All Together, One After Another
by Nyohah

2
A New Conceit

"Each, in its utmost development, supposes a
high degree of intimacy and heart-knowledge;"


It's a funny thing about convents. They're filled to their vaulted ceilings with so much piety, such endless hours of prayers and devotions and contrition that even when you clean them out, you can still hear the hymns. It's the sort of the thing that would really ruin a good massacre if it wasn't so funny. This place, just one short hour ago, was resounding with Domine in Excelsis Deos. And now, there's just faint echoes, a little residual creepiness. It's laughable, really, which is what makes this so much fun.

Well, one of the things that makes this so much fun.

This time, there's a fractured humming on top of the echoes. And, let me tell you, the screeching just really detracts from the solemn atmosphere. This girl was not one of the choir's strongest members.

She's shaking, too, trembles punctuated by quakes that alter the timbre of her voice. Her humming is less annoying than her sobbing was, but it's giving me a headache, especially now that she seems to be stuck on the same four notes. Frankly, I hope she starts babbling again. Now, that was funny. But this one's not just about the humor.

The hunt, you see, is all about the art, and humans are the canvas. Oftentimes I will settle for a bit of travesty, but I strive for high art as much as any other artist. And this one, if I do say so myself, is high art. Pale skin, innocent tears, tragic expression. Well, and the humming and babbling and running nose. So she's more Millais's Ophelia, and less Da Vinci's Testa Di Faniciulla. What can I say; I'm a modernist.

She's completely insane, in case you have never seen Hamlet or are just, well, stupid. And I put a lot of work into getting her that way. Originally, I'd planned to just kill her and put on the finishing touches. Now, though, I see she's too good to let go. I think I'd much rather turn her and take her with us. Add a little spice to our lives. A little more spice, that is.

Darla and myself, we don't really need help in having a good time. We've ripped through this country, and more than that, we've ripped through the Continent. I liberated her, the single pearl of the Order of Aurelius, from that Master of hers to let her have the finest things in this world, and she's proven herself insatiable. She gave me this existence; it was only fitting to let her have such freedom, too.

And I'd like to say I'm only spreading the wealth with this one, but, then, that's not true. This one was about the process and not the result, but I have to say, she's turned out quite well.

A name, of course. She'll be needing a new name. Her very religious mother probably gave her some very proper, very prudish name that would never suit except for irony. A good girl's name, for a good girl.

She won't be a good girl anymore after tonight.