A Safe Place

Rain poured hard on the street pavement. Thunder rumbled and the clouds hung ominously over the town. But inside the Breakfast Diner, it was cozy and comfortable. The orange lights hanging above each booth lit the Diner warmly, making it feel welcoming. But Sam and Doll had to keep their guards up. Anyone could recognize them at any time and bring them into prison for the murder of their entire family.

It had been a week since the two siblings had run away from home, leaving their dead family and vengeful childhood bully Ryan, who was now most likely seeking to kill Sam for trying to murder him.

Sam sat across the table from Doll, reading the Diner menu. It was a little hard to read because of his missing eye, which had been stabbed by Ryan in the fight.

The Diner had really tempting, delicious-looking food, specifically the fruit pancakes, but they didn’t have enough money to buy a lot. Sam had already decided he would skip breakfast to feed poor, hungry Doll, who had been starved her whole childhood because their mother believed a proper lady needed to remain petite and skinny.

Sam was never really hungry anyway, so he didn’t mind skipping breakfast. He glanced over his menu, observing as Doll read her own menu.

“Do you have an idea on what you’d like to eat?” Sam asked his sister, who looked up with empty eyes. Every time Sam saw those dull eyes, he always felt a pang of guilt. Maybe she’d be happy and smiling if he had stood up for her all those years ago. But no, he had been a coward.

Doll nodded after a moment, sliding the menu to her brother’s side of the table and pointing to a meal of Mickey-Mouse-shaped pancakes, bacon and eggs. Sam smiled a little. “That’s what you want? Alright. We’ll order when the waitress comes over.”

They waited patiently for the waitress to come, who eventually walked over to their table with a kind smile. Sam ordered for Doll, got a glass of water for himself, and the waitress walked away. When they were alone, Doll turned to Sam and whispered, “Man. Staring.”

Sam, confused, looked around. His heart picked up speed when he did indeed see a man staring at them, his brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed. Sam quickly looked away. “Just act casually. He won’t bother us if we don’t bother him,” he whispered to Doll, who nodded obediently, but looked a little nervous.

The waitress eventually arrived with the food, and Doll’s eyes widened at the meal that was significantly larger than what she’d had when their parents fed her, but there wasn’t a trace of excitement or amazement. She always seemed empty and emotionless, and Sam guessed she was trying to hide her feelings out of habit.

Doll immediately dug into the food after Sam thanked the waitress. Sam watched his sister, feeling guilt build up. He could have stood up for her, and she wouldn’t be in such bad shape. She wouldn’t be starving.

Doll glanced up, almost as if she heard Sam’s thought, and scooted the plate of half-eaten food to her brother. “Eat.” She demanded gently.

Sam shook his head and smiled wearily. “Thank you. But I’m not hungry.”

Doll kept the plate there, staring at Sam. He eventually gave in and took a small bite of pancake, then pushed the plate back to his sister and sighed. “Thank you.”

Doll smiled, although it seemed… fake. Forced. Then she went back to eating.

Sam could still feel the eyes of the man from across the room, boring into his side. He began to worry. Did the man recognize them? Would he call the police? Or what if he had already called the police, were they on their way now? Sam shook his leg anxiously and bit his lip.

Someone entered the Diner. Sam’s heart raced as he saw a few officers step in, looking around. Shit. Shit shit shit. The man across the Diner did recognize them and must have called the police over.

The officers spotted Doll and Sam at their booth and quickly pulled out tasers.

Sam immediately grabbed Doll’s arm and pulled her out of the booth. They ran over to the kitchen area and the officers let out an alarmed shout, telling them to halt. But Sam was determined not to get caught. If he were put in prison, he and Doll would be separated. He wouldn’t be able to protect his sister in jail. What if she were to go to another horrible family? He couldn’t let that happen.

They ran out through the kitchen, pushing past staff as the officers followed, shouting and yelling for them to stop.

Sam and Doll eventually reached the exit, and as soon as they stepped out, Sam dragged one of the trash bins over to the doorway of the exit, blocking the officers from chasing. Still holding Doll’s hand, he ran down the alley, through the streets, and finally reached a dark, abandoned shop. Behind it was a boarded up hole in the wall, which Sam took down to crawl into with his sister.

Sam leaned against the cold wall of the abandoned building, breathing heavily, his racing heart calming down after a minute. Doll sat there, seeming… unfazed. She stared at the dirty floor, eyes empty as ever.

“I’m sorry if I alarmed you back there. We had to make a quick getaway, or we’d get caught,” Sam apologized to his sister, who didn’t show signs of hearing him.

He sighed and shut his eyes, feeling warm tears swell up. He just wanted to be safe. He wanted Doll to be safe more than anything. But how could he keep her safe when he was considered a criminal now? And how could they be safe with Ryan still alive, looking for them?

Sam must have drifted off, because soon he opened his blurry eyes to sunlight. How many days have gone by? Had the storm from earlier lifted?

Sam’s senses perked up when he saw a figure standing in front of him. He jumped up, standing in the way of Doll, who was asleep, and bared his teeth at the stranger who had entered the building. “Who are you?” He growled.

The stranger, a tall, slender man with a mustache and fancy suit, smiled gently at the two siblings. “Hello. Sam and Doll.”

“How did you know our names? Who are you?” Sam demanded.

The man grinned and held out his hand. “I am Principle Longlegs. You two are in need of a place to stay, I assume? I run an academy for… misbehaviors and ‘villains’. Criminals, to be exact. And I welcome you two to join and stay, attend classes, etc etc…”

Sam glanced up and down from the strange man to his hand, hesitating. “How do I know you aren’t just trying to turn me into the police?”

The principal laughed. “Smart thinking. You don’t have to trust me. If you want, I’ll just send you the location of the Academy, and you can arrive on the set date. But do not tell anyone of the location. I don’t want the police to get involved.” He said, slipping out a mysterious pink note with neat handwriting, handing it to Sam.

Sam took the note cautiously, observing it. “Academy of the Wicked. A school for misbehaved, villains and criminals.” He read aloud, skipping over the date and time. He glanced up at the principal and frowned. “I will… consider it.”

“Great!! Meet you on the set date, then.” Principal Longlegs announced, tipping his top hat and bowing before entering easily through the door that Sam had assumed was locked. He watched, wide-eyed, as the man disappeared down the street.

Sam sat down, leaning against the stone wall, and stared at the letter before glancing at his sister.

Would Doll be safe in a school of… criminals? Harsh people who probably had the urge to kill and slaughter? Well, Sam wasn’t any better. He had killed his whole family and almost tore out Ryan’s throat.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. He could try it out. He wanted Doll to find a place to call home. A place she was comfortable in.

Maybe this would be their safe place.