The Maple Murders

Chapter 4 - Puppet on a string.

And yet, as Ash's cold eyes met hers, Emma felt as if she had no choice but to play along. Ash's words had a mesmerizing effect on her, as if casting a spell that made her feel completely powerless. All she could do was hope, beg, that she would survive this game, and that maybe, just maybe, she would find a way to make Ash pay for what she had done.

"You're evil." Emma murmured as feelings of rage, hopelessness and defeat took over her.

"I'm not evil, Emma. I'm human." Ash replied. "Humans are no different than any other living creature. A lion will take down its prey, and a bear will defend her young. Death is a part of nature, and to deny that is to deny the law of the jungle."

The silence that followed was heavy, as if it was a living entity, slowing down time with the sole purpose of causing Emma discomfort. Ash's sudden question caught Emma off guard, and she could feel the tension in the air.

"Don't you ever feel the desire to kill those who have caused you pain and suffering?" Ash asked, her question cutting through the silence like a knife, as if she were killing the silent entity.

Emma was shocked at both the question and the way in which Ash casually asked it. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Sure, she had felt intense hatred before, but never to the point of wanting to hurt anyone. But Ash seemed surprised, as if it was a normal thing for someone to want revenge.

"Not at all?" Ash asked. "You mean you've never felt the desperate desire for revenge?"

Emma remained quiet. She had never dreamt of hurting a fly, let alone killing another human being. But there was no point in arguing with Ash, she knew that she would only manipulate her into questioning her beliefs.

"There's bound to be someone you don't like. Take Daniel Graham for example." Ash continued, as if this was a justification for killing. "He's selfish and disloyal," she added, as if that was reason enough to kill him.

"That doesn't mean he deserves to die," Emma cried.

"You really think everyone deserves to live, even me?"

"Yes!"

"Even Jeffrey Dahmer? Terrorists?" Ash scoffed.

Emma hesitated for a moment, but then replied, "Y-yes...?"

"Damn," Ash snorted. "Maybe you're more fucked up than I am."

"Okay... Well, I better get going." said Emma, standing up and gathering her belongings. "I'll see you later."

As she stepped outside, she noticed a light blue Sudan car parked in front of another nearby house. It was Rosa's car, but what was she doing there at this early hour? Emma squinted her eyes, straining to get a better look at the two people emerging from the house. Her heart pounded as she recognized Rosa, and next to her was Daniel. The two shared a kiss and a tight hug before Rosa walked to her car, with Daniel waving goodbye.

Emma stood frozen, staring blankly at the pair as Rosa drove off. Her heart broke less from the fact that Rosa was with someone else and more from the fact that Rosa had kept it from her.

She doesn't believe that anybody 'belongs' to anyone, but Rosa is hers. Not in a sense that she 'owns' Rosa, but they will always have each other no matter what the world throws at them. They're like the sun and the moon, the yin and the yang, the salt and the pepper. Through Emma's eyes, she's the vase, and Rosa is the beautiful Rose which fills her emptiness, which is secretly the reason why Emma nicknamed her 'Rose.'

Their friendship is not one where falsehoods lie upon. It's a friendship of honesty, respect and trust. To lie felt like a betrayal. Emma wanted to know anything there was to know about her dear friend, including the things Rosa felt she should keep hidden.