Thorn

If You Can't Hang

A few weeks later Constance was on a plane to California to see a special someone, which was strange because she normally doesn't take jobs out of state, but what she didn't know is that Michael was following her the entire time. He was worried about the children, but he knew Jane would take care of them. He made sure not to get into contact with Constance until he saw who she was meeting with.
She did not bring much except for her purse and a backpack filled with clothing, so it wasn't a struggle to walk around. It was dark and stormy, the rain had not started yet, but the thunder and lightning has. She looked up at the large building in front of her. 'Grace Andersen Sanitarium' it said on a post to the side of the building.
"Well here goes nothing." She said. As she walked into the building. Michael went to the side of the building where it was covered by the forest. Michael went to the side of the building where it was covered by the forest. Constance walked up to the lady at the desk and asked for a special name. The lady smiled back and had one of the nurses there escort her to the person she desired to mee.
The nurse was short, African American and seemed middle aged, her hair was parted to the side. The door at the end of the hallway, behind that door is a person Constance has not seen in years. The nurse opened the door and sitting on the bed, looking at the window was Laurie, Michael's sister.
Her story with Laurie is an odd one as well. Once Michael had left, Laurie and Constance became best friends, more of the reason because Laurie didn't have anyone at the age of two. As they grew up they became even closer, closer than Michael and her. In high school they became a thing, like an actual thing. But of course they had to hide it. So basically after all these years since high school these two have kept a secret relationship going, despite being married and having children they kept in contact until three years ago in 98' when she was put away here, and it was going good, but it seemed as if it was going to end. When they walked into the room Laurie was sitting on a chair by the window with a stuffed doll in her hands. It had red yarn for hair, and it's eyebrows were black and looked as if they stood on end. It's eyes were a brown almond shape with little black dots in the middle which represented the iris. It had a red dress with a small flower design but the torso was white as if it was wearing overalls.
"She hasn't said a word in years. Extreme Dissociative Disorder. The doctors think she's a suicide threat. They found her up on the roof more than once, must be the guilt." She said, putting a tiny paper cup full of Laurie's medication in her mouth with a cup full of water after. "Now all she does is stare out that window. God knows what she sees out there." The nurse explained, but at that moment, that very moment Laurie caught a glimpse of Michael before the lightning struck, and the thunder followed. Once the nurse left and shut the door Laurie quickly and spit the pills into her hand before putting them into slit held with velcro on the doll's back. The entire doll was filled with pills that were semi blue and semi pink. As she was done with putting the pills away Laurie jumped up and hugged Constance. Constance wrapped her arms around Laurie and kissed her on the head. Laurie looked to Constance and smiled.
"You got taller, you're taller than me now." Constancr said as the two of them sat on the bed.
"I know...and that's not how you give a kiss, Constance." Laurie said.
"I know, but I can't." Constance responded.
"Okay if you're gonna say no at least give me a real reason, none of that marriage bullshit." She said.
"But I don't know how else to reject it." She said, feeling a bit guilty. There was an awkward silence for a moment before Laurie spoke once more.
"Just give me some random poetic response, like you always do." She said joking. Constance nodded and thought for a moment before she answered as Laurie requested.
"My undying love for you is undeniable, but I cannot express it to you. If I shall I would be committing acts of adultery which is forbidden in my moral book of being a human being." She said while laughing. "You know how I am. I don't do that kind of stuff. I'm a good person." She added with a small chuckle.
"Michael" She said with a small laugh, yet with deep thought. She never really understood why Constance stood by his side after all the shit he put everyone through. "...he's here. I saw him. You know what he's here for...it's that time of the year." Laurie said in a somber tone.
"Halloween and for 23 years the most he was able to do to you was cut your left shoulder...twice." Constance said, stroking her thumb down the scar on her left deltoid. "Plus...it's down to you. He killed John after you were put away." Constance said looking down. "He won't stop till you're gone too." Constance held Laurie's hand and nodded before giving her the kiss she wanted.
"You're hands are always so cold." Laurie said once she got a grip on Constance's hands.
"Blood deficiency." She responded. Laurie looked the scars on her arm, some were fresh too.
"I wonder why..." She said sarcastically. "How'd you even marry him? I don't understand. Like why?" She asked, like a teenager that's gossiping about the popular school couple, but Constance gave a shrug as an answer.
"I really don't know." She said in a confused tone, the side of her nose was scrunched as if she spoke of something disgusting. "I guess it's because I understand him." She said as moved her hand from hers and placed it on her cheek. There was another awkward silence. The two woman simply held their foreheads together as an intimate gesture. It was a while before there was the sound of loud heavy footsteps coming from the hallway. Laurie stood up in a jolt and threw the doll onto the bed.
"Shh! Just do as I say. I've been planning for this moment for the past three years." She said, arranging the pillows on the bed in a way so it looked like someone was sleeping. She grabbed Constance and pulled her to the side of the room by the closet. There was a large burst and chips of wood flew everywhere.
It was Michael.
