The Art of a Monster

CH. 30May/25/2016

Jack opened his eyes to see a gloved hand inject a needle into his arm. He looked and saw Stefano's focused face.

"Giving me a shot of marijuana?" Jack said jokingly. Stefano then pulled the needle out and walked away.

"Don't play with me you bastard. That will not save you. The drug will slow down the flow of your forsaken blood. I want this to last as long as possible." Stefano said as he threw the needle away and stepped over to the door. Jack tried to move. He was bound to a chair. He looked over at Stefano. Stefano shut the door and locked it. He then looked at Jack sinisterly without turning his head.

"What are you going to do? Kill me?" Jack said sarcastically. Stefano let go of the handle and pulled out his dagger.

"You'll wish you were never born. You took everything from Valeria.         You took everything from me. I will make you pay. I will make you suffer        like she did." Stefano said as he walked towards him while twirling his dagger. He then took out his camera once he was in front of Jack. He then stabbed Jack in the knee and twisted it while listening to Jack yelling in pain. He let go and took a picture on the side of his knee and the dagger before pulling it out.

"Do you know what it's like, watching someone you love more than yourself suffer and being unable to stop their pain?" Stefano said as he walked behind Jack. He then cut his arm to the bone. He took a picture of the blood slowly flowing down like a river.

"Do you know, what it's like to see your love being shot before your eyes and then her falling into your arms?          Do you know what it's like being told by a doctor that the one you love will never walk again!?           Do you know,       what it was like to lose the one that has kept you from losing your goddamn mind!!?" Stefano said louder and louder with each question. He then slammed his fist against the wall. He turned back to Jack.

"It's like your heart is being slowly twisted and ripped out of your chest." Stefano said as he slowly walked towards Jack. Stefano then pointed his dagger towards Jack's heart.

"That is what I'm going to do to you. I will make sure that you feel every bit of pain. I will turn you into a bloody piece of art. Just like the others that helped you." Stefano said before he pressed the dagger against Jack's chest cutting it slightly. Jack started to yell in pain as Stefano cut deeper.

"It hurts doesn't it!" Stefano yelled over Jack's screams.

He stepped away from Jack and faced the door.

"When she danced on the stage during the performance,      it was as if I strayed into a dream. I came to every recital just to see her move with such grace. She inspired me to make so many beautiful pieces. She was truly beautiful. Her raven black hair, her emerald green eyes, her red velvet lips, her fair skin. Her heart was just as beautiful as her appearance. She was kind, humble, compassionate, and understanding of everyone. Even a monster like me. She was my fairytale. She deserved a happy ending, more than the others.      But she never got one." Stefano said as he stared at the door. He sighed and looked back at Jack. The grip on his dagger grew even tighter.

"Once upon a time   " Stefano said as he walked back to Jack.

"There was a fair maiden. The fairest of them all, with a heart of gold. All were jealous of her beauty and hated her for it. They were unwilling to know her.  " He continued as he got on his knees and took out a piece of duct tape. He quickly covered Jack's mouth.

"No one knew that she was her own prisoner, longing for someone to help her. One day she wandered into a dark forest and came upon a ruined castle. The dark night forced her to go inside.  " He said as he started to slowly cut deeper into Jack's chest.

"She met what appeared to be a man. He let her stay. She was kind to him, comforted him when he was distraught. But what she didn't know was that the man was a beast in a human skin. She was scared when she saw his true form.   " Stefano said as he finished cutting.

"The beast cried as he explained to her that he was sad because she didn't know what he was. Scared that if he told her, then she would leave him behind and forever alone. She pitied the monster. She she told him that she wanted to help him, because he helped her escape her prison.   " Stefano said as he looked at Jack's face and listened to his muffled screams.

"Several people from her village were jealous because of her happiness. They wanted to take it away. When they found her, they took away her eyes. The monster was sad seeing her suffer. He took her in and helped her in whatever way he could. But she was still miserable. She couldn't take it.   " Stefano said as he carefully opened Jack's ribs.

"One night the maiden begged the monster to give her peace and end her life. She loved him too much to let him cast his life aside just to get her through each day.  " Stefano said as he finished opening Jack's ribs.

"The beast refused at first but saw how sad she was. He loved her too much to let her suffer each day. They shared their love one last time before the monster gave her a quick, painless death. Freedom from the prison of her flesh.   " Stefano finished before he found the heart. He looked up at Jack.

"It's a beautiful story. But so heartbreaking.       Her story deserved a better ending.      Yours doesn't." Stefano said before he twisted Jack's heart and started to pull it out. He closed his eyes as he listened to Jack screaming. He took a picture of his heart being pulled out before giving one more tough tug tearing Jack's heart out of his chest. He took a picture of his body and face before standing back up. He then yelled in anger as he threw the heart down onto the ground before stomping on it over and over. He burst into tears and collapsed against the wall as he continued to cry. The beast had revenge, but revenge wasn't going to bring Valeria back.