Friday morning, Malachai was walking to school when his phone buzzed. It was Maria Brennan. The message had arrived just a few minutes earlier.
Maria: "Hi Malachai… I barely slept at all. Something weird happened with the mirror last night. I don't want to talk about it over text. Can we meet today after classes? I need to tell you in person. At the river park, 4 o'clock? Please."
Malachai replied almost immediately.
Malachai: "Sure. 4 at the old dock bench. I'll bring something to drink."
The school day dragged on slowly. Malachai barely paid attention in class. His mind was on Maria. Airam was awakening. He could feel it.
At exactly 4:00 he arrived at the river park. The place was quiet: an old wooden dock, worn benches, the slow gray water of the Sweetwater.
Maria was already there, sitting on the far bench, hands clasped tightly in her lap. She wore an oversized gray hoodie that covered her hands, dark jeans, and sneakers. Nothing that showed her body. All conservative, as always. But today she had styled her hair more carefully and wore a touch of lip gloss. Small details Malachai noticed instantly.
When she saw him, she stood up quickly, nervous.
"Thanks for coming." She whispered. "I didn't know who else to text."
Malachai sat beside her, leaving enough space so she wouldn't feel crowded. He pulled two cans of iced tea from his backpack and handed her one.
"No problem. Tell me what happened with the mirror. In detail."
Maria took the can with trembling hands and pressed it against her chest like a shield.
"Last night, after talking to you in the library… I went home. My dad wasn't there, so I locked myself in my room. I stood in front of the mirror to brush my hair… and suddenly the bathroom light flickered. My reflection… it stayed still for a second longer than normal. Then it smiled. But I wasn't smiling." She swallowed hard.
"I felt a chill on the back of my neck, like someone was breathing there. And the reflection… it raised its hand to touch the glass. I hadn't moved my hand. The mirror cracked on its own, then there was a sound like nails scratching from the inside. I ran out and slept in the living room with the lights on."
Malachai looked at her steadily, without judgment in his eyes.
"Did it say anything? Or do anything else?"
Maria shook her head.
"No… it just smiled. But I felt like it wanted to get out. Like it was waiting for me to let my guard down so it could take control," she said in a shaky voice. "Malachai… I think I'm going crazy."
Malachai leaned a little closer to her.
"You're not crazy. What you're feeling is real. That other part of you… it's starting to manifest. But it won't take control unless you let it."
Maria looked up. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears and something else: trust. For the first time, someone was truly seeing her.
"Thank you…" She whispered. "No one has ever told me I'm not alone. My dad says I'm weak. That I have to 'control myself.' But with you… I feel like I can talk. Like you won't judge me."
Malachai gave a small smile. "I don't judge you. And you won't be alone as long as I'm here."
They sat in silence for a while. The river made a soft sound as it lapped against the dock pilings. Maria visibly relaxed. She even smiled a little when Malachai told her a silly story about how Betty had fallen during debate club trying to imitate Cheryl.
Maria laughed softly the first genuine laugh Malachai had ever heard from her.
"You're a good listener." She said, glancing at him sideways with a faint blush on her cheeks. "And… I don't know… you make me feel safe. Like I can breathe easy when I'm with you."
Malachai smiled warmly as he looked into her eyes. "That's the goal."
Maria blushed and quickly looked down. Her thoughts began to swirl.
'Why do I feel like this with him? He's kind, but also… strong, sure of himself. When he looks at me, I feel like he really sees me. Not like my dad, who only sees what's wrong. Malachai sees… me… he sees me. And that scares me… and I like it. A LOT.'
They talked a while longer about light things: school, debate club, movies they liked. Maria relaxed so much that she even pulled her hoodie hood down and let the wind move her hair. For the first time in a long while, she felt normal. Human. Desired, even if only for a moment.
When the sun began to set, Maria stood up.
"I have to get back before my dad arrives. But… thank you for this. It did me good to get out, talk to you, be with someone who doesn't judge me."
Malachai stood too, touching her forearm gently with a beautiful warm smile.
"Anytime. Text me or come straight to me. Doesn't matter the hour, I'll be there for you."
Maria nodded, blushing furiously. "I will, Malachai. I will."
She said goodbye with a shy wave and walked away, glancing back every few steps toward where Malachai stood.
Malachai watched her go, knowing Airam was getting closer. He had to find a way to deal with her. He also knew Maria was beginning to trust him and maybe even like him a little, and that was exactly what he needed to protect her.
Maria arrived home with her heart pounding. She closed the door carefully so as not to alert her father, who still wasn't back. She climbed the stairs slowly, entered her room, and stood in front of the cracked mirror.
She stared at herself. The reflection was hers. Normal, shy. She no longer felt afraid; her mind was no longer on the mirror. It was on Malachai.
