Rot & Romance (Rewriting)

Chapter 100

The first thing Lainey noticed was the body on the floor everyone surrounded.

"What . . . what happened?" she breathed.

"It's a long story," Fawn said, getting to her feet. "What are you doing here?"

Lainey's eyes couldn't stray away from the body.

"Th-There's a body on the fl--"

"Lainey! What are you doing here?"

She looked at Fawn.

"I . . ." She trailed off when she noticed Natalie. "Oh my God."

Natalie gaped at Lainey with seemingly conflicting emotions. One second she stared at her with great affection, as if they shared a strong bond Lainey wasn't aware of. The next second she looked incredibly terrified.

"L-Lainey . . ." she whispered.

Lainey narrowed her eyes.

"You know my name . . ."

Natalie nodded, smiling.

"Yes. I'm Natalie. I'm so happy to meet you. I-I don't even know what to say. I'm your--"

"I know who you are," Lainey said. "You're my ancestor. . . . 'Least that's what I've been told."

Natalie nodded.

"It's true. We're family."

"First time we met, you tried to kill me," Lainey warily said. She nodded at Joseph. "Until that one there saved me."

"I wasn't myself," Natalie quickly nixed. "I . . . I was a victim to the undead curse--in fact, I don't remember anything about our very first meeting. But I'm better now. You're safe around me--please believe me."

Lainey shook her head.

"I . . . can't think about that now." She looked at Fawn. "What happened here? . . . Where's Benjamin?"

* * *

He stopped at the base of a tree, deep into the woods behind the hideout. He figured he'd put enough distance between his friends, the witches and Morrison.

That should give them more than enough time to get to safety if Benjamin were to die as fast as Jules did.

"Who . . . are you?" came Morrison's imperious voice. "Tell me!"

Benjamin turned to face Morrison.

"What, you forget who I am? You've been wanting to kill me for over sixty years and your tenacity has led you here. . . . Well, go on. Kill me and be done with it."

Conflict painted Morrison's face; he stared at Benjamin as if he didn't know whether to kill him or embrace him.

"Come on! KILL ME!" Benjamin aggressively yelled. "Free me from the torment of always looking over my shoulders. Free me from the torment of the lives I've ruined--that I've taken! Free me from the torment of never seeing my family again. . . . What are you waiting for, Ulysses? Only you can kill me. Do it. DO IT!"

* * *

Ulysses Morrison stared into the unapologetic eyes of his youngest son, Emil.

The son he'd killed years ago.

"Go on, Father. Kill yourself. DO IT!" he heartlessly chanted over and over again.

"N-No. You're not here. You can't be," Ulysses stammered.

"How did it feel, plunging the Bone Dagger through my skull and watching me burn into a pile of ashes, Father?" the boy taunted. "What kind of father kills his own son?" The boy shook his head, eyes filled with disgust. "You deserve to die."