Secret kisses and twisted minds

Chapter 8

Two days had past, no one had seen Stanford, no one had heard of Fiddleford and no one dared to ask about it. The dining hall that was once filled with joyous moment of laughter was now silent and cold. Stanford wouldn't even come down for food, Wendy had to take it up to his room, knock on the door and leave immediately. The drawing room that was once the epicentre of the family's gatherings was now empty and abandoned. The whole house just felt depressed and unused. Almost like all the joyous life had been stolen from it.

On the third day, Mabel got up, put on her gown and climbed down the stairs. She loved getting up early to seize the day but so she could also escape into the drawing room before anyone was up. This let her unwind and think of the fun times they all had in this room before the incident.

She pushed the door open and walked in the room. She was surprised to see the fire had been started and the room felt warm again. Usually it was cold and dark with a damp atmosphere. As she ventured further across the room she noticed her uncle Ford standing in the corner, staring down at a book. She froze before silently beginning to head toward the door.
"Stay" he demanded in a soft tone. Mabel stopped and walked over to the couch. She smiled up at him, watching him stare down at the particular book in his hands.

The leather was warm against her skin as she sat down, Mabel looked up to see her uncle walking to the sofa and sitting down beside her. His eyes were puffy and red, as if he'd been crying.
"This was our favourite book" he choked out, trying but failing to keep his defences from crumbling. She nodded slowly and looked down that the old and worn away book placed in his six fingered hand.
"We would sit and read it by the fire when Stan was away, we—" he was cut off by the sound of the door being pushed open. They both looked up in surprise. It was Bipper.

His sick grin widened when he locked eyes with Stanford. He crept forward like a poised jaguar stalking its prey, calculating the best way to leap, attack and kill its victim.
"Well, well, well... look who finally got up.... long time no see, hey queer" he punctuated his sentence with a spit to the floor. Stanford scowled at him from the couch, his grip on the book increasing.
"Say, do you know my favourite part about that day was?.....when I got to tell Stan about your little secret, oh it was sublime and what came after was the cherry on top" he giggled evilly to himself. Ford was beginning to loose his patience and he was now griping his gun attached to his hip instead of the book.
"Yep, seeing that panicked face of yours. I tell ya I would give anything to that again!" He cackled "I mean seeing that hillbilly run as fast as he-"

That's when Ford snapped.

He leapt out of his chair with such velocity that it made the couch tip back slightly. The next thing Bipper knew he was grabbed by the collar of his shirt and a gun was being pressed against his head. Ford gritted his teeth and looked him in his devilish eyes. Bipper just smirked at him.
"Go on, pull the trigger! I dare you" he sneered at ford with that smug grin of his. Ford just pushed the gun further onto Bipper's head and gripped it tighter.
"You don't have the guts, do you?...just as I thought. What a pansy" he stated in his mocking tone.

Mabel just sat in shock and horror as this evil parasitic monster was literally gambling her brothers life.
"Grunkle ford.....please" she whimpered in a soft tone as tears began to fall from her eyes. He hesitantly glanced over to her. The fearful look on her face deflated his anger and he released his grip on the boys shirt.

Bipper stumbled back slightly, he never realised how much Stanford had lifted him from the ground. Ford then dashed for the book on the couch and left without a word.

Bipper chuckled to himself from across the room.
"I guess he's a double freak now" he smirked. With that Mabel stormed from the couch and slapped this monster across the face. He growled at her as he clutched his cheek, a red mark could be seen forming already. She kept a face of pure fury before stomping out of the room.

Bipper stood in shock, clutching his swelling cheek.
"Well....that was uncalled for" he stated to himself in the empty room.