He was wearing his mask and the jumpsuit once more. He looked down at the bed, and walked over to it, expecting his little sister to be under the sheets, but Laurie quickly dropped the large metal lamp which was in front of her onto him causing him to lose his balance and fall onto the bed. She grabbed Constance's hand and the two took off running. Michael quickly stood up and followed behind. Laurie was leading them to the roof, and made sure to have Michael follow them. Finally on the roof. Laurie quickly took off her hospital gown and laid it on the edge of the roof before taking Constance's side to where the door was, that way he couldn't see them. Michael opened the steel door, and tilted his head confused once he saw the gown. He slowly step towards it, his free hand reached out to it and right when he was going to pick it up a rope wrapped around his ankle. It was attached to a machine where it lifted him up, having him drop the knife in his right hand. Laurie had the control in her hand and threw it to the side. She looked at him as if he was just her brother rather than a killer. Constance stood silently watching Laurie, full of suspense, waiting to see what would happen. Michael, in mid-air stared the two of them through the eyes of a mask. Laurie picked up the knife.
"You don't win Michael. You know why? Because I'm not afraid of you." She said, walking over to the rope, she started to cut, but then she noticed Michael's reaction to the sound of the rope slicing. It was the same way the man had reacted before she had accidentally decapitated him.
"I just have to make sure..." She said, not wanting to make the same mistake again. She walked over to him.
"Laurie don't! It's him!" Constance yelled.
"I just have to make sure..." She repeated, making her way over to him. She grabbed the seam of the mask, and she began to tug on the mask, trying to remove it from his face as Constance continued to yell in the background, telling her to stop. Michael grabbed for Laurie's hand, the one with the knife. She tried to yank her arm back, but the rope got loose and Laurie went down with Michael.
"LAURIE!" Constance yelled. The only thing holding them up was Michael. One arm was on the ledge, the other was behind Laurie's back, both of their hands gripped onto the knife that was shoved into her back. Laurie clamped onto his shirt with her freehand, trying to keep herself up. Lightning struck miles away and the thunder roared.
The siblings looked to each other, Laurie pulled herself up to his level as much as she could and kissed the lips of a cold white mask.
"See you in hell." She said softly, blood dripping down her back. Michael looked at her for a few seconds, mesmerizing her face. The only peaceful moment he's had of her, when he's not trying to kill her. A few seconds later he finally he let go, pulling the knife out of her back and watching her fall to the ground, hitting small tree branches on the way down. Once he heard the loud thud of her body hitting the ground he felt content because now he didn't have the urge to kill anymore. The lightning struck once more and the thunder followed as the rain slowly began to pour like a show. The first few minutes were gentle then it quickly began to shower. Each rain drop hitting their clothing like bullets. Constance looked down at Laurie's body as Michael brought himself back up. He gently grabbed her arm and tugged it. Constance yanked her arm back. Michael sighed through the mask and took it off, using his fingers to comb his hair back.
"Connie." He said.
"Do not call me that!" She responded, putting an emphasis on the word 'not'. She dared not to remove her gaze from the body below. Tears streamed down her cheek, but they blended in with the rain droplets on her cheeks.
"I had to do it! You of all people know. You know I gad no choice." He said. "And how was I supposed to know you...had a thing with my sister?" Michael said a bit confused, yet hurt.
"Do not change the subject Michael. You know why I'm upset, and this is not the only reason why." She said, finally turning towards him, but still wanting to look down at Laurie's body. "You always destroy the things you touch. You're like a damn leech I can't get rid of because I care too much. You've been driving me crazy Michael! You're going to kill me, Michael! You're going to kill me!" She cried, holding her head, fingers going through her hair as if she was going crazy. "I'm surprised that you haven't tried to kill Tate and Kyle yet." She yelled. "You had a choice. You've always had a choice, Michael, but for some reason you never chose the right ones. I told you not to kill Judith back when we were kids. I told you it wasn't right, yet you still killed her. I told you not to kill Jamie, you killed Jamie, I told you not to even lay a single finger on Laurie the last time I saw you in Smith's Grove, and you killed her!" She yelled, taking in a few deep breaths. "I understand it's hard to control, hell I killed my mother because of this, but unlike you I didn't let it consume me, Michael." She said, her hand to her chest.
"You can't say that. I wasn't the only one that killed that Halloween night or the ones after. You killed too and I didn't just take the blame because I'm a gentleman." He responded with sarcasm. "Nobody would believe you killed unless if it was your father." He said.
"No gentleman kills his family." Constance stated.
"No woman kills her mother." Michael responded.
"We're not the same." She said in a cold tone.
"But we are." He said. He got a grip of her hand and held out her wrist, then exposed his as well. The same symbol rested upon both their right wrists. Constance yanked her arm back once again.
"I'm gonna miss my flight." She said, making her way downstairs. Michael dropped the knife and silently followed her, the mask still in his hand.
Instead of going straight to the car Constance had gone to where Laurie's body had dropped. She knelt down beside Laurie's body before picking up her torso and holding her in her arms. Michael watched her from a far, he was guilty, but overall he felt more infuriated than remorse.