Page 23 of Ashes to Ashes

When she looks up she is confused, “Cala?”

“Hi Mom. Do you like the place?” I gesture around the small cabin.

She is still trying to figure out what is going on, “What are you doing?”

Daze finds a chair for me to sit down in right in front of her, “I’m making things right. Don’t you think it’s time?”

“What are you talking about?” she asks, but I notice the fear in her eyes.

“I think you know why. Who is Savannah to you?” And there it is, the panic instantly appears in her gaze.

“You don’t know anything about that,” she whispers.

“Maybe not the whole story, but I know enough. I know that you neglected me. When I was bullied, you brushed it off. But you were always a bully. Right, mother?”

She is panicking now, “Cala, I’m so sorry for the mistakes in the past. Let me fix it.”

I snort, “That’s the same thing dad said until his demise.”

Her mouth opens and her eyes widen, “What did you do?”

I shrug, “I made it right. And you’re going to join him.”

Without warning, I take off my heel and slam it into her eye. The blood, the screams, I do wince a little. That was a lot, even for me. “You little…” she sputters.

“Watch your mouth,” Daze snaps as he slaps her across the face. I give him a grateful smile.

“It’s time you paid for your sins,” I say as I pull my heel out, taking her eyeball with it. Gross, but I manage.

Hunter hands me a knife and I start making small cuts all over her body, enough to bleed, but not so much that she’ll bleed out too fast.

“Let me take care of your eye.” I say it sweetly but I’m sure my face says other things. Turning around, I go to grab my favorite weapon of choice.

Mom tries to back away, but the guys hold the chair in place. Daze lights my torch and I place it over the hole where her eye used to be. She screams in horror and pain as I laugh, “This is for how you’ve treated others in the past. For Savannah, for me, for everyone you’ve hurt. How does it feel to be on the other side, mother?”

She screams, but I don’t relent. She slumps in her seat, the cuts bleeding slowly as her heart finally comes to a stop. I want to go on, but there’s somewhere I need to be.

Hunter helps me stand and I change into my jeans, tee shirt, and tennis shoes.

“I need to be somewhere, I don’t know why, but I just have a feeling.”

Hunter nods, “We’ll take care of this.” Daze stabs her in the heart and wipes the blood on her dress, ensuring she can truly never hurt another person again.

Peck steps in front of me, “Whatever happens, we will be here when you come back or if you need us.” He kisses me, a sweetkiss and for some reason the old me peeks out. I needed that—reassurance.

Daze takes his place, palming my cheek, “Go, take care of what you need to do. You have a calling somewhere.” He leans down and kisses me like I’m his last breath. I want more, but the feeling is getting worse.

Hunter steps up, kissing me hard, “You’ll need this.”

He hands me my doll.

We’re ready.

Yes, we are. I know how.

I leave them to their work, setting out to where the feeling takes me, where my mind is pulling me to—the mansion in the distance.

Along the way, as I hum my favorite nursery rhyme, the guys light the cabin on fire. I can feel the flames, hear the wood crackling and it makes me smile. During the trek, I see others just like me; with their dolls in hand, knowing that we need to return to our creator.

Time to go home.

Continue reading the Nightmares on Lull Lane shared world with The Threads of Fate by Amaya Jax.