the sound of the knife tearing the fabric which covered her body rendering her effectively naked. Michael stepped in then, Tyche unable to use a window this time to escape.

Tyche tried to block out what he was doing as he forced himself inside her. This time she struggled and he covered her mouth, punching her in the face after she bit his hand. Michael smiled as she whimpered “That’s it, cry for me” he moaned and continued to hit her while he raped her.

When she thought she could bear no more, he finished inside her. Michael stood up and spat on her as he did up his pants. Heather laughed at Tyche “Now the games begin. Run, run, run if you can. Let us show you how you can never get away from us. Let me show you that I really am a witch.” Heather trailed a finger through the blood on Tyche’s face, raising it to her lips and licking it, her eyes rolling back into her head.

They withdrew then, melding back into the shadows as seamlessly as they had emerged. Tyche lay there, not hearing any noises and wondering if they were creatures constructed from the very shadows to punish her. She looked for signs of movement, but saw none. Bringing the edges of the dress back in front of her, Tyche tried to hold it so it would not reveal her nakedness. She could feel her face bruised and swollen and knew she would have explaining to do when Mary saw her.

Mary! Oh god, what if they go after her!

Tyche ran as fast as she could, fearful for Mary’s welfare. She had no concern of where her shoeless feet landed, not feeling the cuts from the various rocks her feet had pounded. The shadows continued to close in on her as she ran, almost with a supernatural presence and intent. The streetlights began flickering, the darkness enveloping everything she had left behind her. Tyche turned, noticing a trail of blood and tripping over, her arms and knees scraping on the road. I can’t let the shadows reach me, they mustn’t reach me. Mary!

Forcing herself up, she stopped holding the dress in front of her. Tyche was no longer concerned about being seen, just about getting back to Mary. Reaching the front yard she saw Heather and Michael at the driveway, watching her How did they get here so fast? Ignoring them Tyche ran to the door that she had left unlocked and swung it open. Once inside she locked the door and ran up the stairs to Mary’s room, unable to hear the snoring. Bursting into the bedroom she began screaming Mary’s name, begging her to wake, praying for her to be safe. Mary did not stir. Tyche ran to her and began shaking the limp form that was in the bed. Still the body did not wake.

As Tyche continued calling Mary’s name, she realised it was not her voice. Stopping, she listened and found it was Mary’s voice, calling Tyche. She felt hands shaking her and woke in her bed at Mary’s. Oh god, it was just a dream!

“Tyche, wake up, you’re having a nightmare. It means it’s time.”

Tyche looked around the room, the shadows were still closing in, the light disappearing But I’m awake!

“Time for what? It’s so dark…” Tyche’s voice was still panicked. Tyche looked around and began feeling faint.

“I told you my daughter died, but not how. The tea, I only have a little. In small amounts it does not harm you. In larger doses it’s a poison. My Lucy, she died so easily and quickly because she was so young. Now your mother, well she had cancer so nobody looked further into that one, but your damn step-mother knew something was suspect stopping me coming to see you once Dinah died. Whereas with you, well I knew time was of the essence dear. We only had such a short time to be together. I rescued my daughter from her illness, your mother from her cancer and now I’m rescuing you from your step-mother. It’s almost like I’m your fairy godmother. Now just relax dear, there is nothing you can do.”

Tyche leaned back, feeling the life leave her. With her last breath she realised she did not truly know who the evil mother figure really was.