The Girl Who Reeks of Smoke

The man named Matthew Cullin seemed to stare at her as well. He looked at her with those piercing eyes. Half of his face was still buried in the darkness, and his lips evoked a sinister smile: "Hello, Astrid Starling. How was your stay in hell?"

Astrid turned her head, looking from left to right to see where she could run, where she could hide. Her heart was racing against her chest that it was painful… unbearable. Every single fiber of her being wanted him to go away.

She wanted to escape.

And unconsciously, she took a step back. One after the other, she began to limp away from him, trying to imagine and even pray that the devil named Matthew was just from her imagination. A lucid nightmare.

But when she heard him say, "Silly Astrid… where are you going?"

Her boney fingers laced together, intertwining and played against each other before she turned, looked back and gasped. "He's real…" She said with a gasp, her eyes widening as a platter.

Mindlessly, she dragged her crippled leg towards the dark, dark halls and to the ward. She dragged her aching body through the dark hallways, past through the nurse's station. Just a few more doors away was her room.

And even though she knew that this mental hospital treated her like shit. Treating her as if she's less than human, less than an animal, she realized she'd rather stay here than face Matthew Cullin.

The room stinks here. She gets beaten up by her psychotic wardmates, but after seeing those piercing blue eyes, she'd rather rot in this hell than face her ultimate nightmare. She'd rather die here than be handed over to that man.

Six years ago, they made a vow in front of God. Promised to be together through heaven and hell and to go through storms and travel to paradise. Six years ago, they were husband and wife.

And yet…

"You seem scared." She heard his voice from behind, making her heart drop to her knees, rendering her mind to a dark abyss. "Do you fear me, Astrid Starling?"

As she continued to pace away from him, Astrid could hear Matthew trailing behind her. His back was straightened as he stared at her back. He composed himself and had an air of nobility circling around him.

The chase continued until a pool of water from the leaking ceiling made Astrid lose her balance and she fell clumsily on the floor with a loud thud.

The room went silent and Matthew stopped walking as well.

And yet even after she tripped and fell ungracefully on the slippery floor, Astrid didn't feel any sense of pain. She was profusely bleeding from her mouth when she bit her tongue as she fell on the floor. She only realized she was bleeding when the strong scent of rusting iron invaded her senses. She didn't even feel disgusted nor was she repulsed when she tasted her own blood.

"Look at yourself…" Matthew hissed. "...you look like a dying animal."

Even as Matthew throws a line of insults towards her, it didn't stop her from moving forward. She continued, crawling her way through the slippery halls of John George Mental Hospital. Heck, she'd even bleed to death towards her room rather than to die asking for anyone's help. Especially from him.

But Astrid's movements were limited by her damaged limbs and weakened body. Though she tried her best to move fast, Matthew managed to catch up with her after a few steps with his mile long legs.

"AH — get off!" Astrid screamed as she felt the heels of Matthew's handmade leather shoes stomped against her arm, preventing her from moving forward. She tried to pushed his shoes away from her, gritting her teeth — almost gnashing. But then Matthew placed his weight on the foot that used Astrid's arms, earning a cry from the woman who was wriggling on the floor to get away from him.

"What a pity…" Matthew whispered as he leaned down a little. "Why are you so afraid? You said that marrying me is your greatest wish in your life."

Oh how Astrid hated the mocking and teasing tone that came out of Matthew's pretty mouth. His deep yet melodic voice would make women and men around him fall from his wicked charms. Everyone does, which is why Matthew gets what he wants…

But not Astrid. No. Because in her eyes, he's nothing but a spawn of satan.

A devil that's sporting the face of an angel. He's a trickster. A wicked liar.

"What do you want?" She hissed. "Why did you come for me?"

"Weren't you taught manners as a child, hm, Astrid Starling?" Another set of mocking from Matthew Cullin. "Weren't you taught to look in the eyes of whom you're speaking with?"

It's as if she was placed under a spell. Astrid slowly raised her head, using all the strength she had to look up to Matthew, wanting to humor what he wanted. And to prove to herself that she wasn't scared of him.

And yet when their eyes connected and she saw his face up close, a rush of emotions began to torment her once more. Up close he looked like a god… His beautiful face could be mistaken for a statue. He was flawless, even for his age.

"Now I see you looking at me." Was his pleased reply.

Matthew lowered himself until he was on a squat. And when Astrid thought he had enough to torment her, Matthew's cold, cold fingers grabbed her by the chin, raising her head and painfully arching her neck. She stifled her cry by biting on her inner cheeks. And when she breathed in, she was filled by a familiar scent that made her feel terrified.

"I just wanted to check if you're being punished properly. And maybe even ask if I need to bring a body bag, or a hearse to come and fetch you here."

'Punished? Punished for what?!' She hissed to herself. When she heard the ridiculous words that came out of Matthew's mouth, Astrid Starling had to stop herself from cackling like a mad witch.

A painful memory from six years ago was still fresh inside her mind. Playing again and again… a memory that is one of the reasons why she's on the brink of insanity. When she was dragged here at John George's Mental Hospital after she had just given birth, she asked him — screamed at him, "What did I do wrong?! Why do you have to punish me like this, Matthew?! What did I do?!"

But when she saw his face… she didn't need to ask. For she remembered her crime.

"Why don't you say you're innocent this time?"

"Cat got your tongue?" Matthew asked as he stared down at the silent woman in front of him. The smile on his lips slowly disappeared as he looked at her entirety. "Why aren't you answering?"

He looked at Astrid who was now lying motionless on the slippery floor. His right foot remained heavy on her arm. She was no longer fighting for her freedom and it took out all the fun. With a sigh Matthew withdrew his feet, rendering a wince from the scorned woman. And as Astrid arched her neck up to meet his eyes, it's as if he was looking at his own reflection. For there was such darkness… such emptiness and a deep void in her eyes.

"You hurt, bitch?"

Even though she did not reply, Astrid merely looked at the mark on her arm left by the soles of Matthew's shoes. She slowly moved her other hand on the skin, feeling the print and the ache as she stared. "You… can no longer hurt me."

Matthew snickered. "I doubt that."

Like a child, Astrid crawled until her left hand was leaning against the wall. She pushed herself up, minding her bad legs. And when she could finally stand tall, she looked at Matthew and smiled. Her pale face was laced with a different kind of arrogance. It was enough to make the devilish man click his tongue in annoyance.

"Why should I plead guilty… why should I say I'm innocent? I'm crazy, aren't I? Crazy… deranged. A psycho!" She hissed, mumbled in a hoarse voice as if she's being possessed by a demon. "I did it. I'm a killer."

It was a fleeting moment. A matter of a second — a speck in a boundless, endless time. But there was a sense of adoration in Matthew Cullin's eyes.

He would be lying if he said that he didn't imagine this moment in his head. The moment they'd meet again after he sent her to this place. He thought he'd see her beg, cry her eyes out and beg for his mercy and ask for his forgiveness. He'd imagine her to lose all sanity and just be a cocoon, a shell. A lifeless body whose soul escaped from this cruel place… but no.

Astrid Starling had an aura of a woman who had a layer of walls built around her. She was indifferent. A flameless, cold person who lost her will to live and yet… was still carrying on.

He looked into her eyes and suddenly frowned.