Eight
Violence ahead. You have been warned.
Ella bit back a sigh of frustration as Taylor let out another whimper, wishing the other girl would just be quiet. It would be different if she made the noise every now and then, but it had been constant ever since she had woken up an hour ago. It reminded Ella of a faucet with a slow leak, the drops of water sounding like the beat of a drum. Only this time, it was human cries, which was somehow even worse since Ella couldn't exactly grab a wrench and tighten it until it stopped.
Not that she blamed the other girl for being scared. Hell, Ella was afraid too, but she figured she had somehow become numb to it at this point. Maybe it was because she was used to being a captive, since she had spent two weeks with a deranged killer before she was found. The only difference now was that Ella knew there was no chance in hell she was getting out of this one alive.
No way in the world was she lucky enough to be given another chance of life. It was like tempting fate, and she knew there was only so long you could continue that without paying the price.
Pulling herself up on the mattress she had been laying on, Ella brought her legs up to her chest and hugged them tightly as she took in the girl sitting in the cage next to her. She would have been pretty if not for the streaks of black mascara running down her face. She was dressed in scrubs and her hair was sticking out in all directions from her ponytail. If Ella had to guess, she was either going into or getting off of work when Wesley managed to grab her.
Ella wondered what her story was, knowing she had to have one in order to get his attention.
"You really should drink your water," Ella said softly, noticing that the tray of food and water sat untouched in the other girl's cage.
Taylor glanced at Ella briefly before breaking down into violent sobs that seemed to shake her entire slender frame.
Ella glanced nervously towards the stairs, wondering if Wesley could hear Taylor. She didn't want the other girl to get hurt, though she knew it was inevitable. It wasn't as if Wesley was keeping them there for decoration. "Please, you need to quiet down and keep calm. If you don't, he might come back down here."
That seemed to get Taylor's attention as she quickly quieted down her sobs, wiping at her face with her hands. A few minutes of blessed silence passed between them, giving Ella's headache a slight reprieve. She could almost close her eyes and take a nap, the silence was so peaceful and lulling.
"Where are we?" Taylor whispered.
Ella opened her eyes and moved to the opposite side of the cage so she was sitting closer to the other girl. "I'm not sure. I woke up in here, much like you did."
"Oh, God…"
"What's your name?"
"T-Taylor."
Ella gave her a friendly smile. "Hi, Taylor. My name is Ella. I would say it was nice to meet you, but…"
Taylor let out a choked laugh, giving her a watery smile. "How long have you been here?"
"A few days," Ella said with a shrug. "You really should try to eat and drink something. He won't bring you anything else until tomorrow."
"What does he want with us?"
To kill us, Ella thought, but kept that grim thought to herself. She was sure that Taylor was barely hanging onto her sanity as it was. All it would take was one nudge, and there would be no calming her down again. "I'm not sure of that either."
Taylor grabbed the bottle of water and slowly drank from it as she looked around the basement. Her eyes seemed to widen more and more as they traveled across the room, undoubtedly taking in the other empty cages and medical table that glinted menacingly in the dim light.
"Where are you from?" Ella asked, wanting to distract her.
"Boston," Taylor answered. "But I've lived in Indianapolis for the past few years."
"How do you like it compared to Boston?"
"It's not much different, but I like it." Taylor reached for a banana and slowly ate it. "What about you?"
"Madison—I've lived there my entire life."
"Ever thought about leaving?"
Ella shook her head. "No. I love it too much."
Taylor was silent for a few minutes as she seemed to stare at nothing, a faraway look in her eyes. Ella was about to ask her another question when Taylor suddenly stood up and ran to the cage, gripping the doors tightly as she shook them. "Let me out of here! Please! Just let me go!"
"Stop," Ella hissed, trying to reach through her cage to offer some kind of comfort to the distraught woman. "He's going to come down here if you don't stop!"
"Don't touch me!" Taylor yelled, pulling away from Ella's reach. "Let me out!"
Ella was about to say something else when the door opened with a creak and Wesley's slow footsteps descended down the staircase. Taylor continued to scream and cry, making Ella wish she would just shut up.
Wesley stopped in front of their cages, an amused smile on his face. "Now, now…what's all this racket about in here?" He turned his eyes to gaze at Ella. "Are we not making friends and playing nice?"
"Please," Taylor pleaded, reaching out to him. "Please, just let me go."
"Why would I want to do something like that?"
"My fiancé…he has to be wondering where I am."
"Oh, I'm sure he is," Wesley said with a smile. "In fact, I'm sure he's beside himself, wondering what could have made you run away, especially so close to your wedding day."
Ella's eyes widened slightly as she noticed the diamond engagement ring on Taylor's left hand. She instantly felt sick to her stomach, knowing there was no way Taylor would have that wedding of her dreams.
