The Scarlet Chamber

Chapter Ten: Motivation

"Sorry but I respectfully decline." Charlotte's voice quivered as she spoke an uncontrollable reaction to what she had just heard. Why would I do ANY of that!? Who does this woman think she is? Did she honestly think I would agree to do this?!

Slowly, Venus Thompson slithered behind Charlotte her long talon-like nails caressing Charlotte's chin as she struggled against the restraints bolting her to the velvet loveseat. "By the way, this chair smells ghastly. I'd clean it if I were you." A somber grin split Venus' face and it was clear she was looking back ona fond but bittersweet memory. "Belieeeve me I've tried. My sister used to have orgies on that chair.

"Eeeeeewww!! That's disgusting!! Why the hell do you even keep-" Charlotte stopped herself as Venus layed a clawed hand on her shoulder as the woman sat on the armrest of the chair. "I'll have you know that my sister's bodily fluids are worth more than you are cretin." Venus stabbed her nail into Charlotte's exposed shoulder sending a flow of crimson running down her shoulder.

"Gak! Stop twisting it like that you bitch! That fucking hurts!!" Venus removed her finger with a huff her expression wide and dark. "You aren't broken easily are you Ms. Lile?" Venus stared into a picture on the massive wooden wall a gentle orange light flickering over it from the fire lit in the stone fireplace. "Ohhh if only Saturn were here she could have convinced you of this I am sure. There really was...nothing she couldn't do..."

Venus turned back toward Charlotte sending a chill down the woman's spine. Venus' expression was...sorrowful...or maybe it was angry. She thought it was some bizarre combination of the two but moving past that it was definitely creepy to look at especially in someone previously so calm and collected.

"Then you had to come in and take. My. Sister. From. ME. I HATE youuuuuu!! I won't let you stand in her way again you murderer!!!" Charlotte's mouth fell agape so many emotions ran through her all of them carrying questions in tow. Murderer!? What could she mean by that? Charlotte didn't even know Venus had a sister until now s-s-she couldn't have murdered someone she didn't even know!

"I-I'm sorry I don't understand...did someone...kill your sister...? I-If you're trying to find the culprit I assure you it isn't me! I-I'm a journalist! Can help you track down the real-" Scooping the glass off of an oak wood dresser Venus threw a purple vase across the room narrowly missing Charlotte as the thing broke on the floor.

"Okaaay...shutting up now..." Charlotte could have sworn Venus' eyes rolled to the back of her head as she stormed out of the room waving to a figure in the hallway as she continued her elegant stride. Who is she talking to? Charlotte made an attempt at listening in but failed as she couldn't inch her body closer to the sound.

It didn't matter either way as soon that fucking bitch Luccas walked through the door his chin raised with a shit-eating grin cutting from ear to ear. "Look at you, strapped to a chair. How's the prisoner life going for you?" Charlotte held back her gag reflex as she attempted to answer a hint of venom seeping into her voice. "You should know. I bet Venus makes you clean all her floors with your tongue or something. It would explain why it smells like rat-shit in here!"

"Ah, I get it." Luccas took a seat on a couch sitting opposite of the round birch table wedged between the two. "You still upset about my deceiving you? It can't be helped. I wouldn't expect you to understand my motives." Charlotte DID gag this time around. "Yeah, it's been hard considering YOU NEVER EVEN TOLD ME! What the hell are you guys even after!?"

Luccas tapped his hand on the table causing it to shake long after he had stopped. Light-filled the area as a shape cylindrical and beaming with light was generated right on top of the table. Charlotte was taken back for a second...she couldn't believe what she was seeing! Was this real?

After a moment the light stopped and was cast into the shadows in its place stood a clear cup filled with water a single cube of ice floating inside. "C'mon! Who puts in only one cube of ice!" The table shuddered again and another cube of ice beamed into both glasses further confirming that reality was abandoned entirely.

"What the hell's going on here...nothing makes sense in here..." Luccas took a sip from his drink his gaze glued on Charlotte as he did. "It's time I tell the truth...the whole truth. Do you know what garbage is?" "Im talking to you aren't I?" Luccas shook his fist at Charlotte his ego damaged.

"Unfunny. But back to my point. Garbage is the shadow of something useful, the remains of something no one needs and no one wants. Everything has garbage and that includes people. When relationships are made and broken sometimes junk called grudges are leftover and are recycled in order to fill the void."

Luccas pointed at Charlotte his other hand moving to slick back his hair. "YOU are the garbage. My girl. Venus has taken a grudge against you and intends to fill the void her sister left with hatred. Sadness and fury don't demand justice and peace they merely require substitution..and well...you'll make a fine substitute."

Charlotte shook the room with an ear-splitting roar a show of her pain and fury. She couldn't understand what was happening and every explanation offered to her simply made things more confusing. No one was making sense and SHE was paying the price for their stupidity. Why? Why did she end up like this? Why did she leave the house? Why did she get in her car? WHY did she start trying to do more than she actually needed to?

No way...this is over. She's ending this...right now. "Look here you...Venus wants to take her anger out on something and so I got to suffer for it!? Fuck that. Let me out of this chair and find some dope who'll just sit here and take this abuse because I won't! Why? Why is she like this? Why does she have so much rage and WHY is all of it aimed at ME!? Just some random gal and this is who you picked!? Go after who actually WRONGED YOU! For the love of fuck! You went through all this trouble for someone who has NOTHING to do with this!"

Luccas took a long sip from his glass nearly finishing off what was left of his water. "Once again you are completely incorrect. You and those special abilities of yours have EVERYTHING to do with Venus. Her fury isn't necessarily at you but more at what you are. This is an evil place. And it's your job to fight against that evil. It's all any of us can."

"You aren't making ANY sense." Luccas shook his head as though he expected Charlotte to understand his motives without outright stating them. "The sense I'm making is that I'm going to help you and you're going to help ME." Luccas stood up from his seat and began walking toward Charlotte the mere thought of his intentions enough to send a surge of nausea running over her. "Grudges are for those that would suffer them not those that would keep them. Anyone who holds a grudge hasn't fully understood what they're feeling and we all suffer for it."

A thick stream of golden fluid blasted from Charlotte's mouth splattering snot-filled spit across Luccas' recoiled face. Despite the plate-sized slobber dripping from his chin, Luccas remained clam and destitute of a reaction as he calmly wiped the spit from his face. "That's disgusting." "Good point. I probably shouldn't let my spit touch you it might get filthy." Luccas stretched a hand toward Charlotte a faint red glow rising around his palm. "My ability. My ability is to calibrate. To change the process of anything and anyone. I'll show Venus the impact of her vendetta and the determination its brewed."

Crimson arcs of energy danced around Luccas' fingertips as they drew closer and closer a sinister force driving the currents of power and-