This is a very short story I wrote a few years back on my creative writing course at university. Thinking of expanding on it. Be warned, this is not a happy story. Any feedback would be much appreciated. Enjoy!
Leo leaned forward to steal another glance at the young beauty before him. Her dark hair was draped over her shoulders like a reticulated python. She flashed him a seductive smile before spitting in his face. Leo didn’t seem to mind this gesture as he took a tissue out of his pocket. “I see you’re feeling better today Cecilia,” He discarded the tissue while she ground her teeth. “So, where shall we begin?” He smirked before scribbling on his notepad. The day had only just begun.
The first meeting with Cecilia was one Leo would never forget. She had been cowering in the corner sobbing like a child whose favourite toy had been taken away. The wardens where still having trouble forcing her medication down her, she was infamous for her biting. It was by chance that Leo was about as he had mixed up his times once again with Doctor Heart. He knew of Cecilia and what she was capable of, yet he still entered the dragon’s den. To the wardens surprise she let him approach; he could have sworn she was smiling under her mask of hair. He knelt down, took her hand in his and gazed into her eyes, almost hypnotizing her. She was a damaged natural beauty; it was at that moment that he knew there was little chance of her regaining any semblance of sanity. Her eyes said it all. She had jumped overboard long before the ship had hit the iceberg. As he placed the pills into her mouth he felt an affinity with her. She kissed his fingers, leaving saliva on the tips and rolled back into his arms collapsing into a deep sleep. Leo signalled to the wardens that they could leave. As he watched the rise and fall of her chest he felt a longing to breathe her in. She was a lost soul that he wanted to save; he felt it was his duty to take care of her. He whispered with love in his voice.
“You don’t need to be afraid anymore”
Cecilia had been at Lockwood for five years. She was admitted when she buried her mother neck-deep in the garden. Her mother was still alive when Cecilia started bashing her head in with a spade. The neighbours called the police who turned her over to the mental institution. She had been bored for years here and found entertainment convincing patients to top themselves. The staff disliked her and often drugged her to keep her under control. Now with Doctor Leo’s presence things had become interesting for Cecilia. He was unlike the rest of the doctors, he was shiny and new. He was innocent. Since meeting him she felt the urge to rip his tongue out and use it as a pillow. Yet she had not attempted to carry this through and took her anger out on Doctor Collins who was still recovering in St Lewis’ hospital.
“I hear some of the art equipment has gone missing, paper and pencils.” Cecilia shifted in her seat but kept steady eye contact.“Know anything about it?” But before Leo could ask again she leapt across the table and grabbed the collar of his shirt. She ran a hand through the doctor’s hair before nuzzling his cheek and whispering into his ear.
“You’ll never have me” Leo felt compelled to kiss those beautiful chewed lips but instead pushed her to the floor.“Do you love me Doctor?” She didn’t look at him. She only bit her lip.
“Cecilia, I –” But she silenced him with her hand. Never before had he felt so strongly about such a woman. His throat felt dry with fear. At any given moment she could attack and leave him for dead. She moved in fast and kissed him. It was a strange, wet, warm sensation that he didn’t want to end. He shuddered at her cold touch on his cheek and felt her hand ruffle though his thick mane. He wanted to say he loved her and for her to say she loved him, for them to be any two normal people in love. Cecilia opened her mouth to speak but said nothing. Leo swept her unkempt hair out of her face and waited for the words that never came. She pushed him away and laughed. “I think it’s time you left Doctor,” She turned her back on him and waited until he was gone to start crying.
As Leo entered the office the next morning he was greeted with a cold reception.
“Leo? What are you doing here? Did nobody tell you? Allan! Did you not tell him?” Doctor Watts turned to the small man standing beside him. He looked terrified and confused at his boss’s tone.
“Why…err…umm…yes I did. I left a message on his machine?” The piece of paper he was holding was trembling in his hands. Leo could see tears of panic run down the man’s face.
“Is somebody going to tell me what the hell is going on?” Leo took off his coat and hung it in the usual place. The office went silent as Doctor Watts turned Leo away into the corridor. “Jesus! I have something to tell you, it’s about Cecilia.”
“Cecilia?” He felt his heart explode. “Last night she went crazy and attacked one of the security guards, she took his gun and shot herself in the head. She’s dead…” Leo felt cold and light-headed as the words began to seep in. She was dead. Dead. He leaned against the wall and fell to his knees. He couldn’t hold back the tears at the thought of never kissing her again.“She left you a message…” Doctor Watts handed Leo a crumpled piece of paper, he opened the note and saw the words that she had been so frightened to say. The words she loathed with a passion. They were scrawled out in pencil by a hand that was too sacred by the world and the people in it. The words she wished she had said to him at their last meeting.
I love you…
Bunny’s Pause 