The Tooth Fairy

By: J. Adams
September 11, 2008

With music blaring Charlie hurtled down the winding roads of the Washington coastline in his newly acquired convertible. The blood red gleamed with each faultless turn. And true to the commercials he had seen the past few months, the car stuck to every corner.

The car, much like everything else, was something he had to have. Everything from small watches to small boats, the latest electronics that do it all to the fine art that now held a place on the walls of his new home, everything purchased on a whim and enjoyed just long enough for the next big thing to come around. Curtsy of the fools that try to make a small fortune through Charlie’s investment plans, Charlie was more then well off.

The forests in Washington have an interesting color that sets it aside from other areas of the country. The greenery is a deep green that is just vibrant enough to stand out during the night and at high speeds becomes nothing more than a slick wall. It’s a peaceful state that all too often gets confused with the busy natured DC. A true crime against the land.

From the corner of Charlie’s eye trees shifted into a blur of dark emerald green that only magnified the contrast of his car to the land. The music went louder with the roll of his pointer finger on the radio dial. Quickly his hand was brought back to the leather of the steering wheel. And along with the music his foot managed to press the gas little further into the floorboard.

He rounded another slow curving corner while the road guarder flashed back at him. Gliding along, the windows slowly rolled down allowing the cold air to flow in and sting the skin. Without warning the vehicle jumped from the pavement just as the front tire found its way into a pothole perfectly formed to fit. Like a swift stroke of red paint on canvas the car was sent hurtling through the air, through the road guarders and off into the trees that moments before were only a blur. The mangled mess of a car, that now resembled a large accordion, came to a stop at the foot of the hill. Hanging upside down Charlie groaned as he unlocked his seatbelt and peeled his foot from off the floorboard. Dropping to the roof of the slightly used accordion Charlie collapsed and passed out.

Charlie’s eyes cracked open to find himself in a room that was entirely foreign to him. The walls were a pale white that was interrupted by the dull flowered wallpaper that wrapped around the room in a single thick line. The window to his side had mismatched blue drapes, one side darker blue then the other, which appeared to be a mismanaged attempt to brighten up the walls. It was no longer dark out and the bright rays of sun coming in through the window made it clear that it was a new day. He couldn’t move. Suddenly the realization of the pain engaged. Like a severe electrical shock his legs and arms sent a message of pain and agony to his brain.

The pain dulled momentarily with the song of a woman’s voice graced the air from beyond the bedroom door. Something that Charlie has heard little of. His mother left when he was only eight and since then women came far and few between in his life. It’s something that affected Charlie on a deeper level then most would guess, leaving him open to failed romantic situations and allowing him a self-entitled excuse that he used to justify the things he had done. “Screw em’ before they screw you.” Seemed to be the catch phrase. With each second that passed the voice became clearer and louder, singing a soft tune that floated on air.

“Hello?” Charlie managed to cut through the pain and murmur.

The doorknob shook slightly as it turned to allow the singing woman to enter. Her long blonde hair sat neatly on her shoulders caressing her back as she walked. The sheer dullness of the room began to amplify her green eyes in a cutting way.

“Ah, you’re awake! I was hoping you would wake soon dear. I really didn’t expect you to be out for so long. Did you want anything to drink? The excitement in her voice carried instantly through the room.

“Who are you?” Charlie asked

“I’m Sarah, I should have told you that first.” Sarah slowly moved into the room a few feet at a time as if she were entering a cold pool eager to get used to the water. “This must be very awkward for you. I was driving and happened to see a car wreck on the side of the road and pulled over to help you. The nearest hospital is a bit of a distance away and my cabin happened to be just beyond the hill so I took you here. Did you want something to drink?”

Charlie could barley muster the strength to speak. Thoughts and questions flew through his mind. In the end none of this managed to be conveyed in words. He seemed to be all right now and that’s all that really mattered.

“Coffee?” Charlie’s words seeped out of the corner of his mouth.

“Don’t you know coffee stains your teeth? Not to mention it stunts your growth? I’ll get some nice fresh milk for you.” Slowly Sarah turned and glided out of the room.

