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Chapter 11
Tate slid his finger along the edge of the knife calmly watching as the moonlight reflected off the blade.
So beautiful, he thought to himself ignoring Daniel's persistent requests to see Violet.
He could taste her still, the sweetest honey lingering along the tip of his tongue.
Laughing Daniel peered down at Tate fearlessly cracking his knuckles knowing he could take this kid out in a matter of seconds without breaking a sweat.
He was the captain of his wrestling team in high school and a black belt in karate, not to mention at two hundred and fifty pounds and six foot two he was twice the size of Tate.
Standing opposite of the man who had hurt her so deeply Tate replayed in his head how she grew distant and cold when Tate spoke of making love to her.
He remember her shaky tone, the nervous need to hide her body from him.
Her heartbreaking admission of how awkward and insecure she felt about her experience with men.
He recalled watching her hide suddenly embarrassed that somehow she would disappoint him if they made love.
It was clear how horribly this man had humiliated her, how it had been far worse than he had realized, how she had been carrying this around with her for so long, and just how much she must have trusted Tate to even let him come near her.
Tate believed that no one could ever love him, that the words his mother told him over and over had to be true.
pathetic
weak
you will never be a man, just a boy no woman would ever want or love
But he felt it, kissing her, touching her, her cries of pleasure as he made her cum, her body writhing and shivering as he held her afterwards.
She trusted him, let herself feel, she felt his love and she loved him back.
There was nothing he wouldn't do for her.
It suddenly occurred to him what needed to be done.
How exactly Daniel should pay for not only ruining the perfect moment between them, but how horribly he had damaged her.
How he made her feel ashamed and deficient in ways that degraded her making it almost impossible for her to see her for the beautiful, intelligent, sensual, desirable woman that she was.
Daniel growing bored of Tate's contemplation and odd behavior shoved his shoulder snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Listen you little piece of shit, my problem is not with you. That girl in there is mine, we've had our disagreements but I'm here to set things straight. Now I'm in a good mood so I'll cut you some slack, take your big scary knife and leave and I promise not to pummel your skinny little ass. Do we have an understanding?"
A slight smile flickered along the corner of Tate's mouth as he nodded.
"Sure Daniel I think we understand each other, I just have one question for you. You seem like the athletic type, I'm guessing you played sports in high school, am I right?"
Confused Daniel grunted a 'yeah' "What does that have to do with – "
"Well you see I ran track in school, so I'm aware of how crucial certain muscles and tendons are to the human body. I mean gosh, a serious injury to a particular tendon could set someone out on the bench the entire season if you're not careful… do you happen to know which of these tendons holds that much importance that it could virtually destroy an athletic career? Not to mention the pain… some people say it's the equivalent of getting shot."
It was that moment that Daniel heard a girl behind him laughing sarcastically.
"You have got to be freaking kidding me; this is the asshole she's been crying over all this time?"
Turning to look at the dark haired girl standing behind him Daniel let out a piercing scream as Tate sliced his Achilles tendon severing it in half causing him to fall to the ground like sack of potatoes.
Staring down at Daniel holding the bloody knife Tate sardonically raised his voice so he could be heard over the screaming.
"It's the Achilles Tendon Daniel, just in case you haven't figured it out."
Sighing Tate gazed surprisingly up at the spiteful ghost who has hated his very existence since the very night they met.
"Should I even ask why you're here Lydia?"
Lydia shrugged snapping her gum with a bored look of disinterest before slamming her heel down between Daniel's legs.
"He reminds me of a prick I knew in high school, plus I kinda like Violet, to tell you the truth we all do Tate. In fact we've all talked and let's just say we'll all be very … upset if you let your mother get a hold of her."
Tate slammed the knife down into Daniel's palm as he tried to reach for a rock that was nearby.
"That will never happen."
A cloud of rage covered Tate's face as he clenched his jaw tight making his body rigid vibrating with fury.
"Just see that it doesn't and we'll do what we can to help this little romance along, by the way you have you're precious little Chelsea to thank for convincing the girls that you even deserve Violet after the monstrosities that you've done even if you were manipulated by mommy dearest."
Flicking his cold black eyes towards Lydia tilting his head to the side finding it hard to believe the girls would agree to this for the sake of his feelings he probed her for the real reason.
"What are you and the rest getting out of this, I find it hard to believe you're helping me out of concern for my happiness, so what's your deal Lydia?"
Sliding her hands down the back pockets of her shorts Lydia stuck her bloody chest out.
"Anything I can do to make your mother suffer for this is enough reason, she's aging rapidly now if you haven't noticed which is making her weaker, soon she won't be able to keep us trapped in this hell house any longer and we'll all be able to move on."
Tate's eyes widened in shock, "What the hell are you talking about?"
Laughing sarcastically she shook her head. "All these years and you still don't know? Tate you really are a fucking loser. You are the one trapping us all here; the hearts you supplied her with give her the power to hold us all in this house of misfits, including you!"
