31. Elijah
This bitch.
This bitch thought she could get away with it. Thought that the mask protected her. That I would never find out.
Pathetic.
I’m ashamed to even call her my mother. I knew she was fucked by the fact that she left my dad for this sack of shit. But knowing what she did to Rain only solidifies it.
Whimpers come from behind her mask. She is scared. Or she thinks I give a fuck that she is sad.
I couldn’t care less.
Wrapping my fingers around the side of her white mask, I pull it towards me with force, the thin ties break and it snaps off her face.
Her eyes are red, puffy and swollen from crying. Her lip trembles as she looks up at me.
“Your voice that day gave you away.”
Her head shakes, and her face is confused. “What are you talking about?”
Playing stupid doesn’t get you points with me.
Pointing towards the opening, I lower my mouth closer to her ear so she can really listen to the words coming out of my mouth, “Chasing us down the hall that day. Pleading with me. That’s what gave you away.”
Moving my head back and watching while she puts the pieces together.
Her eyes squint as they shift back and forth as she thinks back.
Then I see the exact moment she remembers.
Realization washes over her face. Eyes widen as her jaw drops, covering her mouth with her hands as she gasps theatrically.
“You hand fucking delivered her to him on a silver fucking platter.”
My mom’s head starts to shake back and forth as tears well in her eyes.
“I didn’t know. Whatever he did, I didn’t know.” Her words are mumbled.
Liar.
“You stayed while he did it. You knew exactly what he did, you watched it happen and did nothing.” My voice is seething, and each word is spoken through gritted teeth.
Reaching out, she touches my chest. “The Dark One, he tells us what is needed. We just follow his orders. Elijah. We don’t have control over it.”
Fucking delusional.
“I knew you were dumb. You left something good for this shit. But I didn’t realize you were really this stupid.”
Her face squints at me in confusion.
“Cut the shit, mom. For once in your life, use your goddamn brain and think.”
She’s starting to aggravate me, I’m not sure how much longer I can put up with it, honestly.
Her words come out with confidence, “He is the vessel, baby boy. The Dark One uses the Master as his voice.”
Blowing out a deep breath, I look up to the ceiling.
She had her fucking chance, and I gave it to her. To come clean before it all ended.
I wouldn’t describe this feeling coming over me as disappointment, I would have to care to feel that. Perhaps, I am just tired of the mindless bullshit.
That’s what The Chapel is.
A bunch of mindless fuckers following a charismatic narcissist. I played along, and I got my fix of blood and torture. None of these people mattered to me. Not until her.
Nobody fucks with what is mine.
Looking back down at my mom, I can see she truly believes the bullshit spewing from her mouth. Her eyes plead with me to believe her too.
Not today.
Dropping my bat, it bounces to the ground next to me.
Digging into my pants pocket, I pull out my black switch blade. Clicking the side of the handle brings the sharp, shiny silver blade out.
“Fighting it will only make it worse.” I promise her as I grab her arm.
She tries to pull it back but my grip is tight.
“Rain, roll up her sleeve.”
Tiny footsteps start behind me.
Coming up beside me, her hand grips my mom’s arm just above my hand as she pushes the robe’s sleeve up.
Looking up at my mom, Rain reiterates what I have already promised, “The Dark One can’t wait to meet you.”
Audible gasps fill the room.
These dumb fucks believe my little bat is being serious Fuck me.
A few whisper, “She really is our dark princess, Principessa Oscura”
Being absolutely over this shit, I place the blade on my mom’s skin just above her bat wings tattoo.
“No, please don’t. My sweet baby boy, don’t do this to your mother.”
Begging will get you nowhere, or has she forgotten?
The countless lives that have begged in this same spot, each La Notte del Diavolo, have never convinced me to change my mind.
Digging the blade into the skin, I begin slicing her tattoo off, moving the sharp blade under her skin. Blood trickles down her arm, she is screaming in agony. Trying to move her arm, Rain keeps my mom’s sleeve rolled up but also grips her arm at the elbow to stop her from moving as much.
Leaving Rain to hold her arm, I let go and grab the skin as it begins to hang off her. Then, in one rapid movement, I pull on it, ripping it down her arm the rest of the way.
A blood curdling scream fills my ears. Smiling, I’m glad she’s hurting.
Her other hand fists, at first I think she is going to take a swing at me, but she doesn’t. Moving it to her mouth, she bites down on it, her knuckles are white and her breathing is heavy.
Using the blade again, I make the final cut and the thick piece of skin falls to the ground. Blood is now flowing down her arm, building up where Rain’s hand is holding her. Blood runs off and drips at our feet.
