A Cure for the Blind

Chapter 16 - The Animal Inside

Chapter Sixteen

The Animal Inside

Once again, the night bore witness to dark behaviors. Once again, it provided shelter and protection for the sinners of the world. Once again, it provided the right stage for everything that should end.

Ethel made sure the hood of her cloak covered her face in full. She would not be recognized. She provided small comfort and support for the drunken man she was almost carrying. He had his face hidden as well, she had made sure her scarf and his hat covered his features as effectively as hers were. He would not be recognized.

It was difficult to help the man walk, but harder than that, was making him do it in silence. They moved together in the shadows, almost like they were one with them. Ethel made sure no one saw them and, if they did, they would never know who they were.

It was all happening as it should be - she had left The Black Cat long before, leaving Graham strict instructions to only leave the bar after an hour had passed. The man, as predicted, had failed to understand the instructions - but they were ready. Victor, seeing Octavius ready to leave too soon, had brought Nicholas to the bar's balcony and proceeded to entertain the man. Victor and Nicholas paid him drinks for at least an hour. Meanwhile, Ethel had been waiting, strategically hidden.

When Victor had deemed it long enough, he had secretly instigated him to leave, staying behind with an already more than cheerful Nicholas. Ethel had no difficulty in finding him, already fully cloaked.

For all intents and purposes, Octavius Graham had arrived alone at The Black Cat and he had left on his own as well.

After a long and troublesome walk, they finally arrived at their destination - the back door of the von Mallesch mansion. Unlike the front door, which was shamelessly sided to one of the city's roads, the back door faced a dark and narrow street that was barely used anymore - unless by other people with twisted intentions. She was relieved to see that no one was there and, due to the solid darkness, even if there was someone, they'd never be able to recognize them.

She quietly opened the back gate, which she had already left unlocked, ignoring Graham's silly remarks and drunken stupor. They walked inside the back garden and entered the house by one of the tall windows that had also been left open. Ethel dropped him in the couch with little care, Graham not even quite realizing where he was. She lighted some of the lamps and was relieved to notice that Preshea had done as told - she had left.

"Come here, lovely creature," Octavius mumbled with a stupid grin that disgusted her.

"I'll be right back, don't go anywhere," she told him in a playful tone. Ethel didn't wait for his reply. She quickly made for the stairs and walked to the children's room. When she opened the door, she found Joshua already deep asleep and Alice still awake, seeing as the young girl immediately sat up in her bed. She looked at Ethel with those impossibly strong blue eyes, not revealing a thought and showing no feeling.

Ethel walked towards her, trying not to wake Joshua. She sat on the girl's bed and looked at her straight in the eye.

"Try to fall asleep," she whispered, "and if you can't, no matter what you hear, no matter how you feel or what you think, don't leave this room. You don't leave this room and you don't let Joshua leave this room. Understand?"

Alice only nodded, her expression still unreadable. Ethel was left wondering if the girl suspected of what was about to happen. She brushed her fingers through the girl's hair and whispered again, "Try to sleep."

She left, without looking back and closing the door behind her.

She returned downstairs and everything she had been inside that room stayed there. What was left was perfectly illustrated in her renewed, twisted smirk. She contemplated her victim. He was still waiting for her in the couch.