CHAPTER 16

Daniella was about to say her good-bye to Edward once more, but her stomach clenched when she heard the door swing open, and her mother came in, walking cautiously. Oh right, mother's still alive, Daniella thought, oddly calm.

"Daniella," Gloria turned to her daughter and the man she was dancing with, oddly back in the same costume he wore. One look at her and Daniella knew she had seen Dora's body. Her eyes turned to the stage to see her son lying in a pool of blood, and she screamed. "Dandy!"

She whimpered like a beaten dog as she ran to her son's corpse. "Oh Dandy," Gloria sobbed. "My darling, little son!"

Edward looked at Daniella incredulously, and she shrugged. Why am I not surprised? Daniella thought, wondering at how little she cared for Dandy's death.

Gloria continued to sob uncontrollably, ignoring the other two. Finally, as though someone threw a rock at her, she threw Daniella a sharp glance. "What on earth did you do to your brother?!"

Edward opened his mouth to defend Daniella, but Daniella silenced him with one stare. "My fault?"

"Obviously—your brother is DEAD." Gloria wailed. "What infernal things did you do while I was away?"

"Me?" Daniella approached her mother, standing tall before her. "Have you seen what that monster did to Dora downstairs?"

"BECAUSE HE'S BORED!" Gloria yelled defensively. "And Dora was a great housekeeper but she was disrespectful to Dandy—of course she had it coming."

"Bored?" Daniella screamed. "And you think that's okay enough of a reason to kill a person?"

"Dandy's been bored for a while now, I didn't expect he'd explode this way." Gloria whined. "I told him a girl of his own would ease his boredom-but no, you had to force him, force me, to cancel his date with the Lipton girl just to watch that god-awful show. Besides, he didn't get the life you had—leaving the family home to do what you pleased your whole life. I'm surprised you're even still here."

"Is that how you remember it?" Daniella asked, frustrated at how dense her mother was. "I left to do what I wanted? Mother, you locked me in a boarding school! You tried to control my life and who to marry and how to live! Of course I wanted to leave! You fucking spoiled Dandy, that's why he's such a wreck."

Tears were streaming down Daniella's eyes, memories of her unhappy life resurfacing. Edward wanted to comfort Daniella, to kiss her and tell her that everything would be alright. But there was something about Daniella he couldn't pinpoint, something about her that assured him it was okay to watch on without assisting her.

"No matter." Gloria said quietly, as though Daniella had said nothing of importance. She stood up as she slowly pulled the knife from Dandy's hand. "Someone has to take the fall…and I will not let my son's name be ruined by his freak of a sister—but I'll need prints first."

Gloria Mott was the first one to see the change in her daughter's eyes. Holding the blade, she handed the knife's handle to her internally—both in mind and body, Gloria thought spitefully—deformed daughter. Daniella's eyes widened as she knew what Gloria was making her do. Gloria saw the anger leave her daughter's eyes, and was replaced by something else—something deeper she could not pinpoint. Gloria thought it was Daniella's way of looking like a sad dog, begging for mercy, but she snorted. Such a waste, quite lovely in the eyes, but such a rotten girl. She's a Mott, at least, so she'll get good arrangements before the electric chair.

"Fine." Daniella took the knife, pressing her thumb on the handle.

"Daniella!" Edward cried bewilderedly. "Don't!"

Daniella gave him a blank stare, smiling ever so slightly. "Don't worry, Edward." She gave a half-smile. "I know what I'm doing."

She turned to her mother, looking triumphant as she managed to get rid of her freak of a spawn. Or so you think, Daniella thought vindictively. With one swift stroke, Daniella slashed her mother's throat, unflinching as the blood splattered all over Daniella's face and upper body, completely soaking her in blood.

Gloria croaked as the blood spurted out of her throat, looking at her daughter, drenched in her own mother's blood, smiling vindictively, unflinching as the blood continued to soak her. She felt pain, but then slowly felt nothing and eventually, became nothing.

Edward looked on, silently stunned, silently amazed. Behind him, he heard laughter.

It's over. Daniella thought, calmly, happily. It's all over now.

And then she realized it was all over, including Edward's time in her world.

Edward walked to Daniella's side, staring down as Gloria Mott's body together as it twitched its last ounces of blood out before it stopped. Edward wordlessly slipped his hand in hers. "What shall you do now?" Edward asked glumly.

"I don't know." Daniella shrugged. "I'll survive—possibly thrive."

Now returned, Edward realized how much harder it was to say goodbye now that Daniella needed him more than ever, even if she pretended to be fine. But he would respect this girl's courage and bravery: if she said she could do it, then he knew she sure as daylight that she could do it. "I do not wish to leave you just yet." He confided quietly.

"I never wanted you to leave." At that, Edward pulled Daniella closer, smearing himself in blood as he took her and kissed her passionately. The fates kept telling him to come back to her—was that supposed to mean something? Edward wondered.

"I'm so proud of you, my love." Edward thought. So am I, It said gleefully. "But in my eyes, you're not a freak. You're perfect.'

"As are you." Daniella hugged him.

Edward looked around, examining the carnage that was Dandy's playroom. "What are you going to do now?"

Call the police and turn myself in? Hell no. "I'll think of something." She promised, though she knew that she had to be very careful if she were to walk away from all of this.

"I will miss you, Daniella." Edward pulled for the final final kiss goodbye. "More than you can imagine."

"Goodbye, Edward." Daniella smiled, trying to keep her spirits up. It's hard enough to see him leave once, let alone twice. But I must move on.

Edward tipped his hat and walked out the double doors of Dandy's playroom, deciding not to look back in fear that he would never leave until the last moment, which would hurt even more since the deadline wasn't of their choosing. Outside, his troupe awaited him quietly. Sighing, Edward snapped his fingers and the two old male carnies passed behind him and closed the door.

Daniella stood quietly in the room, hearing nothing on the other side. Seconds later, she remembered something, gasping at her mistake. "Edward!"

She turned the knob of the door, but it was jammed. Daniella tried busting the door open, scratching herself by the broken bits Dandy made, but she was too weak to make a difference. "Edward, wait!" She called out, but heard no response.

Desperately, Daniella kicked the door open, and it came off its hinges easily. I forgot to tell Edward that I loved him back, she realized just seconds ago. Stupid, stupid, stupid—I only said goodbye! "Edward?"

He was gone. Daniella Mott was all alone.