What sickened her more was that Taylor also seemed to realize it at the exact same time. Suddenly, she began screaming hysterically, her words not even making sense as she pulled desperately against the bars holding her prisoner.
Wesley rolled his eyes, reaching into his pocket to pull out a key. "If you can't keep quiet, Taylor, I'm going to have to cut out your tongue."
"Don't!" Ella yelled to be heard over Taylor's screams, desperate to get Wesley to focus on her.
Ignoring Ella, Wesley unlocked the door to Taylor's cage and pulled her out. Ella had to give the girl credit, she put up quite a fight as Wesley forced her to the table. Letting out a growl, Wesley delivered a savage backhand, stunning Taylor. Scooping her up into his arms, he put her on the table before strapping down her hands and feet.
"What are you going to do to her?" Ella asked, afraid.
"I already told you what I was going to do," Wesley answered with a smile.
Ella gasped loudly. "You're not seriously going to cut out her tongue?"
"Do you have a better idea?" Wesley asked as he brought over a small metal table filled with stainless steel surgical instruments.
"Yes, just leave her alone!"
Wesley chuckled. "I thought for sure you would tell me to let her go."
"I know there's no way in hell you're going to do that."
"And you would be correct."
Taylor let out a moan as she opened her eyes, immediately letting out another ear-piercing shriek as she struggled against the restraints.
Wesley sighed as he pulled on a pair of rubber gloves, looking back at Ella. "Tell me you're not tired of listening to that awful sound."
Ella winced as Taylor continued to scream, giving Wesley the answer he needed.
Picking up a scalpel from the tray, Wesley held it up as he inspected it. "Just think about how much quieter it will be once I remove that pesky little tongue."
Taylor instantly quieted down her screams as she seemed to realize he was telling her the truth. She looked up at Wesley with wide eyes, tears continuing to stream down her face. "Please…I'll be quiet, I promise."
Wesley shook his head as he looked down at her sadly. "I'm afraid I can't trust you, Taylor. You haven't given me any reason to believe you."
"Leave her alone!" Ella yelled, pulling against her own cage.
"Careful, Ella…or you'll be next."
Taylor began to sob softly as she desperately tried to pull against the straps holding her down. "I'll do anything. I swear…"
"I'll make it as slow and painful as I can." Wesley smiled down at her as he pulled a strap down across her head, tightening it so she couldn't move. Next, he put down the scalpel on the tray and picked up some kind of weird metal contraption.
Ella frowned, wondering what the device was for. She soon got her answer as Wesley inserted it into Taylor's mouth before turning a small ratchet on the side, until her mouth was forced wide open. Taylor could now no longer speak, but it didn't stop her from whimpering as Wesley turned around and picked up the scalpel once more.
"What did you put in her mouth?" Ella asked, unable to turn her eyes away. It was a morbid curiosity and one that she would likely regret.
"It's a surgical mouth gag," Wesley answered with a smile. "Dentists use it all the time. Of course, it's used for other things as well…"
Ella shuddered, not wanting to guess what else it could be used for.
Wesley reached into Taylor's mouth with a pair of forceps and extended her tongue as far out as it would go. He turned to look at Ella. "Make sure you pay close attention, Ella. This is what will also happen to you if you decide to misbehave."
Taylor let out a pitiful sound, pulling against her restraints, making Ella wish there was something she could do to help her. But there was nothing, not with her locked in a cage. She was helpless to do anything to help the unfortunate woman on the table.
Even though Taylor couldn't speak, Ella would never forget the sound of Taylor's strangled screams as Wesley began to cut out her tongue out. It would haunt her for the rest of her life, which if she was lucky, wouldn't be for much longer. Ella couldn't stop the sobs that wracked her body, hugging herself tightly as she tried to tear her eyes away from the horrible sight. More than anything, she wanted to close her eyes, but for some unknown reason, they remained open and glued to what was happening across the room.
Finally, after a few more minutes, Wesley stood up to his full height, holding the tongue up proudly as if it was a trophy. Though Ella tried to fight the bile rising up her throat, she couldn't stop herself from retching in the small toilet that was in the cage with her. She kept throwing up until there was nothing left her in stomach but a throbbing ache.
"Have some water," Wesley's soft voice said from beside her.
Ella reached blindly for the water, only to be met with something wet and slimy. Jerking her eyes open, she let out of a blood-curdling scream as she saw the tongue sitting in Wesley's outstretched hand.
She had just touched a friggin' tongue! A human tongue, for God's sake!
"What's wrong, Ella?" Wesley asked, frowning as he pulled the offensive item away. "You seemed very interested as I was cutting it out of her mouth. I thought you would have wanted to see it."
"You're sick…" Ella said, choking on a sob.
