Our Perfect Insanity

ChApTeR ThIrTy ThReE

“I don't want to hear an apology... I want to hear you beg for your life.”
~Anonymous

I could do nothing but stare.

“...w-what do you mean? Jake’s... d-dead.” I finally managed to force the words I was thinking out of my mouth.

Ariel grinned, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she stood.

“No, dear, he’s not. He was. Almost. Jonathan barely had time to check, he missed the faint pulse Jake had, and, mistook him for dead...” She explained.

When I said nothing, Ariel continued.

“After you and Jonathan escaped, I realized, that, well, one of the three I was after was missing. Going back, I found Jake in the car, I brought him back here... in case I needed him... turns out I did need him, as an exchange...” Ariel’s eyes were glinting as she told me this.

“Where is he... Ariel, tell me now, where is he?” I demanded, trying to keep my voice calm as my fists clenched at my sides.

“Well, I’ll show you to him, if, you promise to keep my secret. Deal?” Ariel inquired.

Realizing I had no choice if I wanted Jake back, and, as I knew Ariel would surely slaughter him if I said no, I weakly nodded my head in agreement.

Her mismatching eyes lit up.

“Excellent! Follow me, then...” She instructed, striding past me gracefully as she headed towards the stairs.

Letting a shaky sigh escape my lips, I followed after her.

Ariel’s movements made no noise whatsoever, then again, neither did mine. One would expect this house to creak with every twitch or shift a person made, but, no, it was still and silent.

Just like how Rosalie had described Ariel, at first.

At the bottom of the stairs, Ariel reached the door that I knew led to the basement, where they had found the bodies of my mother, Samantha Clark, and June Kilmury.

Pulling open the door, Ariel stepped to the side.

“After you.” She offered coyly.

Eying her, I stepped past her and began down the stairs. These steps, unlike the others, creaked as I descended them, Ariel trailing behind me.

Stepping off the last step, it took a moment for my eyes to adjust before they widened.

“Jake!” I gasped, bolting to the boy who was laying on the floor, in the same spot they had found my mother, which, I knew, as I had seen photos of the crime scene.

I could see the dried blood caked on the concrete floor.

Kneeling down, I pulled Jake closer to me, resting his head on my lap. His skin was pale, even more pale then I was accustomed to, and, his dark eyes fluttered open slowly.

“Syl... Sylvia...?” He breathed weakly, and I let out a weak laugh, nodding my head as tears trailed down my cheeks as I brushed the hair out of his eyes.

“...y-yeah. I’m here, baby, don’t worry.” I assured him, before, the sound of light footsteps reminded me that we weren’t alone down here.

Looking up, I saw Ariel pacing lightly around the basement floor.

After a second, she glanced over at Jake and I, her eyes flashing with something I recognized as... jealousy? Was she jealous of Jake and I?

As if reading my thoughts, which, I wouldn’t be surprised if she somehow could, Ariel nodded her head.

“Of course I am... all I ever wanted was someone to love... someone to love me...” She muttered bitterly, seemingly more to herself, yet, still loud enough for me to hear.

“What... what about your parents?” I asked weakly, and Ariel gave a dry laugh.

“What parents?” She retorted, causing my to frown.

“You didn’t have any parents...?”

Ariel didn’t respond right away, continuing in her pacing, her hands linked behind her back, a frown on her pale face.

“My father died before I was born... my mother was never around... ‘busy’, she always said. I was just over two years old... I could hardly stand, I could barely talk, yet, I already knew... already had to learn... how to take care of myself...” She mumbled, shaking her head bitterly.

I was surprised when I felt my heart ache slightly.

You couldn’t help but feel sorry for her... she only wanted a family...

“Ariel... you could have a family... but, this is not the way to get one...” I told her gently, and she shot me an annoyed glare.

“I’m not going to listen to you... I will get Jonathan and I will have a family... you will not stop me. You took away my family, you won’t take them away again...” She sneered.

I was about to respond before I heard footsteps sound from upstairs.

“Sylvia?! Sylvia, are you down there?!” Jonathan’s voice called from the top of the stairs. I cleared my throat slightly before looking towards the stairs.

“Y-Yeah... yeah, I’m down here...” I called back weakly.

It wasn’t more then a few seconds later that Jonathan was at the bottom of the stairs, and, it took him a minute before he blinked at Ariel in shock.

She smiled sweetly at him.

“Jonathan, is she down here?” Elizabeth’s voice asked as she walked down the stairs, her eyes landing on Ariel, to which she placed her hands on her hips.

“Oh, so, you found the other bitchacho and you didn’t wake us up... is that Jake?!” Elizabeth’s attention was turned to Jake.

His eyes were open, and he blinked at her and flashed her a weak, boyish smile.

“Yes... he’s alive, he was never dead...” I told her quietly, and Jonathan looked shocked.

“Sylvia, I- I’m sorry, I thought he was dead-” I cut Jonathan off, shaking my head lightly and smiling softly.

“It’s alright, we have bigger things to deal with right now...” I assured him, and Jonathan nodded, looking over at Ariel, who crossed her arms.

Elizabeth hopped down from the step she was standing on and walked over to Ariel.

I was shocked, and, even Ariel looked surprised due to the fact that Elizabeth didn’t seem the least bit afraid of her.

“You don’t seem so menacing...” Elizabeth announced, and I giggled at the shocked look on Ariel’s face.

“...excuse me?!” Ariel snarled, looking outraged.

“You heard me, bitchacho.” Elizabeth replied smugly, holding her hands on her hips and she grinned, while Ariel blinked at her.

Jonathan walked forwards and took Elizabeth by the shoulders, pulling her back from Ariel, which, is most likely the safest thing to do, as Ariel looked highly annoyed.

Elizabeth looked annoyed as she was steered away, before Jonathan looked over at Ariel.

I could see in his eyes that he had an idea.