4. The Sinner
Chapter four
The Sinner
Dinah
I wake with a sharp pain at the back of my skull, that makes it feel like it’s being split in half with an ax. “Ah, fuck!” I groan as I try to pry my heavy eyelids open. The minute I’m able to open them more than a crack, I regret it immediately. All of the blinding bright light in the room just causes me further pain, and I try to bring my hands up towards my eyes to ward it off, only to realize that something has me immobile. Panic races through me, my breathing ratcheting up and becoming labored, as I attempt to raise all of my limbs, only to feel the same confining sensation. No, no, no, this can’t be happening. I force my eyes to open and focus on my surroundings.
My head spins as I try to lift it off the hard surface on which I’m lying. I’m greeted by an ornate painted ceiling, with depictions of cherub angels with swords, fighting dark, menacing demons with horns and breathing fire. What the everloving fuck? The last moments before everything went dark return to me in a flash, racing through my mind without warning or hesitation. Shit, the Holy Father is my psychotic father playing at being God. I did not see that shit coming, and he’s known all along that I’m the Unholy Ghost. He wants me to help with whatever his unhinged plan to take over the world is. The question is, why does he even need me? He’s the most powerful man on the planet. He could order the death of millions with one word; who would oppose him?
Abe, Zeke, and Sammy! He’d threatened their lives if I didn’t agree to his nefarious plans, and I pulled the trigger anyway. At that moment, a part of me hesitated; I saw the man I used to love, my father, before I realized that he was a monster. I should have aimed at his head, but instead, I chose to injure him. Why did I waver at the last second? What the hell is wrong with me? Are Abe and Zeke already dead? Why would my father bother to keep me alive if they are? There is nothing that will force me to do his bidding if they’re gone. A noise to the side catches my attention in the furthest part of the room, and I watch as a sizable shadowed lump on the ground moves from the corner of my eye. What the fuck is that? Is it an animal that’s chained up in here with me? It looks the size of a damn bear, and is covered in so much blood and dirt. “UGH,” the mound growls, and hysterical fear courses through my bones. Holy shit, that thing is going to tear into me if it’s not chained down, and I won’t be able to defend myself.
“Fucking assholes!” I scream, as I flail desperately on the surface, and attempt to loosen the bonds that are holding me captive and defenseless. “D... in... ah,” the sound is growled, and it takes me a moment to realize that it’s a human voice uttering my name. The sound of a chain rattling, accompanied by another low growl, fills the air. “Ze... ke,” it calls out, and my heart skips a beat. “Abe?!” I shout, while I attempt to force my head at an angle to get a better look. The shape moves again, and a patch of skin not covered in blood shifts in my direction.
“Abe! Oh my God, is that you?!” I scream. He rouses more, but his limp head hangs low, his matted and dark hair preventing me from seeing his features. What the hell have they done to him? “Abe, look at me, please! Talk to me!”
The sound of a door opening, somewhere outside of my peripheral vision, catches my attention and has my next scream lodging in my throat. Footsteps greet me as they move closer to where I am, and then I’m squinting up at the face of a liar and betrayer. His chestnut eyes gleam as they stare down at me, and a smirk lifts the corner of his full lips. “Sleeping beauty is finally awake, I see.” I bare and snap my teeth at him, like a feral wolf who would love nothing more than to rip out his throat.
“Release me, cunt! What have you done to Abe, and where is Zeke?” My voice croaks as I make my demands, and continue to strain against what I can see now are thick ropes, holding me prisoner. His cold fingers trail down my face and slide around my neck, forcing me to swallow past the lump of fear that threatens to choke me. “Such a pretty little demon. I wonder if I slit your skin open, would the devil inside of you escape?” His fingers tighten around my neck, as his face gets closer and closer, until I can see the bright specks of amber in his eyes. “I hate everything about you, Dinah Camrose. I waited years of my life to have him, and you kept a huge part of his heart for yourself,“ he spits out, with disgust evident on his features. “I never worried about him loving your mother. She was never a threat, just a pretty object to use to gain power, but you and your brother, that was always a different story. You became chains around his heart, the heart that belongs to me.”
