Chapter 10:
The Lion's Den
Max & Kate's Apartment
A Little After Midnight…
Little Maisie nudged the unlocked front door open and slowly crept into the darkened apartment, glancing around for any sign of movement. She was relieved that Max and Kate had both left for the night, as it would give her a chance to poke around and either confirm or deny her speculations about Max and Kate's gruesome activities. She hoped that she was wrong about her assumptions and that the body had been a Halloween prop, and nothing more. If it wasn't, she knew that there had to be something hidden in their home that she could give to the private investigator. Standing here in the dark, Maisie also found herself wishing that her parents had gone to bed sooner, so she wouldn't have to be doing this so late.
Maisie locked the door behind her and began her search. She saw the computer, so she went over to it, taking a seat at it. She then booted it up, waiting for the start-up process to finish up and saw that she came to a login screen that required a password.
Maisie: (Slapping the desk) "Crap!"
After a few unsuccessful guesses, Maisie gave up and powered down the computer. Annoyed, she slumped back in the chair, sitting in the dark with only the light of the moon barely lighting the apartment. She turned and saw Kate's little pet bunny Alice asleep in her cage. Maisie smiled at the sight of the little creature.
Maisie: (Softly) "You must've seen some scary stuff, huh Alice?"
Alice remained asleep as Maisie then slowly sat up, remembering something else that she'd seen that hellish night. There had been something on the floor near the couch where Max and Kate had been pleasuring themselves with that thing. There was a large crate like chest, which had its lid wide open. That must've been where they'd stored the rotten corpse when it wasn't in use. If that were the case, then it'd still have to be inside the apartment.
Maisie quickly got up and looked towards the bedroom. Her eyes hadn't fully adjusted to the darkness, so she pulled out her cellphone, switching on the flashlight app. She then tiptoed to the bedroom and shined her light around, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Maisie then held her breath as her flashlight illuminated the large closet.
Maisie: (Whispering) "There."
Maisie slowly made her way over to the closet and shakily slid open it's sliding door. As she shone her light inside the closet, she saw that there were rows of clothes hung on hangers, folded laundry and boxes of shoes on the top shelf. She then looked down, her light stopping on the large chest, which was partially hidden behind some of the hanging clothes. Maisie brushed them aside and knelt down to examine the chest. She saw that the lock hadn't been fully engaged, so she unhooked it, and placed it aside. She then undid the loose latch and held her breath, bracing for what was to come. She then lifted the chest's lid open and peered inside.
Maisie: (Stunned) "Oh my God…" (Falls back, hyperventilating)
Front and center sat the balled-up corpse of Chloe Price, now wearing her regular street clothes and beanie. Empty eye sockets stared back at Maisie, who continued to try and control her breathing. Maisie stared at the very real corpse, loading her camera app and snapping a picture. The entire closet lit up for a moment, before plunging back into darkness.
Maisie: (Moving closer to Chloe's corpse) "You were real…"
Maisie moved some of her hair behind her ear and reached in, taking a look at Chloe's 3 bullet necklace. She also saw the wrinkled gray right forearm where it looked like she'd had an arm length tattoo. What remained of the designs was still pretty remarkable for what it was worth. There was also a photo of Chloe herself while she was alive, taped to the chest's inner lid. Maisie smiled at the photo of the blue haired, blue eyed, tattooed beauty before her.
Maisie: "Tattoos and blue hair... Pretty cool…"
Maisie lightly patted Chloe's wrist and then switched back to her flashlight app, shining her light down into the chest. She paused at seeing a large white, long rubber object, stained with God knows what, and adorned with straps. Maisie picked up the object by one of the straps, staring in morbid curiosity and disgust.
Maisie: "What the heck is this thing? It smells funny…"
Maisie snapped another picture and dropped the object back inside the chest in disgust. She then saw an old laptop, it's charger and a stack of old brown envelopes sitting towards the back of the chest. She carefully picked up an envelope and slid open the seal. She peeked inside and saw a bunch of polaroid photos and printouts. Maisie slipped out a few and glanced at the handful she now held. Her breathing hitched as she stared down at the horror depicted in each image that she couldn't even begin to comprehend.
