PROBLEM - Anthony Lockwood

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

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xxxi

we have a really weird friendship dynamic and all, but omg look it's strawberry

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"NO, I DON'T regret buying it," Fairfax disagreed, rather nonchalantly. "I often regret leaving it behind when I bricked her into that chimney. I knew it was monsterous, but I couldn't throw my whole life away for one mistake. Not then, not now. So lose the rapier and give me the ring."

"I can't. I don't have the ring. We don't travel round with it, we're not insane," Lockwood shook his head. He began to raise his voice now, his lips curling into a sneer, "And I'm the only one who knows where it's hidden, so if you kill me you will never get it back."

Fairfax shot him a tight lipped smile, "That's a bluff."

Lockwood unsheathed his rapier, his body shifting into a fighting stance, "Well, you better shoot me then."

"No, Lockwood, don't!" Alice cried, trying to push past Lockwood but he pushed her back with his other hand, not even sparing her a glance as he did so.

"You would have fitted in well with the monks, boy, you have a death wish!" Fairfax exclaimed.

"Yeah, maybe," Lockwood mused, "But you're not going to do it. You're already thinking about all the ways you could get caught."

"You're just a preformer too, aren't you?" Fairfax realised, he stepped closer and raised his rifle, "Let's see what you're really made of."

Lockwood kept his face hard and devoid of any emotion, save the anger in his eyes.

Fairfax moved, pointing the gun past Lockwood's arm and straight towards Alice's head, and cocked it.

Lockwood gasped lightly, blinking and grabbing Alice.

"There it is. You look scared," Fairfax pointed out, "Just like she did."

And then he pointed the rifle towards Lockwood's chest.

"No!"

Alice tore from his grasp, coming in front of Lockwood and sheiling her with her own body.

"Alice, no!" Lockwood yelled.

"Alice!" Lucy cried out, standing up from behind the furniture.

Lockwood tried to push past her, but Alice held fast. "Stop it!" she hissed, she glared at Fairfax, "Don't shoot him." She reached into the neckline of her dress, pulling out the necklace. "This is what you want, right?"

"Alice, what've you done?" George sighed, "Oh, she's stolen it again, Lockwood!"

Alice pulled the necklace over her head, holding it in her hand.

"What is it? What's in there?" Fairfax demanded.

"Alice," Lockwood breathed.

Alice opened the locket, pulling out the ring. She looked up at Fairfax, "Annabel has been wanting to see you for a very long time, Mr. Fairfax."

And then she threw the ring onto the ground.

"Ally!" Lockwood gasped.

The moment it hit the ground, wisps of smoke began to emanate from it, twisting and changing to form the figure of Annabel, suspended in the air. Just as she was the day she died.

The day she was murdered.

Lockwood wrapped his arm around Alice's shoulders from behind, pressing her against his body and extending his rapier out infront of them like a shield.