Genius

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Badly cleaned basements and family reunions

'It's dusty." I grumble the moment my eyes open.

"That's exactly what I said! No self-respecting murderer would ever keep a messy basement."

"Well I guess she really is our darling Mary." I turn towards the voices slowly, wishing to be mistaken about their origins. But I know I'm not.

"Come on now," Alice urges, a crazed smile on her face, "Greet your loving parents."

"No." I respond and turn my head away. How cold, after so many years too.

"Oh look at that dear, she's going through a rebellious phase: isn't that darling?" Alice nudges Tom in the ribs.

"I thought the rebellious phase was ten years ago when she tried to stab me in the side after I suggested going hunting." He grumbles, pushing Alice away as well as he can with bound hands.

"And she looks just like me, I was right not to mess up her face. She's so cute." I scoot away as far as I can with my limited mobility and without stabbing myself with my hidden knife (I find it hard to believe that I've been bound but not searched for weapons).

"I think she looks more like me." Tom grumbles again (grumbling is his primary form of communication).

"She does not and I thank my lucky stars for that. I certainly didn't marry you for your looks, dear." Alice shakes her head and lets out a sigh, "It's just too bad that she didn't inherit my brains: after all those clues I left her she still managed to get caught."

"She only got caught because of your stupid cryptic notes: she probably couldn't even read your handwriting!"

"Oh dear, if you keep talking like that I promise I will stab you. Now, darling daughter: why are you being so quiet? Tell us about how your life is going."

"Oh it's going perfectly my 'most beloved mother', I'm being accused of murder and kidnapping and I'm sitting in a basement, tied up, with two psychopaths." When did you learn sarcasm?

"Between now and the last time I was kidnapped."

"Who are you talking to? Hearing voices is much less sane than being a psychopath you know. I'll take you to the doctor once we get out of those basement." Alice attempts to clap her hands but meets the resistance of rope and lets out a sigh, "Being tied up is not the most pleasant experience and this basement is horrible for my complexion."

"Oh, well that's an interesting observation considering how much experience I have in the matter." I kick some dust in her direction and successfully tip myself over.

"That wasn't very graceful darling. I suppose you haven't been keeping up with your ballet lessons?" Alice snickers and I ignore her: I wasn't even good at ballet. Instead I slip my knife out of my shoe and in to my hand and work on cutting the rope.

"Oh! So how are you friends? I do regret being unable to attend to Guinevere and Arthur's mother but I was a bit tied up." She holds up her wrists, still grinning her same insane smile while Tom chuckles at her joke. It wasn't even a good joke, "And I'm particularly intrigued by this Alan you're so fond of. His sister really is such a sweetheart."

"If you go near them I swear I'll-" my voice dies in my throat. Isa has already been taken and I haven't done anything, what will I do? Kill them? As if. I could kill them for you.

"What will you do darling?." Alice giggles, as though she is a school girl. I hear her shift and a muffled noise. I'm almost through with the rope. If you don't say something, I will. I clamp my mouth shut, focusing as Alice's voice prods at me, as taunting as it has ever been. Don't say anything, don't speak I chant in my head over and over again.