"I suppose I am," Wesley said thoughtfully as he took a step back from her cage.
Ella glanced past him to see Taylor was still conscious, choking on her own blood as she tried to turn her head to the side, but the strap across it was hindering her efforts.
"She's choking," Ella said softly.
"Yes, I believe she is," Wesley agreed. "Should I do something about it?"
"What the hell do you think?"
Wesley's blue eyes flashed angrily before he slowly smiled. "Yes, I suppose I should do something to ease her discomfort."
Before Ella could figure out what he was going to do, Wesley took the scalpel and thrust it across Taylor's throat, silencing any other sound she could have made. Ella watched in horror as the other girl's blood dripped onto the floor, covering the cement in crimson.
"Oh, God…" Ella said, holding her hand over her mouth in horror.
"I put her out of her misery," Wesley said with a shrug. "Of course, this now means that I have to find someone to take her place."
"No…"
"Oh, yes." Wesley put the tongue down on the surgical tray before turning back to Taylor's chest and cutting away her top.
"What are you doing?"
"She has something that I need." Making a slow incision into her chest cavity, Wesley worked silently for a few minutes, using his body to block what he was doing. Finally, he straightened up, holding something bloody in his hand.
"Her heart…" Ella whispered when she noticed what he was holding.
"Precisely." Taking two jars from a shelf, he put each of the organs in their own container. Ella noticed it was filled with a clear liquid. "It would be best that you warn the others what will happen to them if they misbehave, Ella."
"Others?"
"Of course," Wesley said with a chuckle. "You don't think I have all these cages here for nothing, do you?"
Ella paled at the implication of his words. He wasn't done, not by a long shot. There would be others here with her, and likely, they would meet the same fate as Taylor. She couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't killed her yet.
"You're not going to leave Taylor here, are you?"
"For a while. I want it to sink in for you, Ella. I want you to take what you've seen and learn from it." He pulled off his gloves, tossing them into a trash can as he reached over and slid Taylor's engagement ring off her finger. "Do you think you can do that, Ella?"
"Yes…"
"That's a good girl," Wesley said approvingly.
Taking the two jars with him, Wesley made his way back up the staircase, closing Ella up once more. Once she was alone, she finally allowed herself to break down and cry. Not only at the heinous death of Taylor, but for herself as well.
She had to face the truth—she wasn't getting out of here alive.
Putting down the jars on the kitchen counter, Wesley went over to the sink to wash the little bit of blood that had gotten on his hands. If there was one thing he didn't like, it was to be dirty. Even a smudge of dirt would cause him great distress. He supposed it had something to do with his parents, always instilling in him to take the time and effort to look his best.
Some habits just never seemed to die.
Once he dried his hands, he picked up the jars and walked to his study where a Styrofoam cooler box was waiting. He made quick work packing up the precious cargo, taking care to make sure it was protected from any possible accidents. It would be a shame for the jars to break before they reached their final destination.
He could only imagine the look on Nancy's face when she opened her up her latest present. He knew sending another spider to her would only seem redundant—he wanted to keep her guessing, never knowing what he might surprise her with next.
Once he sealed the box, he wrote out her address, knowing he couldn't risk going into her apartment once again. No doubt, security had been alerted to his presence. Not to mention, the Hardy brothers would be keeping a closer eye on her, especially after the phone call with Frank.
Reaching into his desk drawer, he pulled out the pair of panties he'd taken from her drawer, holding it tightly as he rubbed them against his cheek. Wesley knew he couldn't wait much longer to take her. He would make sure that she wore the lacy undergarments, imagining how her slender body looked in them.
Sure, Ella managed to keep him entertained, but she was just a substitute for who he really wanted.
But for now, the gifts would have to do.
I know you were beginning to worry about me since Wesley hadn't killed anyone so far. And since I'm evil, you know I had to make the first one gruesome…and the end of the chapter creepy as hell.
Thank you to all of the wonderful reviewers: max2013 (Thank you! Glad you're enjoying it!), Michelle Gallichio (Wesley also kills people who annoy him…and I would never kill the Hardys!), Stork Hardy (Welcome! I am so happy you love it! Sorry you've been without the internet—I couldn't make if it happened to me!), MinecraftDanny (Thank you so much! That really means a lot to me!), Caranath (Get well already! I miss the wit and snark!), SC15 (Nancy is back, especially when she can banter with Joe!), Cupcake (Glad you loved the bitchy comment…gotta love Joe!), catlover1033 (Three weeks…that's so long to wait! I'll only forgive you if you enjoy yourself!), FreshKicks (Thank you! Glad you like it!), and misslady92 (There won't be any mistakes from Wesley for quite a while…)
I love you guys so much!
I apologize for any mistakes and let me know what you think!
