Our Perfect Insanity

ChApTeR EiGhTeEn

“The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them.”
~Lois McMaster Bujold

My stomach turned and tears burnt in my eyes as I shrieked loudly again, in the shock ond horror of what I was witnessing.

It was Kat.

She was hanging from the ceiling, her head just dangling above where my head was when I was sleeping. Blood was dripping from her parted lips and onto my forehead.

“Kat… oh my God, no…” I breathed, just as the door burst open and Jake stood in the doorframe, looking at me in shock.

“Sylvia, what’s... oh my God…” Jake gasped as he spotted Kat.

I climbed out of the bed and ran over to him, where he engulfed me into his arms and held me tightly to him as I cried my heart out.

“Its okay, its okay, baby...” Jake tried to comfort me, but, tears continued to pour steadily down my cheeks.

I clutched desperately onto Jake, I wasn’t going to let him go and let Ariel get to him too.

Looking back to Kat, I saw someone standing beside the bed, smiling over at me.

It was Ariel.

Hatred burnt inside me as I bared my teeth at her.

“Get out of here!” I screamed, and Jake had to physically restrain me from attacking her.

Ariel just smiled over at me, her different colored eyes glinting, before she disappeared.

“She- she… she k-killed Kat! She killed my best f-friend! I’ll kill her!” I cried, and Jake pulled me against his chest again, and I surrendered, crying desperately into his chest as he held me tightly to him.

“It’s okay, we’ll get back at her, and I promise you that. I swear, we’ll get back at that bitch for killing Kat, I promise.” Jake vowed, and I nodded weakly into his chest.

I just can’t believe it... my best friend… dead.

“This isn’t r-right, Jake! First my mother… now Kat… I- I can’t handle this… everyone’s d-dying and there’s nothing I can do to stop Ariel from k-killing them!” I wailed.

Jake rubbed my back soothingly.

“We’ll stop her, we’ll stop her. It’ll be alright, baby.” Jake cooed gently, and I sobbed again, burying my face in his chest.

“This makes f-four people she’s killed. First; Jonathan’s ex-wife, then my mother and Jonathan’s daughter… n-now Kat… is there anything we can do?” I questioned, desperate for some way to stop this mad woman from killing innocent people.

“We’ll figure out some way to kill her, but, first, we have to find her.” Jake told me, and I nodded my head, starting to think.

Where would Ariel be with Jonathan?

Then, slowly, but surely, the answer came to me.

“127 Casey Street... I- I think that’s where they are, that’s where they found Jonathan’s ex-wife, his daughter, and my mother... that’s where they are, I’m sure of it.” I breathed.

Jake nodded his head slowly, thinking.

“Alright, then... let’s get going. We’ve got to stop her as soon as we can.” Jake mused, taking my hand and pulling me to his side.

I took one last glance at Kat before we exited the room, as I felt a few more tears fall down my cheeks.

Don’t worry, Kat. We’re going to get back at her for what she did to you.

I climbed into the passenger seat and Jake into the driver’s seat, starting the car and driving away from the house as fast as possible.

I knew he was angry, even though Jake found her annoying most of the time; Kat was still one of his best friends.

I reached over and took his hand, holding it tightly in my own.

Jake looked over at me, and squeezed my hand reassuringly, while the other tightened on the steering wheel.

I sighed and looked out the windshield, watching as the night sky zoomed past, the stars sparkling like millions of fireflies caught on a dark blue blanket in the sky.

It wasn’t long before we arrived at the old house that stood tall at 127 Casey St. As we climbed out of the car, I looked up at the building only to have a feeling of dread settle over me.

This is the house that my mother was murdered in.

I walked across the lawn, weeds were growing all over it and the grass was in serious need of being cut.

I walked up the old steps and placed a hand on the cold doorknob, turning it and pushing the door open. Jake was right behind me as I walked inside and looked around.

There wasn’t much to see, as the house was shrouded in darkness. I could barely see five feet in front of me as I glanced around the dismal house.

“She’s not here.”

The voice that spoke from the shadows caused both Jake and I to jump in shock. I placed a hand to my heart, startled, before looking around.

