"I can't do this", Gemma whispers, staring down at the unconscious man lying in the hospital bed, bruises and dried blood dotting his face. "I can't kill him."
"We aren't killing him", I growl. "He'll be eternalized as art."
"Well...", Morona says tapping his chin. "No, we're killing him."
My lip curls as I shove the woman away from the bed, squeezing my hands into fists. "It isn't killing. We are making a masterpiece!"
"If you say so." She grins. Then it falters as her eyes fall on where Gemma is standing behind me. "She's gone."
I whirl around to find the other woman gone, the door left open.
"Uh oh."
"We have to do this now", I hiss. "She might be telling someone!"
"Here." Morona reaches over and grabs a weird knife thing, just like the one I found at the doctor's office from by the table beside the bed. "We can use this."
I take it, examining the blade, testing the edge with my fingertip, smiling as a small bead of red water forms on my skin.
It's time to feed.
Then I slam it into Sebastian's heart, his blood sticky and warm on my hand as I pull out the tool and slam it back in, over and over until the urge inside of me is satisfied.
I drop the knife thing onto the ground with a clang, staring down at my blood spattered fingers in shock.
"Theresa, we did it", Morona touches my arm as I slide down to the floor, burying my face in my hands. "We made this place better."
"Go away." My voice comes out small and weak. "Just go away."
"Come on-"
"GO AWAY!", I shout, wrapping my fingers around the knife again, jumping back to my feet, pointing the blade at the woman's throat, making her hold up her hands in surrender, her lips twitching into a small smile. "Before I end up killing you too."
"Do it", she hisses. "Prove that you're exactly like me. Just give in to the urge, and it will go away for a while. Trust me, I remember the feeling of relief when I pulled the trigger of a gun, or squeezed my fingers around a neck or plunged a blade through my victim's body. There's no better feeling."
"You have no idea what you're talking about!", I retort loudly, tightening my grip. "We are nothing alike!"
"Well we certainly weren't born this way, Theresa. There's no going back from any of this. Now do it. Feed. It. Before you lose yourself completely."
"I don't want to hurt you", I cry. "Please just go!"
We stand in silence for a moment before Morona slowly nods her head and backs out of the room, leaving me alone with my own monster.
I sink to the floor again, starting to cry as I hear footsteps slowly walk to the hospital bed.
"Theresa, Baby, where are you?"
"You should leave", I hiccup through a sob. "I killed this man. I can't let you near me anymore. Morona said that after a while, you wouldn't come anymore out of shame, and I think she's right. You should be ashamed of me."
"I have never been ashamed of you", Jonathon says, strolling over to where I'm huddled on the floor, crouching down on his knees. "I never have." He reaches over, and I flinch, clutching my weapon tighter in my right hand.
"No." I press myself further against the wall, pointing the bloody blade at my father. "You can't come here and pretend that I'm okay when I am not. You can't say you care, because you have no idea what I am anymore. Leave this place and keep Kylie away from it."
"I won't do that." He sits down fully, crossing his legs and blinking his icy blue eyes at me. "We all make mistakes, but it's okay. It isn't your fault."
"YES IT IS!", I scream. "IT WAS ALL MY FAULT AND NO ONE SEEMS TO UNDERSTAND THAT!"
"What do you mean?", Jonathon asks. "How is any of this your fault?"
"It's my fault that I went to that bar and got drunk, letting a random bartender put a drug into my drink", I cry. "It's my fault that I am this way. Nobody should pay for my mistakes."
"Theresa." I close my mouth, wringing my hands in despair and worry, fidgeting on the ground as he runs a hand through his hair. "Please stop. Stop blaming yourself. I don't want to hear another word about this, do you understand?"
I nod my head, my eyes wide as Jonathon takes my hands, Sebastian's blood smearing onto his skin.
"I know you're tired of fighting this", my father says more calmly. "But you have to. You just killed a man." I whimper softly at those words, more tears slipping down my cheeks. "That isn't something that anyone can excuse; you know that. But you need to fight the urge. Let the people here help you. You'll get better, I promise."
"They're gonna punish me", I say tearfully. "They'll strap me up in a straitjacket like they do every day. They'll put me to sleep so I can't hurt anyone."
"I won't let the nurses restrain you", Jonathon promises, squeezing my hands. "But I do think it'd be a good idea for you to sleep for a while."
"No. No, I don't want to sleep. I can't sleep with what I've done. Never ever again."
"Come here", my father says gently, opening up his arms for me. I hesitate for a moment, then obey, scooting over to let him hold me to his chest. "It's going to be okay."
No it isn't. It won't be long before I need more.
YOU ARE READING
Insanity
Mystery / Thriller"Oh, my God." I look up from my hands, the blade wet with red liquid. "Hi", I say cheerily, giving him a wave, laughing as more drips onto my lap. I gently set the knife down on the counter top beside where I'm sitting, my legs covered in knife mar...
