DollMaker

Psycho- Chapter 17

"You're finally starting to understand," a voice congratulated her. It was a small thanks to her, but she gladly took it.

"Is this why you're here? Is this why you're trusting him?" Hero answered softly, the blood like stitches over her mouth.

"Possibly."

Hero chuckled, wiping some of the red off of her cheeks and spreading across her arms. Max slipped from behind the tree, holding a vengeful smile.

"I have never felt so free," Hero said with a smile. Max rested a hand on her shoulder, and stared off towards the cemetery. Together they'd take all of the dolls' suffering, and release them into the sky.

"We'll start our work at nightfall."

***

"Are you all right, Hero? You look uncomfortable," Owen said as he wrapped his arms around her waist lovingly. Hero smiled, a smile she hadn't worn in so long it almost felt empty. She did not need to do much, seeing as how she had already stole Owen's trust. Everything would come easy with Max at her side. Hero nodded at Owen, and said, "I'm all right, just worried that's all."

Owen's eyebrows furrowed as he spoke against her skin,"Why would you be worried?" Hero sighed, "It's nothing, really." She turned away from him, instantly feeling like she wanted to see the blood spill from his lips.

"If you say so," he pecked her cheek with his lips. Max walked in, dazed as he was pretending to be so the past few days.

"Hello mother and father, I am here." Max skipped happily over towards them, giving Owen a kiss on the cheek, and hugging Hero.

"Mother? I never agreed to this," Hero complained as she lightly ruffled Max's hair, signaling that she was ready.

"I think it's fitting," Owen said as he left the room. Once he left, Max and Hero grinned at each other.

"Before all of this happens, I need to know something Max." Hero settles her hands on his shoulders, squeezing them lightly. Max only nodded, curious about what Hero was going to ask. He hoped it was nothing too personal since he had long forgotten about those days since he had Hero to help him forget.

"Let me be your crazy delusional mother." Hero went in for the hug, the once faded walls brightly lighting up with fresh red.

"Of course, but only if you let me be your pyschotic son." Max's toothy grin tugged at Hero's heart, and she knew that Max had to be the son she wanted.

"John, I want to start a family," it comes out of her mouth as of it were just the frozen air between them. John blinked, but smiled genuinely.

"I want to be the best father, and we better have a son. I need to be the one to teach him how to be a man!" he yells giving Hero a sloppy kiss, ultimately happy that they were going to start a family.

Only to realize, only a month after she had been pregnant, she lost him.

And the baby.

But Hero had always been sure that it would be a boy, and that a young age he would be gentle but hard to put down. She wanted him to be the spitting image of her husband, the most perfect man alive.

But, he ended up being a delinquent.

Her delinquent.

"Hero, there's something I must do before any of this happens," Max ran off, taking Hero's thoughts with him.

"Look John, we do have a son. And he's just like me."

***

Max snuck up behind Teresa, tapping her shoulder and smiling deviously at her. She obviously didn't want anything to do with him, but he was determined.

"What do you want, mongrel?" she asked folding her arms across her chest. You could the strings tearing apart, and Max took his chance.

"I want you."

He went at her pushing his lips against hers viciously. He took her frame in his arms and slowly swayed to silence. Teresa was oblivious, in a different world, and she had no excuse for doing anything. How was she supposed to react, was she supposed to push him away when she couldn't?

Was she supposed to feel this weak?

Every time she was around Max, the arguments start and the fighting does so too, but they always end up the same. He wins with lust. They were both driven by it, and they had to hide it from Owen. Although they never particularly did anything, they couldn't help but feel the tension in the air gripping them tightly.

Now all she could see was the blurry image of a smiling Max towering over her. It had been Owen many times, but Max was genuinely there and smiling.

She had to apologize soon for being imperfect.

Max whispered slowly in her ear, "I win, as always." And she just stops for a moment. He always wins. He always gets what he wants. He is the favorite. He is always there.

"I can't win against you, so I will lose. But even though I lose, I feel like I've won. Like I've won you." Teresa rolled onto her side giving him a half smile.

"Won my lusting eye, and beating heart, no one's ever done that before," he answered her twirling her hair. It was a small moment of realization between the two, all that he wanted.

Teresa sighed watching Max's chest rise and fall as he just breathed next to her.

"It's not real though," she whispered, "It will never be real."

***