Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 102708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
She wept big, ugly tears.
“You’re not a mother. You’re barely a human. To us, you’re a stranger. I hate you for every time you didn’t show up for me at school, for forgetting me at pickup, for forgetting my events, for forgetting anything that ever mattered to me! To us! For all the times you were high and didn’t care about anything but yourself. You’re a selfish nobody, and you’re going to die alone. Do you hear me? Alone, Melody, because your kids fucking hate you and would rather pretend you’re dead than see your face again.”
“Julius, please,” Melody bellowed, pleading, “No more.”
“You know what?” I taunted, cocking my head to the side. “I wish that were true, I wish you were dead because even that… wouldn’t hurt nearly as much for what you’ve put us through all our lives.”
She broke down, trying to hug me, to kiss me, to hold me close. I threw her off, noticing Isla was crying as well, while Kraven looked like he was somewhere in the middle.
“You don’t mean that…” she wept. “I know you don’t mean that…”
I grabbed her shirt, yanking her to my face. “I’ve never meant anything more in my life, Melody.”
“Julius,” Isla spoke up, tears cascading down her beautiful face.
I let her go, stepping back and away. “When I get back here, you'd better be gone, or I’m calling the cops. I’ll make up whatever I need to, to make sure you can’t hurt us again.”
I took one last look at her, wanting to remember her just like this. With all her truths bleeding out of her as I held the butcher knife in my hand.
It was slow.
Deliberate.
In one slice, I slit her throat.
“Remember me like this,” I sneered. “This is who you made.”
With that, I spun and left.
Praying with everything inside me that this would be the last time I’d have to see her.
ISLA
“Julius!” Kraven shouted as he walked out of the garage door. “I’m going to go after him.”
He went to follow him, and at the last second, Melody announced, “I’m so sorry, Kraven. I didn’t mean to—”
He lifted his hand, stopping her. “I don’t give a shit about your excuses and what made-up story you’ve conjured up this time to make us feel bad for you. I’m not a kid anymore, and the truth is, I never was. We were too busy trying to survive you and Joe to ever be one.”
“I wish I could—”
“If that were true,” he cut her off. “You wouldn’t have stood Isla up last night. You had a chance, and you blew it. Not surprising, at least not to me or Julius. Isla’s now just another one of your victims. How’s it feel to kill us all, Melody? Is it everything you dreamed it’d be?”
I stood there in silence.
Frozen.
Sad.
Depressed.
It wasn’t until he added, “I hate you too, Melody, and don’t you ever forget that,” that my heart broke a little more for everyone.
“Oh!” he exclaimed. “In case you need to hear, I agree with everything Julius said. Except in my mind, you still haven’t come back.”
He opened the door and left, leaving me alone with her.
Once he was gone, she bowed her head before meeting my eyes. “I’m so sorry, Isla.”
More silence.
She wiped away her tears with the back of her hands before she asked, “Did you at least have a good birthday?”
“What do you think?” I nodded to the wrapped gifts that were still on the table.
She frowned. “I got you something.” She reached into the pocket of her dress, pulling out what looked like a ring. “It’s the boys' birthstones with yours in the middle.” She handed it to me, and I hesitantly accepted it.
“It’s beautiful. Thank you.”
I couldn’t stop the tears streaming down my face, fully aware this was the last time I’d see her.
This was her goodbye.
Was it her intention all along?
There was so much I longed to ask her, but it wouldn’t matter. Julius and Kraven were done, and I’d lose them if I forgave her. I couldn’t do that.
I wouldn’t.
They were my family.
As if reading my mind, she uttered, “I know you care about them.” Her voice broke. “I know you possibly love them too. What’s not to love, though, right?”
“I don’t know where I’d be without them.”
“Yeah…” She sadly smiled. “My golden boy, my Julius… promise me you’ll make sure he doesn’t work himself to the bone, okay? Promise me you’ll make sure that he enjoys his youth. He’s still so young… has so much life ahead of him… okay? Can you promise me that?”
I nodded. “I swear.”
“Okay, good.” She inhaled deeply, exhaling, “Now, my lone wolf, my Kraven… promise me you’ll make sure he stays out of trouble, alright? You’ve been such a good influence on him. I don’t want him to turn out like us… like me and Joe… He reminds me so much of him. Don’t let him become his own worst enemy, okay?”