Chapter 46:
Confrontation
Ink's and Vallery's memories:
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As the last memory warped and faded to black, a new set materialized as Charlie, Vaggie Carmilla and Sera once again found themselves in Vallery's house….
The young woman was in the middle of cutting out several news articles and had begun to spread them out over her kitchen table, using red yarn to make connections in-between them "there HAS to be a thing they have in common…."
Looking over one of the nearby newspapers she had gathered again, suddenly, her eyes went wide as she realized something "Wait…they all went corrupt….they all abused their position of power!"
As she said this, she grabbed a spool of red yarn and frantically began to connect some of the headlines with the string.
"Mrs. Hickory, Baron Enderthal, city official Darron Hollis…HECK even judge Evergreen!" as she brought her hand to her chin in deep thought "They all had one thing in common….they were revealed to be corrupt after their disappearance…."
Sighing, Vallery would rub her temples "Uhg….what do I know, I'm just a lowly jazz singer….i'm not a detective" when she suddenly heard a chuckle.
Scrunching up her lip, she glared towards her nearby reflection in her tea kettle "Are you done mocking me, Ink? Why don't you just leave me alone?" To this, the figure in her reflection just chuckled as she played with her hair "Oh dear sister, even if I wanted to, I couldn't"
Angrily planting her hands on her kitchen counter, Vallery snarled at her reflection "YOU'RE NOT EVEN REAL, YOU'RE JUST A FIGMENT OF MY IMAGINATION!" to which Ink just threw her head back and laughed before she spoke "Stop talking to me then" in a mocking way.
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The memory would quickly began to warp again as the next thing that came into view was the bayou again, 2 figures stalking an unassuming man in the distance.
"That him?" the unmistakable voice of Ink muttered out as the other figure spoke "Yes, my dear" as the figure who now revealed himself to be Alastor pulled out a knife "Ink, I'll let you do the honors, my dear friend"
That eerie smile once again spread across Ink's face as she took the knife "Alastor my dear friend, you're too kind" before closing the distance, unheard with a terrifying mastery, before slowly sneaking up behind the man, her implement of death at the ready.
She would eagerly tap the man on the shoulder, and as he was startled and turned around, Ink would just give him that uncanny, wide grin as she muttered "….boo…." before clamping one hand over his mouth and driving the blade into his chest.
The man had mere moments to process what was happening before the cold metal of the blade was plunged into his chest and he began to sink to his knees as blood began to flow.
As Ink slowly crawled on top of the man with the glee of a child who just got themselves a new toy, she made quick work of the man's screaming, which were still muffled by her hand as she ran the blade across his throat, his voice now replaced by panicked gurgling as he began to drown on his own blood.
As Alastor approached with a smile, he spoke "A masterful takedown, Ink my dear. Couldn't have done it better myself" as Ink clutched her blade with 2 hands and raised it up, only to repeating plunging it downwards, sending splatters of blood to spray across the ground, her own front and some over Alastor, who just casually sat down on a nearby tree stump "You truly are Vallery's polar opposite, aren't you, my dear?"
However, a shocked gasp would catch his attention….
Looking upon the scene before him….Ink no longer sported that stark black hair….her hair was….ginger….
"Ink, my dear? Are you alright"
Slowly raising her head to meet his gaze….Alastor immediately knew "You're….not Ink…" as he came to the realization that mid stab….Vallery had woken up….and taken back control over the body….
"A….A-Alastor?" A shocked voice eeped out….as Vallery began to take in her surroundings…."Where are we? And why are you covered in blood?" she asked in a shaky voice.
Her eyes went wide which shock as she realized "….wait…YOU'RE the smiling killer….."
Chuckling to himself, he just spoke "Well….you caught me, dear…..but…" as he gestured for her to look down "….i'm not the only killer present here at this time…."
Her body shaking, Vallery slowly brought her gaze downwards….and once she saw the massacre she was sitting atop of…she gasped in horror as she felt sick to her stomach "What….what have I done….."
Jumping up, she began to sprint "I NEED TO GET AWAY….I NEED TO HIDE…."
Just as Alastor wanted to chase after her, he was startled by the sound of howling….hunting dogs in the distance…..shit….deer hunters…
He would quickly jump to his feet as he tried to make a run for it into the opposite direction….but he did not get far….
"There! A big buck!" one of the hunters barked out as he lined up his shot….the next sound that was heard being the ear splitting sound of a hunting rifle….then….silence….
"Holy shit Dave…that was no deer…it's a man….OH SHIT IT'S THE RADIO HOST, ALASTOR…." The first hunter spoke.
"Wait, Barry. Why is he covered in blood splatters? That's not from the bullet, right?" as the other hunter began to survey the area "HOLY SHIT BARRY, THERE'S A BODY HERE…I THINK WE JUST SHOT THE SMILING KILLER!" as the other hunter ran towards him "NO WAY, ALASTOR WAS THE SMILING KILLER ALL ALONG?!"
