School for Good and Evil: The Successors Book One: Anastasia's Tale

Chapter Twenty Three: Good Little Murder

Chapter Twenty Three

Good Little Murder

Blood, blood was all she smelled. The sick sweet smell of fresh blood; but where was it coming from? She had no idea. Anastasia checked her surroundings but everywhere around her was a blur, she could only see the slight silhouette of multi-colored gowns and hear the cries of forced laughter. She found herself on the floor of what seemed to be a grand ballroom, the cold marble stinging her even through her lush ballgown.

"Need some help darling?"

Anastasia was being pulled up from under her arms by gloved hands. The hands of a woman. Anastasia tried to turn her head to meet the woman's gaze but she held Anastasia sharply in place.

"Be a good girl, and stay still," she cooed.

Anastasia heard the softness of her voice, the sugary edge that came with each sentence. Even through the mysterious ladies' gloves, she could feel bone jutting fingers. Fingers that she remembered well, remembered how they would comb through her hair or how they would silently tap tap tap on the dining room table. But she still couldn't place who this was, even though somewhere hidden in her mind she knew. Anastasia racked her brain but it was as if it had been wiped clean. She tried to recall events, but dreams mixed with reality and it all suddenly became too much. Anastasia's gaze shifted to her chest, she then noticed the gown. The same gown her Mother wore, the day of the No Ball. The same gown her mother wore when she realized what she truly was, a witch. Anastasia's feet were now firmly planted on the ground and the women let go of her. Anastasia heaved a sigh of relief but not even sure what for. Then the women's hands made their way back to her and this time delicately fluttered over the tiny beads of her dress. They clawed through the thick fabric and dug into her chest. Anastasia let out a gasp, her vision seeming to be worse than before. With a squish, a heart was pulled from Anastasia's chest. It thumped in the stranger's hands. Anastasia could hear it like a ringing in her ears. Now the woman let Anastasia face her.

"Your heart Anastasia, what has happened to it?"

She leaned over to take a closer look but saw nothing out of the ordinary, but then again she could barely see at all.

"You see how it beats slowly, it's breaking, do you know why that is darling?"

Anastasia shook her head foolishly, like a child being scorned.

"Because someone has broken it, do you know who that someone is?"

Tears welled in Anastasia's eyes.

"Yes."

The women's face suddenly cleared from its milk blur state and came into focus.

"Mother?"

"Now tell me Anastasia who broke it?"

The heart was still in her Mothers hands, she could kill her any second. Anastasia clenched her teeth.

"I won't stand here and answer questions you already know the answer to."

"And I won't ask you again Anastasia!" Sophie's voice boomed, squeezing her heart.

Anastasia clutched her chest.

"You did Mother. Are you happy now?"

Sophie cackled.

"Wrong again! Can't you see how blind you are," she licked her lips. "I'm glad I won't be alive to see you make a fool of yourself."

Sophie smirked and squeezed the heart even tighter, sending Anastasia into a frenzy of pain.

"How do you know about that? That I want to kill you?!" She wheezed.

"I've always known Anastasia! I've known since the day you vowed you hated me!" Sophie yelled.

"Since the day you became the shameful daughter of mine. Who will never amount to anything," Sophie leaned to face Anastasia holding her heart high above her head.

Anastasia grabbed her dagger which she had miraculously found in the pocket of her dress. Sophie backed away.

"Things could have been different you know, between you and I."

"No," Anastasia said slowly. "I was never meant to love you and you were never meant to love me."

Anastasia was ready to strike. It seemed like she had been waiting a million years just for this moment. But why was she so afraid? Why couldn't she just do it? Her hand wrapped slowly around the dagger as she fiercely pulled her Mothers' hair. Sophie swung to face her, gasping.

"Do it! Kill me!" Sophie hissed, her eyes turning into slits resembling a snakes

Anastasia felt the ring on her finger burn. All the words her Mother was yelling made Anastasia even angrier and she couldn't face what she was about to do. A gasp broke from her lips as she pulled away quickly.

"Ah, I knew you couldn't do it."

Sophie prepared for the final blow on Anastasia's heart.

"No!"

Anastasia expected blood, she expected it to spill everywhere and coat the marble floor inflaming her nostrils with that same sweet smell. But instead, it only shattered to ash. Black flakes flew toward Anastasia and landed on her face. She touched her cheek and looked back at her Mother. Her Mother who had taken everything, she felt powerless against her but still knew she couldn't let her win.

"Have you ever heard the saying an eye for an eye Mother?"

Anastasia mustered all she had and faced Sophie with confidence. Because she was after all good little murder.

"I should think so," Sophie replied.

"But what about a heart for a heart?"

Anastasia's dagger plunged into Sophie's chest. Sophie only laughed. When Anastasia pulled the dagger out, her mother fell to the floor. Her eyes were lifeless and her breath no more. Not even a gasp. She waited, waited for her Mother to stand back up again, and wrap her hands around her neck and choke her until she was as dead as she was. But she didn't, Sophie was gone, but Anastasia felt no peace in the matter. It was as if all the planning and all the plotting was for nothing. Who was she really doing this for, Caleb or herself? Anastasia sighed. Herself of course. But her thoughts still lingered. As her eyes moved back to her Mothers body Sophie's face started to blur once again and Anastasia's memories started to fade with it. She felt herself fall and her eyes shut close not caring if they were never to open again. All the memories of the dream-like night ceased and her mind became blank. The only thing she could remember was her Mothers sharp words.

"Since the day you became the shameful daughter of mine. Who will never amount to anything."

It rang in her ears on a repeated loop but Anastasia couldn't remember why. Suddenly her eyes flung open. Her breathing turned heavy.

"It was a nightmare it was a nightmare!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.

But like every dream she had ever had, she couldn't quite recall the strange events that took place in it. The only thing she knew for sure was that she was going to kill her Mother, and it was going to be tonight. For after all, she was a good little murder.