The Painter's Fate (Book 3 of The Painter Trilogy)

The Insane

Heather's POV

I drove as fast as I could. I glanced at the rearview mirror and saw the policemen behind me. I felt nervous. I can't be too late or else Riley will be in danger knowing that she is with three insane people.

If only I was strong enough to stop them from the very beginning then no one should've died for nothing but how can I when nobody believed me. Dahlia's mom got mad at me after I told her what Dahlia has been up to. She called me a liar and even slapped me and threatened to sue me if I continue saying nonsensical things about Dahlia. Of course, she won't believe it. Who could've thought that her sweet daughter will turn into an insane murderer?

I had been trailing Dahlia since my brother died. I was scared that she will commit suicide but when I learned that she's going to bring my brother back to life, it was already too late. She had killed many people.

I was there in the gallery when they killed Rocksien and it haunts me every night that I was not able to stop them. I was not able to stop three insane people from killing an innocent girl.

A few days after Rocksien's death, I saw a girl who keeps lurking outside the gallery. I was afraid that she might become Dahlia's next target that's why I warned her. 

And that girl was Riley. That's how we met and started working together as we share a common goal.

The plan is to make Riley as a bait by pretending to be a frail and clueless girl distracting them to gain evidence to the crimes they have committed.  I also dug my brother's bones and hid them on my basement just to be safe. And the plan worked like how it should. They fell on the trap and it won't be long, everything will end soon. No more blood will be shed, no more innocent people will die.

I arrived in the university then hurriedly parked my car making a screeching sound that caught the attention of many students who are probably having their break. I ran like mad towards the direction of the gallery while the policemen are trailing behind me. I saw some of the policemen ushered the students to get away from the area.

When we reached the entrance of the gallery, it was locked. The policemen used their force for it to open, which took a while before we were able to enter the building. When we entered the gallery, everything is so quiet. I can almost hear our labored breaths as we observe our surrounding. We were about to head upstairs when the door towards the second floor of the building suddenly opened with a loud bang revealing Dahlia pointing a knife at Riley who is now wounded but thankfully alive.

Riley's hands are dripping with blood, she has a few scratch on her forehead which is also bleeding and there is a deep wound on her leg which made her unable to stand straight. We knew this would happen but she still took the risk.

Dahlia's eyes widened at the scene that welcomed her and she laughed like mad as she looked at the policemen surrounding her, one by one. I briefed the policemen before coming here that they would deal with an insane person so they should calculate their moves well in order to prevent any harm to happen.

Dahlia scratched her head then looked at the ceiling for a while as she takes deep breathes. The veins on her neck protruded as he gritted her teeth in mixed emotion.

 Riley's eyes met mine asking for help.

"Dahlia, let Riley go." I said in the calmest tone I can ever muster. Dahlia took a very deep breath. Her eyes seems to lack focus and clarity. Her pupils are looking at one object from another before she was able to focus on my face. 

"Oh! Hi there, Heather!" She waved at me as if it was the first time she saw me.

"Come on, put the knife down please." I started taking a step slowly towards her. The policemen are just waiting for the right time to catch Dahlia. Dahlia's eyes are roaming everywhere. She cannot seem to focus on a single thing.

"But why would I?" she then tightened her grip on the knife aimed at Riley's neck. I saw Riley's breathing hitched.

"Brennon wouldn't want this to happen Dahlia. He wouldn't want you to do this." I still tried keeping my voice calm as I took another step towards her. I saw her eyes widen as I mentioned Brennon then she released a blood curling scream that caused me to step back.

"I am so close Heather! So close to get your brother back!" She screamed at me still holding the knife tightly in her hands. 

"Can you please release Riley, Dahlia, I believe that is what my brother would want in this situation."

"I just need her. I promise, Heather, this is going to be the last. Just give me Riley." Dahlia said in a convincing tone, as if she was just asking to borrow one of my things. 

"Dahlia, just . . .- - "

"Why do you have to interrupt?! Why do you have to come along when I am almost there?! I have sacrificed so much for this!" she pointed the knife directly at me. 

"I am saving you!" I shouted back at her which made her stare at my face. 

"No you're not! You are ruining everything, my dreams, my goals, my life! And I promised him, Heather, I promised him." It took a while before Dahlia answered me. Her expression softened and I took that as a cue to attack her right away. I knelt a bit then gathering all the energy I could, I kicked her ankle with full force which caught her off guard resulting for her to loose her balance and fell on the floor. That action sent the knife flying a meter away and the police responded immediately, grabbing Riley away from Dahlia. 

The police surrounded her inspecting any weapon that she might still have under her clothes. I knelt beside her.

"I'm going to help you, alright? Let's work together okay?" I told her. Miraculously, she nodded at me then with trembling hands, she cried. Her lips quiver and her cries echoed in the room. 

She started scratching her arms like mad leaving red lines on her fair skin  then her sobs continued  escaping her lips. 

That moment, I knew for a fact that Dahlia lost it. 

Any bit of sanity left in her, faded. 

The police carried Riley immediately to the ambulance to her her wounds treated. The others went around the gallery and into the second floor to inspect the place. 

 I was about to take a long sigh of relief as I diverted my gaze way from her and suddenly. . . everything happened so fast. 

We let our guard down thinking that it's over. 

From the corner of my eyes, I saw Dahlia swiftly grabbed a sharp object hidden somewhere in the belt of her jeans and before I could scream for anyone's help or attention, it happened so fast before my eyes. 

And nobody expected it. . .