December 14, 2020
His heart was thumping faster and faster with every inch of darkness that crept up on him. He couldn't feel the sweat that was gliding down his side but could feel the shaking encompassing his whole body. In a matter of hours apart from each other, the Faceless had killed two, maybe three, people, with Edward narrowly escaping.
Soon, they would catch up to him again. He looked in his rear view, expecting to see the twisted head of the faceless man looking towards him. Instead, he could only see the dimly lit road and skyline of trees.
"In tonight's weather, another one to two feet of snow is expected. It's going to be getting cold out there tonight folks. Wrap up in a blanket, turn on the fire, and get your self a cup of hot chocolate. You don't want to be caught out in this nasty weather."
Edward reached for the radio and muted it. He didn't want to hear anyone's voice. He need time to think and he had about five more miles until he got back to the manor to do so. If the Faceless didn't kill him tonight, surely Gabriel or his house of ghosts would.
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Rebecca stood in the doorway, looking at Gabriel stand over his desk. They were all his papers, files, mail, and whatever he needed to orchestrate plans to torment the Porters. All this time, she never knew. All this time, Gabriel was some sort of sociopath who enjoyed manipulating, deceiving, and tormenting others. If he had not been caught, Rebecca assumed that he would start developing a taste for torture.
"You're still here?" Gabriel said as he noticed her standing in the doorway.
"I suppose I just wanted to see for myself is all, Mr. Matthews," She replied.
Gabriel shot her a look of disappointment. "After all of our time together, you'd call me Mr. Matthews? Rebecca, darling, nothings changed between us."
He reached a hand out to her but she took several steps back. Gabriel looked at his hand and pulled it back slowly. "Or so it has," He said.
Rebecca looked at him with disgust. Was she just a prop to him? She thought he loved her. But now all she could think was that she was used by him. She had to know for herself.
"Was there anything between us? Or did you just use me to get to Edward and his family?" A small tear rolled down her cheek. As far as break-ups went, this may have been the worst one yet. Gabriel helped her out of a life of drug addiction and depression. But perhaps it was never about helping her. It was only about using her vulnerability to exploit others.
"Of course, Rebecca. I love you," Gabriel said with a small smile. "I didn't intend for you to find out this way but I suppose all the baggage is unpacked."
"You never loved me," Rebecca said. "You only loved what I would do for you. You only loved that my looks could help you manipulated Edward. You used me to get to him. I..." She was speechless. None of it seemed real.
"Rebecca..." Gabriel sighed. "I had to do it. I know that that bastard killed Ethan. I loved him, Rebecca. I loved him so much and Edward took that all away from me and got away with it! No officer showed up at his door, no divine justice came down to punish him, and no one but me cared that Ethan was gone. So yes, I had to take matters into my own hands. I had to destroy him, rip apart every fiber of his self righteous morals. I..."
He looked to Rebecca.
"You're insane," She said. "Do you even hear yourself? You drugged his son, manipulated his wife into cheating, and tried to have his daughter kidnapped."
Gabriel raised his finger. "I did not try to have that little girl kidnapped. I don't know what Sarah's crazy fucking sister was going off about but I never had anyone try to kidnap that little girl."
Rebecca paused and just looked into his eyes. He had lost it. "So kidnapping his daughter wasn't you but it probably crossed your mind, didn't it?"
"I would never touch a hair on that little girl's head. She's... Well... She's a part of Ethan."
"So drugging his son was okay though?"
Gabriel rubbed the bridge of his nose. "It's not like that, Rebecca. I needed them to leave their old home. I... I needed them here."
She wasn't even certain she understood his whole plan. "You needed them here? Gabriel, do you even hear what you're saying right now?"
He was still rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I know it doesn't make sense to you but I needed them here. The house..." He paused. "I needed them here so I could..." He trailed off, his mind wandering.
Was this even the same man? Was this who he real was?
