Chapter 20:
7:00 am. A man woke up, in his lavish apartment, readying himself for another day at work. His head hurt, most likely from thinking about the past year and all the craziness, and having to spend time in an unwanted place. But, with his wealth, he was able to get himself out of any situation. Well, almost any.
He reached for the rolled up paper placed in front of his door, as it was every morning. Crinkling the paper as he unrolled it, the man's eyes prepared themselves to search for something interesting to read. Perhaps some sort of tragic death or cryptic murder-he always found those to be particularly fascinating.
But his eyes widened in terror as he read the main story, printed in the darkest, largest text imaginable.
"The infamous "Edward Scissorhands" and his wife, Kim Boggs, were killed last night as they attempted to escape the law."
That headline, so vibrant that it almost seemed to leap off of the page, caused him to take a clumsy step back. The dark letters entangled his mind, dancing around it in a spiral of fury.
He opened the front door. He didn't exactly know why, but he knew he was no longer in control of his actions.
He followed his feet up the stairs, up until he reached the door leading the rooftop of the building.
Looking down, he observed the city life in a bird's eye view. It wasn't much to see, just a bunch of gray looking cars and endless tar roads. But the somewhat fresh air filling his lungs made him come to his senses a little more. In fact, he had forgotten why he climbed up to the roof in the first place!
But then a lone taxi cab sparked his memory. That sunny yellow color, driving against the black path underneath it, reminded him of a girl he knew not so long ago. He suddenly remembered her hair, that same golden color that shone in every one of his dreams. He'd rather be haunted than left alone.
Lifting his arms up into the air; his toes pushing him up, he leaned forward.
"I'm coming, Kim."
And he kept his word.
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A gentle knocking woke Kim from her deep sleep. She thrust her head off of Edward's chest, instantly becoming alert.
The knocking grew louder.
Kim got up and headed down the steps from the attic, Edward trailing along.
"No. Stay here. We don't know who it might be. In fact…here…hide…until I tell you it's safe to come out…" She said as she walked him over to the darkest shadows of the attic, making him camouflage well.
She turned and started for the stairs again. Stumbling on them a bit, due to the dust and cobwebs all around them, she finally reached for the brass handles on the main entrance doors. With all her might, she pulled at one, opening it and letting the dark blue outdoor light leak into the abyss-like mansion.
"Mom…" she said at the sight of Peg standing in front of her.
"What happened? Why didn't you come sooner! I really did think you were dead by now!"
"What?"
Her mother paused, then reached into the heavy leather suitcase she held in her hand. She pulled out a rolled up newspaper, handing it to Kim.
"Read it."
Kim's eyes directed their attention to the front page.
It took about a minute until she finally jerked her head back up.
"They think we're dead? They think we're…"
"I suppose…you're planning on living here now?"
"I…guess so."
"I see. And what about Eden? Is she supposed to live here as well?"
Kim's heart stopped for a moment. Eden. She had forgotten all about her.
"Does he know…does he even know about her?"
Kim tried to keep her eyes on something-anything-but her own mother's eyes.
"You haven't told him, have you Kim?"
She finally shook her head "no".
"I just…she slipped my mind."
"Well, he needs to know…right now…"
Peg moved towards the stairs, dragging the suitcase against the gray dusty floor.
"Wait!"
"Why?"
"I should tell him!"
"Well, why didn't you?"
"I…I…can't. Not yet."
"So you're planning to just let him walk around not knowing he has a daughter?"
"Eden is a toddler now. She might get scared…she needs time…she needs to get older before she meets him…"
"How much older?"
"I don't know. But please…just not now. I don't know if he's ready yet either."
Peg let out a sigh.
"Very well. I've brought you some supplies, and I will continue to, every week, at around midnight. Be prepared for my visits. You've reached the point in your life where one wrong move will destroy everything you have. Be careful."
"Thank you."
She reached over to embrace her mother.
"Before I go, can I see him?"
"Of course."
She gently led her mother up the stairs. The task pained her deeply, watching the struggle her once lively mother had climbing up. She aged greatly with every visit, and it sent an arrow of guilt through Kim's heart.
Once they finally reached their destination, Kim signaled for Edward to come out from his hiding place. Peg just stood there, in the middle of the attic, watching Edward emerge-arms spread out-from the shadows as he did the very first time she saw him, so long ago.
Only this time, he was not so timid.
He came close to her, and softly placed his arms around her.
Kim felt like she could break down at the sight of this. No matter what horrible circumstances Fate threw her in, her family always seemed to stay together. She watched in awe as her mother touched Edward's face, without any sign of disappointment or dislike.
"Take care of her."
He nodded in understanding, then smiled back at Kim.
Once her mother turned for the doorway, Kim almost had a heart attack. Peg's face, moments before frail-looking and fragile, now reeked of a certain indescribable youth. No, her wrinkles did not magically disappear, nor did her bones become any stronger-but something in her had most certainly changed. Her eyes now gleamed of the childish naivety and optimism they used to. Funny, how that one feature made her look ten years younger. That was a miracle that none of the Avon makeup she sold could ever perform.
She finally left them to inspect the suitcase she brought them, filled with anything they could possibly need to live life as normally as anyone else. But with or without it, neither Edward nor Kim could really care less about how they lived from now on.
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Before anyone could go and check a calendar, four years had passed.
Peg had done as she had promised and visited the couple every week, during the darkest part of the night, bringing them food and clothes and anything else they might have needed.
Occasionally, some nosy people living down in suburbia caught a glimpse of Peg walking, hands full of groceries and bags, up the hill. Of course, rumors were formed and questions arose. Pretty soon everyone began to wonder about that mansion on the hill.