On the way he had looked at her in the park. On how he had made her feel seen. On how his hand on her forearm had been firm yet gentle. On how he had said "you're not alone" as if it were the simplest truth in the world.
Maria sat on the bed, hugging her knees.
'Why can't I get him out of my head? He's just a boy… but I can't. He's not just any boy. He's… different. When he talks to me, I feel like… like he could protect me from everything. Even from myself.'
Her thoughts grew more intense. Unwanted images filled her mind: Malachai moving closer on the bench, his hands on her waist instead of her forearm, his lips brushing hers, his body covering her like a shield against the world… against that other part of her.
She blushed violently and covered her face with her hands.
'No… I can't think about that. It's… too much. But… I want to. I want him to look at me like that always. I want to feel safe. I want… to feel him close.'
She stood up quickly and turned off the light. She climbed into bed without changing, hugging the pillow as if it were him.
'Tomorrow I'll text him again.' She thought before closing her eyes and biting her lip hard. 'I don't want to be alone…'
Her hand unconsciously slid down her stomach, reaching her lower place, and with shyness and innocence she began to touch herself softly.
Her mind… was filled with the image of Malachai.
His low voice echoing in her ear. His strong hands holding her. His eyes fixed on hers, as if she were the only thing that mattered in the world. She wanted him to hold her. She wanted him to kiss her. She wanted him to protect her. She wanted him to be hers. And she wanted to be his.
She bit her lip harder, trying to hold back a small moan that escaped anyway. Her fingers moved faster, more desperately, as she imagined it was Malachai's hand touching her. That it was his body covering her. That it was his voice whispering her name.
When she finished, trembling and panting, she lay staring at the ceiling with tears in her eyes.
'I want him…" She thought obsessively. 'I want him all to myself.'
…
Later that night, when the sun had already set, Malachai's phone buzzed. It was Beth.
Beth: "Hi Mal… Dean took the kids to the movies and won't be back until late. Want to come over? Just to talk… and have coffee. I miss you."
Malachai read the message and smiled slightly.
Malachai: "Be there in 15."
He arrived at Beth's house in the truck. She opened the door wearing a loose blouse and jeans, hair down, red lipstick, and a nervous smile.
"Thanks for coming." She whispered, closing the door behind him. "I needed to see you."
They sat in the kitchen with coffee. At first they talked about everyday things: the kids, Dean's job, the money Malachai had lent her. But the tension grew with every silence.
Beth set her cup down and looked straight at him, cheeks slightly flushed.
"Ever since you helped me with the money… and since what happened the other time… I-I can't stop thinking about you. About the way you look at me. About how you make me feel safe." She lowered her voice and bit her lip. "And about how you make me feel… wanted."
Malachai leaned toward her.
"You don't have to explain anything, Beth. Just say what you want."
Beth swallowed. She stood and moved closer. Her hands went to his shoulders. She looked into his eyes.
"I want this." She whispered, heart racing. "I want to feel you."
She leaned in and kissed him. The kiss started slow, almost shy, but quickly turned passionate. Malachai's hands went to her waist, pulling her closer. Beth sat on his lap, legs straddling him, and the kiss deepened; her breathing quickened, her hands slid down his back, feeling the muscles under his shirt, tracing his defined abs.
Malachai's hands moved down her waist, brushing the skin under her blouse, and squeezing her beautiful large ass.
Beth let out a hot gasp against his lips.
"This… this feels so good…" She whispered, feeling her body begin to heat up, but she decided to stop and pulled back slightly. "But… it's not the time. I have kids, Malachai. Dean… even if he's not here, he's still their father. I can't… not yet." She bit her lip with lust, feeling something hard pressing against her lower part.
Malachai looked at her with a half smile but decided not to push; it was better if she gave herself willingly.
"When you're ready." He said simply. "I'm not going anywhere."
Beth kissed him again, this time longer, more intense, full of restrained lust, and Malachai, not wanting to leave empty handed, gripped Beth's ass firmly with both hands and pressed her crotch against the wetness that was forming. Beth could feel the enormous length of Malachai pressing against her pussy, feeling she might lose control, and she quickly stood up, breathing heavily.
"Give me a week." She whispered. "I'll ask Dean for a divorce, and after that… I'm going to drain you dry." She said it with a smile, though a little embarrassed, looking at him provocatively.
Malachai stood too. He hugged her for a moment longer, feeling her body against his, kneading her ass with his hands.
"I'll be waiting for that moment." He whispered next to Beth's ear, gently biting her earlobe. The action made Beth squeeze her thighs involuntarily and look at him with pure lust and desire.
After that interaction, Malachai left the house with his heart pounding and a raging erection, but with one certainty: Beth was already his. And now he had even more reasons to protect her.
Pennywise was stalking him.
And he was going to be ready if it decided to attack.