Maisie: "W-what th-the heck is a-all of this?"
Each photo depicted a sexual act or position with Kate or Max with the corpse, back when it had actually still looked human. Max was wearing that white rubber object with the straps around her waist in a few of the photos, sometimes Kate was, sometimes the corpse was. Maisie dropped the photos in shock and turned away from the chest, landing on her hands and knees, hyperventilating. She was going to be sick. But she had gotten her confirmation, as well as evidence against both Max and Kate. This had to end now.
Maisie: (Starting to cry) "Oh my God, Kate, no!"
As Maisie was hunched over and trying to catch her breath, she couldn't hear the hanging clothes on the hangers parting behind her over the sound of her pounding heart. She was still hyperventilating as Max appeared in the space between the clothing gap, staring down at Maisie with a sick, feverish smile. She held a looped leather belt in both of her hands, as she slowly crept out of the closet and towards Maisie.
Maisie: (Wiping her eyes, sniffling) "I'm going to tell everyone about th-"
Max: (Whispering loudly) "NO!"
The belt went over Maisie's small head with ease as Max then tightened the belt around Maisie's throat. Maisie began to squeal and thrash her arms around violently. Max felt Maisie stagger to her feet and back up hard into her, causing them both to fall back inside the closet. Maisie landed with her back against Max's chest, as Max held Maisie from behind so she couldn't reach her to fend her off. Max then wrapped her legs around Maisie's little waist, squeezing like an anaconda.
Maisie: (Face reddening) "Gak…. M-Mmmax… ax… p-please….ease… don't k-kill me-e…"
Max: "Shhhh, little Maisie. Don't fight it. Just go to sleep."
Maisie: (Tears falling) "Max… please… I don't….. don't wan… wanna d-die… ack…"
Max: "Go to sleep, Maisie…"
Maisie continued to thrash violently to breathe again, but it was no use. Max was a lot bigger and stronger than her. Maisie glanced back up at Max as her vision began to fade, seeing Max smiling hatefully down at her. It wasn't a kind, warm smile, but that same feverish, sickly smile she'd wore the same night that her and Kate…
Maisie's arms slowly sank down and her kicking slowly relented. Max then felt Maisie's weight increase on top of her, knowing what that meant. Maisie was dead, and her secret was remained safe... for now. Eliot and Alena had been dealt with and Aaron wouldn't be a problem.
"Have you got something to tell me? Please come up and tell it to me… please come up and tell me baby blue…"
Max sat there for a few minutes, breathing out the adrenaline as Maisie still laid on top of her, staring up at her with those dead, lifeless eyes. Max held the small child in her arms, as her breathing returned to normal. She then undid the belt and removed it from Maisie's throat. Maisie's eyes and mouth hung open in silent protest at the sudden sneak attack. Max smiled and stroked Maisie's long brown, loose ponytail and slowly cradled the dead girl, resting her head against hers.
"Have you got a tear or two, well, come on up and tell me do now… You can tell it all now, baby blue…"
Max's trembling hand slowly came up and she gently closed Maisie's dead eyes with her fingers and then gently wiped her tears away. She then got up to her feet, picking Maisie up. Max then placed Maisie's body on the bed and stared at it as the realization of what she'd just done began to hit her with its full fury. She had murdered the young girl, and now many people who were in on the investigation would come looking for them both. Well let them come looking… they'd never find Maisie's body…
Max: (Smiling) "You should've left us alone, Maisie." (Sees one of the hidden cameras in their bedroom) "You too, Aaron. This is your fault as well."
"Really baby don't be shy, it's alright for me to talk to you…"
Maisie looked like she was peacefully asleep, her arms outstretched as she lay there so still. Max stared at the small girl, the dread that was awash over her suddenly starting to fade and was beginning to replaced by something else. Everything was working in her favor, and the truth was beginning to fade into obscurity. But in order to secure her and Kate's secrecy, the rest would have to die. They all did and Max knew it. And as much as she didn't want to kill Joyce, she may have no other option.
