Ciel was being stormed by news reporters and journalists. His expression was both shocked and angered at the same time. He looked messy, as if he just woke up. Sebastian was right, he thought. I can't even button up my own shirt.
"What do you believe happened?" one reporter asked over all the other voices, which were practically screaming at Ciel.
"Did your butler have any common enemies?" another yelled.
Ciel said nothing, pushing past the crowd. Suddenly, he stopped and turned around, staring straight into the large group of people. They all went silent.
"Does anybody know where I can find Annabelle Cassandra Williams?" he asked sternly. He was nearly sure that she, a literal murderer, would have killed Sebastian before anyone else. Nobody moved or said a word. A young woman spoke quietly.
"Bristol."
Ciel nodded and got into his carriage. His driver knew exactly where they were going. The carriage rode of, everything silent except for the turning of wheels and the clacking of horse hooves against the paved street. When they arrived at Bristol, Ciel went door to door asking if Annabelle was there. And everyone said no. Ciel had almost lost hope in finding her, when suddenly, his eye caught a glimmer of light in a young woman's pocket. Coincidentally, that young woman had reddish-orange hair, deep green eyes, and that demonic but soothing smile. Annabelle. Annabelle was talking to another girl, who looked to be around her age.
"I know it's hard, but we'll throw the perfect party!" Annabelle's acquaintance spoke.
Annabelle had a doubting smile. "I don't know about that, but a party would be fine," she laughed. Ciel stared at her. He forgot about her beauty, or maybe he never noticed it. The way the sun glinted off of her hair, her sunhat shadowing the perfect amount of her face. He realized that she was, in fact, a banshee. He never believed it, but the Undertaker had told him a banshee would act much like a succubus. They lure victims in, then slowly consume them. Ciel quickly held his walking stick out in front of the girls, causing them to stop in shock.
Annabelle immediately recognized him. "C-Ciel... Ciel Phantomhive?" she stuttered.
"I'd like a word with you," Ciel looked at Annabelle, then glanced at her friend. "In private." Annabelle nodded. She and Ciel walked into a nearby alleyway. Ciel only stared at her. "You killed my butler."
"Sebastian? I would never kill him!" Annabelle protested. "You wanted me out of the manor, so I got my own place, and that's all there is to it!"
Ciel took out a badge. It stated he had the right to investigate her home. "I'm running an investigation. I'd like you to tell me where you live."
"That's not fair! You can't just-"
"I can."
"Ciel, please don't do this."
"Your little 'Game of Life' just turned into a game of death. Now I advise you tell me what I want to know."
...
Annabelle sighed, sitting on her couch. She had an uneasy feeling that Ciel would accuse her of murdering Sebastian no matter what. Ciel looked around her house- under everything, inside everything, through everything. He was determined to prove Annabelle guilty.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Annabelle silently opened the door, seeing a tall, red-haired man. He showed her an official Scotland Yard badge. Annabelle side-stepped out of the way, allowing the man in. He nodded, setting his hat on the table. Annabelle sat back on her couch, wishing for it all to go away.
Ciel quietly walked back into the living room, holding a black bag. Annabelle looked up in shock as Ciel took a handgun and a bloodied knife out of it.
"Just what are these for?" Ciel narrowed his eyes at her.
"You knew I killed. I never said I'd kill Sebastian," she hissed coldly.
"I suggest you be on your best behavior on the edge of arrest," Ciel spat back.
"Why should I? It's not like I even wanted him dead. I never would. He showed me kindness when no one else did. You think I'm such an idiot that I would kill that man!?" Annabelle yelled, standing up. Suddenly, her eyes became hollow and glassy. "But... I would, wouldn't I? I wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone, in fact. I... Maybe... But I couldn't have... Right?" Annabelle's voice was reduced to a whisper as she silently sat back down on the couch.
...
"Bassy? Dead? Oh, you're teasing me, Will!" Grell exclaimed, hitting William playfully on the shoulder. William propped his glasses and sighed, looking at Grell with a serious face.
"Sebastian Michealis disappeared from the face of the Earth two months ago. They found his dead body yesterday. You were picked to collect his soul, if even possible. This is not a joke," William said sternly. Grell's smile immediately turned into a frown.
"Wait... But I have his cinematic record right here, see?" Grell protested, holding the book up to William's face. William read it silently to himself.
