My New Toy (Completed)

Chapter 12: One Way Out

It grew darker by the hour as Karl and Irene made their way through the village. Every one of the villagers were already inside their homes. It was deadly quiet. Something was really about to go down here in this little town. Why did Miranda take sudden interest in a small baby that a couple had? Irene knew of Miranda's plan but what was so interesting about a newborn baby? Every so often Irene would stop to look back at castle Dimitrescu but Karl would keep pushing her along the path. He needed her to stop getting distracted so Irene could get out of the village. Karl definitely wasn't saying a word the entire way through the village. No one else needed to know what was about to go down. Navigating through the small village took a while to get through, but as they made for the forest line Irene stopped Karl for a moment.

"What's really about to happen...? All I know is Miranda has her eye on this child but for a very good reason. She wouldn't harm it would she...? I mean she's lost her own daughter before..."

He stopped to look at her and dragged on his cigar, leaning on a nearby tree to take a breather. "Who's to say, little one. She might. She might not. You can't trust Mother Miranda. She's not always a woman of her word like Alcina. There's a reason Alcina and I don't exactly trust that woman."

Once he got his bearings, Karl continued to push Irene on. He wasn't the same with her as he was when Irene first came to this place. It bothered her to the core since their last encounter. He was furious with her choice that she made. Why did he hate it so much? The more she thought the more Irene strayed too far behind. It irritated Karl that Irene was thinking too much on the subject.

"You really don't like the choice I made...do you?"

"What makes you say that, little one?" He continued on down the path and kept his eyes forward, not wanting to make eye contact with the red head. Karl felt his blood boil more as the thought ate away at his brain. Irene followed close behind, fingers playing at her dress and clutching it lightly.

"I just...You and I don't see eye to eye anymore...You used to be very concerned..."

"Hmph...you're right. You and I don't see eye to eye anymore...You made your choice you little harlot. I gave you every choice I could to get you out and you still chose her!" He stopped suddenly making Irene collide into him and falling to her behind in the snow. Karl's voice made her shake, shuddering at the cold snow beneath her but also how loud he yelled. It shook her body to the core. Just as he had when he encountered her in the underground corridor. "You chose to turn yourself into one of us. That is the most stupid decision I've seen you make since wanting to stay with Alcina. You have wasted what humanity you have left of you in your body!"

"You don't have a say in what I do!" Irene retorted back and stood on her feet, ready to tear him apart at the seams. Just like she wanted to do to Angie.

"As of right now, yes I do! You're going to get out of here like Alcina asked and you're going to do as I say! Or I'll rip you apart so badly she won't even recognize your body on the ground!" His hand grabbed her face hard, fingers sinking in before Irene would growl low at him. Her teeth bared at Karl fiercely as he continued to hold her in a tight grip, "And keep your fangs to yourself...I don't want you biting me...I'm not as gracious as Alcina is...If you do I'll really give you something to whine about..."

Irene jerked away and continued on ahead of him, his hand going to the back of her neck and holding it firmly. He wasn't going to let her get away with trying to kill him then and there. She really resented Karl right now. He was once kind to her but now he couldn't stand the sight of Irene. All because of her choice. The silence took over the rest of their journey outside of the village. Deadly enough to hear crickets chirping. A crashing sound nearby broke it between Irene and Karl. She gave one look to him and escaped his grasp. He chased after Irene quickly, who stopped suddenly and saw the overturned vehicle.

"What..." Irene whispered under her breath, wanting to take a step forward but Karl caught her shoulder gently. He pulled her back and shook his head "no" in silence. They moved over to the trees after seeing a slender figure reach inside to pull out a crying baby. The figure rocked the child in their arms, hearing the cries turn to small cooing noises. Irene had a hint at what was going on. Pulling away from Karl's grasp again but carefully this time, she moved around to get a better look at the figure. As Irene gained closer ground with Karl nearly cussing under his breath, the figure became more clear. It was a woman. The baby that once cried in her arms was a small baby girl swaddled in a blanket.

"Is that...?" Irene whispered before Karl rushed up and placed his hand over her mouth, keeping her silent as the figure looked over in their direction. The woman was none other than Mother Miranda. Her cold blue eyes stared at Irene and Karl with intensity. That familiar smirk appeared on her lips, barely audible chuckle coming from her throat. The expression on her face of it could say anything it would tell Irene, "Get far away from here as you can, little one."

Karl pulled Irene away once more and kept her walking on, trying to make her eyes look away from Miranda. As they moved on, Mother Miranda coddled the little baby in her arms and chuckled more. She didn't want to let Irene go but it was only temporary.

You can't be a hero for everyone little one. Sometimes you have to look out for yourself...Leave these monsters in your past. But me...mother will always be around watching you.~

As Miranda took away the child the two kept going on. Karl had to force Irene to keep going until she jerked away, continuing to walk. "What was that?!"

"What do you mean, Irene?"

"We could have saved that baby from Mother Miranda! You know what she's going to use her for! We can't let her get away with that!"

"Look if I don't get you out of here, Alcina will kill me! She wanted you safe first and foremost! That's how my plan is going to continue to go." Karl answered and pushed her forward, his hand gentle on Irene's shoulder now. He saw the look in Mother Miranda's eyes. He knew her original plan with Irene and it was just as terrifying as this plan. Once they reached an area so far from the crash, Karl stopped with Irene and looked around. "Alright. Now if you keep going on this path, you'll eventually hit a main road. Keep going until you find help and get home. Please just get out of here as fast as your legs can carry you."

Irene looked down the dark woods, knowing this is where they would part ways. More questions filled her mind as she looked down the path between the trees. Would Alcina find her after all this? If not what was she to do next? All Irene could do was try. She looked at Karl and gave a nod, smiling sadly before turning back to the path ahead. "Thank you."

The two went their separate ways and walked on where they were needed to be. Another hour into walking, Irene heard some rustling in the woods. She hoped it was just an animal walking past. It got silent quick after her eyes searched everywhere, getting that gut feeling someone or something was following her to the main road. The rustling continued to follow Irene and she only moved faster until she broke into a run. She ran until a couple men dressed in black blocked her path in front of her, pointing guns at Irene to show they found her as a threat. Her instincts told her to go different directions or the way back but more men surrounded her. They all had guns ready to fire. Her fight or flight instincts kicked into overdrive, knowing the only way she could get out. Fighting them off. Once she tried to rush at one of the men he fired his gun at her feet but Irene dodged away toward another. She moved to push past since the path ahead was the only way out. The man to the left of the one that shot at the ground grabbed Irene by the arm, putting both of them behind her back to disable her movement. Her other instinct to hit her head into his nose kicked in and she slammed it backward before the other man used the butt of his gun to knock her out cold. Everything went blurry, her vision like water and then darkness.