Ooh, ooh, me me pick me!!)
Griffin swung back his fist to strike the ringmaster, but the figure darted forwards, turning him around and looking him dead in the eye. “Don’t hurt the wolf, little girl.” Griffin froze. “Who the hell are you, and how do you know about that?!”, he growled.
The figure stared Griffin down. "I know everything there is to know about you, little girl." It grinned beneath its mask. "I know how you got to being trapped here." It took a step forward. "I know how long you've had your eye on that pathetic little Eleanore." Another step. "I know about your mother, and I know where your sister is." Their faces were inches away.
Griffin couldn’t breathe as his eyes widened in shock at the figure above him. “Not possible.” The figure smiled wickedly, one silver tooth glinting ominously in the dim light. “But it is, little girl.”
Griffin took a step back, anger surging. He gritted his teeth. “I am not a girl, and you know nothing about me.”
Eli kicked the ringmaster once more to knock him out. Ana grabbed Eli's arm and dragged him off to where the others were, close enough that they could interfere with Griffin's conversation but not so close that they were in the way.
The figure smiled eerily. “Shush now, Gwendolyn. Your father has something to say to you.” Griffin swallowed, shaking his head vigorously and stepping backwards. “My father,” he spat out the word, “left when I was six.”
Ana gasped at the figure, realizing where this conversation was going. Elliot caught on a few seconds after. They both shared a look and prepared to jump in if they needed to.
The figure acknowledged this. “I did. But I’m back now.” He grinned creepily. “No, no, no. Not possible.” Griffin took another step away from him, arms raised as if to defend himself as all his childhood nightmares came rushing back.
Ana was getting confused now. Before, she had relied on what Griffin was saying but now the conversation didn't make sense to her. She'd have to ask later. Eli stepped forward slightly, his fists clenched by his side.
The figure took a step closer for each step Griffin took backwards, until he found himself pressed against the wall with his faller towering over him. “Don’t you remember me?” The figure extended a long finger to brush against Hruffin’s cheek, but he was paralyzed. Memories flashed in and out iif his mind, bringing desperate tears to his eyes. His father, looking over the frail shape of his mother, hand raised to strike.
Eli took a few more silent steps forward so he was closer to the figure than the others. Ana nervously pulled at his arm, motioning for him to stay back. He shook his head and took another step towards Griffin, Ana now trailing behind him, her hands shaking.
Out of the corner of his eye, Griffin saw Eli. No. He’s dangerous Eli, stop! “Probe that you’re my father.”, he said to the figure, voice trembling.
*prove
"And how do you expect me to do that?" the figure breathed sweetly into his son's ear.
Griffin swallowed, shoving the figure away. “Tell me why you left.”
"Do you request my honest answer, Gwendolyn? Because I fear it will only make things worse."
“My name. Is not. Gwendolyn.”, Griffin clenched his teeth. “And you’ve already messed up enough that you’re irredeemable.”, he growled.
The figure laughed deeply. "I left because your useless mother was not worth my time. Our marriage had been an arranged one, and I did not love her. Out of spite, your mother went off one night. Your sister wasn't mine."
Griffin clenched his fists. “My mother was too good for you, you d***bag. All of us were glad when you left.”
The figure hissed. "You think your mother was a saint, and I the soulless monster. Did you know that your mother went after the woman I did love? Terrified her into leaving?"
“You beat her EVERY DAY. You almost KILLED MY SISTER, you burned me with boiling water whenever I did the slightest thing wrong! You murdered mom’s first child, you were the curse in our every f**ing day!”, Griffin yelled at his father, shoving him away.
He beat down on his son, grabbing him by the collar and slamming against the wall. "Pheobe wasn't mine, son! Your mother destroyed me, and as for you, son, I knew you'd have a hard life. All I was doing was preparing you."
(Btw the name is spelt PhOebe, o first)
Griffin cried out as pain shot through the back of his head. “You are a monster.”, he growled, raising his hands to defend himself. “Not my father. Not my mother’s husband.”
(yeah ik sorry misspelled)
His father grimaced and let go. "I hurt you again." He backed away. "I'm not going anywhere this time, son."
Son. He called me son. Not daughter. “Get away from me.”, Griffin hissed.
The figure raised his hands in surrender. "Fine. You I will stay away from. But I cannot make any other promises." As he said this, he twisted around as Leo attempted to sneak up on him and sent him flying across the room and into a wall.