“Come on, tell me a story!” begged little Alice. “Please?!”
“Fine dear, a story. Just one, and not a single more. I have one that i’ve been waiting to tell you for a very long time. I think it’s perfect for today. It’s kind of long so listen up.” replied Nana Lena.
“Yay!” exclaimed the ecstatic girl, ready for her story.
“It was a mere fourteen years ago when a young lady, not to much older than yourself, lived on this very street. She was a beautiful girl, though rather.. different. She never seemed to quite fit in. The girl had problems, everyone knew it. Everyone knew it, but yet they ignored it and her. No one cared enough to take the time to help her. God forbid it might take some effort to help a troubled girl. She never talked to anyone, people had ever even heard her voice. She dressed in all black, all the time. Her hair, naturally blonde, laid in midnight dyed black locks around her face, tumbling down to her waist. Blue eyes gleamed out from under the bangs she used to try covering her face. She walked with fluid movements, most of the time.. When there were more than ten people around she began to look jerky, as if she had to tell herself to move but was having trouble doing so. She rarely showed signs she was breathing, the normal shoulder movements didn’t even show. Despite all these things still no one expected what happened. Reality took hold and punched them straight in their faces. No one even knew what to say.”
“What do you mean Nana Lena?” Alice questioned.
“Quiet girl, let me finish. I told you it was a long story.. I remember it like it was yesterday. You could’ve heard the piercing scream from halfway across town if you had been listening hard enough. It really shocked the people, so they rushed to the noise. Just dropped all off their typical daily routines. The sixth wing of the high school building, sixth hallway and sixth room. Quite ironic if you ask me. When they mob of people arrived to the correct destination after searching out where the scream came from, it was too late. By the time they got there the walls were splattered with crimson blotches, and out from under one of the stall doors you could see the bone of a human jutting from of an unattached arm. On the right wall the stains of an inverted pentagram, the known satanism symbol, were painted in blood.
A semi psychotic and shrill voice speared through the silence of bathroom, it rang out “Well? Are you stupid people going to open the door or not?” No one had ever heard that voice before so despite her speaking, her identity remained unknown. ‘BANG!’ echoed the stall door against the wall, the body that went with the voice creeped out from inside one of the stalls. She was simply a semi-familiar face to the people, they had no name to put with it though. All they could think of was “It’s the freak”. No one knew her name, she was the freak to everyone.
No one answered so she asked again, “Well? Any takers? Anyone of you?” A smaller boy stepped forth. I knew who he was, his name was Adam. He’d been picked on alot too. Adam was a lot smaller than the other high schoolers and that made him an easy target. I guess he wanted to look tough, brave enough. Another boy that had been standing on his left grabbed out and held his arm, “Don’t” he whispered feebly. Adam replied in the most stern voice he could muster up “I’m not afraid.” Though he failed miserably because his voice came out in more of a squeak than the bold tone he’d hoped for. But either way he proceeded steadily towards the sixth stall, he knew it was this one because of the puddle of red leaking from under it. He reached the door and slowly nudged it open with his tiny foot. By the look on his face, he regretted trying to act tough. He immediately spun around and began convulsing into the sink. I’m not sure if it was bravery or sheer curiosity that made the others peep into the bathroom stall. Laying in bits and pieces was a girls body. Marred, broken and sliced apart. The limbs had been sawed from the body itself. It looked like something you would only see in movies, but immensely more realistic and unnerving. The skin of the body and its parts had already began to turn a sickly blueish green, rotting.
The other people must have had stronger stomachs because, for the most part the held their composure. It was probably the raw stench of decaying carcass that had gotten to Adam. Neither here nor there the sight was repulsive. Her mangled and dismembered remains littered the tile floor. The crowd that had come to see the show quickly began to evacuate. It took a few days to get the bathroom back clean, though faint red stains still showered the walls and floors. Still no one would use that bathroom, and I can’t say as I blamed them. Later on the identity of the body and her murderer were revealed. After many people had spoken with the killer,she was sentenced to life in an insane asylum. It was said that prison couldn’t help or keep her, an asylum would be best for her needs. The day came and two large gentlemen cops escorted her in, one by the name of Richard Sanderlin and the other was Jeff Overman. The men practically had to drag her up the stairs, she didn’t want to go. No one could help her now.. it was to late. Then all of a sudden she had a brilliant epiphany, she knew just what to do. From then she went in willingly. Once inside Deputy Sanderlin addressed the plump lady seated behind the front desk, “Where to Ms Lisa? The Ms. Lisa lady replied, “Oh room six hundred sixty-six. Of course.” Mr. Sanderlin nodded and lead the girl to her room. For the next few days, weeks, and then months the girl acted with extraordinarily perfect behavior, but all along she was planning and working. During the days she done just as she was told to; she pretended to take her medicine and did her chores. At night was a different story, she had been steadily working on her escape. Night after night. She also had been watching the shift schedules and change. She knew which person was where, who was on watch, and who took the longest to get to their post. She also knew that one of the workers, Steve, was slack and left his post unattended for almost three minutes. Throughout the duration of her stay here she had been digging the hole by the fence on the east wing, she knew there was a malfunction in the fencing there and it would be easy to escape. 8 o’clock, Friday night, on the 28th of January. That was the day she could get away. The very second eight o’clock hit she took her shot, probably the only shot she really had. Hastily but not suspiciously she made her way out to the east gate. Like a thief in the night she slipped under and out, not even the smallest sound was made. The moment she made it out she darted off into the thick blackness, running until she couldn’t run anymore. She decided to become a nanny. Tecumseh Michigan is where she ended up. There just happened to be a lovely opening right where she was.
