The Skeletøn Bøy

THIRTY-TWØ

++ C H A P T E R | T H I R T Y - T W Ø ++

Elliott stared straight ahead, choking back fear. Kenzie stood beside her, unmoving and shocked. Confused. Alarmed.

"Ah, my little skeleton boy, what do we have here?" Mother smiled, but it wasn't friendly, nor was it welcome.

For someone who had the strength to run from Mother, Elliott was clearly regressing as she was suddenly struck by horror and fear, making it impossible for her to even talk. This monster in front of her had ruined her life. Ruined it.

And now she was back.

"A friend, perhaps? Hello, Elliott's friend. I hope you don't mind that I paid you a visit! I just had to see my little boy."

Kenzie's eyes slid towards Elliott, questioning, but she didn't dare make a sound.

"Mother, don't do this. Not here." Elliott's voice was surprisingly calm, which gave her confidence. It was like when Elliott protected Adrian and Mat countless times - it was time to protect Kenzie, now.

"Why ever not? And Elliott, you're not the one to give orders. After all, I am very upset with you right now. You ran away from home, and you know the punishment for that. You also know the punishment for spilling your secrets."

Mother stepped forward, her heels clicking on the floor. Her dress was familiar, but it didn't put Elliott at ease. Instead, it drove her mad with anxiety. Mother. Here. Now.

"You can't control me anymore, Mother. I'm an adult. You can't make me do anything."

Mother raised an eyebrow. "No? Well, what if I told you I had a gun with me right now, and I wouldn't hesitate to kill your little friend over here?"

Elliott felt trapped, realizing she was in the same exact situation she was in when her father was on the line. That time, there was nothing she could do. She was far too young, far too afraid, and nothing could stop her.

Now, she was older. Stronger.

"And, Elliott, I thought I'd let you know: I have new children. Not my own, of course, but you may know them. They sure do know your friend Brent."

Ice water splashed down Elliott's back. She had kidnapped Brent's siblings. Kidnapped! And Elliott could only imagine what was happening to them right now.

Fear wormed it's way into Elliott's chest, causing it to ache.

"Mother, please."

Mother cackled. "All I'm asking is for you to come back home, Elliott. Where we can finish everything. You miss me, don't you? You miss the feel of the whip in your hand. You miss the screams of your subjects. I know you all too well, my little skeleton boy."

Elliott crammed her eyes shut, tears welling up behind the lids. She'd tried so hard to forget about that, about her past. She fought so hard to suppress the urges, to be someone normal. But now Mother was back, and she was more persistent than ever to bring Elliott back.

"No, I'm different now, Mother. You can't control me!"

Mother grabbed Elliott by her shirt, pressing her into the wall. "No? No! Watch me!" She seethed, pulling out her gun and aiming it at Kenzie's head. "You will come with me, or she dies. And so will her pathetic mother in the kitchen."

Elliott couldn't breathe. She shut her eyes, and said goodbye to everything. To her life, to her friends, to Anna and Adrian and Mat.

Goodbye.