A/N: Yes, I know I uploaded part 8 yesterday, but I finished typing out parts 9-10 as well, so I decided I'd load part 9 today. ^^ I think this is the last time I'll be on for the week... but alas, don't be surprised if I upload the last one tomorrow or something. ^^
This part's rather short... the only part shorter than it, methinks, is part 1. But! It's amazing... somebody dies in this one! :D So... please enjoy and read! Or read and enjoy... whichever you want to order it. ^^
Thanks, as always, to my regular reviewers ^^
~~~~~Part Nine~~~~~
Ralph and Jemima looked at each other, then shot past their master out the study and up the wide, circular staircase. Jemima could hear him clunking along behind them, and they raced to the very top of the tower. Now was a perfect opportunity to put their plan into action.
They heard the front door crash open, heard Lord Burroughs shout, "Hurry, you imbeciles!" and ran faster. Jemima heard her heart roar in her ears as she ran. Almost there... almost there...
They eventually reached the top, and then they sat, their feet dangling into the abyss of cogs below them. Jemima's heart fluttered with excitement as she thought of their plan. It was so close to working!
The heavy footsteps of Lord Burroughs reached them, and they both stood and leapt out of the way as he stumbled forward.
"Gah!" he shouted, regaining his balance. "Come here, you two!"
"Never!" Jemima exclaimed, dodging his outreaching hands. "We know what you're going to do to us!"
"Throw us into the clock tower, are you?" Ralph added, lunging forward and slashing at Burroughs. Jemima did the same, cutting him in the chest.
"We have no use for you anymore," she said as she and her twin advanced on their master, causing him to back up to the edge. Ralph grinned, and the twins cackled.
"You... You can't do this to me!" Lord Burroughs exclaimed, struggling to stay upright as the twins continued to stalk towards him. "I'm your guardian! I provided for you! I raised you!"
"Yes, but you also abused Jemima," Ralph sneered. "And you know I can't stand when others abuse my sister."
Lord Burroughs's eyes widened, and Jemima said, "Farewell, Dictator Burroughs!" They then pushed him over the edge.
Their laughs echoed over Burroughs's yells as he fell, and they peered over just in time to see the man being crushed into a bloody heap by the cogs. Jemima laughed and danced in rejoice. She was finally free! Free from Burroughs... free from abuse... Free!
Their celebration was cut short when the mob Lord Burroughs had mentioned reached them. They all were a bunch of angry farmers, and they carried pitchforks and knives.
"Where's Lord Burroughs?" one of them demanded.
Before the twins could answer, another farmer shouted, "Those are those scissortwins of his!"
"They've killed too!" yelled another one. "Get them!"
The farmers began advancing towards the twins, who guarded themselves with their blades, walking backwards around the hole.
"Scissortwins?" Ralph said. "I rather like the sound of that!" Jemima nodded in agreement. She liked it, too... she liked it a lot.
She suddenly jumped as one of the farmers lunged at her with his pitchfork, and she knocked it out of his hand with a blade. She didn't know what they were here for except to destroy Burroughs Castle... but they had come seeking Lord Burroughs... and he was dead. Then she and Ralph were recognized...
As all this turned over in her head, Jemima gasped as she realized what they were really here for: Not to destroy the castle... but to destroy them!
"Ralph!" she cried, slicing through the farmer's arm. "Kill them! They're here to kill us!"
"Oh, why does everyone want to kill us?" Ralph questioned, following her lead and slashing at the mob. The two groups fought for a moment, pitchforks and knives against scissors, until suddenly something snagged Jemima around the arms and legs and she crashed to the ground.
"Jemima!" cried Ralph. A second thud followed; he was on the ground next to her, bound in the same way.
"To the town!" bellowed the leader of the mob. The farmers yelled in agreement, and one of them picked Jemima up and flung her over his shoulder. Ralph then proceeded to yell things like, "Put us down!" and "Let her go!" and Jemima struggled to get free as both were carried out and away from the tower.
