Unwound (18 page)

I can't allow you to hurt my sister. We could live here you know,

the three of us. I can program London to never hurt you again and

you could stay here with me. It would be a beautiful life. I

promise there would be no more nightmares and no more harm or

pain, just tell me that's what you want too and I can make it

happen."

I stood there hiding my disbelief in what he was suggesting.

He wanted me to let London live when she had been the cause of

so many deaths of those that really cared for me and be a happy

family together. Edison came closer and put his hands on either

side of my face. Gently he pulled my face closer to his and placed his lips softly against mine.

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I made my move and heard him grunt in surprise. I pulled

myself away from him and looked into his huge, surprised eyes as

he looked down. I had done to him what London had done to me.

The rotary cutter was sticking out of his body, handle deep with

blood rushing out of the wound.

"I want you all to die," I said as he crumpled to his knees.

"But -- I -- Caelum," he gasped out as he put his hands on the handle attempting to pull it out.

I raised my eyes to London who was staring at me in surprise

and fear. I had just mortally wounded her creator and now she

was next.

"London," he said in labored breath, "Run little sister. Run."

He fell to the floor in front of me and I looked down watching

the blood pool around him and the lifeless look in his eyes. For a moment I felt my heart hurting at something so beautiful dying so

tragically but it was what I wanted and I had accomplished it. I

turned my attention away from Edison to London just in time to

see her leap out of the window.

"NO!" I shouted as I ran toward the window in time to see her run at inhuman speeds off of the property and disappear into the

woods.

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I was about to leap out the window after her when I turned

around looking frantically for a weapon and noticed the journal,

my journal in the chair where she and Edison had sat. I ran over

to it and flipped through it until I found the pages that gave

detailed explanations of how to sustain me and collapsed in relief onto the chair.

I had more time now. I would be able to restore myself and

avenge my fallen friends and myself. I would have more time to

find and dispose of London.

Letting out a sigh of relief, I looked over at Edison's body

only to find that it wasn't there anymore. I was confused for a

moment until on the far end of the room I saw Xandy with Edison

over her shoulder give me a deadly stare before she too, leapt

from one of the windows and disappeared with Edison's body into

the wilderness.

"Caelum?" a voice asked timidly.

I looked at the door I had barricaded so well and saw Cassara

standing there looking at me curiously.

"Is she dead yet?" she asked.

"No. She got away. But most of them are dead and I have the

book. Let's burn this place to the ground and get ready to finish

this once and for all," I said to her as I rose from the chair.

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I glanced over at Winter's torn body tossed aside like one of

London's unfinished projects and my heart hurt for her. I picked

up the ravaged beauty and asked Cassara to clear the main work

table and to place one of the unused cloths on it. I wouldn't leave Winter laying on the ground like that.

I placed her gently in the middle of the table and crossed her

fragile, small arms over her chest and ran my hands over her hair.

Behind me I heard Cassara sniffle quietly as I leaned down and

gave Winter a gently kiss on her lips. I knew it was a sign of

affection now and I needed her to know that I did care for her. I

vainly hoped she would feel it in some way.

After I had decided that she was properly cared for now,

Cassara and I began to place kindling around her and throughout

the house. I went back into the room where Winter lay in pieces

and after pouring some kind of strong smelling liquid on the floor around her, I lit a match letting it fall to the ground.

From outside we watched as the fire that would engulf

London's only home and our place of torture raged into an

uncontrollable inferno.

Cassara put her head on my shoulder as we stood there and in

that moment, I became more determined than ever that London

Blackhouse would be dead soon enough.

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