Chapter Twenty-Four

156 4 1
                                        


"Oh Luuucccaas...." Natalie slurred, climbing up the stairs, the wooden floorboards, creaking, underneath her flat boots. The lingering dead slience of the house was the only answer she got. But the girl tuned in with the constant faint ticking of the necklace clock.

Tick, Tock...  Tick...Tock... Tick, Tock...

Natalie had made it onto the landing of the second floor and began to step closer to Lucas's room. "Luuuuccaas...Come out, Come out, wherever you are.." She called, slowly creaking open the door to her brother's room and quickly saw Lucas's bed empty. 

A cold aura filled the place as she quickly noticed the open curtains with the wind blowing violently into the room. The strong thunderstorm continued to pour as she stepped in. "Oh come out, Lucas." Natalie said, looking around. "Why don't we just have some fun? I won't kill you, promise!" She lied, hiding the splashes of blood on her blade. 

"You were my only true friend, apart from Toby, Lucas. You were the only real one who stayed by my side, little man. So...please...come out..." Natalie bribed, stepping further into the room. A clap of thunder flashed through the curtains and Lucas stood behind her, with a wooden club, ready to aim..

WHACK!!

He threw a swipe harshly into the back of her head. And this caused to fall to her knees, groaning in pain. Lucas was shaking from head to toe. His young heart felt a strong stab of guilt at the realization of what he had done. He knew this was all wrong, but his older sister had completely lost her mind. But he kept hitting until she fell, weak. A trail of blood escaped from a bruise on her head. 

"I-I'm sorry, Nattie..." Lucas was crying now. He really didn't want to do this. But this was a fight or flight situation right here.

But the sister laughed quietly to herself. "No, he isn't. He wants to see you fail, Natalie. He's just like everyone else." Clockwork retorted, her voice bouncing the walls of her mind. 

"Finish him too..."   

Did Natalie really want to do this? Harming her little brother? Would revenge really be worth it? 

Would walking the rest of the path of her life, knowing she killed Lucas, be worth it?

"No, I can't." Natalie answered, her own voice echoing. "I can't do this, Clockwork... I-I can't kill Lucas...He was the only person who stayed there for me.."

"So?" Clockwork scoffed. "He wasn't there when Toby moved away...He wasn't there when you began suffering, Natalie. He never was there..so finish him.."  Natalie's dark twin demanded, slightly growing agressive. From Lucas's point of view, Natalie was just beginning to laugh out of nowhere. It didn't help when the thunder claps made it more tense.

The little brother trembled but mustered up all the strength, his little body had and went down to hit her again. But Natalie grabbed the end with a such a force that made Lucas freeze. "That's enough now, Lukie-Wukie..." With a pull, she snatched his weapon away. Her eye seemed to glow brighter. Lucas stumbled over, clumsily and backed away, helpless for his life. 

He had tears raining down his little face. "Natalie, please!" He pleaded. 

"Don't bother begging for your life, little one." The teenager sneered, stepping closer. "Ugh, what an annoying name, too...Natalie, pfft. Too original, if you ask me.." 

"W-What are you talking about? M-Mama named you Natalie.."

Clockwork groaned, irritated but continued to taunt the child, by stepping closer. "No, I'm not Natalie... I think you misjudged, brother. I am Clockwork. I'm one hell of a bitch, I gotta tell you and it was a pain having to steer the wheel for your pathetic sister." The monster remarked, pulling out her large red knife. "But don't worry, I'm here and she's gone.."

Lucas suddenly grew angry at that statement. "What the hell did you do to my sister?"

"Oh, tsk, tsk, tsk. What a bad boy you are, Lukie." Clockwork said, in a mockingly bright tone. "And you know where Satan keeps the bad kids. He puts them to bed and they never wake up..." She rasped, cornering him, ready to finish him off, once and for all. But Lucas swooped down and prevented her attempt to stab him. And quickly got back up and ran out.

. . .

Lucas continued to run, escaping the house. Regardless, he was in his pajamas. He ran out the sliding door and sprinted down the driveway. Even past his own dead parents. It was dark but the rain, intensely, blew into his eyes as he ran. 

"Bloody Murder!" The boy screamed at the top of his lungs. He read somewhere that if he yelled while being chased, it would get help. Despite that it was literally four in the morning.

The young Ouellette continued to scream and yell, hoping to get a sign of help. But the killer was still hot on his heels. "Get back here, you little shit!" 

Her demonic-sounding voice terrified him. But the child forced himself to run, otherwise there would be blood. And he didn't dare to look behind him. He rushed into an alleyway, hoping to lose her. It sloped down a hill and into a community park. Lucas was already drenched in rainwater and his fringe of brown hair blew from wind's intensity.

It had been a while since he ran all the way from home. He didn't know why, but he had the sudden urge to look behind him. And when he did, Clockwork was closer than he thought.

Lucas let out a scream but was cut off when he suddenly lost his balance, on the wet concrete. He felt himself hit the hard ground and he quickly blacked out. But as his eyes slowly shut, he caught a glimpse of the murderer, grinning down at him...

"Kid! Kid!" An unfamiliar voice hollered out. "Kid, wake up!"

Lucas slowly stirred awake to see himself, sitting down in front of two police officers.

He looked around and saw that he was still in the community park. But the sky remained a chilly winter blue, so this must've been a couple hours after... Lucas awoke after the recollection of last night. Did that really all happen?

"What...What happened?"

One of the police officers looked confused. "Well, uh, that's what we're trying to figure out. We just got a call from one of the neighbours in your neighbourhood, about them hearing 'Bloody Murder'." The man explained to the child. 

The second police officer scoffed slightly. "Yeah, at like four in the morning."

He shot a glance but then turned back to Lucas. "Are you alright?" The man asked, kindly, examining the young 10 year old for any injuries. Lucas rubbed his forehead, tiredly. "Yeah, I'm fine.."

"Look, kid, we've got some...bad news for ya." The police officer said, giving a stern look. "Ever since, last night, we heard about your sister. And...well, us and the ambulances and everything were called to your home and we only found your parents bodies.." His expression saddened a bit. "I'm real sorry for your loss, kid."

It took a while for Lucas to process everything, but when it all sank in, Lucas felt tears begin to well up in his eyes. 

Soon after, Lucas was taken hospital to be checked out. And that made him have to stay behind, crowded by news reporters and investigators and police, all at the same time. It was stressful, but it was the only way the world could know. And the child didn't hold anything back, he told them everything. Natalie Ouellette and her weeks of suffering. Along with Toby Rogers and his family. 

Everything that built up this story. 

1 month later

Lucas had just turned 11 and he was living a much more comfortable life. Ever since, the murders of his parents and his attempted death, he had been placed in foster care. He eventually found a home and a brand new family.  And of course, that meant he had to abandon his old last name. 

Of course, it wasn't easy, starting a new life from scratch. But the new Roberts family he lived with, was a lot more loving. But of course, they didn't mean more to him than Mary Beth and David. He never once brought up Natalie. And he never liked to talk about her, either, understandably. Lucas didn't like being reminded of it, but he was fine with just moving on. 

Even if he was surrounded by annoying kids who questioned him about everything that happened.

When they had to remove all of Lucas's furniture from the old house. He caught something that he didn't notice before. Natalie's stuffed giraffe...was gone.

The Beginning, The Middle and The End (COMPLETE)Where stories live. Discover now