Moments later she returned with a pitcher and an empty clear glass. In front of Charlie she poured the milk and added a hot pink bendy straw just long enough to be set on the nightstand and still allow Charlie to drink from it.

Sarah had a caring nature to her that made the pain instantly disappear. It was the kind of feeling a mother gives to a child, the sense that everything is and will be completely fine. Even the tone of her voice had the sound of a calming ocean; each wave of words massaged the air leaving a soft imprint of her voice behind.

“Where are you from?” Sarah asked as she sat down near the foot of the bed.

“Seattle, I was driving up this way to my father’s cabin for the week.” Charlie relaxed himself.

“That sounds nice. I don’t have family around anymore so I keep to the house for the most part. I have to admit a little company is quite the change of pace. Normally it’s so dead around here, every so often its nice to get it to liven up for a bit. I guess I can only handle it for so long though. I’ve gotten kind of used to being here alone.”

Normally Charlie wouldn’t bother to indulge her in the conversation any further. Something was different about her. Maybe it was just the attraction. She had an interesting aurora about her.

“ When was the last time you had company?” Charlie asked.

“ Oh, It’s been a while. Every so often I get a few people stopping by, mostly its people that are in need of help like you. I think there have been at least five or six accidents on that road and most of them have ended up coming here for help. It’s just too bad for some that the hospital is so far away.” Sarah coolly fumbled with her fingers.

Charlie tilted his head in the direction of the nightstand, taking a long drink while he watched the pink straw take a new shade of red as the milk filled the tubing. The liquid finally reached its intended destination bringing with it the rancid taste of two week old milk. It had a biting taste that stripped him of his taste buds and instantly engaged a gag reflex that spit the milk back through the straw from where it came.

“This milk is sour!” Charlie managed to hold a look of absolute disgust. Sarah completely ignored the comment.

“You know, you really do have fine teeth. I couldn’t help but notice as I pulled you out of the car that night. I guess you could say I have a thing for teeth” Sarah sat in an embarrassed manner

“That night?” again it pained Charlie to utter even the slightest word.

“Well you have been out for quite awhile. Let’s see here, it’s been about four days now.” Sarah quickly thought of all the cough syrup and pain medicine she had been giving him to keep him out.

Four days, Charlie couldn’t believe what he had heard. He had been out for four days. It almost seems impossible. Stunned and agitated he sat trying to remember all that he could. There was a crash, he remembered that much.

“I just can’t remember.” Charlie strained himself.

Sarah just stared at him a moment before she made a sudden movement to get up. Slowly she paced her way to a sun faded mahogany dresser that was set at an angle in the corner of the room.

“Don’t worry it may come back later, but really do you even want to remember it?” Sarah breathed out the words as she fumbled in the dresser and then turned sharply to retreat back to the bed. Sarah stood closer to Charlie then before, surveying the situation and taking in each second. As if to grow taller as she bowed down to Charlie’s level, Sarah took a deep breathe inhaling the moment into her lungs. And from behind her pulled a dull metal shape into view. Slowly she curled her fingers around the object grasping it with white knuckles.

“I remember being able to move then. Why didn’t you just take me to a hospital?” The silence was defining. Charlie’s heart and breath rate increased to a panicked gasping pace “Why didn’t you take me?”

Slowly her demeanor changed drastically into a spider like body language slowly making her moves for the kill. Inching her way closer and closer to Charlie, the insect that was hopelessly stuck in her web.

“When I found you passed out I had to take you here. You weren’t in too bad of shape my dear and that was the problem. I can’t have you just moving and thrashing about on me, trust me if you were able to move it makes it so much harder. I had to break your arms and legs. I did that for you.” Sarah Leaned over Charlie’s now squirming body. His limbs remained utterly still with each panicked shake of his torso and turn of the neck. “I really did mean you had beautiful teeth. I ‘m something of a tooth collector. There is just something about the shape and white of them. I think yours will be a nice addition to my collection. Sarah placed the old metal object near Charlie’s mouth. He bit down clenching his mouth shut. “It won’t matter if you leave your mouth closed dear. I wont be needing anything else other then the teeth.” Sarah Placed one hand on the flat of his forehead to keep it steady and with the other took the point of the aging chisel and began to thrust it into Charlie’s lips, penetrating the skin.