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Running as fast as her legs could carry her, Vallery was in a blind panic, holding her dress up high as she still tightly clutched the knife "Keep running, keep running, I need to run, I need to HIDE"
Finally making her way back to town, she ignored everything around her, even almost running into ongoing traffic, several old-timey automobile's honking at her, only able to hit the breaks in time just barely as she ran across the busy road with reckless abandon.
Reaching the abandoned cathedral in the old parts of town, Vallery quickly ran inside, slammed the large, wooden doors shut and barricaded them with random clutter she found laying around.
Clutching the sides of her head, the knife she still held glistened as it was hit by a single ray of moonlight that shone through a crack in the ceiling of the old, abandoned building.
"What have I done…..what have I done…I killed a man…." As she suddenly remembered the dirt under her nails….and the dirty shovel….
"….judge Evergreen …Mrs. Hickory… city official Darron Hollis… Baron Enderthal…..it was ME….I was the killer….what have I done"
She was snapped out of this when something in the corner of her vision caught her eye….and as she turned into the direction of a giant mirror….there she stood…..Ink…where her reflection was SUPPOSED to be… "Indeed, what have you DONE?! YOU EXPOSED US!"
Taking a step back in horror, her eyes widened as she realized "It was YOU….YOU KILLED THEM…." To which the stranger in her reflection just laughed "OF COURSE it was ME, foolish girl…." As she began to prowl from left to right like a hungry lion "somebody had to clear the VERMIN off the street, don't you see these monsters were corrupting this city? Poisoning it like a cancer…THAT'S why the police never intervened, they had them in their pocket" as Ink dashed closer and forced her hands against the glass "I simply took it upon myself to do what the others were too afraid to do….too weak…"
"You…..you're a monster…." Vallery whimpered.
Ink just gave her that eerie, manic smile "I was born from your mind….doesn't that make us BOTH monsters?"
Tears running down her cheeks, Vallery threw the knife down to the ground, wildly gesturing towards it, the red of the blood still sticking to the blade "THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANTED! I NEVER WANTED….."THIS"!"
Ink lowered her head and shook it as she sighed in disappointment "Oh Vallery, Vallery, Vallery…..it's a dog eat dog world out there….there's only 2 types of people out there….those who recognize opportunities and those too afraid to seize them….they are but flies….and i….i am the black widow…."
"….you're a fucking monster…." Vallery spoke. Feeling sheer rage bubble in her stomach, she once again picked up the blade "No….i won't let you…..i' putting a stop to this…..here and now…." As she raised the blade, to which Ink's eyes widened "WAIT, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"
Sneering at the monster in her reflection, Vallery just barked out "I'M ENDING YOUR REIGN OF TERROR ONCE AND FOR ALL!"
Still witnessing the memory, Charlie, Vaggie, Carmilla and Sera looked on in shock as the memory of Vallery plunged the blade in her own stomach with reckless abandon and began stabbing over and over.
All the while this happened, Ink would convulse in pain in the mirror's reflection when suddenly, they seemingly switched places.
Having now forcefully taken the wheel, a bleeding Ink was now desperately trying to keep her own guts from spilling out as she wheezed out "YOU….LITTLE….SHIT…..YOU DON'T…GET TO END…..THIS!" as she began to stumble towards the doors….
"Help…..need…medical…help…" The black haired woman hissed through her teeth painfully as she managed to use her last bit of strength to remove the barricades from the doors, before forcefully throwing them open and stumbling outside.
However, in her delirious state, Ink was unable to pay attention, looking up just a little too late, the headlights of an old-timey automobile came into view. Its driver desperately trying to hit the breaks, honking loudly.
"NO!" Ink was barely able to wheeze out before she made impact and her body was contorted beyond recognition under the vehicle…..
Finally able to gain control over his car, the man quickly got out as he rushed to the woman's side "SOMEBODY GET A DOCTOR!"
However, it was already too late. Ink could feel it….the edges of her vision darkening as the world slowly turned cold…
Her body mangled and broken, limbs twisted in unnatural angles, with her last dying breath, she managed to softly whimper out "…..this….was not….how it was….supposed….to…..end…." as she finally bled out….and her eyes glazed over…..
Gasping, Charlie just stood there, looking on in horror as Vaggie tried comforting her by putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.
Behind them, Sera wasn't fairing any better as Carmilla had embraced her into a hug, consoling the angel by gently rubbing the back of her head….as slowly….the last of Vallerie's and Ink's memories began to warp….and the scene once again turned black…..
Once again back in the embassy….Charlie wordlessly collected the last shard "…We…we GOT to separate the 2 of them…..now more than ever…"
All Sera, Vaggie and Carmilla could do was nod in agreement…..