Torn

Part 25: An Happy Ending.

Lailie cackled, then put a hand on the window ledge and threw herself feet first out the window. Crimson latched onto her hair band and bounded onto her shoulder after Lailie landed. She got out of her crouched position, grabbed her chainsaw and started for the forest. Unfortunately, she rounded the house just as the Holiday Leaders left.

“Look! There she is!” Santa yelled, pointing to Lailie.

“Dar she blows!” the Easter Bunny exclaimed with a pointing finger.

“What the hell, Bunny?” Cupid asked, raising a brow at the rabbit. The Easter Bunny just shrugged.

“She’z getting avay!” St. Patrick blurted, starting to run after the rag-doll. Lailie broke the chains tied to the gate and welded them back together with a flame that came out of her finger. She pulled her right eyelid down and stuck out her tongue, then turned and ran off.

Jack and Sally were beside themselves. Was that really their daughter that had just outrun the other Holiday Leaders carrying that chainsaw? They just couldn’t believe it. Sally started bawling, shaking her head in disbelief.

Lailie headed back for the Graveyard with Crimson climbing all over her. When she opened the gates she heard the snow crunch beneath someone else’s feet. She dived behind a tombstone, then peeked her head out. Mace kicked the snow from the ground looking rather sullen, his clawed hands in his pockets. His black hair was dotted with cold snowflakes. Lailie got up and walked over to him cautiously. He didn’t hear her, and obviously didn’t see her when she walked in front of him. She waved in hand in front of his dazed white eyes, but in return he continued walking in the snow.

“Mace!” Lailie called to him. Once again, he didn’t respond. She treaded after him. “Can you… Not hear me?” Mace continued his walk, leaving Lailie to stand in the snow. Lailie gritted her teeth angrily, then spun around and ran for the crypt to the human world. Welp, there was one more person who hated her….

She chased the shopping humans down the streets and into alleys before killing them. She was quite angry, for reasons she didn’t know. She wouldn’t leave a town until she was literally standing in a puddle of snow and blood. It was December, so there were many men, woman, and children out Christmas shopping. But she didn’t have any limits. She killed all that unfortunately stumbled across her path. She started using other things besides her chainsaw. She used her fingernails, and once even used a pole. She was almost arrested and shot four times, but she just dodged the bullets and killed the officers.

Screams ran through the air as a young girl who had tripped was cut completely in half. Sirens rang through the chilly air and citizens ran for their lives. Lailie fell to her knees…. She was beginning to crack. Blood soaked into the cold snow and into Lailie’s dress. Tears started to wash away the splattered blood on her face. She looked at her blood covered hands, then at the dead girl in front of her. She keeled over, suddenly sick to her stomach. Transparent red tears fell to the snow as the cop cars screeched to halt at the curb. She didn’t even look up as the cops came around with their guns and lifted her off her knees. Crimson lunged onto Lailie from his spot on the snow and growled menacingly. Lailie shook her hung head.

“No Crimson… It’s over. I give up,” she said. “I can’t do this anymore.”

“Good girl. C’mon, in the car,” the female cop who was holding onto her left arm said, guiding her to one of the cop cars. Another cop took Lailie’s stitched wrists and put cold metal handcuffs on them. Crimson snarled and bit one of the cops when it tried to take it off Lailie’s head.

“Dang! Get me a cage for this one!” the cop yelled, nursing his bleeding hand.

“Leave it alone, please…. It’s just a baby..,” Lailie said quietly as Crimson jumped into her cupped hands resting on her knees.

Lailie stared out the caged back window of the police car. Snow fell silently in the air, swaying back and forth as the soft breeze pushed it along. The cop driving the car looked in his rear view mirror at Lailie, then back at the road.

“How old are you? You seem pretty young,” he said, gripping the steering wheel. Lailie didn’t take her eyes off the snow.

“14.”

“Why’d you start killing so many people? You could get a life sentence in jail, or even death yourself, for killing.”

“I don’t need to worry… about death.”

“And why is that?”

“I’m already dead.”

The cop sent Lailie a look through the mirror, then concentrated on the road. As they neared the station, the cop looked back at Lailie.

“What’s your name, kid?”

“Eliza.” Lailie responded.

“Eliza what?”

“Eliza Walker.”

The cop picked up a Walkie-talkie and spoke into it. “I got her name.”

“What is it?” a male voice on the other side asked.

“Her name’s Eliza Walker, she’s 14 years old.”

Lailie was taken to a cell in the station. The guard who locked the cell was hesitant about letting Crimson stay with her, but he allowed it. He walked back up the hallway and to the main office, where two officers stood over a computer.