Peg found herself often being asked (interrogated is more like it) about her strange visits at odd hours. She simply replied that she was mourning the death of two loved ones and felt that the mansion was a great source of memories for her.
Eventually everyone came to the assumption that the "death" of her daughter and technical son in law created so many traumas for her that it drove her to insanity. Those who were not convinced would occasionally venture up to the mansion themselves, in hope of proving their conspiracy theories. Each attempt failed, for two reasons. One being that Kim was able to find some extra black leather suits in the mansion for her and Edward to wear, and the second being that Edward had taught Kim his art of disappearing into the shadows. The whole thing became a great mystery to all, since the interior of the mansion contained lots of furniture and no cobwebs-leading many to think that someone must have been living there. But each person would spend hours in search of life, but all in vain. When asked about the appearance of the mansion, Peg would simply reply that because she would visit it so often, she decided to make a few renovations to it.
The hype finally died and the citizens of suburbia went back to their ever so eventful lives.
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Whenever Kim was not near Edward, she found herself eyeing the pink corded telephone (that she eventually installed to connect with her mother's phone) and letting worry take over her.
She was, quite honestly, amazed she was able to keep Eden a secret from Edward for so long. She never really understood why she was so reluctant to tell him, but each time she wanted to….fear would possess her.
It wasn't his reaction she was so afraid of. Eden, like any other child, could easily be frightened of Edward. Understandably, with his long silver blades for hands and untamed hair.
On top of that, Kim wanted their meeting to be a perfect moment. After all, Edward had surprised her with human hands for their wedding-she was simply trying to pay him back. She planned the meeting for Christmas, since not so long ago she had only professed her love for Edward on the very same day. It just seemed appropriate somehow.
The rest of her little plan relied on her mother to carry out. Kim wanted to make sure Eden was told about Edward before she met him, and that there were no signs of her fearing him.
After the years passed, Kim finally decided that it was time.
On Christmas Eve, she contacted her mother, who told Eden all about Edward when she asked where snow came from. Peg had waited until the young child fell asleep after the endearing story to call her daughter.
"Are you sure she's ready?"
"It's now or never, Kim."
"Alright. You're right. No more secrets. Bring her here…in the morning…if you will."
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Eden woke up from her slumber. She loved this day of the year more than any other…it just filled her with an unimaginable joy.
She got up and raced for the tree in the living room. Reaching for the presents under the fake tree, she ripped off every piece of wrapping paper to find a music box, empty journal, and dark purple dress all for her.
Her grandmother, watching silently at the darling display in the corridor, finally spoke up:
"Do put on that lovely dress. There is still one present waiting for you, my dear."
"Oh thank you, grandmother!"
"Your welcome. Go on, dear, put on that dress! We must leave soon!
The girl did as she was instructed, in very little time.
Joyfully, she skipped to the door.
"Where are we going?"
"To meet a very special man."
When they had left, it was still relatively dark outside. Christmas was a great time for Kim to choose, since all the families in suburbia were too busy celebrating to look out the window. Even if snow was piling all over the place.
As the two walked near the broken down gate in front of the hill path leading to the mansion, Eden clutched to her grandmother's arm in fear.
"Don't be afraid, sweetie."
They ventured up, higher and higher, until they finally reached the grand building.
"Wow…" Eden said to herself as she gazed in wonder.
"Wow, indeed, my dear."
"Is this…is this where he lives?" the young girl asked as ice shavings flew out the window and landed in her auburn hair.
"Yes."
Eden didn't need another word. She tugged at Peg's hand, pulling towards the doors in excitement.
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Edward scraped off the remainder of ice from his sculpture. As he finished, a small smile formed on his face as he looked at his new work.
The piece in front of him was yet another sculpture of Kim, this time twirling in the snow. He had gotten better at sculpting ice…his details grew more extravagant and realistic each time he placed his blades into a block of ice.
"You've made me too beautiful!" Kim joked as she entered the room, catching Edward by surprise. Although she hated to admit it, she loved the sculptures he made of her. It always made her feel more lucky and special than anyone else in the world.
"I've…I've got a present for you too…" she said after a pause, and then turned her head to nod at the doorway.
In came Peg, who Edward obviously recognized right away…and then a little girl, who seemed to glow of youth. Edward examined her…her ivory skin…her brunette locks…her inky black eyes…and he began to wonder where he had seen her before. It was odd…his memory did not usually fail him like this…he was certain he remembered every little boy and girl he met when down at suburbia. But not her, somehow.
"Hello…" He finally said, once he realized the awkwardness of not saying anything.
"Hello Mr. Scissors, my name is Eden!" The girl said with a joyful tone.
It was then he knew he had not met her before, for sure. No child had ever looked at him without first displaying a tiny tinge of fear. Yet here she was, bouncy and treating him as if he were no different from any other man in the world.
"Nice to meet you…Eden."
"Isn't she a lovely child?"
"She's very sweet…" he confessed, "but I'm afraid I don't know who she is."
Kim bit her lip. This was it. The moment she had feared for so long.
"She's your daughter. Our daughter."
There. The words had made their way out of her mouth, hovering in the air for a few seconds.
Edward felt every muscle in his body tighten, making him feel as rigid as the jointless blades that replaced his fingers. Daughter?
Eden apparently had heard too. But she did not scream. Or run away. Instead, she walked over to Edward, and put a tiny hand on his monstrous one, feeling the coolness of metal against her skin. She wrapped her petite arms around him, attempting to hug her father, as she had wished to do for so long.
That one little action destroyed any doubts between the three of them.
Please review! I have one more chapter and it will arrive faster with reviews! Come on! Dedicate 2 seconds of your time to review if you like this story enough to read up to this point! Oh, and in case you didn't get the first part, Leon died!