Beneath The Blackwood Sky | ✓

Alternate Epilogue

T W O   Y E A R S   L A T E R

OLIVIA'S GRIP ON THE KNIFE TIGHTENED. She knew it was futile the moment she saw Shailene fighting, but it brought her the reassurance she desperately needed. Beads of sweat slid down her face as Shailene sat in front of her, a smirk crossing her face when she saw the knife.

Shailene showed no signs of tiredness for someone who just beat the hell out of two guards who threatened her to tell everything to the cops. Her face was caked with makeup, her red coloured lips curling with amusement.

Olivia began cutting the ropes binding her, frowning when Shailene didn't do anything to stop it. "I swear to god," Olivia began. "If something happens to my girlfriend, I'll kill you."

Shailene snorted, "Everyone loves this sentence, apparently. I said the same thing to a guy called James. And he's dead now." A pleasant expression crossed her face.

Olivia glared at Shailene, "I know everything Vyper did. It was on the news after James died. Two years ago, everything in Blackwood was orchestrated by Vyper. But before the news came out, when workers in Vyper started dying, Mia and I started looking into those deaths. You've only killed specific people working in Vyper, always in the same manner. A fire. But you never hurt anyone except for them. You made sure they'd be alone in their house, then set fire or a bomb. And James, the CEO, died with a glass piece protruding from his chest: excess blood loss being the cause of death. So this was obviously for revenge."

Shailene's face was a mask of smugness. Olivia's fist tightened with anger, "All we did was just look into these deaths. Leave us alone. If something happens to Mia..."

"Sure. You're welcome to go. As long as you won't tell any of this to the police."

"No."

Shailene smiled sweetly, "Okay, then. Have it your way. How'd you like your girlfriend's death? A bomb or a glass piece?"

"Don't you dare-"

"A bomb or a glass piece?"

"You really don't like a prison, don't you? You flinched when I mentioned it earlier," Olivia said, stalling for time as she continued to cut the ropes.

Shailene winced again, "Oh, so you like staying in prison even though you didn't do anything? When you're being framed for the deaths of everyone you loved? When you're terrified of the darkness, and the prison is always dark? When a small sound that resembles the sound of flicking on lighter leaves you gasping for breath and the cops keep smoking? Every time you wake up, you keep remembering that someone killed your mother, your best friends, and the guy you loved, and is living out there happily? I think you'd understand it better if you experience it."

Olivia's breath hitched at the threat, and she diverted the topic. "You used to go by the name Shay."

"Does it matter? The people whose lips shape that name are no longer here."

Olivia looked at Shailene when she sensed the strong emotion behind the words. Olivia slowly said, "I know you did this for them. I've found out everything about you. I can see that you're still human, not some crazy death machine wanting revenge. I saw you hesitating as you punched those guards, still see your hesitance when you are speaking. I-"

Shailene took a deep breath, "You want to know why I'm doing this? Those words you said before? I'll kill you? I said them to a guy who killed people I loved. He said that I'd become someone like him in the process of getting revenge, and here I am. Voila. I'm him."

Olivia shook her head, "No. You aren't him. I've been observing the way you are behaving. Your actions seem like they have been copied from someone. It's like you are doing this because he said this. How do I put it? Think of a mother scolding a child that he's a liar even though what he's saying might be partly true. The next time he lies, it mostly is because of what his mother said. He'd keep it in his mind that he's a liar, and the next time he lies, he thinks that what his mother said is justified. He believes that he is a liar because of his mother's words and does it the next time without hesitating because he accepted it."

Shailene's eyebrows creased. Olivia groped for better words to explain, "Or a better example, think of a jealous ex-boyfriend of a girl telling her current boyfriend that there's no way the current boyfriend would be in a relationship for a long time because he's hot-tempered. The current boyfriend would remember these words. He'd start doubting himself that he might blow the relationship because of his temper. The next time he shouts at his girlfriend, the doubt would be confirmed. He'd start believing that their relationship would end because of his temper, and soon, it would if he continues believing the words."

She scrambled for words, "What I'm saying is, the same thing is happening with you. You believe that you'd kill innocent people as you're now done with your revenge, just because he said those things."

Shailene's calm mask shattered. Fat tears descended down her cheeks as she shuddered violently, "I'm not proud of the person I've become. I've killed them ruthlessly with the hope that it would make me feel better. I thought that once I kill them, I'd get- I don't know, peace maybe? Peace that I've finally brought justice to my family. But no. There's this- this emptiness inside me, the grief which is threatening to swallow me whole. And what you said is true, Olivia. I've realized it now. Sure, I'm doing this to bring justice to my family's deaths, but maybe if it weren't for the words he told, maybe I'd give myself some time to get over their deaths or accept it and then do something. But I rushed into this whole ordeal, killing them brutally because of James' words."

Olivia felt pity for the weeping woman in front of her. She'd stumbled across some pictures of Shailene when she'd been investigating with Mia. Shailene looked very happy in the picture, her smile gentle and loving. There had been a guy beside her who had been looking at her with infinite tenderness, five people surrounding her with matching grins, a cute dog. She had been someone who had everything, and after getting involved with some things, everything was snatched from her.

Broken sobs came out of Shailene's mouth, "They'd be ashamed of the person I've become. Every time I look up, I see his beautiful haunting green eyes, looking at me with so much sadness. But I kept convincing myself that I was doing it for him, for them. But..."

Olivia freed herself. She approached Shailene, rubbing her back. Never did she think that she'd be sympathising with a ruthless killer, but she first noticed Shailene's behaviour. It seemed like she had been copying someone. Then everything made sense. The puzzle pieces fit together to form a clear picture.

Olivia's eyes trailed to the wall. In the next room, just a few paces away from her, Mia was held as a prisoner. Shailene's dull blue-grey eyes fixed on Olivia, "I'm so sorry, I just- As you said, it was like I did it just because he said it. I'm so, so sor-" Shailene broke off, sobs wracking her body.

Olivia continued patting her back. Shailene caught hold of Olivia's hand, "I didn't mean to do it. I'm so sorry. I killed her."

Olivia's heart lurched, "What?"

Shailene's voice was miserable, rising a few octaves with emotion. "I killed Mia."

"No." Olivia's feet staggered backwards. "No, no, no." She crumbled onto the floor, her hands flying to her mouth as she screamed. "No, no, please," she begged. "Please," she said again, clawing her hands at her neck, retrieving the necklace Mia had gifted.

"No," she screamed again. Olivia didn't know for how much time she stayed curled up on the floor, whimpering for Mia. She stood up then, her legs carrying her to the next room. There Mia was, lying on the floor looking pale. Olivia took Mia's limp body into her arms and swore to destroy Shailene.

T  H  E     E  N  D 

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A/N: Oh my god, I can't believe that I completed writing a whole novel. And here you go, here's the alternate ending. I know, this ending is supposed to be kinda cryptic.

I'm curious, which ending did you like better?

I've written this because this ending was more realistic, but personally, I like the original one better.

Thank you sooooo much for staying with me till the end of the journey. I love you guys so much, you are amazing. I'm grateful for every read, every vote, every comment, and every second you guys spent reading my story.

Love y'all <3

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