“If you think this is fucked up, wait until you see the others,” I articulated flatly, glaring at James, waiting for my chance to strike. Amy clapped her hands to her face and started weeping next to Josie. I put my bloody hands up to show James they were empty and tried to stand up. “Stay on the ground, you freak!” James bellowed out, puffing out his chest. He was doing everything he could to make himself look more threatening but all it did was make him look stupid.
“James, your vocabulary is a bit redundant. Can’t you think of something to call me other than freak?” I teased, pushing his buttons, looking for an opening. That’s all I needed.
“How about, psychopath?” He shot back. Of course James had the balls to insult me but after throwing me to the ground he refused to get anywhere near me. He was scared and intimidated by me and he had a good reason to be. “Amy, go find Vince! I think he’s using the bathroom in the kitchen,” James pointed to the sun-room and she tried to run off.
“Please, don’t leave me!” Josie pleaded refusing to let go of Amy’s leg. James turned around to calm Josie down, leaving himself wide open.
“Checkmate!” I yelled grabbing James’s wet ponytail. I pulled him off balance sending him tripping awkwardly into the plaster wall.
“Go get Vince!” He grunted loudly as I punched him. “I’ve got this! Go get Vince!” James exerted, tackling me around the waist. I threw him off using his weight against him and kicked him hard in the back.
Josie started screaming, “No! Get him away from me! Get him away!” She tried to standup, to runaway but her legs collapsed beneath her. Josie screeched as a raw, bloody bone protruded out of her leg.
“Josie! Stay down!” James shouted out-of-breath, struggling to get away from me. He kicked at my chest, knocking the air out of me. I fell to the floor, striving to catch my breath.
“I always knew there was something wrong with you,” Snarling, he reached for my trusty fire-iron.
“I don’t think so!” I gasped, jumping onto his back, punching him as hard as I could on either side of his temples. He anxiously tried to push me off but it was futile. All he could do was take each blow, unprotected from my fury. His fingers grasped at the fire poker as Josie screamed her pretty little head off. I needed to take care of him before Vince showed up.
“Get off of him!” Josie screamed dramatically. I glared at her then smiled greedily as she scrambled to find safety.
“You’re going to love this!” I said grabbing James’s head. He tried to break free but I had him locked down. “Don’t worry James, I’ll take great care of your sister.” I muttered angrily into his ear. In a rage he started yelling at the top of his lungs, flailing his limbs as he tried to wiggle loose. Before he could make any progress I started to bang his head into the concrete as hard as I could. Josie’s screams escalated while James’s died out. I could feel his skull cracking on the paved poolside. Fretfully he kicked his legs and grabbed at my hands but he couldn’t reach me. I just kept pounding his face into the ground. Eventually Josie stopped screaming and the only thing I could hear was the sound of wet meat slapping against the floor.
I crawled off of James, out of breath and stumbled over to the fire poker. The color in Josie’s face drained the moment I fixed my eyes on her. The front of her dress was soiled with puke and she was shaking violently. “No,” She quivered, backing into the corner and on top of her own vomit.
“Yes!” Hissing, I finally caught my breath. I sprinted towards her, building momentum. Glimpsing out of the corner of my eye, I could see Amy pulling Vince through the kitchen. It was obvious he was belligerently drunk. I couldn’t waste any more time playing with my food. Scuttling up to Josie and with all of my strength, I swung the iron hook into her throat, piercing it deep into her larynx. Gargling and choking she slumped to the floor, gagging on her own blood. Her eyes were wide with shock as I hoisted my foot on the wall and tried to rip the hook from her throat. I pulled and yanked but it wouldn’t rip free from the tendons in her jugular. Vince and Amy were almost outside still I couldn’t get this fucking thing out of her throat. Dropping the poker, I quickly ran around the corner of the house. I needed the element of surprise and there was nothing anyone could do for Josie. She’d be dead in seconds.
Journal Entry Thirty Three
I put my back against the siding of the house. The sun-room’s door crashed open and I could hear Amy’s screams. Josie was still choking and gagging on her own blood but it didn’t last long.
“What the fucking-fuck?!” Vince yelled out, incredibly drunk. His footsteps were heavy and slow. “Are you sure Izzy did all of this?”
