Dark Keys of Uncomplacency

Chapter 22: What Doesn't Kill You

Ruth stirred exactly 1 cup of sugar into the large pitcher of iced tea and placed it on a tray, together with four glasses and made her way back to the living room. All the while the water from the bathroom streamed on. "Don't you go and run up my water bill! I'll demand your allowance to pay for it". No response. The water just kept on running.

Allison heard the rattling of the ice in the pitcher and rushed up to take the tray from Ruth. "Here, let me help with that".

"Don't you worry 'bout a thing, I got it. Haven't lost feeling in my joints just yet. That's the secret of winning in old age. Never stop using what you got".

Allison smiled pristinely. "I'll keep that in mind".

Ruth sat down on the couch and took a sip from her glass. "Where'd the Faulkner boy go?".

"Oh—he's in there washing his hands too, I guess. Kinda weird though, two guys in the bathroom at the same time", she chuckled obnoxiously at her own comment, before settling down opposite Mrs. Marley.

"Reminds me of my two boys", Ruth smirked, "always crowding the bathroom before dinner time. Well, boys will be boys".

A few more seconds passed by with the constant stream of water, as Ruth went on and on about her sons. Allison looked down at the freezing cold iced tea, so cold that the glasses began to drip with condensation. She wouldn't be surprised if she was dripping with sweat in a similar fashion at that moment. It would only take a few moments for Ruth to notice that the corner of the rug underneath the couch was slightly turned up. Allison glanced over her shoulder and saw the shadow of the taxidermy falcon. Right next to it layed the sheet that they put over the antique frame.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt, Mrs. Marley". Something changed in the old woman's eyes. Her body grew very still and void of animation. She glanced into Allison's eyes with a steely pair of green eyes. "Or should I call you Elsa".

The old woman's bone cracked and snapped into all kinds of shapes as she got to her feet. Allison gasped unprepared for what was about to happen. Before Ruth could advance forward she was stopped by a wide belt which wrapped around her waist and pulled her back to the couch. Julian held on for dear life, with his face pressed up against the wood frills at the top edge of the couch.

"Clever girl, you figured it out", she said through clenched teeth. "I should've known you were different, you're not a man after all".

"Julian do you have her, can you hold her?"

"Y-yeah I got her, she's not going anywhere. Just hurry up!"

"Different from who?", Allison asked, even though she knew exactly who she was talking about.

"I should've known that crackpot pianist was too unstable to carry on. But his lust and killing by way of 'Cedric' were much too appetizing. I had no choice but to jump from one body to the next to stay close to whatever was left of his soul".

"The piano", Julian struggled to hold the woman down. "Heinrich's soul is in the piano. That's who's been haunting us. It was a warning".

Allison nodded, acknowledging the facts she was all too familiar with. "What he didn't know was that he was seeking out his replacement. The only way he could kill was by satisfying his musical need".

Elsa grinned. "Precisely. Every time he calls on you, he draws you closer to insanity. The type of insanity that makes you more likely to kill in my name".

"And in the meantime you control this poor old woman? Get out of her!".

Elsa threw her head backwards until she was staring upside down at Julian. "No!".