Chapter XIV: Jack's Obsession
She had plenty of time to think as she drove, and obsessed over the conversations with her dad. Her father had locked himself away in his study, pouring over the books for the last couple of days. He spoke to her of his findings right before she left. She was still fascinated and intrigued by what he had to say. Apparently, he was confident that he would be able to make the hands, but he was missing a key ingredient. He needed a vile of something called Life Water, which was only found in the Other Land. He was mystified by what it meant, but she knew of the Other Land. If it meant Edward got his wish, then she would venture there and try to find it. No matter how alien the place, and whatever strange creatures lurked there; she would risk it for him. Her dad had transcribed the directions, and words to open the gate, on a piece of paper that was now folded, and safely placed in her jacket pocket. More importantly, the directions to get back were included. He told her it looked like Edward's tonic combined with that water was used to 'bring him to life', and that it had amazing regenerative and healing properties. That his blood was essentially a fountain of youth. No wonder he never aged. She felt the need to protect him grow stronger just thinking about that.
Her dad told her that the last thing Edward's father had wrote was about trying to drink the Water of Life himself. He thought it may have the same effect on him. His plans were to drink it on Christmas...the very same one that he had planned to finish Edward. He also wanted to give his son another gift; his companionship. He was getting very old and weary. He had so much more to teach Edward about life, he just needed more time. That was apparently the last thing he wrote. She guessed the Water of Life didn't work the same way on humans, but wondered about Edward's blood. It seemed like his blood would work that way. His father must have known that; he basically spelled it out in his writings. He just must not have wanted to take any of his son's blood.
Vee stopped thinking about it as she pulled up to her comforting home. It was late in the evening; already pitch black outside, but her front light had been turned on for her. She sighed in relief, loaded her arms up, and ran inside. She hardly threw her things down, before giving Poe a quick hello chin scratching, running out the back door, and up the hill. She couldn't stop grinning with the anticipation of their upcoming reunion, as she continued her walk to his house. And boy, the news she had for him!
Even later that night, she came back to her house through the same door; lost in a dream and unaware that it was unlocked. She put the strange purple flowers she was carrying in a vase that she took from the cupboard. The dreamlike grin on her face dropped as she looked at the flowers. They were moving, as if there was a breeze. Then, she felt the cold air herself. She looked around in confusion. The house seemed darker than she left it. She held her hands up, trying to determine the direction it was coming from. She followed it to the front door, and noticed the broken window. Glass lay shattered on the floor. She looked at the lock; it was in the unlocked position.
Her eyes got big as a hauntingly familiar voice from directly behind her said, "Look; See what you made me do?"
She turned slowly around and backed up to the door, ready to run through it and away. Her hand blindly grasped for the knob, as she kept an eye on him. He figured out what she was doing and lunged forward, pinning her up against the door with his forearm at her throat. She had unknowingly been holding her breath, and now tried gasping for air unsuccessfully. Her heart was racing, and she felt dizzy, like she was going to pass out.
He released his grip, and yelled, "What the hell were you doing? Where were you? Where did you just come back from? Did you meet a man back there somewhere?!" He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to the kitchen window. She stumbled along, barely conscious. He peered out the window. "What's back there?! I see nothing."
She found her voice, "There is nothing back there." Pausing, she tried to think of something quick, so he wouldn't go running out there and discover Edward. "I just went for a walk. I like the woods, and walking at night."
She knew it sounded ridiculous, but that's all she could think up. He seemed to buy it, and loosened his grip on her arm. Finding her courage, she said very strictly, "Jack, you have to leave. You don't want to do anything you'll regret. Following me home and breaking in here was bad enough. You'll leave right now if you know what's good for you."
He squinted his eyes and twisted his lips up in a sardonic smile. "What makes you think that I haven't done worse for you? I got rid of your boyfriend easily enough."
"My boyfriend?" She wracked her brain trying to think of what in the hell this lunatic was talking about, and that's when she remembered what had recently happened. Could he actually mean Carl?! Was that the weird feeling I kept getting? Was he watching us through the window? Oh my God, but then that means... She started to back away from Jack. He killed him. He has actually gone insane. I never thought he could be capable of something like this.
Jack's grip got tighter as she tried to pull away from him. She forcefully pushed him away, and he fell against the window, scattering the little colored glass bottles and breaking a few. Turning away from him, she started to run to the front door, but abruptly stopped once she noticed Poe. He was standing on the stairs leading to her bedroom, a bewildered look in his eyes. She couldn't very well leave him alone with a madman. She veered in her path and ran to the stairs in an attempt to scoop him up. Startled, he dodged her and ran up the rest of the stairs, going for the best hiding place; under her bed. She cursed, and went after him, Jack close behind.
He lunged at her as she was running up the stairs, and caught her right ankle in his hand. Falling down hard on her right hip, she twisted around and kicked him with her free leg. He kept his grasp of her ankle as he fell, bringing her down a couple steps with him before he faltered and lost his grip. As her eyes got to the level of her bedroom floor, she could see a spooked Poe under her bed, staring back at her with big eyes. She frantically ran after him, diving as far under the bed as she could, and snatching him up. As she was wiggling free from the bed she felt something at her ankles which she ignored; her focus was solely on getting her and Poe out of there. Free of the bed, she pulled herself up and turned, trying to get up to run past Jack who had already caught up with her.