I peeked around the corner just in time to see Amy barreling towards her lifeless brother. “James, no!” She tripped, skinning her knees and covered herself in his blood. “James, no! No! Please!” Amy was pulling at his body, trying to wake him from is eternal slumber.
Putting my back to the wall again, I could still hear Vince’s bumbling, heavy steps. He didn’t seem as shocked by the carnage as the others, but then again, he used to be a cop who worked homicide back in the day. “Jesus Amy, I’m so sorry,” He muttered sadly. Amy didn’t respond, she just kept sobbing and sucking in fragmented breaths of air. It almost sounded mechanical. “Amy, I know this is terrible and ugly but if Isaac really did do this –“
“He did! I’m not lying!” She interrupted with a bellowing sad scream. I peered around the corner again, my curiosity winning over anonymity. Amy was laying on top of her brother, blubbering into his bloody shirt. Vince was wide-eyed and I could tell by his pallor he had been sick.
“Amy, I’m sorry but we need to go. It’s not safe here.” Clumsily Vince knelt down and gently put a hand on her back. For the first time I realized he had tears running down his face as well. “We need to get somewhere safe and call the police.” She turned around doe-eyed and looked up at him. “He’s gone, Amy. What’s important is for us to get to safety. You need to get somewhere secure, for James,” He sounded so genuine. Vince must have been a great cop. Soon though he’d be a dead one.
I turned back to the wall to conceal myself in the shadows. “You wouldn’t be so calm if you knew I killed your precious Rosie!” I yelled out at the top of my lungs. Both of my victims went still and silent. The hunt was on.
“My Rosanna?” Vince said quietly. He took a few steps forward and then stopped, swaying back and forth. “Liar!” He hollered obstinately. Amy started to cry, softly urging him to be quiet.
“I’m afraid it’s true! But don’t worry, it was quick. Too bad I can’t say the same thing about James!” I cruelly shouted, sending Amy back into her pathetic mourning. For the first time in her life, she was alone.
“Izzy, you’re sick,” Vince said gently as if he was trying to diffuse a bomb. “Izzy it’s over. Just turn yourself in.” I smiled at this. All over? There was no one who could save them. This was the end of their road.
I peeled myself off of the siding and staggered to the side of the pool. An eerie, green, caustic light was emanating from the pool. It added a dreadful ambiance to my horror show. “Poor, poor Rosie didn’t even see it coming. None of this would have happened and everyone would still be alive if Rosie would have just minded her own business,” I stated matter-of-fact with a morose, sharp smile. Vince went even more pale, clenching his fists. Amy was shrinking away at the sight of me, crawling behind Vince in a manic terror.
“Isaac you didn’t… You’re sick and you-“I cut Vince off with a chuckle and took a few steps forward. Amy clutched onto him, petrified of me.
“Oh Vince, I’m not sick. I’m seeing everything so much clearer than before.” I looked at my feet and bounced on my heels. “She was moaning your name you know?” I lied. His face turned to stone and he took an angry step towards me, pushing Amy away. I started to pace back and forth. “Vince, where’s my pretty Vince?” I cried theatrically, mimicking Molly’s cries for Davis.
“You son-of-a-bitch!” He bellowed charging awkwardly at
me. Amy was shouting for him to stop but it was too late. I had broken him, under his skin. He was mine now.
Vince tripped however, his hulking body slamming against the floor, seemingly bouncing, and slid to the side of the pool. He was too drunk and old to do anything but thrash and moan about. “Poor Vince. It’s okay, you’ll see her soon.” I bent down and grabbed his fat, heavy, moaning head. “Well, if you believe in that sort of thing.” Dazed, he tried to get up. I punched at his ribs severely and he collapsed solidly. “Don’t worry, your daughters won’t be too far behind.” I whispered into his ear. He instantaneously grabbed at my shirt and threw me off balance. I was flipped into the pool, disoriented and I splashed around trying to steady myself.
“Amy! Run! Get help! Run!” Vince roared with a surprising moment of soberness and clarity only to collapse back to the macadam. Amy bolted around the corner, obeying his last words.