“Here she is. Eliza Walker,” one of them said, double clicking on a file. “Hmm… She doesn’t seem to have any criminal reports, although she tried to stop a guard from taking her friend Nick away after he got in a fight… But he’s now deceased..”

“Wait, scroll back up,” the other officer said, poking the screen. “Look, it said Eliza Walker was murdered by an unidentified man on Halloween, 2 years ago.” The two guards exchanged looks.

“I told you I was already dead,” said a female voice behind them. The two guards turned to see Lailie standing before them, along with two adults and three small children.

The man was quite tall, with cold green eyes, a mop of black hair, and a pin-striped suit. The woman came up to his shoulder, her long red hair blending with the patches in her long dress. Two of the children were male, and looked to be twins. Both were wearing gray jogging outfits and had thick black hair. The other child was female, had bright white hair, sparkling gray eyes and a long black and purple dress.

“How did you-? Where did you-? Augh, I need a new job,” One of the cops said, putting a hand to his forehead.

“We’ll take it over from here, officers. Thank you for getting her for us. We deeply appreciate it,” The man said. In a spin, his body lost all its meat and his suit sucked in. He was a walking skeleton. “But for now, we’ll have to erase your memories.” Lailie reached out and put her index fingers on the officers’ forehead. There was a snap, and they fainted. Jack turned back into a human and turned to Lailie with a frighteningly angry look.

“We’ll talk with you once we get home,” he said, wagging a finger, then taking her arm and leading her from the station.

The family stepped through a crypt door and down a long hallway of stone. They emerged in the town’s graveyard and walked swiftly home before citizens could ask questions.

“Lailie, go get showered and changed. We’ll talk once you’re done,” Sally said, kissing Lailie on the forehead and pointing her to the stairs. Lailie smiled slightly, then headed up the stairs. Crimson looked at her and licked some blood off her cheek. Lailie smiled at it as if to say she was ok. She grabbed her black and purple PJ’s out from under her pillow and headed for the bathroom.

The red water swirled down the drain as Lailie scrubbed her body free from blood that wasn’t hers. The warm water felt good as it dripped down her back and arms. Lailie shut her eyes and tilted her head back before reaching from the shampoo.

“Now love, we want a full explanation of why you did this terrible thing,” Jack said, folding his arms on the kitchen table. Lailie played with her wet hair before she answered.

“…To show people what I go through, I guess….” She said, picking at the grain in the wooden table.

“What’s that mean?”

“…I was overwhelmed with thoughts of my past, that’s all.. I just kinda lost it all and started killing to relieve stress..”

“How many humans and holiday people did you kill?” Sally asked.

“..Er…” Lailie hesitated.

“C’mon. Answer your mother,” Jack urged calmly.

“..148,” Lailie said quietly, sinking into her chair. Sally choked softly and Jack put a hand to his forehead.

“But I learned something…. About you and mom,” Lailie added, sitting up again. “Sometimes… When I would kill children, the parents would interfere. Like they way you did with Boogie all those times; risking something to save their children. The things they said, the way they acted, made me realize how much you guys would lose.. Just to keep your family safe.” Jack looked at Lailie, then stood. He walked over to Lailie, who had tears glistening in her eyes.

“I’ve missed you… Daddy…” she said, throwing her arms around him. A broad grin broke out over his skeleton face at her saying, 'Daddy'. When was the last time she called him that? He couldn't remember.

"I'm just glad your safe, my little one." He said, getting onto his knees and hugging his daughter back. Everything between them was suddenly straightened out. She knew they loved her dearly, and her siblings knew that too. They were a family again. Just one big, happy family. Maybe Lailie’s killing spree was for the better.

The next morning Lailie awoke before everyone else. She threw on an old Christmas Dress of hers that still fit, a scarf, and her boots. She combed her hair, brushed her teeth, and headed to get the paper. When she stepped outside, Mace stood in her yard, staring up into the hall window. She frowned and walked in front of him. His white eyes looked down at her.

“Mace…. Even if you can’t hear me….” She started, looking around for any watchers, but the town was still in sleep. “I love you more than you will ever know…” She wrapped her arms around him, then felt herself being lifted off the snow covered ground. Mace spun in a circle, his face covered in happiness as he set Lailie back on the ground.

“Is that a promise, Princess?” Mace asked, pulling her close to him.

“You know it!” Lailie giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck. She stood on her toes and planted a kiss on his cheek, then pulled away. Mace put a hand to his cheek, then sunk into the snow, grinning from ear to ear. Lailie grabbed the paper and opened the door a little before looking back at where Mace had sunk into the ground.

I love you…And I always will.

The end!

-cries- I hoped you like my story! I wanted to make this part longer, but I couldn’t. Sorry! sniff I hope you’ll read my other stories once they are put back up!