V & V - Rageous Rageon Redemption.

BAM SPLAT

Veneer POV:

Staring into the ruby-red eyes of the boy in the portrait, I realize whose mansion I'm in. This is Rollie's family's mansion, and he's the boy in the portrait. I feel exceptionally sick, thinking of what could possibly have happened to his parents at the wrath of Dom.

I peel my eyes away from the portrait, looking around me nervously. I start down the hall towards Dom's bedroom. No guards stand out in front of the bedroom as I expected, making me nervous knowing the room is seemingly unguarded.

I enter the bedroom soundlessly, moving through the room until I determine no one is inside the bathroom or closet. I leave the bedroom, walking to the fated troll room. I open the door, peering inside to see... all of the trolls are gone, including the giant diamond.

The tube lay on the floor, discarded and forgotten. I feel sicker as I realize I may very well be in this mansion alone, which is not good for my quest to find Dom. I hurry away from the troll's room, practically sprinting down the stairs.

Just as I go to the door to the cellar, I hear a growl from the direction of the ballroom. It's high-pitched, sounding almost feminine. I panic, running into the dining room as the door is still open. I run to the other side of the table, hiding behind one of the massive chairs.

I wait quietly, hearing nothing for a while until-

*BAM*

The door slams open, the monster screeching loudly. I keep my hand on my gun, holding my breath as I see mangled feet trek across the floor, the toes busting out of the once very lovely shoes.

I see the monster was once a woman, as she's wearing what used to be a pretty pink dress. As the monster circles the table, I crouch and walk the opposite way towards the doors. I walk until I can make a run for it, deciding just to bolt.

The monster sees me, screaming after me as I fly to the cellar. I practically jump the flight down, tearing through the basement before reaching the stairs to go outside. As I run up the stairs, I feel an unnaturally strong hand grab my ankle.

I trip, falling face first and hitting my lip hard on the stone step in front of me. I ignore the pain, turning around feverishly to stare into Rosaline's once-stunning eyes.

Her features are mangled and disfigured, and I can still see her beauty shining through her now grotesque and pulled face.

Ven: "Rosaline! Please!"

She growls at me, her irises so dilated it looks like she's purely an animal at this point mentally. Her long nails dig into my ankle, drawing blood. I kick at her, desperately crawling up the stairs as she attempts to pull me down into the darkness.

She seems to be caught on something, perhaps a shelf, as she can't continue to drag me more than a step or two. I breathe hard, trying to think of anything else I can do besides what I know will be most effective.

I point my gun at her, feeling tears run down my face as I shoot.

*SPLAT*

Hot, black blood splatters all over me as Rosaline's eye and the side of her head are blown apart. She screams, falling back into the darkness with sick gurgling sounds. I climb up and out of the cellar, slamming and locking the storm shelter door before throwing myself down the lane to escape this horrid home.

I run as fast as I can, my ears ringing from the gunshot. I can't hear well; everything comes in echoes with a loud, high-pitched whine. I wonder if this is what Kid Ritz felt when he went deaf.

I hear Rosaline's screams repeatedly in my mind, the last one sounding the most Rageon. I truly, sincerely hope I didn't kill her. Even if I didn't, I have no idea how she'd ever recover from having half of her head blown to bits.