Untouched, Un-pure

4

When Casey woke up, she sat up and looked around. Dennis was nowhere to be seen. She stretched out and stood up before putting her hands in her back pockets. She found the piece of paper with the address on it and opened it up. She decided to keep it in case she needed to go back there in an emergency. However, she saw more writing on it. On the back, it said:

"If he tries to hurt you, say the name KEVIN WENDELL CRUMB - a friend,"

Dr. Fletcher. It had to be. She was the only person she'd been in contact with for months. She heard a noise in the kitchen. When she went to see what it was, Dennis was sat with his back towards her. He had his elbows on the table- which was unusual for him. His head was in his hands, and Casey could tell, he was crying.

"Dennis?"

He took in a harsh breath, stood up and faced her, "Casey... I'm sorry you have to see me this way," he tried to stop the tears and brushed away as many as possible.

"It's okay," she walked up close to him and tore some tissue from the roll on the table, and gently dabbed his eyes, "It's okay... what's bothering you?"

He calmed himself slightly, "Patricia tells me that the beast... he's ready," more tears fell.

Casey let the words sink in, "Well that's okay... I understand, its to protect Kevin. We knew this day was going to come, eventually," she dabbed his eyes again, even more gently than before. He shook his head and brushed a hair behind her ear.

"Perfection," he said quietly and with less than a second's hesitation he pulled her into a hug.

When Dennis said this word, this simple word, he put every ounce of feeling he felt for Casey within it. Feelings weren't Dennis' strong point. They were far from it. But that word had always been a beacon of hope for him. When he cleaned for Kevin, his mother told him it needed to be perfection. And she called it exactly that whenever he finally did enough. It was the only love any personality had ever gotten from her. And so, when he said it to Casey, that's exactly the emotion he was channelling.

In truth, he didn't want Casey to be given to the beast Maybe he could switch her for another girl.

"How long do I have?"

"Until tonight... I bought you as much time as I could,"

"Can we go for a walk before we go back... through the woods. It would mean the world to me... and I'd like to speak to Hedwig,"

"Anything you like... Hedwig will speak to you later. You can stay here today. I don't care what Patricia says,"

"Thank you, Dennis," she took his hand and they walked to the sofa. Casey leaned into his side as he wrapped his arm round her shoulder.

They watched Casey's favourite movie for the last time. She laughed at the jokes for the last time. She cried at the end for the last time. She mouthed her favourite quotes perfectly for the last time. When Dennis ordered her favourite pizza, they jokingly argued over the last slice for the last time. It was in that moment that she realised, she wasn't ready to die. Not at all. She had found happiness. It was something she had never expected to feel again after her dad died. But now, she had found it in this man. This wonderful man and his wonderfully unique world.

"Dennis?"

"Hmm?"

"It doesn't matter,"

"What is it?" he smiled with his brow furrowed.

"Really, it doesn't matter,"

"It's getting late... if you want that walk we should be leaving soon,"