I can’t breathe, this fucker is going to strangle me to death here while I lie defenseless, and Abe is an unrecognizable mass of blood and flesh. He squeezes again, tightening until my vision begins to dim considerably, and my heart beats frantically in my chest. All of my limbs strain and tighten, as my body is deprived of the oxygen it needs to survive. He suddenly releases his grip and slaps my face hard; the impact is loud in the nearly silent room, and makes my ears ring. I force air inside of my lungs with a harsh gasp, as I try my best to keep my heart from being trapped in my throat with dread. “Unfortunately, for the moment, I can’t end your life. Despite you injuring your father, he still wants you alive, but if I have my way, little whore, it won’t be for long.” Fuck, the bastard didn’t bleed out from my shot. I should have tried harder to kill my father. That’s not great news.
He walks away from me and heads toward where Abe is not moving. “This psychotic piece of shit, however, is another matter. I’ve been given free rein to play with your men, Dinah.” He leans down, and I watch with horror, out of the corner of my eye, as he grips Abe’s hair and forces his head upwards. “See, Dinah, I think this way I actually hurt you more.” Abe releases a small whimper before falling silent once again. I get my first glimpse of the damage done, and a sob escapes me. Abe’s been beaten so severely that there isn’t an inch of his face that’s not swollen, and black and blue. There’s dark blood encrusted on the outside of his nose, and the corner of his eye. His mouth is a mess of busted-up flesh. The rest of him that I can glimpse doesn’t look to have fared much better. He’s closer to death than alive. Pain lances through my chest, and steals what little breath I have. I did that; I caused them to hurt him by shooting my father, instead of going along with whatever he wanted, and I didn’t even manage to end his traitorous life. I could have played along and waited for a better moment to kill the bastard, but instead, I acted irrationally out of anger, tried to injure him, and looked at where it had gotten us, fucking prisoners of two psychopaths. “We’ve had some fun, haven’t we, Abraham?” David chuckles, and a small moan escapes Abe.
“Leave him alone. It’s me you want, you betrayer!” My vision blurs as my head spins, but I force myself to keep staring menacingly at David. I promise myself at this moment that this asshole will die with a blade lodged in his throat, while I watch the light fade from his miserable eyes. “What have you done to Zeke? Where is my cunt of a father?” I notice David’s reaction to my questioning about where my father is. It’s like a monster slips over his charming facade, and his face changes from handsome to terrifying. This is the real him, not the persona he uses within the Brotherhood. This is the madman who has gone along with my father’s plans, to resurrect him from the dead, and take over the Brotherhood. This man is not any more sane than my father is, and now we are at their mercy, because I choose to disregard all the warning bells that blared around us. Everything I did in an attempt to save Sammy has backfired, and he might already be dead. No, I refuse to believe that. My heart would know if he had taken his last breath on this earth.
“Zeke is alive at my discretion. As for your father...” He walks over to me and fists my hair tightly, ripping out strands. “He is currently dealing with matters within the Brotherhood. Oh, and Dinah, I understand from my sources Sammy’s not doing so well, and he might not make it to see the sunrise. What a pity you chose violence… it seems you will lose all that you love.”
“Please...” The word tastes vile in my mouth, but I have nothing left to fight with. I can’t lose all of them. I can’t go to my own death knowing I was the instrument of theirs. David releases my hair and meets my glare, as pitiful tears trail from the corner of my eyes and into my hairline. “You don’t fool me, Dinah. Your tears are not real. You’re empty inside, except for rage. If I released you, you wouldn’t hesitate to murder me. I don’t truly blame you. What this world did to its women was enough to drive anyone to madness, and while I can understand and sympathize with your wrath, I can’t allow you to harm the man I love.” He walks away from me without a backward glance, and I hear the door open and close. I’m left here with only the soft sound of Abe’s strained breathing, and my heart condemning me for causing all their deaths. What has my need for vengeance on the Brotherhood really accomplished? My brother and mother are gone, and I don’t know if my nephew is genuinely safe, or if David has him as a prisoner. Abe is lying broken on the ground, and out of my reach. I don’t know where Zeke is, or what condition he’s in. Sammy is still suffering in Noah’s clutches, and might be dead by morning.
I failed at everything I tried to accomplish. I murdered so many men and stained my soul black with their blood, and yet it was never enough to bring about real change. I freed no one from this oppressive and abusive world, and only led those I love into further harm. The Unholy Ghost became a pawn in evil men’s schemes. The only thing I know for sure is, if all of them die, and I am forced to remain breathing, I will never stop attempting to set this world on fire. I’ll make hell look like a playground filled with enjoyment when I’m done.
Dinah Camrose will die, but the Unholy Ghost will turn into something even more fearsome and nefarious. I will be a walking plague on this world, and I won’t stop until it’s all ashes.
“Abe, wake up! We need to get out of here!”