Page 115 of Dreadful

DidI make it all up?

The gardener didn’t know who I was at first, and neither did the driver or the priest. Did they ever know who I was? Did I convince myself that I had the right people? It has been fifteen years, what if I remembered it all wrong? The priest has always said I was a liar, did I make everything up? I thought all those men were gaslighting me, but what if I’m the one who’s wrong?

Every doubt and fear I’ve ever harbored screams to the forefront of my mind. What if I am crazy and all this was in my head? I’ve always believed I was sure, but sitting here, right in front of the man I think did this—

Sev’s hand rests on my shoulder. “Breathe,dolcezza.”

My mind quiets.

When he speaks again, Sev’s voice is full of hate as he glares at the judge’s reflection.

“She’s telling the truth.”

Someone else believes me.

Everything comes into focus.

It was real.

I know I should trust my own memories without Sev’s help. But my mind plays tricks on me sometimes, and God does it feel good to hear that someone else believes me and I’m not alone.

“You only believe her because you’re fucking her!”

Sever leaves my side in an instant and yanks out the razor from the judge’s testicle, only to stab it into the other one. Blood spurts from the wound and leaks down the chair and onto the floor. The judge shrieks and thrashes again, but Sever pulls the razor out and points it at the judge’s weepy face.

“I believe her because I believe the innocent. I believe her because I believesurvivors. Not only that, but Claudio already told you I was there, too. I heard it all. Whenever you’re drunk, I recognize your voice, and Father Lucas confirmed it to Tallie…right beforeshekilled him. You say children are unreliable in your world, but I think your people call Father Lucas’s confession a ‘dying declaration,’ am I right?”

I press the blade deeper into the judge’s skin again and slowly drag it along his pockmarked neck.

“Okay! Alright! I remember you!” He breathes heavily as he tries to gather his words, and his face is already flushed from blood loss. “B-but how are you here? You’re supposed to be dead!”

“I hated you too much to die.” I look up and see Sever’s face in the reflection, watching me with pride. “And now I have something to live for.”

I face the judge again and let all my rage into my expression. “You and Claudio tried to ruin my life. But now I’m going to end yours.” I bear down on the knife and steady my hand.

“Wait! Wait!! Y-you hate Claudio, too, don’t you? How about I give you some information on him? I know ways to bury him in the court system.”

“Ha! I couldn’t give a shit about the ‘court system.’ What has your kind of justice ever done for me? Killing you and Claudio is the only way to end this.”

“No! No, no. Listen! H-he loves that winery of his more than anything! He’s planning on spreading his restaurant business and opening up his personal winery to the public. He’s also using it to hide his bribery and money laundering from the drugs he’s been peddling here. The winery will be a front for all his business as they grow up the northeast, and the whole thing will be a gold mine. If you destroy it by revealing his money laundering schemes, he’ll be done for. I-I’ll even testify if you let me go!”

That last part makes me nervous that Sever will be tempted, but one look at his smug face eases my fears. He chuckles and flicks his razor at the judge’s face, splattering him with his own blood. “Trust me, Dickie. I already have the winery covered.”

My brow raises, and he shrugs at me and smirks.

Oh, I can’t wait to hear about that one.

“P-please, Severino! Be reasonable. Don’t let her do this!”

“I’m notlettingher do anything. You’re lucky my woman doesn’t play with her food like I do, judge. If I had my way, you’d be downstairs swinging from a hook in a meat locker and dickless. But…” Sev waves the razor before moving toward the judge’s bloody crotch. “The last one could still be arranged—”

“Sev, don’t!”

He stops mid-stab.

“Thank you, oh, thank—”

“I don’t want him to pass out before I kill him.”