Page 124 of Can You Take It?

“Izel,” he says. “Time for your lesson.”

My stomach churns as he holds the knife out to me. I back away, shaking my head. “No, please, Victor. Don’t make me do this.”

Victor’s smile widens. “You’ve already killed her.” He shoves the knife into my hands, the weight of it feels foreign and terrifying. “This is just the next step. You need to learn how to dispose of a body.”

A lanky man steps forward. His face is a mask of indifference as he takes the knife from me, turning it over in his hands. “This is a special knife, Izel,” he says. “The handle is made from snakewood. It's strong and durable. Perfect for the job.”

Tears stream down my face as I look at Isla’s lifeless form. “I don’t want to do this. I didn’t want to kill her in the first place!”

“You think you have a choice? This is your life now, little girl. And it's about to get worse. Charles, do me a favor and teach her how to use a fucking knife.”

Charles kneels beside Isla’s body, motioning for me to join him. “It’s important to make precise cuts. Start at the joints. The handle will give you a good grip, even if your hands get slippery.”

I choke back a sob, my vision blurring as I kneel beside Charles. “I can’t... I can’t do this.”

Victor’s voice is a harsh whisper. “You will do this, or I’ll make sure you regret it.”

With shaking hands, I press the knife against Isla’s shoulder. Charles places a firm hand on mine, guiding the blade. “Apply more pressure. You need to cut through the muscle and tendons.”

The knife slices through flesh, and bile rises in my throat. I gag but Charles doesn’t let up. “Focus. You need to keep your mind clear.”

I sob openly now because each cut is adding a new wound to my soul. “You’re doing great, Izel. Keep going.”

Charles continues to instruct me. “Now move to the legs. Remember, precise cuts.”

I want to stop, to run away, but there’s nowhere to go. Victor and Charles have made sure of that. And now, I’m being molded into a monster, just like him.

Charles hands me a cloth to wipe the blade. “You did well. It gets easier with time.”

I look down at my blood-stained hands, feeling a numbness spread through me. “I don’t want it to get easier.”

Chapter 33

RICHARD

“Her mother joined that crazy cult and disappeared. She’s dead, Luna. We all know that,” I scoff.

“Do we? Do we know that for sure? Where’s the body, Rick? What cult did she join?”

Her words make me pause. I’ve been so certain, but now I’m not sure. “What are you getting at? I don't speak Lunatic.”

She takes a deep breath. “When you concluded that the Slasher, Billy Brooke and our Ghostface Striker are somehow related, I started digging. My dad was a cop in Hollowbrook. Years ago, a girl named Izel walked into the police station, claiming that she and her mother were held captive. Ava Montclair left Isla on the stairs of Victor’s mansion, and Victor and his wife took her in and raised her. The Montclairs were a big name in Hollowbrook, and my father knew Isla well. But when this girl, claiming to be Izel, showed up, everyone thought she was just a runaway because she was spitting image of Isla. She kept insisting her name was Izel, but no one believed her. My father dropped her back at the Montclairs, but it bugged him.Isla’s medical records never mentioned a scar, but Izel had one on her stomach.”

“Wait,” I interrupt, my mind racing. “Are you saying...?”

Luna nods slowly, confirming my worst fears. “Yes. Izel and Isla are twin sisters. Two different people. And the one we know as Izel was telling the truth back then.”

“So that means Ava never joined a cult but has been held captive by her father?”

Luna nods. “Probably.”

“But why would he do that?” I ask, almost absentmindedly.

Then it hits me. David had mentioned something about Will getting Ava pregnant. Maybe Will abandoned her, and she returned home, only for her father to lock her away to keep the scandal under wraps. In families with old money, reputation is everything. A pregnancy out of wedlock would’ve been a disgrace. Ava would’ve been seen as a shame to society, the kind of scandal that could ruin not just her, but the entire family’s standing.

“Jesus,” I mutter, the pieces falling into place in the most horrific way possible. “The body we found in your car was Isla’s body. Who killed her?”

“Izel, but I’m assuming it was self-defense. Victor brought Izel into the real world to avoid questions about Isla’s disappearance. He is the Ghostface Striker, Rick. And he used her to kill everyone around her as a punishment for her disobedience.”

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