Mom has tears running down her face, snot hanging from her nose and strings of saliva coming from her mouth.
“Thank you, little bat.” I look at her, so fucking beautiful and kiss the top of her head.
Rain lets go of my mom, stepping back to stand next to me.
“The motherfucker on the ground should be up soon. It’s time for you to go.” My head tilts as her emotions change again, back to fear.
This is what gets me off.
People have many faces, you see their true one just before they die.
Nothing left to hide behind. Only unfiltered, raw emotion remains. Regret and fear—promises to change usually come next from those who are guilty of something.
Pure terror, worry and confusion come from those who are innocent.
I’ve seen it all.
Grabbing the strap of my flamethrower, I toss it over my shoulder, taking it off and holding it in front of me.
Taking the lighter from my pocket, I turn the gas on and light the flame then put the lighter back in my pocket.
Pointing it at my mom, her eyes widen and she immediately sobers.
“No, no, no. Don’t do this. Please. My sweet baby boy, please.” Her words stutter as she speaks.
Taking a step back, she thinks that will help. But I take a step forward.
Her robe sleeve has slid back down, and blood continues to flow down her hand.
“Keep moving backwards.”
Nodding, she obeys.
Too bad for her, I am already steps ahead of her in this.
For each step back, I take one forward with my flamethrower aimed at her.
As we get closer, you can hear the crackle of the flames. Feel the heat radiating off the large fire.
Her head shakes, no. Mine nods, yes.
“Keep moving.”
Her next step back is small—too small.
“It’s going to happen. Those bitch steps will only make it take longer.” The sooner she realizes I’m not going to push her in, the easier this will be.
She is going to walk into the fire herself.
“I can’t.” Her voice is faint.
Rolling my eyes, “You can. You fucking will. Rain didn’t have a choice the day it was decided she would be cleansed. The day he fucking touched her while you stood by and watched with the rest of them. So just like her, your choices are gone too. Keep. Fucking. Walking.”
My patience for this is wearing thin.
Placing the top of my thrower on her forehead, the tiny flame just below flickers. One pull of the trigger—that’s all it would take.
Her teeth chatter as she steps back once more. Her back arches from the intense heat.
“Again, make it count.”
Closing her eyes, mom begins whispering something to herself. It’s too hushed for me to hear but I can see her lips moving. Applying pressure to the thrower still on her forehead, she takes another step.
The robe must be made of cheap fabric as the moment the flame touches it, it’s engulfed.
Screams leave her mouth—short, loud screams.
Nudging her once more, she loses her footing and stumbles further back. Tripping over the rocks surrounding the fire, keeping it contained, mom falls backwards into the bright orange and red flames. Her arms reach out, her last bit of hope wasted. No one is reaching out to save you.
Putting the flame out on my thrower, I loop the strap back over and have it rest against my back, as I continue watching the sight before me.
My mom’s feet are sticking out from where she tripped. Loud, ear-piercing screams fill the area. The followers, shocked, join in with panic.
Hearing a set of footsteps coming up behind me rapidly, I step out of the way. It’s a brave moron, who must have thought they would push me in next. They are wrong.
As I move, they are running too quickly to stop. I use their own momentum against them, reaching out and pushing them in to join her.
Looking out at the room, I ask them again, “Whos next motherfucker?”
No one else steps up or responds, they stop reacting to the scene before us. One in the front has a wet spot around them, the bastard has pissed himself.
“That’s what I thought.”
Turning back towards the flame, the screams from within continue. Every so often, you can see an arm reaching inside of it. The smell of burnt flesh begins to overtake the room. If you haven’t smelled it before, it’s fucking terrible. Have you ever smelled burning hair? It’s like that, but amplified.
I have blowtorched and electrocuted my fair share of people so it doesn’t bother me anymore. But for beginners, like my little bat, this shit is not pleasant.
Something brushes against me, looking over it’s Rain. I was so entranced by it all that I didn’t even hear her coming up behind me.
Her fingers entwine in mine. The flame looks stunning, bouncing off her skin.
Then again, she always looks beautiful.
The screams begin to stop.
Burning alive is the most painful way to go. She got what she deserved.
As the room goes quiet, the cracking of the flame and wood takes over.
Turning us around, Rain takes the lead. We walk back towards her father, who is still lying on the ground. He is either still passed out or faking it in hopes we will forget about him.
Standing next to him, our hands are still connected as we both look down at him.
Rain lets out a sigh of frustration before kicking him in the ribs. The move surprises me, causing me to chuckle.
His head rolls left to right on the ground as an achy moan escapes his mouth.
Taunting him, Rain speaks up, “The Dark One says you’re next.”
That’s my fucking girl.