Pursuing Heaven

Nathaniel.

Whirl-churn

Whirl-churn

Whirl-churn

The all too familiar scent of scorched hair and flesh ticked Audrey Rose's nostrils. She knew what was happening, as it had happened several times before.

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Whirl-churn

The hum grew louder, it was like a sick sort of orchestral performance.

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The machine hisses grew louder, growling at Audrey Rose. The steam-powered machines were something out of a nightmare.

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Her poor mother's body still lies on that cold metal slab. Her hair was matted, her skin was almost completely stolen away by decay, save for the numerous patches of skin who is the owner is nowhere to be found. Her mother was no longer that; her mother.

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The machines were working even harder now. A light mist painted the room. Audrey Rose wondered how long until the machines took their final breath until this nightmare would end.

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The dim lights that gifted Audrey Rose comfort in the dank basement began to blink. Audrey Rose has never been more unaware of her surroundings. She's always had a sharp eye, but now that was ripped away from her. She wanted to curl up, to wrap her arms around herself like the coward she was, but the restrains that permanently married her to the chair.

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Tears slid down Audrey's already tear-stained cheek. The lights stopped blinking as if they now were asleep. Audrey stares at the void that now overthrew the familiar cement walls.

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Whirl-churn

The lights had sprung back to consciousness, Audrey Rose was no longer as blind as a bat.

But it wasn't over, as Audrey Rose saw her beloved brother standing over her mother ruined body, syringe in hand. The wicked grin that crept upon Nathaniel's thin lips.

"What is wrong, dear sister? Do you not like my gift?"

She shook her head violently, "No, Nathaniel! Look at what you have done to mother! Nathaniel, we can make this better, you can put this all behind you." She wanted this to end, more than anything. She wanted her mother back alive, but not like this.

Nathaniel threw his delicate bloodstained gloves onto the slab where Mother lie.
"This is for you. All of it! All for you! Are you not grateful for my gift?"
Audrey Rose let a sob escape her lips, "Nathaniel, this is wrong. These women didn't deserve to die."

Right on cue, Nathaniel grasped his golden locks of hair in frustration, "These women didn't deserve to live! They were whores! No one will miss them, but dear sister, their sacrifice is for the greater good; bringing Mother back!"

Sacrifice is what Nathaniel called it, but it was just brutal murders and not sacrifice.

Nathaniel prowled over toward Audrey Rose,
"It's okay, dear sister. Mother will be here soon." He caressed Audrey Rose's tear-stained cheek. Despite all Nathaniel had done, his grip was still gentle, still delicate. His hand receded from her cheek as he drew his body back.

He began circling her, a predator and their prey. Examining her. Planning. He was a wolf and she was the small feeble fawn. She couldn't keep her eyes on him, he was always moving. She needed to be alert, but alas, that was impossible.

After what seemed like the hundredths circle he finally failed to step into her direct vision. She squirmed, she knew what was next.
His arm vas now visible, syringe directly pointed at Audrey's central chest. Her heart. Anything but her heart. Anyone knew the heart was necessary for practically all life functions. Perhaps he would find trouble locating the correct spot in her chest cavity where her heart resided. But then again, he has been cutting open bodies for God knows how long. She needed to survive, for Liza, for Uncle Johnathon for Father. His other arm kept Audrey's neck from moving, had her neck locked in place. "Stop squirming! It won't hurt, I need fresh blood, sister."
"Nathan—"
Nathaniel plunged the syringe directly into her heart.
The metal glided through her skin. The cold pierced her chest. He struggled to get the needle in, but it was now in.
All she knew how to do was scream and sob. Audrey Rose let out an agony filled scream.

Audrey Rose awoke in a pool of her own perspiration, and perhaps tears. A strong set of arms held her right. She had her own arms wrapped around her chest, probably her mind trying to protect her body from that blasted nightmare. But who did those arms belong to? She couldn't see as she was facing opposite of where those arms originated. Nathaniel? Her heart began racing as if this were one of the local horse marathons.

"N-" she began only to be cut off by a tender squeeze from those arms.
"Audrey Rose?" The voice said, half asleep. But Audrey Rose could recognize that intoxicating voice anywhere. That bit of swagger, yet sarcasm were permanently apart of his voice. Thomas's voice. She let a make weep in response, expecting some sort of criticism. But instead, Thomas just scooped her up and repositioned her so she was facing him. He looked into her eyes, with that sort of softness that was rare for a Cresswell.

"I'm here, and I'm yours. It's going to be alright, Wadsworth," He promised.

That signature sass and humor once again navigated its way into his face. A smile crept across his face.

"I should probably stop calling you "Wadsworth", Wadsworth... You won't be a Wadsworth for long," He tapped his wrist, his invisible watch. "You'll be a Cresswell soon, in only a month."

Oh yeah, the wedding. In a month, it seemed so far, yet so close. Her thoughts drifted to her wedding dress, the one Liza helped pick out. The same dress that was hanging in the wardrobe in their very room.
Audrey Rose wiped her tears and pulled Thomas in closer. Her last name would no longer be connected to the Ripper case.

Soon.
She'd become a Cresswell soon.