The Patron Saint of Monsters

Chapter Nine Part Two

“Why won’t these thoughts ever stop?” Rebecca thought to herself as she watched her stepmother scrub the bathroom linoleum. She had brief moments of  lucidity and clarity, these moments were filled with sadness and confusion. She could only half remember why she was like this, she knew it had something to do with Trent and thusly Oleander because she knew that he could not go anywhere without her. Rebecca knew that she had to kill her friends to fix everything that was wrong with her brain. She did not want to kill anyone, but she preferred being a murderess than being insane.

The smell of bleach burned Rebecca’s nostrils, she enjoyed the tingling scent. She bit her lips and bounced on the balls of her feet, she was doing everything she could to suppress her urge to stomp over to Izzy and yanking her head back by her blonde extensions and pouring the bleach down her throat. Rebecca found herself craving the scratches that her stepmother would surely leave all over her body and she tried to fight her off. Struggling to live, gasping and crying around the viscous skin burning liquid.

Rebecca clenched her jaw and her walked away going back to her bedroom. “Manti?” she whispered when she shut the door.

“Yes.” She heard a raspy hiss.

“Can I eat someone I’ve poisoned?” She asked him quietly.

“You must devour her heart and her brain.” Was his only reply.

“I’ve got it.” She told him walking towards her closet.

She reached into her closet and picked out her thinnest belt. It was made of braided hemp, it had an odd smell and it was slightly rough to the touch. She caressed it gently and then gripped it tightly with both fists. She walked back to the bathroom, knocking on the door and called out “Izzy?”

“Hey sweetheart,” She answered turning her head to face her step-daughter. “You didn’t go to school today? Still feeling down?” She gave a nurturing frown.

“I know you killed my mom.” Rebecca informed her in an eerily despondent voice.

“Your mother isn’t dead sweetheart, she moved to France with her new husband.” Izzy reminded her confusedly.

“You have to pay for what you did.” Rebecca told her, entering the bathroom fully and locking the door behind her.

Izzy chuckled uncomfortably and backed away from her step-daughter. Rebecca reached over her and wrapped the belt around her neck, pulling it tight. Izzy raised her hands to pull at the belt clawing at it.

“Rebecca! Stop it!” She ordered.

Rebecca pressed her knee into the center of her step-mother’s back pushing her down onto the tile and slamming her head on the edge of the bathtub. Rebecca continued to strangle Izzy until she stopped moving and then she pulled the belt even more taught to be sure. She stared at the carcass feeling nothing. She took a deep breath and steadied her resolve, she knew what she had to do. She called Oleander.

Oleander felt her phone shake in the pocket of her jeans. Her arm immediately shot into the air.

“Yes Miss Jameson?” Her teacher asked.

“I need to go to the lavatory, it’s an emergency.” She said.

“You are dismissed.” The teacher told her.

Oleander stood and grabbed her purse exiting the classroom with an unseen Trent in tow.  She entered a stall and Trent sat down on the toilet tank with his feet on the seat. She answered her phone. “Hey.”

“Ole! I fucked up. I need help.” Rebecca fake cried.

“What happened?” Oleander asked.

“She’s dead.” Rebecca whispered.