I waded over to him, the blood from my body clouded and spread throughout the water. Smiling widely, I looked him dead in the eye, “You better pray I don’t get to her before she gets away.” I grabbed his head and pulled it into the water. He tried to fight back, water splashing loudly around us. Punching and snatching at me, Vince couldn't win, gravity was on my side. I was lucky he was so drunk. Vince in his prime would have torn me in half. But he was only an echo of his past self. He was splashing violently now, desperate for air. “Shhh…” I murmured as he slowly weakened. When I finally let him go his arms and head went limp and sank into the water.
Out of breath, I rubbed at my burning nose. I was almost too exhausted to climb out of the pool. Yet I needed to get Amy before she could leave or worse, call the cops. I ran out of the garden and heard Amy screaming. “Well, I guess she found the others,” I laughed to myself tiresomely. “Only one to go,” Growled the demon, knowing my resolve was fading alongside my vigor.
I made my way to the driveway just in time to see Amy barreling out of the front door. She was running for Senter’s car as fast as she could. Her bikini top was twisted askew and her breasts were half exposed. I ran sluggishly, my clothes heavy with cold water as she crawled into Senter’s car. She was rummaging around in the car in a panic trying to get the key into the ignition.
I slid on the grass and into the gravel and tried to pull her out of the car. She kicked me to the ground and slammed the door shut. “You bitch!” I howled, spitting on the windshield as she started the car. I hammered on the window with my fists and snatched at the car’s handle, frantically trying to get to her.
I ran back around the car and ripped a large stone out of the yard’s pathway. Out of breath I heaved it through the passenger side window. The glass blasted inwardly and without a moment to spare, I unlocked the door.
I summoned up the last bit of strength I had and ripped her out of the car kicking and screaming. Her head struck the curb fiercely and she grunted awkwardly. “Please…” She begged whilst I grabbed her by the throat. I smiled weakly, lifting her off the ground by her neck and slammed her back down to the curb. Her eyes went fuzzy and her body went limp.
“I don’t want to die…” She cried softly as I pulled her by the legs back into the house. Her arms and head scrapped against the ground as she weakly tried to twist away. Amy was the last one. After I was done with her, everything could go back to normal.
“Let’s get this over with,” I grunted, kicking the front door shut. Amy was staring up at me, half-naked and pale-faced. “Don’t worry, it’ll be quick,” I said, exhausted, dragging her raggedly to her death.
“Why are you doing this?” She wept, trying and failing to wiggle herself free.
I rolled my eyes with annoyance and grabbed a fistful of her hair. “This isn’t about you!” Hissing, I yanked her head back. She winced in pain then leered at me. “I didn’t want to kill any of you. I was just trying to get all of you to leave.” Amy grasped at my hands feebly trying to break free.
“Then why don’t you just let me go?” She sniveled, trying to weasel her way out of the inevitable.
“I’m sorry Amy but you’re going to die,” I sighed with frustration and dragged her over to Senter and Rosanna’s corpses. I yanked her on top of Rosanna’s body and grabbed a thick shard of glass from the floor, using my wet long-sleeved shirt to protect my hand. “You can blame Rosanna for that!” I declared, pointing the impossibly, sharp glass shard at Rosanna’s pale, blood-covered carcass. Amy slowly looked down at the pallid cadaver and started wailing miserably.
“Help me! Somebody help!” She screamed hoarsely backing away and into the semi-coagulated blood that was pooled around Rosanna.
“You are just wasting your energy,” I moaned irksomely, watching Amy slip and fumble around in the blood gracelessly. I was done playing games with her. The glass shard was pressed uncomfortably into my hand and I just wanted to get this messy ugliness out of the way.
“I used to love you!” Amy cried as I sauntered towards her. My cold, wet clothes were weighing down on me with each step. “I don’t understand!” She was backing up against the couch, trembling from shock. I lifted the glass dagger and stared down at her. The impish demon within was cackling with excitement but I just wanted to get this over with. “Please Izzy don’t do thi-“I sliced the shard smoothly across her neck. Amy grabbed at the wound, her eyes were panic stricken and darting around the room
I crouched beside her and quietly watched her gasp for air as she slowly died. Blood was gargling sickly in her gullet and her eyes were fluttering wildly. Killing Amy was worse than what I had to do to the others. I killed all of them out of passion, pity and desperation. I hated all of the others, but Amy was different. She had always been nice to me, loved me and what did she get in return? An agonizing, slow and cruel death. Finally, she stopped gagging and her hands dropped to her sides. My pallid twin sighed with relief as the light in her eyes faded. Then my boorish hellion crawled back into its dark oubliette and went silent.
