I'm a little hesitant to keep going. I am worried I won't write it correctly, and there hasn't been much motivation to keep going. So, to not only console myself but to try to re-capture your treasured attention, I will be doing something that I was planning to do later. It's something you guys have been requesting for a while, so I thought I ought to give it to you. Hope you enjoy it.

When reading this SPECIAL chapter, I would invite you to listen to 'Face Down' by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

Love you

-wise_yet_harmless

ARIANA'S POINT OF VIEW

My head was snapped to the side, the shock of impact registering long before the sharp pain of being hit. I saw Nick, my baby, cover his face with his hands in fear and terror. His overly long black locks hung every which way, touching his tense shoulders. The book he held crashed to the floor just as his feet left it. He ran out of the room so quickly you could have missed it if you blinked. Only when I realized he was gone did I scowl at the man in front of me, curling my hands into fists and taking a defensive stance. The burn in my cheek seemed completely inconsequential to the anger bubbling inside of me.

Jeb however, just scoffed, standing tall and crossing his arms.

"You're pathetic," he spat.

"Pathetic? Pathetic!" I screamed, my whole body tense. "I don't hit women! I don't blame everything on others, you sick, twisted idiot!"

"How dare you?! You will NOT speak to me that way!" Jeb went in for another slap, but I beat him to it, punching him straight in the jaw.

"I have tolerated your lies, your laziness, your rudeness, and even your complete lack of respect, but I will not be abused."

Jeb responded in the least expected way possible: he started to laugh. A humorless, mad laugh that made the hair on my neck stand up.

"Abuse? This isn't abuse, you prick. This is justice. You need to be taught how to act, and I am patient enough to teach you. You'll thank me one day for it, I'm sure. You're nothing, do you understand? Just a small, stupid, woman. Disobedient, but we will take care of that."

He said it so plainly, so nonchalantly like we were discussing a meal plan. Not only did he really believe I could be trained, but that he was going to get away with it. This wasn't the man I married. He was truly, completely gone. This man, this monster was someone else entirely. He was broken, insane, terrifying and...lethal.

I had to get out of here.

With Nicholas and Ella.

Now.

"You're insane," I growled, trying to keep him talking while I formulated a plan for escape. I saw a fire extinguisher in the corner of my eye, hanging on the wall behind Jeb. There was also a rolling pin off to my left. Jeb said something vicious in return, but I didn't hear him. My mind was focused completely on trying to inch towards him enough to grab the rolling pin. He yanked my arm, pulling me in and kissing me roughly. I allowed it, taking the oppurtunity to grab my weapon of choice from the counter top.

When he released me, I stared at him a moment. He, for an instant, had the same tender expression he often wore when speaking to me years ago. His eyes cleared and I almost believed he was back to normal. Almost hoped things could be right again. Almost allowed him to hold me. Almost forgot what he had done.

But I didn't. With a honest and strange battle cry, I swung the rolling pin over my head and onto his cranium. He crumpled to the floor, unsuspecting and unprepared. I then leapt over him to grab the fire extinguisher, it being a more sturdy, formidable weapon. He composed himself enough to trip me up just as my fingers caught the pin on the extinguisher. Both the red can and I went crashing to the floor, foam exploding out onto Jeb and I.

Jeb got foam to the face and couldn't see, giving me time to roll over and grab the fire extinguisher. Just as Jeb regained his sight, I slammed my weapon in the same place as before. He went down more solidly this time, unconscious. I took a few gasping breaths, the extinguisher stilled raised above my head just in case. When he showed no sign of lucidity, I put down the fire extinguisher and thought about what to do.

I couldn't bring myself to call 911. I didn't want Nick to see what had happened or scare him. He was too young for that. I decided to take the man on my floor to the cops myself. They had to believe me. Jeb was out of his mind.

With great effort, I heaved Jeb up by his armpits and dragged him out to my car, accidentally slamming the door behind me.

"Hope that didn't wake anyone up," I muttered, sticking Jeb in the back seat. I started up the engine and drove off, continually looking behind me. Jeb stayed peacefully asleep, his head bobbing around precariously through the ride. As I looked back once more, a bright light in front of me caught my attention. I gasped as I realized I had moved lanes and was about to hit another car. I swerved to avoid them, hitting the brakes. We missed each other, barely.

I took a big breath, staring straight ahead in fear. As I turned to look back, a hand clasped my mouth roughly, causing me to hit the back of my head rest. Jeb's labored breath came into my ears sharply, sending chills down my spine.

"You shouldn't have done that," he whispered. I heard the click of a box cutter before feeling a hot, excruciating, pain in my side. I tried to scream, the sound muffled by Jeb's hand. He pushed the weapon in deeper, causing me so much pain my vision went blurry. Tears pricked at my eyes and I struggled, trying to pull the knife out of me. Jeb's grip was stronger however, and it was no use. Blood poured over both of us, staining our skin.

Finally, Jeb let go, taking the knife out. I was delirious with blood loss, barely able to look down and see the pool of blood in my lap and hands. I heard him get out of the car and open my door. I rolled my head towards him, horrified. I knew I wasn't going to make it. There was no way.

"You...m-monster," I whispered, my voice wavering.

He nodded patiently, as if he expected this.

"You will never learn, will you? Well. This is your punishment."

He then reached under me and picked me up bridal style, carrying me out of the car. I tried to resist, but his grip was much more solid than mine. I gasped at every jostling, every step that hurt more and more. I knew I was going to pass out soon, my fingertips were already going numb.

An eternity passed before he stooped down and set me in the grass, laying me down gently.

"I'm goi-going to..."

"Die, yes. You will not survive a wound like that."

"N-nick...El-Ella..."

Jeb crouched down next to me, looking at me sternly. His outline was fuzzy, but I could still make him out.

"They will be punished for what you have done, unfortunately. But I have hope that they will learn in time to do what you could not. However, if they show the same ungrateful and stubborn attitude of their mother...well, then there will be consequences."

My vision was all but gone and my head spun with such ferocity that I could hardly speak. My grief, my fear and my anger all but consumed as I found the energy to speak three simple words with all the force I could muster.

"Go to...hell."

The last thing I heard was his humorless laugh as he spoke softly to me "all in time, dear. All in time."

Then everything went black.

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RIP ARIANA BATCHELDER

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She never abandoned her children.

She died trying to protect them.

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Thoughts? Let me know how you feel about the real disappearance of Fang's mother and the new, psychotic side of Fang's father. Are you surprised? Angry? Disappointed? Heartbroken?

Does it even matter at this point?

Tell me.