Laughter is Born From Madness

Chapter 45

Ciel was shaking. Shaking with anger and fear as he looked around the room. Red was trying to snap him out of his daze while Kelvin was rambling on with how he wanted to be with the earl and how he wanted to be as beautiful as he. She was suddenly pushed to the side as he began to walk over to the man in the wheelchair.

"I still cannot forget the pain I felt then." Kelvin continued. "I, who had thrown away everything for you, was the one who could not see you. I wondered why fate kept us apart so...and then that day...the lot of them disappeared. Not a one was left. It was you, wasn't it? Hm, earl? You did them a favour and killed them all."

He then sighed as he faced the young teenager that advanced towards him.

"How I envy them! One couldn't ask for a more beauteous final moment, bidding farewell to life with the cold moon attending one's deathbed. Please! Let me join their ranks! This is all as it was that day! Look! I've got everything ready-the venue for the ritual, the lambs, and last but not least...you, my dear earl! To be honest I wanted to come and get you myself-"

A loud bang sounded throughout the room as a large wound was visible on Kelvin, who fell out of his chair, Ciel standing in front of him with a snarl on his face. Sebastian had his eyes narrowed, while Red stood shocked in her spot at the sight before her.

"Father!!" Joker shouted, popping his skeletal hand off and pulling the wrist out to reveal a dagger as he ducked away from Sebastian's hold and ran at the young earl.

Before he could reach the young boy, he was tackled to the side by Red. She had a snarl of her own as she tried to get the dagger out of his hand. The struggle continued on until a sound of flesh being torn open echoed off the walls.

Both breathing heavily, they stared at each other until Red got up without any injuries. Looking down at his body, Joker saw the dagger sticking out of the side of his stomach. He then screamed in agonizing pain when he tried to pull it out. Kelvin's screams soon sounded after.

"I-It hurts, earl...I'm in agony!" Kelvin yelled as he crawled over to the noble, grabbing onto his feet. "I b...I beg you. I-If you're going to kill me, kill me just like you did them-!"

"Like I did them?" Ciel questioned darkly before smashing his foot on the baron's head and aimed the gun. "Then get on your knees like a worm and plead with the devil."

"Ciel..." a soft voice called Ciel out of his anger, making him face Red. "Please don't kill him...hasn't this gone far enough?"

He hesitated before Joker spoke up.

"Be he as he may, we still owe him our lives. We who were abandoned by our parents, by this nation, he saved us from the terror of starving to death, which plagued us day in and day out. We've many little brothers and sisters still in the workhouse. They can't make it if he's not 'round."

"So...that's why you kidnapped all the children?" Ciel questioned boredly. "You obeyed this man's orders and made sacrifices of others in order to save yourselves?"

Gasping to hold onto his life, Joker nodded, "Yes. You've got it right. For those born like us, Great Britain is nothing short of hell. We had not the money to buy bread or the skills to protect each other. We had nothing. But father rescued us up from the rubbish heap and gave us limbs that could protect the ones dear to us. That's why we decided to go on living, even if another hell was waiting for us with open arms. I knew we were in the wrong from the very beginning. But I-"

"You did nothing wrong." Red interrupted.

"Eh?"

Walking up to the orange-haired man, she knelt forward and lifted his chin to have him face her smiling face and said, "You fought to protect your own world. There's nothing wrong with that. After all, the justice in this world is a sham created by those in power for themselves. No one gives a damn about anyone else."

"If you're careless, you're sure to lose." Ciel continued for her. "To begin with, only two kinds of humans have ever existed in this world. Those who rob, and those who are robbed. And today, I shall rob you and your allies of your futures. That's all there is to it."

Joker began to chuckle, then the chuckling turned into full laughter as he fell back in his own madness.

"Ye said it!" He shouted. "But, see...ye'll also lose something precious this night."

Ciel pulled Red away from him and had her stand behind his form.

"The circus troupe's heading to your manor." Joker continued, ignoring the earl's action.

Elizabeth..., Ciel and Red thought.

"Why d'ye think we've been able to kidnap children without anyone catching on to us? It's 'cos all the witnesses cease to exist. Those of us in the troupe, we're professionals. We dispose of everyone we come into contact with during our missions, no matter what the reason. I wonder how many people'll get killed off as they go sniffing 'round for a target that's not there in that great big house?"

"Get killed off?" Ciel rose an eyebrow.

"Indeed. Right down to the last of the servants."

"My servants?"

Sebastian then let out a small, devilish chuckle.

"What's so damn funny?"

"I agree with him on this one..." Red muttered.

"What do you take them for?" Ciel continued, ignoring Red's comment. "They are servants of the Phantomhive family."