Emily made her way upstairs to Amelia's room, where Amelia was sound asleep. Emily tore the blanket off the mattress and kicked her sister in the side.
"What's going on? Emily, why did you do that? That hurt."
"I don't care, bitch. Wake up. I want you to know what has happened, and what is going to happen.'
"What are you talking about? What has happened? What have you done?"
Emily folded her arms and leaned against the shabby bureau.
"Well, let's see now. First, I had a friend cut daddy's throat, and then I had the same friend cut Nanny's throat. What do you think about that?"
Amelia's eyes began to fill with tears.
"What do you mean, you had Nanny's throat cut?" She gasped and began to sob. "Why would you do such a thing? How could you do such a thing? You know I loved her and she loved me. Daddy never loved me so I'm not really sure how I should feel about that, but you had no right to take someone away from me that loved me."
Emily began to laugh.
"Loved you? Loved you? There's a hoot. You're dirt under the world's feet. You never have been, are not now, and will never be worth anything to anybody. Besides, I'm not finished. I haven't told you yet what is going to happen. I am going to take your miserable self downstairs and my friend is going to cut your throat, only slowly, so I can watch you die and enjoy every minute of it. Now, get your ugly self out of that bed and let's get it done."
Emily grabbed Amelia's arm and pulled her off the mattress and began to drag her to the stairwell. As they passed the small desk Amelia had fashioned for herself out of some old boxes so she could do her lessons, she could feel herself burning with rage. As Emily continued to pull her out of the room, Amelia reached across the desk and grabbed a pair of scissors she had been using to create a collage for Nanny's room. She held them at her side until they reached the stairwell and with no warning, she swung herself around and plunged the scissors deep into Emily's throat.
Emily let go of her and grabbed the rail, blood already running in rivers down the front of her gown. Her look of puzzlement only made Amelia angrier, and she pulled the scissors out and stabbed Emily in the throat one final time. Emily staggered backwards, slipped on the first step and tumbled down the stairs, landing in a sitting position against the front door, blood turning her blue gown bright red.
"Oh no," Amelia said aloud. "What have I done? Emily? Please? I didn't mean... You just made me so angry all these years, but I would never do anything to hurt you. But, killing the one and only person I have ever loved and who loved me back was too much. But, what have I done? Oh no..."
She trailed off as she saw the Ancient One moving around the bottom of the stairs to look at Emily. Amelia's blood ran cold.
What is that thing doing here, she wondered. Oh yes. Emily had said a 'friend' had murdered daddy and Nanny. That must be who she meant. Amelia scrambled to clear her head. Have to think. Have to figure out what to do. What to do about...it.
The Ancient One began to make its way slowly up the stairs to Amelia, arms extended, blood-drenched talons glistening in the moonlight.
"What do you want?" she screamed. "Don't come any closer. Oh, God, you don't understand me, do you? And, I don't know how to talk to you."
As it made its way closer and closer, it spoke in a deep and raspy voice.
"Yes, I understand you. I do speak your language. I prefer the ancient words in their proper form and they are the only ones I obey, but I have been among your kind long enough to be able to understand. You ask what it is that I want. What I want is to fulfill my mistress' last command. I must obey her last request of me."
"What last request? What are you talking about?"
Amelia found herself unable to move as the thing made its way upstairs to her.
"The last thing she said to me from the ancient script was that 'if anything should happen to me, kill everyone left in the house--avenge me'. From where I'm standing, it would appear that is you."
"I can stop you!" Amelia screamed. "There is a command to stop you. Oh God, what was it, something like--oh, I can't remember! What were the words? I heard Nanny say them many times. What were the words? Oh God..."
As the thing raised its arm to make the first cut, it spoke for the last time.
"Yes, you did hear them. You heard them many times. But, you never really listened, did you? You never paid attention to any of your lessons. You always waited until the last minute to read your assignments. You never learned to do things on time."
The last thing Amelia did was open her mouth to let the scream come out. As usual--too late.
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