"I'm sorry Gabriel. I don't understand and, honestly, I don't think I want to understand. You may not have killed anyone, at least that I know of, but you need help. I don't know if Edward killed Ethan or it's a lie you've convinced yourself of but tearing apart a family is not how you deal with it. If he really did kill Ethan, you should have had the police investigate it."
"You don't understand," Gabriel muttered.
"I understand enough to know that this isn't who you are." Rebecca turned around and twisted her head to look at him once more. "Goodbye Gabriel."
She walked down the hallway to the stairwell. She could see lights turned on in the hallway across from her and could hear the sound of laughter coming from the rooms. They didn't know what Gabriel had done. To them, everything was fine and it would be a normal night just like any other. Little did they know that they were living under the same room as a sociopath who likely had cameras in their room, watching every movement and word.
Rebecca slowly walked down the stairs to the coat rack and slipped it on. She pulled a beanie out of its pocket and gently placed it over her head. Then, she elegantly wrapped a scarf around her neck, slipped on her gloves, and walked out of the manor. She wasn't sure if she would ever be back.
A loud diesel truck sped through the driveway, kicking up dirt and snow. She had wondered what surprise could be taking place now. It was only as the truck pulled up and the engine was turned off that she saw its driver. Edward hopped out with an expression of terror. What had Gabriel done this time?
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As he jumped out of the truck, he spun around quickly to ensure that the Faceless weren't anywhere to be seen. He knew that they would show up soon and he had to get everyone to safety. Where was safety though? If they weren't safe in the mansion, was there anywhere they would be safe?
Edward dashed from the truck, seeing Rebecca slowly walk from the door to the stairs of the porch.
"Stop!" Edward yelled.
By command, he watched her stop in her tracks as he met her at the stairs.
"Edward?" She said softly. "Is everything okay?"
He once more glanced behind him, seeing nothing but the great tall trees. "We need to get inside, Rebecca. It's not safe out here," He said, breathing frantically.
She gave him a saddened smile and reached her hand out to him. It was like the dream he had been seeing. He felt his mind go blank for a moment as he reached out and grabbed it, feeling her soft fuzzy gloves. He took one step at a time until they were both on the porch together, face to face.
"I'm sorry," She said.
Edward felt like he had forgotten about the killer monsters that were hunting him, as he stared into her eyes. "Sorry? What for?"
"For everything. I never knew what Gabriel was doing. I didn't know that he was using me to get to you and your wife. I..." She looked at him, her eyes glossing. "I'm sorry that this is happening to you. I'm sorry that Gabriel destroyed your marriage. I..."
Edward pushed a finger to her lips. "It wasn't your fault, Rebecca. I only blame Gabriel."
She smiled at him before walking pass him to the steps. "I hope we'll see each other again soon Edward. I hope you and your wife can figure things out."
Edward watched as she spun around and began walking down the stairs.
I'm a loyal man. I'm a married man.
I'm a loyal man. I'm a married man.
I'm a loyal man. I'm a married man.
But in that moment, those things didn't exist. In that moment, both he and Rebecca need to take revenge on those that had wronged them. He reached out, taking her hand, and pulled her back to him. He pressed his lips to hers and reached his arms around her waist and back. She put both of her hands behind his neck and, for a moment, Edward felt everything was right again. He felt a feeling that he hadn't felt since he first met Sarah, before Ethan. He felt... Love.
Edward wasn't much of a romantic but, tonight, amongst the chaos and death, he could get use to the idea. They would hold each other for another moment before Edward gently backed his lips away from hers. He smiled at her, almost feeling that he could tear up as well.
"Edward," Rebecca said blushing. "I..."
Edward's smiled quickly vanished. A thin line stretched across Rebecca's neck as blood slowly began oozing out. She looked at him with confusion as she struggled to breathe.
"Rebecca?" He said softly, holding her as her body slowly fell to the ground.
"He...Help," Was all she could mutter before her eyes went cold.
God has punished him.
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