This World is Outrageous { BOOK 2 }

Chapter 13--Casper

Chapter 13

Casper

I'm left to my thoughts as Ridge pulls the trigger.

So many memories flood into my mind. When I met Mariana and Isabel, I knew her last name because she told me when I was in her presence, but I never pieced two and two together. I never thought about the two of them, Isabel Ferryweather and Ridge Ferryweather, being related. It slipped my mind.

At the same time, seeing Ridge kill Isabel brought back memories that haunt me. Seeing Bay as she snapped her father's neck in two. Leaving my father to die in the destruction of Nebraska, along with Hadley Redgrove, after I "killed" Avery. So many bad memories, and such little time to dwell on them.

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Isabel was a sweet woman, even though she was skeptical of us from the get-go. I didn't expect any of them to believe we survived the attack, but at least they played along.

Mariana had already ushered Bay to the back room in order to tend to her wounds, leaving Ariel, Diego, Demetria, Willow, Avery and I standing around with Isabel.

I slid into the shirt provided and watched as Isabel interacted tenderly with Ariel. I should have noticed by the way she acted around the eleven-year-old that she was a mother. But it's like I said—at the time, I didn't know any different.

"Let's get you guys cleaned up, okay?" She smiles warmly at Ariel. "I'm thinking a pretty teal blue shirt for you. What do you think, Miss?" She pauses, waiting to hear her name.

"Ariel."

"You look like an Ariel." Isabel has a kind smile on her lips. She hands Ariel an outfit and guides her to the changing room before facing Diego.

This process continues on, she continuously gives sweet words to each and every one of us. Except, I leave to find Bay before she reaches me. I didn't want to have to hear what Isabel had to say to me. I didn't want to be encouraged. That sounds horrible, I know. At the time, however, I had little hope for this excursion, expecting it all to fail terribly. I didn't need some optimistic woman telling me otherwise. I didn't want false hope, but standing here now, I wish I had taken her hospitality.

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Bay had the same look on her face when she killed her father as Ridge does when he killed his mother. The emptiness in their eyes makes my heart hurt. All I can think is at least Ridge didn't have to snap her neck like Bay had to with Kole. His hands never had to make contact with her body in order to kill her. It was a less personal death, but it was a death, nevertheless. 

But Bay's hand had to touch her dad in order to kill him.

She had to feel the bones snapping and crackling beneath her fingertips. She had to feel his bones penetrate the soft flesh of his neck. She had to feel the warmth of his blood splash upon her, and she had to watch the light leave her father's eyes. She had to experiencehis last breath hitting against her tear-soaked cheeks. There was so much wrong with this picture. What child should have to endure killing her own father? It's messed up, but it's the society we are cursed to live in.

Then there was the look of fear she had to face when killing a person. Avery had that face when I thought I had killed her. It was painted across her features, clear as day.

I really hate that word—fear. The final expression a person has before they die. It's the fear of the unknown, fearing what comes after death. Kole had a sliver of fear on his face when Bay made her final blow, Avery had it, and Isabel did her best to hide hers in her last moments for her son's sake. Every time I experience something like this, I see it. I can see and sense the fear that takes a person over in their last moments. The fear is strong enough to control them.

We all fear something. After all, fear is inevitable. But many people fear death. Even Jotunn Warriors. Even Avery. Even Kole.

Even Isabel.