heart rimmed glasses
Today felt off.
Early this morning Alastor awoke you to get ready to meet his last and most trusted associate, Niffty.
That wasn't what felt off.
What felt off was his adamance about you leaving the house to go on a walk with the short woman. Despite how strange you thought it was you went along with it. In your defense it was a beautiful and bright day that came after the rainfall. You needed some sunlight.
But you still kept your guard up.
"So how long have you known Alastor?",you inquire while wheeling along the clear dirt path. You avoid a few stones and rocks, your eyes trained on the path but ears listening for Nifftys high pitched voice.
She sighs gently while looking around at the beautiful scenery,"Since I was twelve." Your eyes widen and you stop, feeling your arms grow tired. Resting them in your lap you look up at Niffty.
"Wow...wait—doesn't that mean Alastor was twenty when you met?",she nods in response to your question and at the sound of crunching leaves stopping she stops as well. She turns to you but stares straight ahead with a matching cheshire grin on her lips.
"I was an orphan, tossed out onto the streets by my parents when I went blind. Al found me and took me in, took care of me like I was his own.",she recounts the short little tale of them with fondness and love in her voice. Your lips part slightly and brows furrow.
"I'm so sorry, Niffty. That must've felt terrible.",you shake your head gently. Niffty simply waves dismissively with a short laugh.
"Nah, they were a couple a rich obnoxious people anyway. My life with Alastor as the man I look up to is the best I could ask for. He's never betrayed me and I'd never betray him.",she smiles with more fondness while folding her hands in front of her. You can't help but feel your heart warm up at her account of Alastor.
You nod with a bright smile,"That sounds sweet. I'm glad you're happy now." Nifftys eyes fall to you despite her inability to see you completely. Her smile is wide and she nods.
"Thank you, you're a good friend you know!"
You smiled at this comment, completely oblivious to what was happening inside of the cabin you had grown to subconsciously call home.
"Angelo, Arson, and Molly...",Alastor chuckles darkly while his shoes click against the linoleum ground of the basement,"Why were you willing to hurt my Niffty just to find me?"
The siblings are still a bit groggy from being knocked out. Yet they are competent enough to know their names have been said. But none of them were all that surprised that he knew of them considering he had an entire detective stalking you for months.
But as Angelo blinked back and looked up to Alastors face his eyes widen and he tugged on the ropes holding his arms to the wooden beam. "You're Alastor?! You took our fucking sister?!" Molly and Arsons eyes widen and they look up to the radio host with parted lips and angered brows.
Alastor laughs loudly and pushes up the cheaters on his nose,"Yes I am!",he bends down to meet Arson's eyes,"Would you like an autograph?"
Arson tries to jump at him yet is stuck to the wooden beam. Alastor laughs loudly and keeps his cool and composed state,"As for your sister I have no clue what you are talking about." Alastor knew about these three, he also knew that you hadn't had contact with them in a long time.
Molly looks up at Alastor with narrowed eyes,"You're a goddamn liar. We know you got her."
Alastor looked around to the siblings. By the look on their faces he knew they wouldn't give up or in so easily. To be quite honest Alastor felt he could have a little bit of fun with this before getting rid of them.
He nodded slowly and walked over to a steel cabinet,"You're right. I had her."
The siblings watch as Alastor opens the cabinet and pulls out a photograph. Then it hits them.
Had...
The siblings look at the photograph in utter shock. The photograph depicts a bloodied scene. A woman lays in the photograph with her neck cut so deep you can see just about everything within her. They each shake their heads in disbelief.
Arson sits back and tears his eyes away with bile rising in his throat,"Thats not her. You can't even see her face. That—Thats not—" Alastor laughs softly and shrugs while leaving the photograph on the ground for it to mock the siblings.
Alastors eyes are slightly unhinged as he looks to the siblings, each taking this in in different ways. Tears roll down Mollys cheeks as her eyes remain glued to the photograph.
"Do you want to know what she said while I tapped the knife against her neck? Before I nearly decapitated the fair maiden?",Alastor taunts them and he reaches back into his waistband to pull the pistol out.
Angelo is in shock and his ears ring, yet he still hears Alastors happy voice.
"She begged for her family...and apologized to whatever god up there for whatever she did to make them stop talking to her."
Alastor feels euphoric at the sight of the siblings hearts crushing before his very eyes. Molly looks up at Alastor with hot tears in her eyes. She, along with her siblings, realize you must have thought they abandoned you. They stopped sending letters and calling after hearing you were in a coma.
Alastor steps towards Molly and he grins, pressing the pistol between her teary eyes he laughs,"She died thinking you three left her...doesn't that absolutely shatter your heart?"
Angelo and Arson tug on their restraints and begin to shout at Alastor as Mollys bottom lips quivers. Alastor loads a bullet into the chamber.
"Do you want to see her again?”
You smile softly as Niffty places a partially dead wildflower in the palm of your hand,”I wonder if theres anymore flowers around here.” You say in a soft tone while thinking about picking them for Alastor. Niffty nods and points a little ways down.
“Yeah I’m pretty sure there is—“
Both you and Niffty jump at the sound of a faint gunshot being heard behind the two of you. Your eyes widen and you place a hand over your heart, the wildflowers dropping onto your lap.
“Was that a gun shot?”,your eyes flood with worry at the sound coming from the cabins direction. You turn to Niffty whos eyes are wide behind her shades yet her smile still remains. But when she speaks it lacks confidence.
“Its probably a hunter somewhere you know?”
Another two gunshots follow and you shake your head, turning in your chair,”No! No those were gunshots coming from the cabin we have to get back!” When you try to wheel away Niffty grabs the back of your chair and pulls you.
“No, no we should stay its probably just hunters!”,Niffty attempts to convince you while struggling with you. She tugs at the handles and even goes as far as to grab your shoulders. You wheel around and shove Niffty to the ground with wide eyes. She falls down with a soft “oof”. Your chest rises and falls and your hand goes up to your mouth when something fumbles out of the pocket of her jacket.
A familiar pair of heart rimmed red and golden glasses lays in the dirt.
“Where did you get those?...”,you breathe out while Niffty feels around on the dirty path. Leaning down in your chair you pick up a large stone. Nifftys smile falls the second her fingers touch the glasses. She slowly stands,”I can explain. Just—“
When Niffty tries to approach you you swing the stone and it hits the side of her head. Your heart is racing and you catch the glasses just as she collapses to the ground. You swallow hard and turn around back to the direction of the cabin. Glancing back down to the unconscious woman you see something shiny peeking from the waistband of her skirt.
You pull the pistol and head towards the cabin with painfully quick speeds that your arms begin to ache. But with the way your heart sinks and the uneasiness in your stomach you don’t seem to care.
All you knew was you had to get back to the cabin. Clueless to what you would witness.