The Dollhouse Murders (Dollhouse series // Book #1)

Chapter 11

My stomach lurched in it's lining and for about the tenth time that night, another gory, sadistic and gruesome death was laid out for me to ponder and take in. I screwed my eyes tightly shut in the hopes blocking out the horror, immersing myself in the darkness, but, I was already in the darkness, the horror was already consuming me.

Atop the second flight of stairs was Demi. Although she was hardly recognizable. Her lower torso was ripped open, flesh and tissue ripped to shreds and torn away. An empty cavern loomed. The rib cage was exposed, complete, apart from the one bloodied rib that was now just a few feet away from me on the floor. The top of her head had been literally ripped off. I could see where the rib had been used, the skull was shattered and prized apart. Small white shards littered the blood stained floor. The soft spongy bundle of nerves was chopped to pieces. Bits of her brain were scattered, like Absinthe had been mimicking the actions of a child feeding the birds.

And central to it all, the devastating weapon, driven deep into the wooden floor boards. A carving knife. The blade glinted lightly in the minute light. Blood stained the almost pristine silver. But as I stared it down more I realized it wasn't pristine at all. Maybe it was, once upon a time... But now, it was all rusted and the blade was bent. It was noticeably dull and would've caused maximum suffering. I only hope it got wedged in the rotting planks before it could be used on her.

"The deaths are coming quicker..." Muttered Logan.

"We need to get out" Said Jayden.  I pushed my boot against the knife, not a bit of give, the blade must've been almost a foot long and driven about half a foot down in order of it to have such a tight hold. I crouched down and inspected the knife. I did think for a moment how disgusted I was with myself for not reacting much. I mean, I've seen god knows how many dead friends, most people would be a nervous wreck by now.

"Lily? We need to go, now" Jayden pressed. I slipped my hand around the blade handle. 

"Lily, what are you...?" Logan trailed off. He most likely thought I was going to go all psycho on him again, if only I was carefree enough... I pulled the blade and it came unstuck almost immediately. I stood up and faced the boys.

"Why do you need a knife?" Asked Jayden, no louder than a whisper.

"The deaths are coming quicker, as Lo said, if we want to get out we'll need to defend ourselves" I explained as calmly as I could.

We dashed down two flights of steps, both smeared with thick layers of bodily juices and blood. I froze as we got to the bottom and almost half way across the lobby where it all started. Horrific, absolutely horrific. Jamie. He was alive. But he wasn't going to be for much longer.

Absinthe was crouched over his weak form, laying on the floor. Her hand was stuffed down his throat. I could just imagine the feeling of her tiny white fingers scrabbling away at his throat. But her arm was elbow deep inside his throat. Then her arm retreated back, covered in blood. And as her hand came free, I could see long, ropey things held in her small, delicate fist. His intestines. His eyes rolled back in his head and I could tell he was gone. She was about to do something to his body with his intestines but I flung the knife and it cracked the porcelain of her wrist and her hand fell off. His bloodied intestines dropped with a squelch. Before anyone could react, Logan had darted across the room and booted the bloody doll right in the cake hole, knocking her flying, smacking against the wall and clattering to the floor. The paintwork chipping, revealing a big black patch on her cheek, on of her blue eyes rolled back inside her head out of the socket and a large crack protruded across above her eyebrow.

"We have to go, now!" Commanded Logan and Jayden had already begun pulling me to the slightly ajar door. I turned and faced him. "No!" I shrieked and he looked taken aback, again, most likely expecting a crazy attack.

"Naomi! Where's Naomi! I'm not leaving without her!" I yelled, becoming tearful. Logan let out a low growl ending as a groan. I spun around to face him and was shocked by the bloody porcelain hand sticking out his lower stomach, a pained expression on his face. I stumbled back from shock, my mouth agape. The hand immediately withdrew and Logan was shoved to the floor, writhing in pain. Jayden, who was now in front of me was flung with super human strength across the room, smacking his back against the table and his weakened frame crumbled to the floor. I began walking backwards as the battered doll known as Absinthe matched me step for step until I slipped on the blood. I cracked my head against the floor and clutched at the newly formed gash.

"It was such a nice idea of you to join me, Lily" Absinthe spoke, her voice soft and hushed, almost comforting. "I've had such fun playing with you and your friends" She smirked.

"You call this a game?" I screeched and she put her painted boot on my neck, constricting my breathing and crushing my esophagus. The removed it seconds later.

"Yes, yes I do. You know what kind of game this is? It's my game. I make the rules. I always win... You see, when I play - no one gets left out. No one. So if you think you're getting away from me again, take another guess" She smirked.

"Who are you?" I asked, an appalled tone, very clear.

"Who am I? You know that. I'm Absinthe, version one, the original. I am the queen bee! I am the first! I am the only, no matter what the others think, I am the best, I AM THE FIRST, I AM AN ORIGINAL, I AM THE PRETTIEST!" she began calmly but her voice got louder and harsher, ending up as a scream. Her remaining hand raised above her head, small pointy finger positioned like a claw. He face became enraged which was probably the most petrifying thing ever, I swear she would've killed me, that was if THAT hand't happened next...

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Okay we're coming to an end so I wont bother with character status anymore, only a few more chapters left! But I have a few ideas of a sequel, and maybe even a third book if I can get it that far, sooooo... Keep a look out! If I make more book I'll put an authors note, so yah! bye!