Dream for the Dead (Completed/Editing)

30

"Any last words, son?" Seth's Dad grabbed Seth's hair, pushing his head back. He ripped the gag off Seth's face aggressively.
"Please, Dad. Why are you doing this?!" He yelled, and I saw the tears streaming down his face. "Please!"
"Pathetic." His Father chuckled. "You're not leaving me."
"Kim, Mum, I love you." Seth whimpered. "I love you all so much."
I bit down hard on my fingernails and shared Seth's pain, sobbing loudly.
"Why are you crying? Take it like a man!" Alexander yelled into Seth's face, his saliva practically showering his son's face as he violently shook Seth's head for every word in the last sentence. "You really are a pathetic little maggot, Seth. I'm ashamed to call you my son."
I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to be able to stop him. But all I could do was watch. All I could do was watch as Alexander took a blunt knife and slit Seth's throat. I could see Seth choking on his own blood, and I had to watch the light fade from his eyes. I didn't know if I would ever be able to wipe that image from my memory. It would always haunt me.

When I arrived back in the Meeting House, Elias' Mother was stood chatting with Doctor Carver. Their heads shot towards me when I arrived back, crying my heart out.
"Please, Doctor Carver, no more for today." I weeped.
"Oh, but I just brought the painting." Samantha held the painting up and waved it around.
"I can't." I shook my head. "It was Seth."
"What's so special about him?" I hadn't noticed that Elias was stood nearby. He sounded irritated. "I'd love to see him suffering."
I couldn't stop crying even to shout at Elias. I buried my head into my knees. It was only when my vision went blurry again that I realised I hadn't let go of Seth's item: a penguin keyring. I would've wondered why this item was Seth's most precious possession, if I wasn't preoccupied with the panic and dread of having to watch Seth's death all over again.
"No!" I screamed as I watched the Meeting House fade to black.

The next time I was back in the Meeting House, I was a shaking, blubbering mess. I managed to throw the keyring away, though. Despite the fact that we were in a fight, Elias ran over and put his arms around me, and I let him.
"It was horrible."
"I know. I know." Elias rocked me slightly.
"Well, get on with the rest. We can't afford any breaks!"
"You're not doing this to her." Elias growled.
"I am. She agreed."
"Hey, look. You can get two more over with pretty quickly. My death and Elias'. We only drowned, it's not that bad." Samantha's voice droned. It really seemed as though she was devoid of any personality.
"Just do Samantha's, and then you can do the last six tomorrow! Kimberly and Abigail, Mary and I, Elias, and then Danielle and April are a two-in-one!" William jumped with delight.
"What if I don't want to do it anymore?" I pulled away from Elias, standing to face William.
"You promised. You have to! This is my - our - only chance. Think of all the people who don't deserve to be here. Mary. Kimberly. Seth."
"I want to stay here." I was grateful for Elias deciding to back me up.
"There are a lot of people who deserve to be here, though." I gritted my teeth, noticing the machete was still in Doctor Carver's hand.
"You'll do it, and that's that." His tone was becoming more aggressive. "Are you forgetting that I would feel no regret in killing you? If you decide, 100%, not to do this, you're of no use to me anymore. I'd rather you be dead." He paused, a sinister grin making it's way across his face. I felt uneasy and shifted around a little. "That way, I could kill you over and over. Forever."
"You're not doing anything to hurt her." Elias dragged me out of the Meeting House.
"If you aren't back here tomorrow at 12:30PM sharp, young Tabitha, I'm afraid you're pretty much dead."

Elias dragged me all the way back to the house. He stopped just in front of the tree where I'd first met him.
"Tabbi, listen. You're dead either way."
I stared at him for about thirty seconds, extremely confused.
"I didn't want to tell you because I hoped you'd get away. I didn't want to scare you. But whether you go through with this or not, you're dead."
"Why didn't you tell me this before I watched Seth die?!"
"Because I thought you'd freak out and convince your Mum to move away!"
"How would I do that, Elias? How?" I tore Samantha's necklace off and threw it at him. "I'm done with you."
"You've broken the clasp!"
"I have bigger problems than that, Elias." I stormed away, hoping to find Seth. If I was going to die, he had to know how I felt. But I was stopped quite quickly when Mum heard me slam the front door. She came walking out of the living room, smiling.
"Tabitha, you have to come in here."
"Mum-"
"We need to make birthday plans!" She was grinning widely.
I stared at her, confused.
"You're 17 next week, remember?"
With everything that was going on, I'd completely forgotten. She was right. Next Wednesday would be the 20th of November: my birthday.