"There must be something wrong with it, then," William corrected Grell. "Now, go."
Grell sadly left William's office in search of Sebastian's body- Dead or Alive.
...
Ciel angrily left Annabelle's home. She sighed with relief, remembering the conversation she had before Sebastian "escorted" her out of the manor.
"So, I'm really leaving, then?" she had asked.
"Yes. Please just try to be happy," Sebastian frowned.
"But... I can't. I'm only happy when I'm with you," Annabelle whispered.
Sebastian's eyes widened, hearing her say that. He pulled her into a slight hug, smiling. "I'm sorry," he stroked a hand through Annabelle's hair, feeling the silkiness of it. Then he stood up and left. That was Annabelle's last memory of him.
"And now... Now you're gone, aren't you?" Annabelle choked. "And now you're never coming back, huh? How can I be happy, Sebastian? You... You bloody... You bloody idiot!" she yelled, throwing a small hand mirror at the wall, watching shattered glass clutter on the floor. She remembered when she told Sebastian that she was a banshee. The shattered mirror pieces everywhere. Annabelle held her head in her hands, sobbing. She just wanted to say one more thing to Sebastian, to see him one last time. He was the only one who could fix things, and the only one who could face the darkness ahead.
...
Annabelle closed her eyes, letting memories fill her head and calm her.
"Anna!" Justin yelled from across a lake. Annabelle was taking a walk with her father, who was bringing her to the butchers for work. Annabelle's miserable frown disappeared and she laughed and smiled, waving to her friend from across the lake.
"Justin, hi!" she exclaimed happily. Her deep green eyes were filled with joy, which quickly transformed into pain and fear as her father struck her on the back of her head.
"Pay attention," he said sternly, staring straight ahead. Annabelle frowned, rubbing the back of her head, but she did as told.
Annabelle sat at a library, reading a book about animals. She was extremely bored with this, as she was only fourteen. Her heavy winter coat hung on the chair beside her, and every word she read was like torture. She closed the book, facing head down on the table. Her face was buried into her arms and she breathed deeply and evenly.
Annabelle was walking down the street.
Annabelle's memories were being overridden by something else.
She looked up at Big Ben, seeing it was nearly midnight.
Annabelle opened her eyes, quickly glancing at the clock. Sure enough, it was nearly midnight.
Suddenly, she heard a gunshot. An all-too-familiar scream came from a nearby alleyway. She clutched her purse, running towards the noise. She reached the mouth of an alley, where she saw two men. One was lying in a pool of his own blood, the other towering over him with a gun in hand. She heard a whisper; a whisper she had heard many times in her life.
"Annabelle."
...
Annabelle sat up, her vision blurred. She wiped her eyes until she could see clearly. Turning her head, she noticed that the shards of glass were no longer scattered, and the handheld mirror was fixed. She recalled the image she had just seen. That voice was so familiar, yet somehow, so... cruel. Somebody was after her? No... Someone was calling her? Maybe...
Annabelle saw a small note on the table and picked it up. There were only two words-
Forgive me.
Suddenly, Annabelle felt a cold hand on her side. A chill ran up her spine as the hand ran gently up and down her body.
"Heh. Lay down, dear," she heard an old man's voice order her. She recognized this feeling. She remembered the note. I'm sorry? She thought. For what? From who?
She was clouded with thoughts and ignored the man's order. Annabelle was pushed down onto the couch and the man sat on top of her. Her deep green eyes filled with fear as they had so many ago. Out of nowhere, the man smacked the side of her head as hard as he could. She began to tremble in pain, and she shut her eyes. Blood trickled down her forehead
"Do... Do whatever you want to me, just tell me one thing..." she whispered. The man raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Tell me that you hate me."
At that exact moment, the man fell sideways onto the white carpet, staining it red with a pool of blood. Annabelle sat up in surprise. She quickly looked around the room. Everything seemed normal. Then, she saw a pained, red eye. Black hair. Perfect skin. And the mark of the covenant on his left hand.
"Sebastian!" she exclaimed in tears. She ran towards him and hugged him as tight as she could. He was sitting next to a bookshelf, leaning against the wall. Annabelle immediately noticed his heavy breathing. Her joy turned into anger as Sebastian sat there, seeming not to care about anything. "What's wrong with you!? You just left us! We thought you were dead! They told us you were dead!"
Sebastian said nothing but those two words.
"Forgive me."