Corpse Bride (The Novelized Version)

The Other Woman

CHAPTER NINE :

Victor panted heavily as he ran through the forest. He knew he was almost home. The trees were beginning to thin and more stars became visible the farther he ran.
Finally after what seemed like forever, the trees thinned to nothing and Victor could see the bridge and the church and the cemetery. It was here that Victor chose to stop and take a breath- well, several breaths as he had ran the whole way.
Looking back up at the town, from the outskirts it seemed peaceful, but Victor's stomach clenched with the feeling that he'd be entering a battlefield as soon as he got back inside.
A breeze blew up around him, causing goose bumps to appear on his skin. Victor wiped at his nose, which had become runny from the cold.
I hope I haven't caught anything serious. A cold I can deal with, but the flu... that's a different story.
He decided it'd be best to get somewhere warm before he caught something worse.
Victor took his time walking to the town gates, which were never closed; as the town was so isolated, no one ever saw the need to lock them.
He passed over the bridge, the memory of the event that couldn't have happened more than a few hours ago replaying vividly in his mind.
I ran... she pursued... and I had my first kiss...oh God... that was my first kiss...
Victor decided not to count it... for his own sake.
Finally as he approached the gate, he decided to sprint again, hoping the night would cover him and not wanting to be seen by any prying eyes waiting for a good scandal.
He slowed to a stop right outside the Everglots' mansion and walked up the stairs to their front door.
Victor ran a hand through his sweaty hair and dusted some dirt off of his suit's ripped shoulder, took a deep breath to steel his nerves, raised his fist to knock- and stopped short just as he heard Lord Everglot's booming voice behind the door.

"If ever I see that Van Dort boy I'll strangle him with my bare hands!"
It didn't sound as though Lord Everglot was about to serve tea and cakes if Victor were to walk in.
Lady Everglot's voice followed shortly after, "Your hands are too fat and his neck is too thin. You'll have to use a rope."
Victor's eyes widened in fear as he heard the door lock.
He gulped and put a hand to his neck as he backed away as slowly and quietly as possible.
Damn... there goes that. Who else can help me?...
Victor looked around for his parents carriage, which he had only now noticed was missing.
Then he looked across the street hoping they were home, but the windows were dark and the carriage wasn't there either.
"That's peculiar... where could they be? It has to past midnight by now..." Victor mumbled to himself.
"Ugh... who else can I go to?"
He turned around to look at the mansion, exasperated; His eyes wandered up to the dimly lit French window.

And that's when Victor remembered he had Victoria.

~

What's taking so long?

"This is the voice of your conscience."

Huh?

"Listen to what I say..."

Maggot...

"I have a bad feeling about that boy, you know he's-"

Oh for- enough is enough!

Emily hit the side of her head with the butt of her palm until the detestable little green creature had finally been ejected from her ear and into the snow.

"Go chew someone else's ear for a while," Emily scolded, "Victor's gone to see his parents. Just like he said."
She knew she was doubting Victor's whereabouts as well but she couldn't let him know that.
Maggot scoffed and wiped the snow off of his head. "If I hadn't just been sitting in it, I would say that you'd lost your mind!"
Emily gave him a steely gaze. "I'm sure he has a perfectly good reason..." she hesitated and played with the ring on her bony finger, "for taking so long."