As she started to get up, she realized she couldn't move her legs and fell down in a heap at his feet. She protectively held Poe to her chest as he lunged at her again. He grabbed the back of her shirt and roughly raised her up, slamming her against the baseboard of her bed. She slid down and landed hard on her bottom.
"Stop it! What are you doing?" She looked down at her bound ankles and gasped; no wonder she had tripped. Her fear magnified as she looked around her room for some sort of weapon to use against him, but found none nearby. He took the opportunity of her eyes being busy to quickly put another zip-tie around her wrists. When she noticed what he was doing she tried to pull her arms out of the way while juggling a very scared Poe. He pulled it tight as she tried to pull free, binding her hands together. She looked at her plastic prison, and tried pulling free of it. Her hands were going in opposite directions because she had been hugging Poe to herself, yet she still couldn't free them; they were bound together too tightly at the wrists.
Her brain, so shocked at what was happening, couldn't form words to say, so she let out a frustrated scream. Poe's nails came out, puncturing her skin as he held on tightly.
Jack knelt down to her eye level, and held her head steady in front of his, forcing her to look at him. He leaned in closer to her and asked, "Can't you see how much I love you?" He pulled her head forward forcing her lips to meet his as he greedily invaded her mouth with his tongue, with what he thought was a romantically irresistible kiss. She bit down hard, tasting blood. He released her head and pulled back, a hand reflexively going to his wound.
His crazed eyes stared disbelievingly at her. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" His yell was slightly muffled by his hand still covering his mouth.
He staggered toward her again, and Poe let out a defensive growl. He glared at the cat. "You don't seem to have a problem showing your affection to a worthless animal!" He aggressively yanked her bound wrists up so he could gain access to the petrified kitty. He clasped Poe by the nape of his neck and held him up to her. Poe's ears went flat against his head, as he let out a long deep growl.
"Don't you dare hurt him, you piece of shit!" The dam finally broke; she couldn't hold back her frightened tears, which flowed freely.
He grinned manically and raised the cat up, shaking him in the air. "Ha! So I see that you do have a heart. Good. I can watch it break."
He sauntered to the balcony's sliding door and opened it. She screamed 'no' as he threw the cat as hard as he could over the railing. Poe yowled as he plummeted to the ground with a thud. It was a sickening sounding thud. Not the type of sound that something would make if it hit soft ground, but something more substantial; like one of the many rocks or trees that was in her yard.
With a smug look of satisfaction, Jack returned to her. She was laying on her stomach in the middle of the room from trying her failed attempt of getting to him in time. She couldn't save Poe. He was hurt, possibly dead. The thought had made her break down further; she was now crying so hard her chest was heaving. He pulled her back up to her former position against the bed. He smiled at her, "You see, now that he's out of the way, you can focus your love on me."
Her face wet from tears and her running nose, she looked him dead in the eyes and menacingly said, "I will never love you." She sniffled and yelled, "You monster!"
He took a couple bewildered steps back. His eyes grew larger as he stood there staring at her with disbelief. "You know what you are?" He walked over to the curtain and leaned over. She could hear something click. Standing back up he said, "You're a demon, and can burn in hell."
As if on cue, the curtain behind him became illuminated with swirling yellowish red tendrils. Swiftly he made his way to her, and attached her bound wrists to the bed post. She unsuccessfully tried to push him away as he did so. With a final withering glare, he left to her screams of protestation, and her pleads echoing through the house.
Desperately, she pulled at her captive bond to the wooden bedpost, until her wrists were raw and bleeding. Even though the balcony door was still open, smoke was filling the air and her lungs. The flames had spread from the wall to her wooden dresser and ceiling. It was like a living creature, crawling and pulsing; breathing in the pure air, and exhaling smoke and cinders. It growled, roared, and smashed glass as it came for her.
She was dizzy, fatigued, and emotionally worn out. Even though she had tried with her last bit of energy to free herself, it was useless. Sweat poured off of her from the effort, and from the sweltering heat. The smoke-filled air she breathed was even hot. She was going to die here; this creature of terrifying flames and smoke was consuming her. She didn't have it in her to physically fight it anymore. Everything was already going black. It was like a camera going out of focus, but rather than a blurry edge, it was darkness that was surrounding her. It was creeping into the periphery of her vision; like a nightmare that you know you're having, yet can't stop. She tried to focus her eyes, everything in her room was upside down. She hadn't remembered how she got upside down, but that didn't really matter now, so she didn't try to figure it out. All that she now thought of was him. What an idiot she had been; to feel that kind of love for someone and never tell them. She should have shown him, rather than always holding back and questioning herself. And now it was too late. She thought that maybe she could try calling for him. That just maybe he would hear her and come help; but that would mean risking his life to spare her own. She couldn't do that.
Darkness invaded the rest of her vision. She blindly looked up through her sweat and tear filled eyes, and with one last breath she whispered, "Edward."