Chapter Thirty:
Yawning, I stumbled against walls, shining the torch clumsily around. I didn't bother checking most rooms- if Dexter or Dad even were in there, I'd hear them, and it would definitely have better security.
I heard faint thumping behind me, getting steadily closer, but I didn't act like it registered.
As it got closer and I felt the presence of whoever it was behind me, I whirled around, gun out and pointing it between her eyes.
'Don't shoot!' Scarlett cried.
'Scar? What the Hell?!' I shouted. 'Where'd you go? Why'd you steal my salt gun?!'
'B-because,' She stammered.
I clenched my jaw and tried to calm myself down. 'Sorry.'
'Because you were out cold,'
Crap.
'And that salt gun thingy was really effective, so I left with it to try and find Curtis and your brother.' She finished worriedly, still close to tears.
'And did you?' I asked expectantly.
'Uhm...well...' She looked over my shoulder and I followed, seeing the long trail of rock salt leading further down the hall and up a flight of stairs.
'H-here's your gun.' She held it up, mangled and still sifting salt.
'What the Hell happened to it?' I cried, trying but failing to see a way close to saving it.
'I ran into something, and I froze.' She admitted, staring at the floor. 'It tried to claw me, and I hid behind it. It cracked into the salt and disappeared.'
'Wonderful.' I muttered. 'Well come on.' I started following the salt trail.
'What? Why that way?' She cried, jumping in my way.
'Because,' I gently pushed her out of the way. 'If you're coming up to some big mothers up there, then that's probably where Dexter and that Curtis dude is. So we go up here,' I pointed for emphasis. 'We find them, I rescue them, we get the Hell out of here and I never see you again. And you don't tell anyone what you've seen here, OK? OK, let's go.' I started off again, and after a second, she trailed after.
'Why can't I tell anyone?' She whispered as I pulled another torch out of my belt and handed it over as we mounted the stairs.
'Because telling people of all this supernatural stuff will get you a straightjacket with metal locks. Or a punch in the face. Sometimes both.' I answered, looking around carefully as I saw a pinpoint of light up ahead.
'Why?'
I sighed, and looked back at her as I kept climbing. 'You're not seriously asking me that, are you?'
'No.'
'Good.'
As we reached the top of the stairs, I heard faint music that would've been dead in the 40's.
'Yep,' I whispered/sighed. 'That sounds about right. Hey Scar,' I turned back to her, but she was gone.
'Son of a bitch.' I muttered.
Dexter laughed quietly, though it hurt him to do so. Looking through the veil of blood, he spoke directly to the thing that was possessing Scarlett now. 'She definitely won't come now, you know that right?'
Scarlett looked up from the sickle she was sharpening. The white, previously padded room was quite large, and on the far side the Medicus was going through various recently dead bodies.
'How so?' Scarlett asked, walking up to him and holding up the sickle, curved wickedly sharp.
Dexter swallowed, but continued nonetheless. 'Because this music is like poison to her- she won't be found within a five mile radius of it. Seriously, is this the best torture you can do? It is pretty bad...'
'I'm guessing she won't be coming to save you then.' Scar said, and Dexter clenched his jaw- something that wasn't common.
'That's now-'
'Oh but it is.' She smiled wickedly.
'Well I guess you have no choice but to let me go, considering she's not coming and you need both of us.' Dexter tried to shrug but couldn't.
'Oh no, we can still use you. See, I can...keep you alive, torture you, till she comes, or I can just kill you now, in the most horrific way possible, and keep your blood preserved.'
'I feel so reassured now.' He muttered.
'So you should.' She patted his cheek. 'Now I'm not going to be here when Trixie arrives- but tell her thankyou.'
'What for?' Dexter asked as the Medicus got closer, holding up a wickedly sharp knife.
'I've never never had a nickname before. But then again, you can't really do much with Gloria.'
