Crazed Girl

The next morning, Holo sat across from the man in the small dining hall of the facility. He picked at the bland breakfast in front of him, his appetite nonexistent after the chaos of the previous day. His mind replayed the events over and over—Trixie's feral rage, Scarlet's manipulative words, Felicia's aggressive seduction, and Eleanor's cold indifference. It was overwhelming, and part of him wanted to run and never look back.

"You're quiet this morning," the man said, leaning back in his chair with a cup of coffee in hand. "Thinking about yesterday?"

Holo nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't think I can do this. They're… too much."

The man chuckled. "I get it. They're a handful, no doubt about that. But they're also human—well, mostly human—and they're not as bad as they seem once you get to know them."

Holo frowned, unconvinced. "They didn't seem very human to me."

"That's because you've only seen the worst sides of them," the man said. "Give it time. Speaking of which, I think you should start with Trixie today."

"Trixie?" Holo asked, his stomach tightening at the thought of facing her again.

"She's rough around the edges, sure," the man admitted. "But she's not a monster. She just needs someone to talk to. Trust me, she'll be more manageable today."

Holo wasn't sure if he believed that, but he didn't have much of a choice. He followed the man down the familiar hallway to Trixie's cell. This time, the door was already open, and a guard gestured for Holo to step inside.

The room was the same as he remembered—bare and unwelcoming, with Trixie sitting on the floor near the back wall. She was attached to a heavy chain that was bolted to the wall, her movements limited to a few feet in any direction. Despite her restraints, she seemed surprisingly calm, lounging on the floor with a bored expression.

Her black hair in short pigtails framed her face, and her brown eyes gleamed with curiosity as she noticed Holo standing in the doorway. She still had glowing rosy cheeks and her slim, curvy figure, but today she wasn't thrashing or snarling. She wore the same green jacket that stopped at her waist, brown crop top, and red tie. Her brown boots, shorts, black ripped stockings, steel toe-capped shoes, and short fingerless black gloves were all still intact, though scuffed from her earlier struggle.

"Oh, it's you," she said, sitting up slightly. "What do you want?"

Holo hesitated, glancing at the chain that tethered her to the wall. "I, um… I came to talk."

Trixie raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a sly smile. "Talk? You're brave, I'll give you that."

He took a cautious step closer, keeping his distance as he sat on the floor a few feet away from her. "You were… different yesterday," he said carefully. "What happened?"

She tilted her head, studying him like a predator sizing up its prey. "I was hungry," she said simply, her tone casual. "Hunger makes me… cranky."

"Cranky?" Holo repeated, unable to keep the disbelief out of his voice. "You tried to rip my throat out."

Trixie shrugged, leaning back against the wall. "I said I was hungry, didn't I? It's not my fault they forgot to feed me."

Holo frowned. "That's… not normal."

"Neither am I," she said with a grin that showed just a hint of teeth. "You'll get used to it."

Despite her relaxed demeanor, there was something unsettling about Trixie. Her movements were too fluid, too animalistic, and her eyes never stayed in one place for long. It was like she was constantly assessing her surroundings, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

"Why are you chained up?" Holo asked, his voice cautious.

Trixie rolled her eyes. "Because they're scared of me. They think I'll go on a rampage if they let me loose."

"Would you?" he asked.

She didn't answer right away. Instead, she leaned forward, the chain clinking as she moved closer to him. "What do you think?" she asked, her voice low and teasing.

Holo swallowed hard, his instincts screaming at him to back away. "I… I don't know."

Trixie laughed, a wild and unhinged sound that sent chills down his spine. "Smart answer," she said, leaning back again. "But you're not wrong to be scared. I could snap at any moment, you know. One second, I'm calm. The next, I'm tearing your face off."

Holo's heart raced, but he forced himself to stay calm. "Then why aren't you snapping now?"

Her smile faded, and for the first time, there was a flicker of something almost vulnerable in her eyes. "Because I don't want to," she said quietly. "Not right now, anyway."

The answer surprised him. There was a strange sincerity in her voice, and for a brief moment, Holo saw past the wild, feral exterior. There was more to Trixie than met the eye, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to dig any deeper.

Before he could say anything else, the man appeared in the doorway. "Alright, that's enough for today," he said. "Let's not push our luck."

Trixie smirked, leaning back against the wall as Holo stood up. "See you around, Holo," she said, her tone playful. "Try not to miss me too much."

Holo left the room feeling a mix of relief and unease. Trixie had been calmer than he expected, but there was still something deeply unsettling about her. She was like a storm waiting to happen, unpredictable and dangerous.

"See? That wasn't so bad," the man said as they walked back down the hallway.

"She's… complicated," Holo admitted.

"They all are," the man said with a chuckle. "But you're making progress. Keep it up."

Holo wasn't sure if he believed that, but for now, he had no choice but to keep going.