“Isn’t that where we are now?” Alice interrupted.
“Yes dear, it sure it. As I was saying, Lena was quite happy as a nanny.” continued Nana Lena.
“I thought you were gonna finish the story Nana?” Alice inquired.
“I was finishing the story baby girl, hadn’t you figured it out by now? The story was about me, of course.” Alice stared at Nana Lena in wide eyed shock, she was horrified at this realization. “But..but..” Alice uttered in pure terror. “That means you-” “Yes dear, it does. Doesn’t it? It’s a cruel world, I know.” Lena cut her off. “I killed Ridley Renee Griner” replied Lena. “That’s.. that’s my aunt. The one that got killed in high school! It all adds up now! Why didn’t I get it before? You b****!” Alice screeched. “Oh goody! You finally got it! I’d really hoped you would catch on quicker, so I wouldn’t have to drag on through the depressing tale of my life. But either way you’ve got it now. And you want to know a real kicker? I got that c*** Amanda too!” Lena said. “ You mean my momma? How could you?!” Did you really do it? I thought you told me she left?” Alice screamed while sobbing. “Ah yes. I did. I’ve thought a long time about killing you too, my dear. But we have a lot in common and I’ve considered sparing you. It would almost hurt me to kill you, almost. But not quite. See I thought, just maybe, I could raise you to be stronger than I was. I see that you’re going to be like I was. I see the people pick on you at school and I see you cry at night. That was me. I was that girl, I remember the pain. I remember everything. I could just end you before you turn out like me. But it wouldn’t be any fun to kill you, it would be to much like killing myself. Just like me, you don’t have that spark. Both your mother and your aunt had something about them that made killing them a pleasure. See, your aunt tried bribery. That was too funny. Seeing the person that had made my life a living hell, begging for mercy. I was almost convinced and I actually was going to let her go. Then she had to go smirking at me, like she had some kind of victory. I changed my mind then, she didn’t deserve to be able to smirk. I caught her long before she even had a real chance at getting away. I made her pay for what she had done to me all the years. Oh and your mother, that was an absolutely enjoyable time. She was far more entertaining than good ole auntie Ridley. I’ll tell you upfront, Amanda had a backbone. I’m telling you she put up a fight, did everything in her power to fight back. Scratched, clawed, screamed, but it was all worthless. I was stronger and no one could hear her. The pitiful cries she let out were music to my ears. She called for some kind of savior, anyone. But not one of her desperate calls were heard. And her last words, oh how touching they were. What she said really got to me, that’s why i’ve been here so long. ‘Take care of my baby, don’t you hurt my sweet girl. I love her, tell her I said goodbye’ and then I watched the life drain from her like water leaking from a bottle. I told her I would take care of her precious little baby, and I have. Haven’t I?” Alice tried to utter a reply but Lena moved on, full steam ahead. “The agony in her voice gave me some kind of deep satisfaction. Like maybe she was experiencing a tiny bit of the pain she had caused me for so many years. Amanda actually made me want to keep you safe and care for you. So instead of telling you I killed her, I told you she left. I thought that would be easier. Though, as you already know now, I killed her. Just as I was planning to kill you. Something won’t let me do it though, I think I may know what it is. It’s that sickly calm expression on your face. Why are you so calm Alice? questioned Lena.
“I’m not afraid because I know you’re not going to kill me, you can’t.” Alice stated.
“What do you mean you dumb girl, if I wanted to kill you I most certainly could!” Lena boomed back.
“No. You can’t you crazy woman. It’s because I’m you, you know it’s true. Alice told her.
“What in the devil are you talking about? You sound like the crazy one to me. Whatever do you mean?” Lena babbled.
“Oh you know exactly what I mean. I’ve always been you. We all have, Ridley, Amanda and of course, me. You’ve been at a losing battle with your self for years. You’ve always been your worst enemy. You have killed people, but not who you think. Random prostitutes on the streets. So I think it’s time to end it all. We’re at a losing battle and i’m sick of fighting, how about you Lena? Aren’t you tired of fighting back?” Remarked Alice.
Stammering a response Lena choked out “I think I am..”
Alice surged on, “It’s time sweetheart. We’ve tried to hard for to long.” Alice turned and reached for two simple daggers, conveniently lying on the counter nearby. “Here you go Lena”
Lena took the knife from Alice’s milky colored hand and stared at it.
Alice stared deeply at Lena and said “Are you ready? On the count of three.” Lena and Alice said in unison “One...Two...Three” A quick scream as Lena punctured through her own stomach and ended her pitiful life. In her last moment hurt, confusion and then relief shined from her eyes. Her pain and suffering was over, she deserved some kind of peace. Alice didn’t stab herself, she never planned on it. She was a real girl and she had outsmarted a deranged psychotic woman. After all, it was just a story. Wasn't it?