Page 8 of Don't Look Back
Allie, for knowing all of this before I did…Though I suppose that one was on me.
Edith, who’s apparently going to possess me and use me for someone else's years-old revenge plan.
The college I worked so hard to get into and now will likely never get to attend.
Savannah for not telling me she was my godmother or being involved in my life.
Whoever the fuck came up with this whole plan in the first place. Maybe I don’t want to be possessed? Did anyone ever think about that? Couldn’t they just have ordered a hit, like a normal person?!
By the time the list is done(ish), I begin to feel my anger deflate. Once I can fully take a breath, I open my eyes. Allie and Edith…who now looks to be alarmingly alive… are staring at me with matching expressions of concern.
“What happened? What…. What exactly did you do to me? How am I not…. Dead?” The words tumble from my mouth faster than I can even comprehend, like endless word vomit. The questions keep piling up the longer those two stand there staring at me, but no matter how hard I try, the answers evade me.
Finally, Allie seems to take pity on me and, with a sigh, begins to explain. “You were missing for like two days, Avery. When you weren’t in class, and I couldn’t get a hold of you, I decided to stop by. When I did… uh, Edith was watching me from your window.She, well, waved me in. Showed me where your secret ladder is. Very nice by the way.”
A slight blush tinges her cheeks, and fuck, it makes the cold, empty thing in my chest take notice. I take a moment to wonder about all the ways I could make it reappear in the future. I need to see a pink tinge in her cheeks more. Maybe even deepen to a deep reddish marring her backside. The color would look so pretty against her milky skin.
Edith chimes in next, “It’s about time you read the letter! We have so much to do and so little time to do it all! Allie already told me she was all in, so I have just been waiting for you to open your eyes and let me do my thing.” She claps her little doll hands together, a fresh spark of glee adding to her usual manic energy. “Oh, we’re going to have so much fun together! I have so many plans. Such wonderful, violent, bloody plans.”
None of these answers any of the many questions I have. Something which must be showing on my face as Allie speaks up once more. “When I found you, you were barely alive.” Her eyes were dark as she replayed the scene she walked into and what happened after. Once again, I hate what seeing me like that must have stirred within her. “Edith said she could heal you if she were able to possess you. Since you were too far gone to consent, I had to. But it was strictly a one-time thing to save your life. From here on out, she needs permission to enter your body and mind.”
My little AllieCat looks at the ground as though she expects me to be mad at her… for saving my life? No, that can't be right. Could she be upset for giving consent when I could not? If the roles were reversed, I wouldn’t hesitate to do whatever needed to be done to save her. Surely she must understand I don't view this as a violation but rather as a show of how much she truly cares.The thought of her not being fully confident in her decision doesn't sit well with me. Not one bit.
“Hey,” I say while tilting her face back to me. I want her full attention. Now and always. “You did what you had to do to save my life. I could never be upset with you for that. If anything, I owe you a great debt now. Thank you.”
The smile that lights up her face is priceless and causes heat to spread throughout my entire body. Fuck. This woman takes my breath away with nothing more than a look. A smile. I’m in so much trouble. This was so much simpler when my emotions were cut off, and all I felt was a mild curiosity…and, okay, a little possessiveness for the woman beside me. Now… now every move she makes…every inhale or twitch of her lips, it takes everything in me not to rip her goddamn clothes off and fuck her right here and now. Even if that means Edith is watching.
But we don't have time for that. Not the way I want to do things at least…
Sighing, I pick Edith up and place her on the desk in my room. Not quite trusting myself to sit on the bed just yet, especially since that's where Allie has just moved to, so I chose the office chair already stationed by the desk. Turning to the doll who seemingly has the rest of the answers I'm craving, I ask, “So Edith, what’s the plan? Also…the whole possession thing…will it hurt?” Her evil little smile grows, and for a moment, I swear I even see sharp, pointy teeth peeking out.
“No, silly girl! It won't hurt a bit. You’ll still be in there; I’ll just be in control. Your emotions will fade, likely except for one or two strong ones. Whatever I’m feeling at the time. Everything you feel will be muted, though. Oh! And you’ll hear, or rather feel, the lullaby play inside of you! That part is harderto explain.” She looks contemplative for a moment. Almost as though she’s searching for the right words to describe what ‘feeling a lullaby’ really means. After a moment, she shakes her head, dismissing the thought before continuing. “But it’s the only way! This, this is what I was created for! All those years ago, when the fortune teller set a plan in motion for Savannah to get her revenge….everything since then has led up to this!”
“And this would be…?”
“Murder, of course! We’re going to kill them all!! Every single person who was involved with what happened that night. The children of those monsters are going to kill the ones who participated! Every. Last. One. Kill them all, kill them all, kill them all!”
From what I read in my mom's letter, it does sound like something they all deserve. To be honest, she had me hook-line-and-sinker at the whole ‘we are going to violently kill your asshole father’ part. However, there's still one stipulation I need to add on. If I agree to this, then we're doing it my way.
