The Beginning, The Middle and The End (COMPLETE)

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Shit, this really hurts!" Natalie hissed, wrapping the gunshot wound with tight bandages, around her waist. Once she was done, the girl stared in the mirror, in front of her. The silence was broken by the faint ticking of her clock eye. Blood continued to drip down one side of her face, staining her peachy pale skin. She caressed the small stitches, that spread into a long, creepy smile.

"Damn, I frickin look like Jeff the Killer!" Natalie laughed. "Well...a different version of Jeff the Killer." 

She stared at herself. She had gotten rid of her hospital gown and had changed into her previous clothes. A greyish-blue winter jacket with beige fur lining inside its hood. Along with black jeans and knee high boots, that weren't her favorite, like at all. But were the only ones she could wear around the time of this season. And a white tank top with the bandages wrapped around her wounded waist.

"Alright now, let's get outta here, Natalie.."   Clockwork instructed, her voice echoing through Natalie's head, as if she was right behind her.

Natalie giggled creepily. "Let's get this party started.."

. . . 

Mary Beth and David Ouellette slept soundly, in their bed, listening to the pouring rain outside. The weather forecast did say there was gonna be rain. But the rain outside, seemed to worsen. She did wonder how Natalie was going with the surgery, even though, she wasn't there to see it. But Mary just wanted to sleep. Maybe Natalie would happy and cheery once she gets home, the next morning. Maybe the drugs will help her.

Knock, Knock, Knock ...

Mary Beth jumped a little at the sudden sounds of knocking. The woman glanced at the clock on the bedroom wall. It was literally four in the morning.

Knock, Knock, Knock...

"Mary...." David grumbled, still half-asleep. "Answer that damn door.."  The wife frowned. "But who the hell would be visiting us now, Dave.." 

David turned his back to her. "Just...answer it...I want to go to sleep, already.." 

And whoever they were, continued to keep knocking. Mary growled slightly, at this ignorant person coming to see them at such a late hour and disrupting their sleep. She got up and tiptoed downstairs. She crept though the dead quiet of the house, as the rain continued to pour.  But Mary couldn't shake the feeling that something felt off.  She wasn't sure what though.

Knock, Knock, Knock...

The mother quickly crept to the front door, but looked through the spyhole. Only to see...nothing. No one was there. "What?" Mary Beth uttered to herself. What was going on? 

She stood there for a while, confused. She swore she heard someone at the door. But then her blood turned to ice water, when she noticed the knocking wasn't coming from behind the door. It was coming from the sliding door.  A booming clap of thunder flashed and there in the rain, stood Natalie. 

The girl was pressed up against the glass, peeping in. Spying on Mary Beth. 

"Mootttherrr...." Natalie cooed, smiling against the cold, wet glass. She had her furry hood over her head and it cast a dark shadow over her face. But Mary could clearly see her glowing green eye, along with the necklace clock. "Let me innnn, Mommy..." Her voice muffled. "It's really cold out here, Mommy, just... let me in.." 

Mary screamed in terror when Natalie began to punch the sliding door's glass. It took a while but the glass began breaking incredibly. The kitchen which was connected with the living room, Mary bolted in and grabbed a large knife from the knife-holder. 

Cold wind rushed in, breaking the warm atmosphere. Natalie unlocked the door and stepped inside. She threw off her hood and began looking through the darkness of her home. 

"Mommy, where are you? Don't hide from me...you can't even try.. I was the best at hide and seek after all.." The murderer said in a playful, but frightening tone. 

"She's hiding, Natalie. Find her..."  said Clockwork.

Natalie listened to the faint ticking of the necklace clock. Tick Tock...Tick Tock...Tick Tock...

She stepped into the kitchen but then her eye shrinked, when she felt the tip of a knife slice her in the arm. Natalie cried out and fell to the ground, doubled over by the pain. 

She held the wound with her hand and stared up at mother, with hatred. 

"Natalie! What has gotten into you!" Mary Beth yelled, clutching the bloodied weapon. The woman stared in horror at Natalie's ruined face. The stitches, her eyes...that clock. Natalie laughed slightly. "What has gotten into me? What has gotten into all of you? You know that Toby and his family left and you never once, even asked how I felt!"

"Well, I'm sorry, Natalie but I can't read minds.." 

"See? A real mother would actually care for her kids, regardless. But you did nothing! Nothing at all! You just abandoned me at that shitty hospital!" 

Mary Beth frowned, her dark eyes burning with anger. "Something's changed about you, Natalie...Why are you so mad now? You never acted like this, before!"

But the daughter just smiled, trying to mask all of her frustration. 

"No one understands me and they never will.."  Clockwork's words echoed. 

Natalie felt her eyes well up again. But this time, she let the sadness drown her. And slowly, Natalie began to cry. This was just an endless circle of nothing. 

She had lost all hope. She lost everything, her sanity, her patience, her happiness and her childhood best friend.  Toby really was gone. This was the end.

Hesitantly, Mary pulled her daughter into a hug. "I'm sorry..." She whispered, trying to shush her daughter's chopped up crying. She stroked Natalie's wet hair as the mother pulled her close. "I've lost my mind, ma. I...I can't do this anymore.." The young Ouellette sobbed. 

" I know, honey, but no more of that, okay?"

Natalie looked up with her glowing green eye and clock eye. "You're not mad?" She asked, tearfully. 

"Well, I am quite scared of what... you've done, but I suppose not, then..." Mary admitted, slightly shaking. "I love you, dear..."

"Heh, Gotcha..."