I saw two dark green eyes peering out at me from the darkness.

“Jonathan...?” I questioned hesitently, and the green eyes blinked, before the man walked towards me, looking rather nervous about our presence in the house.

“I would leave, if I were you. She won’t be happy to see you here when she gets back.” Jonathan told us, and I looked at him sadly.

He seemed so… anxious now, like he never knew what to do anymore.

When I had met him before, one time briefly when I went to work with my mother, he struck me as a man with authority, now he was under orders, he seemed weak, but, I didn’t blame him.

“Jonathan, we need you to help us... we want to defeat Ariel.” I told him slowly, and his green eyes darkened.

“Why would I help you hurt her?” He questioned.

I sighed.

“Jonathan, you don’t love her. She’s keeping you under her control, you have to listen to us, and believe us... she does love you, but, she’s not doing the right thing with keeping you under control just so she can get your love...”

He looked at the two of us warily as I explained this, and I could see he was denying our words as he shook his head again.

“I’m not supposed to talk to you two... she told me not to...” He mumbled, backing away slightly. I frowned and walked towards him, watching as he got a worried look in his eyes at my close proximity.

“Jonathan, listen to me. You think you love her, don’t you?” I questioned, and Jonathan looked at me curiously, before nodding his head.

“I do love her.” Jonathan agreed, and I shook my head.

“No, you don’t, you don’t love Ariel, you love my mother... remember?” I pressed, and Jonathan’s eyes got a lost look in them as he thought over what I said.

He frowned, biting his lip, before he shook his head.

“N-No… I love Ariel… I do.” Jonathan argued, but, he sounded unsure of himself.

I stepped forwards and took him by the shoulders, before I shook him slightly, to which he looked frightened.

“You don’t! Listen, Jonathan... Ariel killed your daughter... Ariel killed June. Then, Ariel killed my mother, Kathryn... the woman that you love.” I told him.

He shook his head quickly.

“No! No, that’s- that’s… not true…” Jonathan gasped, and his eyes blurred with tears. I felt a stab of sympathy, but, so far my plan was working.

I shook his shoulders again, and he squeezed his eyes shut.

“It is! You know it’s true, Jonathan! She killed your daughter and your love! Ariel murdered them out of cold blood!” I exclaimed, tightening my grip on his shoulders, my fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt.

“Stop it… stop it!” Jonathan cried and pushed me away from him.

I stumbled backwards but managed to stay on my feet, whereas Jonathan did not. He fell to his knees and held his head in his hands.

I watched him carefully a minute, watching how he knelt on the floor, shaking.

After a few moments, I walked slowly over to him, hesitating for a second before I knelt down in front of him.

“...Jonathan? Are… are you alright?” I questioned gently, and Jonathan remained silent for a minute, still shaking lightly.

“I’m so sorry…” He whispered, his voice choked.

I gently took his hands in my own, lowering them from his face and causing him to look up at me, his dark green eyes swimming with tears, which were steadily falling down his cheeks.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Jonathan. It wasn’t your fault... it was Ariel’s fault, that’s why we need your help to stop her.” I told him softly, causing his eyes to flicker up to meet mine.

His eyes no longer held that insane glint in them… I think I had successfully removed whatever Ariel had done to him.

“You’re sane now, Jonathan, there’s nothing to worry about.” I told him, and he nodded his head, before grabbing me by the shoulders and standing up, pulling me with him.

He looked around the house, looking worried.

“We have to get going, now… before she gets back. You know that she’ll stop at nothing to kill you both now that you’ve turned me against her, right?” Jonathan asked, and I nodded my head.

If she thinks that she can defeat us, even now that we’ve taken her ‘boy toy’ away from her, she’s stupider then I thought.

“Come on, let’s get going. We’ll go to my apartment...” Jonathan told me, taking my wrist and walking out of the house, Jake at our heels.

“Won’t she expect you to go there? I mean, shouldn’t we find somewhere to hide?” I questioned, and Jonathan glanced down at me, shaking his head.

“We can’t hide from her, no matter where we go.”