In "Black Red Blood White," the gripping conclusion to the riveting saga that began with "Tacit Resonances," author Viktor A. King delves deeper into the enigmatic world of Anna, the tortured soul turned spectral avenger, and Henry, the malevolent m...
Kate hadn't expected such an opulent residence, like the ones in glossy fashion magazines, the ones with smooth, glossy paper, a far cry from the humble flats furnished with worn Ikea furniture, legs and doors scuffed from the constant use, the hunger with which people lived in council houses, where they bumped, bumped, and endured while waiting for their dreams to come true.
"How beautiful your house is."
"Please come in, lovely Kate. I'll summon the butler; he'll show you to your room. It's very cozy, decorated in lilac. Do you like lilac?"
"It's fine."
Kate's wooden-heeled wedges made a crisp sound on the room's parquet floor. TOC.
"I'll call Alfred. Please wait here."
Ursula approached the girl.
"The place smells lovely."
"She doesn't seem as lost as you once were," Anna chimed in. She admired her for that rebellious look achieved with so little— the septum piercing, the shaved hair on the right temple, and waist-length hair elsewhere. Those short, barely-there bangs that marked her as a young girl from some distant English province, a fan of some metal band, with headphones in her ears and supermarket shoes.
"She doesn't seem as plump as you once were..."
"I believe that no one could ever be your equal, and it's true that to silence you, they even cut off your arms and legs... With us, they might derive less pleasure and more pity."
"Don't count on it, Ursuletta," Anna whispered, deep in thought.
That butcher seemed to have a never-ending supply, like a well-organized assembly line, almost like going to the supermarket and buying cereal.
She couldn't fathom the motivation behind breeding those vicious dogs; she hadn't seen them in the other house. But then, it had all happened so quickly. Helena had arrived within a few days, and she was still reeling from her new state; she hadn't taken a proper look.
"You seem to be in good spirits, Anna."
"Yes, I believe your presence will lead to progress. I'm a firm believer in cooperation; it's the heart of any well-designed company."
Kate moved and took a step forward. TOC.
"Oh, baby, you'll deafen us... take off your shoes!"
Kate halted and removed her wedges.
"You see, Anna? She took off her shoes! Can you command her? Try again? Come on! We can order her to run!"
"What a fool you are... she can't escape anymore; the whole city knows she's here. They want her by now. But I swear I'm surprised too, and I want to try again."
"Get a tail!"
Kate looked around, slowly turning her head left and right. Then she used the elastic band on her wrist to gather her hair into a high ponytail.
"I can't believe it... you command it! You could have done that for me too instead of killing me. You could have sent me away, far from here, never to return. I'd be alive now, my head wouldn't be on some stupid surgical couch, severed and bloody."
"Wipe your tears. I didn't know I could communicate with these girls' minds. Maybe it only works with her; it never happened before."
"Why didn't you ever try? You're the cleverest of them all, but trying something simple? No, eh... You wanted us all here with you! That's the truth!"
"Stop it, you fool. I would beat you if I had hands."
"Go to the door and leave!" Ursula shouted loudly.
Kate looked in their direction, right at them, Anna was certain, but she didn't seem to see them; otherwise, she would have been frightened.
She turned to look at the entrance door. It was made of wood, secured by a brass knob; turning the knob, the gears would click, and the door would swing open. Open to the garden, open to the straight road like the banknotes he had cashed and now stowed in his backpack.
He reached out a hand toward the shiny knob.
"Kate, I can't find Alfred. I'll show you to your room. Come."
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"Damn him, he's the devil!"
"Ursula, stop it. She wouldn't have made it. In fact, we need to prepare her for a fight. I hope I can instill as much strength in her as possible. You see, if you let her go now, Henry will catch her in five minutes." Anna's tone was almost sweet and understanding now; she could see the goodness in her fellow captive. She wouldn't do this for any of the others. She wanted revenge, not salvation. Ursula, on the other hand, had a desire to do good.
The gentler tone convinced Ursula, who relented.
"You're right. Let's get her to sit down. In the room, we'll try to explain things to her in some mystical or dreamlike way, or I don't know, and persuade her to escape. Maybe even alert the police."
"He cleans them first; he's a clean man. He likes them to smell nice."
"Come with me, Kate, the room is upstairs. Follow me," he said.
"Yes, alright. Can I take a bath?"
"Yes, of course, you have to. We'll prepare a nice bath with some smelling salts and a soft bathrobe for you to dry yourself."
"Alright, sounds good."
He followed her upstairs barefoot.
"There are clothes in the wardrobe, and you can choose whatever you like from there."
"If you say so... Alright, let's hope you have good taste."
