Kim Scissorhands and Edward Boggs

Chapter Twelve: The Farewell

It was three days after Troy returned from his camp. Edward knew that that day he would make his final trip to Kim's. Jen, Troy, Erik, and Erik's girlfriend all went to a football game, a sport that Ed never really found interesting. He took it as the perfect opportunity to bid his farewell to Kim.

The walk to the mansion seemed shorter than it had been in the past. The forests of ivy, the spiral driveway, the ascending stairs. It only took a few minutes to reach the upstairs room. The paper sculptures were still in their place, although nothing had seemed to be added. In fact, cobwebs littered the artwork as if it had been abandoned a long while. The forgotten paper figures were faded and, as he continued onward, were falling apart. The farthest part of the project was completely torn apart and destroyed. Edward then heard the familiar sound of blade against paper, and followed its noise. In an equally enormous, adjacent room, Kim was sitting faraway on a battered sofa, hundreds of magazine scraps at her feet. She appeared to be gluing individual pieces of paper to the wall, which looked like an annoyingly time-consuming job. She had an even wilder look to herself, and jumped a little when Edward entered the room.

"I'm back!" He greeted optimistically. Something was wrong.

"Hi," Kim said curtly. She didn't look up from her cut-out photos.

Edward responded awkwardly,"Hey, um, if you don't mind me asking, what're ya working on?"

"A project. I need to distract myself."

"From what? Distract yourself from what?"

Kim stopped cutting and looked at him dead in the eye. He expected her to be furious, but she only looked upset. Silent tears started to well up in her eyes, and she beckoned Edward over to the decaying couch. He wrapped his arm around her in comfort, drying her cheeks as tears streamed down.

"It's okay Kim. Now, please tell me; what's the matter?"

The crying girl looked away from him and resumed her work. "There were boys... A little older than you... I couldn't see who they were. I was resting when they came in. When I went in the room, I saw my sculptures were ruined. Out of my window I could see them running faintly in the distance." Kim breathed heavily, as if it was the longest time she'd ever spoken. "Years of work... destroyed," she mumbled quietly.

Edward sat there in silence. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard. Who would crash into the mansion just to demolish such fine art? It wasn't logical, and he couldn't imagine who would have done it.

"It'll be okay," he reassured. "All great things must come to an end, right?" No words from Kim still. It was minutes before she spoke again.

"The outside world disgusts me."

Edward's heart sunk a little lower in his chest. That was it; Kim wouldn't agree now. Still, he took a shot.

"Do you want to come home with me?" He asked bashfully. It was the second time he'd asked her, and there was no hope.

"What?"

"Let me explain," Edward replied, flustered. "I know you're mad at what those guys did. I don't blame you, but most people aren't like that. A lot of folks would be delighted to meet you. Plus, you could really use a change of scenery. The same dark walls, dusty furniture, frustrating projects?" He gestures towards a small photo collage, which he'd just noticed a few moments previously. "I can totally see that you're interested in the outside world! Fashion! Cars! It'll be an amazing experience for you." He beamed. "Trust me."

Kim looked around the ghastly room. She did not have the same love in her chocolate-brown eyes as she had weeks before. She appeared to realize what he was saying.

"I'll do it, Edward."

It was the first time she said his name.