PRINCESS OF DARKNESS
PART VIII
Ruthie Camden goes too far. But then again, who's surprised? Peter plays a big role in the chapter, as Ruthie uses the power of (cough, supressed laugh) seduction to make him do her bidding.
In the past two months, Ruthie Camden found out she was adopted, kissed a girl, and was mauled by a dog.
Meanwhile, Jenna Livingston had been ostracized several times in rapid succession for several different crimes, and her father was in prison.
To think this all started with oatmeal.
Ruthie wasn't about to give up easily.
She was scared of Jenna.
But she wasn't just going to back down.
No, instead she would fight back. She would match Jenna's insanity with her own brand of insanity. If Jenna was willing to slay Ruthie, then Ruthie was willing to slay Jenna.
Of course, Ruthie was in no position to commit murder, what with her leg and wrist being broken.
She would need someone to do it for her.
So, Ruthie called up her little friend, Peter, and they met together on a warm Saturday night.
Before Peter's arrival, Ruthie made sure she looked as nice as possible.
When Peter arrived at the Camden home, he was surprised, once he reached Ruthie's room, at how attractive she looked, sitting in that wheelchair, arm in a sling, leg in a cast.
He was still amazed Ruthie had forgiven him for running away during the dog attack.
Peter was a fourteen-year-old boy, and fourteen-year-old boys were easy to manipulate.
The master manipulatress taking on a lowly, hormone-dripping teenager. This would be easy.
Ruthie and Peter made sweet, sweet small talk. They had been alone in Ruthie's room before, but this time, Ruthie had something different planned.
After some small talk, Ruthie silently prayed that Peter had brushed his tongue, and then kissed the boy. This wasn't a peck on the cheek. This was a full-on, sickening, open-mouth slather fest.
Once Ruthie and Peter broke apart, the Camden girl could tell that the hormone-dripping teenager was losing that all-important chess match, which was well documented in an episode of Seinfeld entitled "The Nose Job".
Ruthie smiled at this fact, and took the opportunity to begin her newest, most dangerous plot.
Softly, she asked Peter if he could do her a favor.
Peter nodded violently. Ruthie asked him if he was okay. He said yes, but there was a noticeable amount of drool hanging from his cheek. This, of course, was from the violent nodding he was doing. Not because of Ruthie. Let's be realistic, people.
Ruthie then began detailing her plan.
First, she convinced Peter that Jenna and Mr. Livingston were conspiring to kill her.
Peter believed her without much hesitation.
This is easy, Ruthie thought, almost too easy.
Then, Ruthie told Peter that if they didn't do something soon, she would be dead. Peter cried for a little, before Ruthie finally managed to calm him down.
"It's alright. It's okay. I won't die... if you do your part."
Peter wanted to know what his part would be.
Ruthie let him in on her little scheme.
Part one would involve a certain pill.
Part two would involve a little accident at the Livingston home.
Part three would involve a daring switch.
Part four would involve the death of Jenna Livingston.
Ruthie called the plan 'Four Simple Rules For Killing My Teenage Enemy'
Peter was skeptical at first, until Ruthie let those oh-so-reliable fake tears stream down her face again. She told the boy these simple words: "I don't want to die, Peter. I have so much to live for. Like you."
Then, she open-mouth kissed him again.
Peter was all for the idea.
It was all good for Ruthie Camden.
Ruthie's lack of crutches disturbed her, considering she had a broken leg. The fact that she had to be carried downstairs by Peter did not endear her to her adopted family.
We won't go into much detail about the disaster that was Peter's attempt to carry Ruthie down the stairs. The event in itself was so catastrophic that it would take another story to document.
Once Ruthie and Peter cleaned up the broken vase at the bottom of the stairs, and once Peter stopped crying, the two teenagers journeyed into Camden kitchen. Peter, of course, helping Ruthie along. There was no carrying this time. Definitely not.
When Ruthie and Peter arrived back upstairs, they carried with them a little black pill bottle.
Once, during the Great Glenoak Rains, the rats came.
The Camdens were forced to buy a certain kind of poison that specialized in snuffing out the rat population.
Rat poison. This particular brand of rat poison, 'Kylthemol', was indistinguishable. It was white, round, and surprisingly big (considering it was made for rats).
Peter was to take the rat poison and keep it in his pocket. Then, he would go over to the Livingston home, talk with Jenna for a bit, feign a headache, go up to the bathroom, grab a bottle of pills, and make a little switch.
It was perfect. As long as Peter did what he needed to do, at least.
Peter was nervous about the whole thing.
"What Would Jesus Do?" Ruthie asked. "Would he let me die and let the murderers get off scott free? Or would he destroy the evil doers and protect the innocent?"
"Well, when you put it that way..."
"Good."
Ruthie then had Peter spray a bottle of Eric's cologne all over him. The explanation? It would make Jenna's head hurt faster.
Peter was still nervous before he left. Ruthie had a bit more convincing to do.
"Don't you love me, Peter? Aren't we friends?"
"Yes, but... I don't know, Ruthie. I'm scared."
Ruthie wanted to smack Peter. She restrained herself.
"Don't be. Just do what you have to do, and remember: God wants you to do this."
The last sentence didn't do much to sell it to Peter.
So, Ruthie said:
"And I don't want to die, Peter."
Then, she kissed him. Again. The power of tongue-on-tongue violence was stunning. Peter nodded and set out to do Ruthie's bidding.
His stench was great and he carried rat poison in his pocket. He was headed off to save his girl and do the work of God.
Ruthie's plan worked surprisingly well.
Peter had done every single thing Ruthie had told him to do. He dotted every 'i', crossed every 't', and Jenna was dead before sunrise.
Perfect.