"So let it all come out and let it all come through, baby blue..."
Max snapped herself out of her deep thought, realizing that she was now standing over Maisie, who still needed to be rid of. Max then placed a few trembling fingers to her own mouth as she contemplated a terrible thought… Kate was out for the night and wouldn't be back until morning… maybe… maybe it wouldn't be so bad… She'd felt this same feeling before, the night she'd been with Chloe… maybe it wouldn't be so bad…
Max leaned over Maisie and placed an ear to her chest, listening for any heartbeat. Max closed her eyes as she listened, hearing nothing. No heartbeat, no breathing, no pulse, no nothing. Max then put a finger to Maisie's lips and nostrils, feeling no breath come out. Max then stood up, her fingers fidgeting.
"Someone has been cruel to you… someone has been unkind to you… how about you tell me, tell me who…"
Max then stared down at Maisie's limp body as she began to undress herself, removing her hoodie, black jogging pants and white undershirt. Max then began to undo her bra and slid it off, then sliding out of her underwear and kicking them aside.
"Who would want to treat you that way? Who could stand to see you that way? Who could make you cry now, baby blue?"
Max: (Whispering) "I'm sorry about this, Maisie…"
Now fully naked, Max picked the strap-on out of the crate and shakily fastened it around her waist. She then smiled feverishly and then began to slowly crawl across the bed, up towards Maisie's body.
"Let it all come out and let it all come through, baby blue…"
DARKNESS
Max: "You're such a pretty girl, Maisie. I bet all of the boys in your class liked you. Let's get these off." (Ruffling, clothes dropping) "Oohhh…" (More ruffling noises) "Let's see these…" (Sniffs, sighs) "Mmmm… I think I'll keep these!"
The bed noisily creaked and groaned from her movement.
Max: "Now come here Maisie, come to mommy…" (Pauses) "Be good… this might hurt a bit…" (Pauses) "Grrrrr…" (Squelch) "Arghhhhhh!" (SCHLICK!) (Thppp!) "Aahhhhhh… Good girl, Maisie…"
Max giggled quietly as she adjusted herself in the dark. Her soft moaning then began to fill the eerie silence, along with the squeaking of the bed springs. The darkness blanketed the horror that was happening within as Max grabbed her signature vintage polaroid camera from the night stand drawer. She then reflexively powered it up, stretching out her arm and pointing it at herself and Maisie.
Click. (A brief glimpse of Max's head leaning back, eyes closed as Maisie's little hand rested against her the side of her face, her thumb resting on her cheek)
Max: (Sniffing and licking Maisie's fingers) "Mmmmm…"
Click. (Another glimpse of Max running her own fingers over Maisie's mouth)
Max: "Ooohhh…"
Click. (Another glimpse of Max's fingers leaving Maisie's lips, followed by a long string of saliva)
Max: (Max's shoulders and hips gyrating) "Hmmm-mmm-mmm-mmmm…"
Click. (A glimpse, this time it's Maisie's bare legs, jolting from under Max's gently gyrating ass cheeks)
Max: "Hmmmmm!"
Click. (A glimpse, this time it's Maisie's bare legs again, but this time there's a few strands and smears of blood on them as they wobbled under Max's ass cheeks)
Max: "Ooohhh…"
Click. (A glimpse of Maisie's head and bare shoulders wobbling from Max's thrusts above.)
Max: "I love you, Maisie."
Click. (A glimpse of Max brushing back Maisie's hair, before Max kisses her forehead.)
"Let it all come out and let it all come through, baby blue..."
Max: (Resting her head against Maisie's) "Mmmmm… thank you, Maisie…" (Lifts her up)
"Let it all come out and let it all come through, baby blue... "
Click. (A glimpse of Maisie's head resting on Max's shoulder, as Max holds her against her. Max kisses the side of her head and rests it against her.)
Max: (Eyes closed, stroking Maisie's hair) "Mmmmmmm hmmm-mmmmmm… Now let's turn you over on your belly… We're not done just quite yet, Maisie…"
"Let it all come out and let it all come through, baby blue..."