I suddenly felt very cold, alone and above all else horrified. The house had become dead silent and my guilt was sinking in. I stared at the chaos around me, at the corpses that cluttered the floor, and I knew my life was over. But as soon as I cleaned up this mess I could forget any of this ever happened. That’s all that mattered now.
Journal Entry Thirty Four
I shambled out of my living room and into the driveway. Though I was tired, sore and wet, I had to finish what I started. As I made my way to the garden shed I could feel the world around me blurring again. I felt that pressing tug of that invisible lasso compressing around my torso as it tore me from the past and back to the present, tossed violently into that howling, miasma whirlwind that was between and betwixt reality. Images of my entire life were flickering against the tumultuous black smoke around me. I refused to focus or look at any of the spectral effigies. The air around me bit at my skin and in a flash I was thrust back into reality. Immediately I found myself tumbling painfully down a flight of narrow steps. My head smashed into each step and with every blow fantastic colors exploded behind my clenched eyelids.
With a loud bang I slammed into something sturdy and unforgiving. Panic-stricken I gasped for air trying to fill my lungs. My heart was throbbing in my temples and my body was in shambles. I shifted painfully and slowly sat up. The small narrow corridor was quiet but I could hear something vague in the distance. “I killed her,” I muttered sadly, her screams still fresh in my mind. I can’t believe I killed Molly. I killed Molly, then I murdered everyone brutally, and I enjoyed every second of it. Looking fixedly at the frayed journal lying on the steps, I listened to the indefinable tones grow louder and louder. My throbbing temples were blocking out the rhythm and structure of it.
I had so much blood on my hands. All of this misery and guilt wasn’t worth knowing the truth. This wild goose chase was my design and chasing my curiosity ruined everything I fought to forget. There was no one to blame but myself. “Then you’re ready,” Droned a velvet voice from behind.
I sw
ung around, jumping to my feet and started weeping heavily when I beheld the cellar door, towering in its oak frame. For the first time I realized I wasn’t in my shabby room like before. Though I wanted to run and get as far away from this door as I could, I was incapable of doing so. I took a step closer and put my hand out to the door. “Amy. Vince. Josie. James. Hanna. Senter. Rosanna. Davis. Molly,” Listing, I bowed my head in shame. I could hear what sounded like music getting louder. Getting closer. “You’re all in here,” I sniveled, remembering everything. Every brutal, awful moment was looping in my mind. I could still smell their blood and feel their twisted broken bodies.
This was the end of my road. The only rock left unturned. I’ve untangled all of my lies and the only thing I could do was face my fears. Turning around, I picked up my wicked memoir. Every awful truth and delusion was etched onto these pages and it was the only testament to my terrible deeds. I held it at my side and placed my hand onto the brass doorknob. Electricity fired through my body. My hairs stood on end and goosebumps shivered down my arms.
I twisted the cold metal knob and the door cracked open. A faint smell of decay seeped through the door, making me cringe. Cautiously I opened the door, pulling it wide. A putrid wave of death and bleach filled the small corridor. The inside of the deep cellar was pitch black. Quivering, I took a deep breath and crossed into the black void. Behind me I could hear a loud cacophony getting closer. They were undoubtedly a swarm of screaming sirens.
The cellar door slammed behind me, cutting me off from the outside world. I was practically floating in this black, putrid abyss. The more I tried to ignore the smell, the more pungent it got. The rancid smell was an awful blend of rotting meat, sickly-sweet decaying fruit and bile. It was sharp and bitter and I knew it was coming from what used to be my friends.
I willed myself to stake a step forward into the cold dark crypt. All around me I could hear a faint, strange humming. It was coming from all around me and I could feel it vibrating in the air. Reaching around the room, I desperately felt around for a light switch only for them to precipitously flicker on. Instinctively I took a step back. My breathing was uneven and I wanted to crawl out of my own skin. The spacious deep, dim, dungeon was freezing cold. My breath fogged in the air as I took nervous steps into the rank, shadowy depths. The further I walked into this vault-like crypt, the worse it smelled.
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