The Release {American Horror Story}

Chapter Thirteen | The Murderer

(Zoe POV)

"Ostende mihi mortem," I pronounced the words slowly, my voice echoing through the silence. "Ostende mihi mortem."

Standing in the basement, I held a candle, the light illuminating through the darkness as I repeated the words to enact the spell. The palms of my hands became sweaty, and an uneasy feeling of nerves settled into my stomach. Though I knew I needed to find out who killed Kyle, I couldn't help but feel nervous and terrified about seeing the entire scene of how he was murdered and who was behind it all. Reminding myself why I was doing this, I knew that whoever killed him wouldn't get away with this - they hurt the person I loved, and I would make sure that they would pay for it. Closing my eyes, I cleared my mind from these thoughts and put all my focus into the spell, continuing to repeat the words.

"Ostende mihi mortem."

As I concentrated, I could see the light becoming brighter and brighter, exposing a white brightness even as my eyes were closed, until it blinded me and everything turned to darkness.

***

The basement was empty, the darkness and silence exuding an eerie aura to the atmosphere. With a loud creak, the door was opened, and a frustrated-looking Kyle stomped his way down the stairs, his footsteps against the wooden boards causing loud thuds to echo through the silence. His jaw line was tight, and his dark eyes reflected tears as he sat down at the bottom of the stairs. Taking a deep breath, he let out a sob, hiding his face in his knees.

"Zoe," he managed to whisper to himself through his cries. "Why won't she talk to me?"

A shuffle broke through the sound of his crying, causing him to look up from his knees and suppress his crying.

"H-hello?"

As he turned his head, looking around the basement for the source of the sound, the silence of the basement took place, and there was no response. Kyle stood up from the stairs, taking the lantern with him and wiping the tears off his face, and he carefully walked until he made his way around the corner of the basement. He turned his body, and the light shined through the darkness, revealing the source of the sound.

"Daddy," a high pitched voice exclaimed. "Daddy, it's me."

Kyle's eyes widened as his eyes found the small child standing in front of him, blonde hair and blue eyes with a huge grin on his face. But something about the child's grin was unsettling, and it made the child seem...sinister.

"Who are you, little guy?" Kyle spoke in a light tone, kneeling down to be face to face with the small boy.

The child laughed and grinned. "I-I kill people I like."

Kyle wore a confused expression with fearful eyes and before he could do anything, the child brought his hands forward, revealing a shard of glass in his hands. Within a moment, he was stabbing Kyle in the chest, the piece of glass sunken into his flesh with blood flowing out. Kyle's body began to shake, and he coughed up blood, red surrounding his body but soon, his body became still and the life left his eyes.

The child giggled with a wicked gleam in his eyes as he stood over Kyle's dead body.

***

As I opened my eyes, I felt my breaths become heavy, and it was painful to breathe, every single breath causing a rippling pain in my chest. I collapsed to the ground, crying out in pain.

"Zoe!" a familiar voice shouted from somewhere behind me.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looking up, I saw that it was Shay. Her brown wavy hair flowed along the frame of her face, and her widened brown eyes glinted concern as she towered over me.