Shaking his head unable to think from Daniel's continuous screams Tate kicked him again harder this time. "Shut the fuck up!"
"You're lying, how could you possibly know this, you're just trying to fuck with me."
Breathing hard Tate began pacing back and forth.
"I'm lying huh? Then why hasn't the bitch just forced you to take Violet to her like the rest of us, like all the times before. She needs you Tate, she needs you to make the offering, she's too weak now, she can't mind fuck you to do it any longer."
Lydia could see him putting the pieces of the puzzle together in his head, "That's right golden boy, you had the power to leave this hell hole years ago, you've just been too weak to stand up to her, you just buckle every fucking time. Talk about you're mommy issues, face it Tate you are the original Norman Bates…that is if you still choose to be."
Daniel was now desperately screaming for help causing Lydia to kneel down just out of his reach to pull the knife out of his palm handing it back to Tate.
"He's making too much noise; you should do something about that."
Nodding in an almost catatonic state Tate got on his knees near Daniel's face asking Lydia to once again kick him in the balls.
As she did Daniel opened his mouth wide delivering a silent scream giving Tate the opportunity to cut his tongue out.
"I thought you wanted to kill him."
Lydia was growing bored as she pulled a long string of her gum out of her mouth wrapping it around her finger several times.
"Not yet, if you don't mind I need the duct tape in the kitchen."
Spinning the roll of tape around her finger Brenda the nurse stepped out onto the porch.
"You called?"
Tentatively Tate glanced up at Brenda still trying to get used to the fact that they were helping him.
Pointing the wounds out with the tip of the blade Tate took the tape and began binding his wrists and ankles together.
"Will he bleed out? I need him alive; I need him conscious, aware, able to understand everything that's happening."
Sighing Brenda surveyed the damage before folding her sweater closed over her scrubs.
"I'll need some time and a few supplies, we have everything here, give me an hour."
Resting her hands on her hips Lydia tapped her heel on the ground restlessly.
"Anything else lover boy?"
Watching Daniel grasp at his throat gaging on his blood in shock he calmly gave Lydia the rundown.
"I need this place cleaned up, bleach, ammonia … all evidence that he ever was here needs to be destroyed. Then I need him placed in the attic as quietly as possible, Violet can't hear anything, she can have no knowledge that he's in the house. I need him lying down on the attic floor directly over my room with his ear to the floor, and like I said Brenda I need him awake and fully aware."
Standing Tate threw the duct tape at Lydia as her bright pink bubble popped covering the bottom of her bright red lipstick.
"How are you going to do all this with just you and Brenda?"
Hearing Brenda in back of him he turned to find at least twenty girls standing silently behind her, each one marked with a bloody hole in their chest, each one struck with the empty glare of vengeance on their face.
"We have help."
Nodding he went to walk back inside to take a shower but as he brushed by Brenda she whispered softly so the others couldn't hear.
"Violet is asleep, Chelsea calmed her with her presence, soothed her to sleep, whispered in her dreams. Violet was so afraid for you, insecure with herself, hearing Daniel's voice brought all her demons to the surface, you need to be gentle, assuring… show her how special she is. "
Tate continued on but was held back by Brenda's hand on his arm.
"Chelsea brought the girls all together, made them listen, without her you'd be on your own. She loves you Tate, be kind to her or this won't end well, I promise you that."
vTv
After showering Tate got dressed and made his way up to the attic.
The house was eerily quiet accept for the rhythmic sounds of the ocean waves rolling onto the shore.
Daniel was tied lying flat with his ear to the floor with thick bandages wrapped around his mouth wide awake just as instructed.
The room was empty of all the girls except for Chelsea who was standing silently staring out the window at the long winding driveway cut off by a wall of mist.
She had a pink shawl with flowers embroidered all over it wrapped around her shoulders.
She was using it to wipe the tears from her face as they fell one by one from her bright emerald eyes.
Tate walked by Daniel who was wide eyed and trembling sobbing like a child.
Unsure of what to say Tate lovingly placed his hands on her shoulders bringing his lips to kiss her on the top of her strawberry braided locks.
"Thank you Chelsea … for everything, you know how much I care for you. That will never change, no matter what happens."
Lowering her head she whispered softly without resentment or jealously just a deep sense of sadness for something she could never have but would always long deeply for.
"You're going to make love to her now aren't you? That's what this is all about. To punish Daniel for all the pain he's put her through, you're going to force him to listen. So he knows how it should be, how she deserves to be loved. Then you're going to kill him."
Muffled whimpers resonated from the floor as Tate wrapped his arms around Chelsea.
"You shouldn't be here, please go to the shore, maybe you'll find some pretty shells for your collection. Please, I can't know that you're here, I can't stand to know that you're hurting."
Turning slowly Chelsea placed her hand against his pale cheek smiling slightly through her tears before gradually fading away.
"I was in her dreams Tate, she loves you, give her your heart and she'll be yours forever."