Chapter 31 Celeste #2
He launches himself towards me and I sidestep him barely out of his reach. Catching himself from crashing into a wall, he whirls around and charges me again as if I have a red cape and he’s the bull with blistering rage.
The knife swings in the air and I duck to avoid it and swing a right hook into his side. He fumbles for a moment but quickly recovers before he kicks out and lands a blow to my stomach. The impact is hard and sends me flying to the floor.
I notice Monroe getting up from the floor and free from the chains, hurrying over to Sam.
He notices the same and changes direction to them, but I kick my leg out causing him to collapse to the ground.
Knife still in his hand, he lifts himself off the ground at the same time as I do, returning his attention back to me.
He obviously sees me more of a threat because his attention is back on me.
Swinging the knife, I’m not quick enough to avoid it and it slices me on the shoulder.
Stepping into my boundary, he raises the knife again but I quickly block and elbow him in the face.
His face snaps to the side but slowly turns back to me as if he’s been possessed in that moment.
In one swift movement, I’m slammed against the wall, with one hand wrapped around my neck, and the other with the knife angled towards my face.
Monroe is quickly working on the lock but it’s giving her a harder time to get Sam’s undone. Please get her out, I want to scream. I send a silent prayer for whomever is listening to let them get out of here, let them live.
“Not so strong now, are you? As much as I want to end your pathetic life, which one of them should I take first? Who would cause you more pain? Maybe the FBI agent? No. She won’t hurt you. What about the single mother?” he starts to antagonize.
“I’ll kill you. It’s not a threat, it’s a promise. No one will miss you. In fact, many will cheer and rejoice once your very existence is wiped away from this Earth. You will fail your mission.” My tongue will get the best of me one of these days.
He releases my neck but angles the knife to my throat. The tip of the knife nicks my skin but nothing to cause any damage.
Without warning, I grab his wrist holding the knife and thrust it forward before moving my neck out of the way and twist it as hard as I can, causing a snapping sound. He screams in agony and drops the knife. I escape from the wall and take the opportunity to get the knife.
“You wretched animal,” he booms, grabbing the back of my hair right before I can get the knife.
His knee comes up to my stomach knocking the breath out of me, causing me to fall to the ground inches away from the knife.
Grabbing an ankle, he tries to drag me, but I try to cause my body to turn into dead weight and kick out at him.
Knife forgotten, he lets go of my ankle and his fists start raining down on me.
I try to block his blows but some land on their mark.
Apparently his broken wrist is forgotten or he lost all feeling because he pays no mind when he uses it to assault me.
I kick my foot out, hitting him in the side and crawl to grab for the knife.
He pounces on me but he’s too late and the knife is in my hands.
I flip myself upright and stab him right in the side.
I stab him again, earning me space to get out from under him and get to my feet.
He moans in agony and staggers to his feet clutching his side.
Blood starts to seep through his shirt confirming just how deep I got him.
A sense of pride bubbles up reminding me that I’m the one to fear in this room. Not this religious imposter.
“This room smells of sweet death. Tell the devil I said hello,” I taunt him before I launch forward.
I’m blinded by the thirst of death that I stab him over and over again.
The scent of copper fills my nose and I bask in it.
His screams begin to dwindle and with one last thrust, I stab him right in the heart.
His body collapses to the floor. Pulling out the knife, I toss it away from him for good measure.
Walking over to the metal table, I take one of the candies out of the bag and walk back over to his body. Breaking his jaw open, I shove it down his throat just like he did to the helpless women in the photos.
I hear a gasp behind me and I turn back to the sound.
Monroe and Samantha stand there in utter shock from what they just witnessed.
I don’t blame them, though. Blood coats my arms and white dress, looking like Bloody Mary.
I would be horrified if I’d seen the state that I’m in but then again, blood and violence doesn’t scare me one bit.
A crashing sound vibrates from upstairs, followed by pounding footsteps.
Our names are being shouted throughout the house, familiar voices.
They’re here, they found us! I snatch up the knife from the floor, just in case the slaughtered filth rises from the dead.
I know he’s far gone, but it brings me comfort all the same.
“Go, get out of here. I don’t want her seeing any more of this.” I gesture toward the door. “I’ll be up in a minute. I just need a minute.”
They hesitate at first but they reluctantly do as I say.
Monroe supports Sam and helps her up the stairs until they disappear from view.
My body comes down from its high and I can feel every single ache and wound that was inflicted come to surface.
I make no move towards the stairs as if I'm cemented in place.
I look back down at the dead body lying on the floor, trying to feel some sort of relief but it doesn’t come.
All I feel is anger for all that he’s done.
For all the time he stole from Sam and her child, from Monroe being away from her friends and family, and rage for what he did to me.
I’ve never allowed someone to have so much power over me and my plan had gone to utter shit.
I hear my name again, much closer than the last call and footsteps follow down those stairs.
Looking up, I’m met with those familiar, beautiful blue eyes that I missed so much.
The knife in my hand slips from my hand, hitting the hard floor.
That’s when the relief finally sets in and as if on queue, my body collapses to the floor.
Giving up the last of the energy I had remaining.
Strong hands wrap around my body, securing me with so much protection. His woodsy smell invades my senses, giving me the sense of peace that we all long for. My eyes begin to blur and his face begins to fade away. Maybe fate’s plan was to keep me alive long enough to get them out.
“Stay with me, baby girl. You’re safe. Please stay with me.” His husky pleading voice fills my ears.
Maybe happily ever afters only exist to those who are good. At least Gabby will be able to see her mom again. If this is my end, I won’t complain. Maybe I’ll be able to see my father again. Darkness sweeps over me once again, welcoming me back home.