Phantom Chained

Chapter 36. Dread. Elm.

"So careless... I am downright baffled at how careless you are!"

Clara paced around the room, casually waving the axe around like it was a paper fan rather than a heavy chunk of metal. I tried to take up the least space possible, carefully protecting my more painful bits while closely monitoring the axe's trajectory. Just in case Clara gets the urge to dismember me a little.

"How hard was it to add a point into the contract for failure from circumstances that are out of your control? What were you thinking? Actually, do not bother answering; I know that you were planning on running away from me!"

"Alas." I confessed. "Who knew things would turn out the way they did?"

"Arrogance! Your arrogance and carelessness are what caused this, you narcissistic cretin!"

"Sua sunt cuique vitia." I replied. "Everyone has their flaws."

"Again!"

"Oh, do excuse me, dear, I forgot that your education is lacking... Of course, I share the opinion of the great Horace that the past remains in the past, you know, Quodcumque retro est..."

"I hate it!"

"Hate it or not, but what's done is done. Factum est factum."

"I will eviscerate you!"

It took all of my willpower to stop myself from saying one of Cicero's quotes that fit perfectly in the current situation, but Clara was already on the edge. She stopped her pacing and froze in place, focusing her gaze at the wall. I breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at the girls.

Getting help from them was, quite frankly, utterly impossible. They didn't even make a single attempt at escape despite the perfect moment. The new girl was sobbing the same as she has been the entire night, while my damsel had an intense expression on her face, staring at Clara with cold, emotionless eyes while squeezing her temples.

A few minutes of debilitating silence passed before Clara began to talk again. However, now her voice lost any sign of emotion and sounded muffled and creaky.

"Let us conclude." She said, not removing her gaze from the wall. "You cannot save the possessed girl for you are trapped in this body."

"Correct, dear."

"But if you somehow regain the other part of yourself and obtain victory against the dead soul, then the conditions of your ridiculous contract will be met, right?"

"Absolutely, dear."

"And then we will not perish?"

"Definitely, until..."

"Then we shall go to the possessed girl at once." Clara interrupted. "No point in remaining here."

I jingled my chain sarcastically.

Moments later the axe plunged into the floor by my foot, breaking the links. The second chain, which was connected to my handcuffs, she just tore out along with the sofa's leg, making the long-suffering sofa sag and crumble into pieces.

Clara wrapped the loose chain around her fist and coldly stated:

"You will walk before me. Do not try anything funny, because you will find it to be rather painful instead."

I nodded obediently, tying the bathrobe with a belt that would've made an excellent noose for Clara.

For whatever inexplicable reason, Clara decided to bring along the two ill-fated girls, once again taking the form of that killer rabbit. Following her command, our little clique headed towards the exit. I caught myself thinking that I was somewhat happy to leave that damn basement, even for a few minutes before my inevitable demise. I excitedly pulled the door towards me and then...

Then something very strange happened to me.

***

A smell...

The suffocating scent of copper and raw meat.

I felt as if my head was squeezed with hot pliers, destroying my sense of orientation.

I forgot how to breathe.

A sound...

The sound of the door spring.

It stretched into a cacophony of shattered notes, fading into a myriad of screaming razors.

I forgot how to listen.

A light...

The dim light from somewhere above.

The light fell with sheer dark snow.

I forgot...

What did I forget?

'So this is the end...' The heavy thought swam through my head, swinging like a whale's tail. I wanted to ask the tail what 'end' meant, but the tail did not reply. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain that began to pulsate through my body,

***

"Ow!"

In the following moment I managed to regain myself, along with my sense of smell, hearing, sight and understanding that Clara struck me between my legs. That gave me a significant boost of adrenaline and I practically ran out of the basement, barely stopping myself from falling onto Raul's dead body.

There was no mistaking it. His body was lying limp on the top steps of the front porch, his limbs twisted in painful directions. The beige mat covering the steps looked almost black from the blood soaking it at the spot where Raul's head... used to be.

Now it was lying by my feet, with its insides scattered here and there. Someone definitely stepped in here and there before, and not once. To be fair, the staircase was narrow and even one person would have difficulty avoiding it, and with the three of them...

Successfully avoiding yet another kick to my back, I hurried to the front door. The wet carpet splashed repulsively with every step, flowing between the toes of my bare feet. The girls started to moan again but quieter than earlier; probably too tired to do much. Next moment the door flew open, bumping into the body of a woman lying on the floor.

Rushed by Clara's screaming, I continued up another staircase, fighting the lethargy and urge to lie down and curl up like an embryo. A ruthless chill flowed along the staircase, helping alleviate my nausea. However, this was but a temporary ridicule before the final transition to death.

Once again, I entered the familiar hallway doused in incense. I passed the potted palm that I almost toppled a long time ago, when I was full of strength and valiant determination to defeat the creature in battle... but now?

Comatose bombshell was still drowning in the white sheets like a wilting water lily.

Clara pushed me aside and placed a palm on the dying girl's forehead.

"She has not passed yet." She stated. "But she does not have long, either. Is that a fever? That temperature will burn her up in mere hours. You will have to hurry... Elm! I am speaking to you!"

"Clara, what are you even on about?" I felt myself falling to the side and had to lean against the wardrobe for support.

Clara warned me with a finger, then suddenly laughed.

"Elm, stop pretending as if you do not understand. It is elementary, my dear! If you cannot enter the possessed girl astrally, then there is only one way left!"

"Huh?"

"Do not 'huh' me! There is only the human way left! You have to enter deep physical contact with her! Begin! Immediately! Now!"