Mirror Image (Under MAJOR editing)

Chapter 26

Picasso dropped Marley onto the ground like a ragdoll as he knelt down next to her. Her pulse was faint but she wasn't breathing. Picasso calmly pressed against her upper chest as he started CPR. "She asked for it Sir."

Marley sat up and looked around, not instantly recognizing where she was, but knowing that is was familiar: the sun flower wallpaper, the teddy bear sitting on the sofa, the soft laughs coming from the other room.

"I'm home." Marley whispered to herself. Marley stood up and ran downstairs and was met with the pristine white carpet and sofas. Marley looked over the stairs and saw two people, a tall dark haired man and a tall, thin blue green eyed woman. "Mum?" Marley quietly asked.

The woman looked up and smiled. "Marley darling! Come on down. We are having tea." Marley slowly walked down the stairs, looking at her parents standing right in front of her. "Dad, what's going on?"

"You're finally home, kiddo." Marley looked at her parents' smiling faces and it dawned on her: she died.

Marley panicked for a second but it was soon lost in a feeling foreign to her. Marley felt happy. Marley started choking up. "I missed you guys so much."

"And we missed you too darling." Her mother pulled her into a hug. "We did everything we could to keep you safe."

"I know Mum. I'm sorry you two died." Marley felt tears roll down her face.

"Don't be kiddo." Her dad rested his hand on her back. "Everything happens for a reason. Look at you. You saved Anna."

Marley looked up at him and paused. "Her name is Nan." Marley stated slowly, put off by his statement. "I haven't saved her. She's still there." Marley pulled away from her mother. "I need to go back and save her."

Her parents looked at each other and then looked back at her. "We know. Go ahead. Your friend needs you. We'll see you soon baby. We love you." Her mother leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"I love you too." Marley smiled before she was violently pulled out of the scene.

Marley gasped for air as she quickly sat up, breathing rapidly. Marley tried to get up but she was held down. Marley was met with the dark, cold room she wished was only in her nightmares. Marley fought against Picasso's grasp, yelling for help. Moriarty strode towards them. "Stop it," he quietly demanded. Marley opened her mouth to scream again as Morairty looked down at her. "If you don't stop screaming, I will kill Nan." Marley stopped suddenly as Moriarty yanked her up by her arm and dragged her across the room to a chair.

Marley shook her head violently as she pushed her heals into the floor to stop her. "Picasso said you are already going to!" 

"Fine. Is this better for you?" Moriarty roughly pulled her back, her feet coming off the ground. "If you don't bloody shut up, I'll skin her." She was slammed into the chair. Marley knew what was coming next. The one thing she feared next to Nan's death: knives. She shuttered, thinking of what was going to happen next.

The dim lighting caused an eerie feeling, if there wasn't one already with her imminent doom pending.

Picasso walked out of the shadows with his briefcase. "I've been looking forward to this for awhile." Marley let out a sob as she tried to swallow her fear. He opened up the case and the light coming from the swinging light bulb glistened against the metal of the knives. Picasso carefully picked up a small dagger and stroked it's blade. Marley calmed her breathing down when suddenly Picasso thrust it into Marley's thigh. Marley let out a piercing scream, filled with agony. Marley tried to pull her arms apart but Moriarty handcuffed her tied wrists to the back of the metal chair. Marley lost conciousness for a couple seconds before coming to. Marley started hyperventilating as she screamed again when Picasso pulled the dagger out.

"Shut her up," Moriarty ordered as Picasso shoved the cloth back into her mouth and tied it there. 

Marley leaned back into the chair, trying to catch her breath as Moriarty stalked towards her. 

"You know. I have to admire your spirit. It's really pleasant to see someone who doesn't just whine and beg for it to stop. But you're getting soft Marley. You never used to do that. Is it because you have nothing worth fighting for anymore? Come on." Moriarty placed both hands on Marley's shoulders. "And just think. I was seeing big things in your future. You weren't staying in here forever."

Moriarty's cologne wafted towards her. She knew he was going to make an important business arrangement after he dealt with her.

Maybe we can make him late, eh?

Marley looked up at him with a pointed glare. Marley felt the knife slice into her upper chest, right below the collar bone, eliciting a painful grunt from Marley. Yet, she didn't break her stare.

"Well look at that. You're so tough and intimidating." Moriarty leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Best remember what position you are in. Everyone breaks at one point. Even Sherlock Holmes broke and look where he is now."

Marley chuckled at Moriarty. Look where Sherlock was now? He was alive and becoming famous, although probably not to his favor.

Moriarty's hand flew out, slapping Marley across the face. A sharp snap sounded with the contact as her head was sent to the side. "You won't have the same luck. By the end of this, you'll wish you were dead." Marley looked back at Moriarty with a scowl. "Continue Picasso."

Marley felt the thin dagger slide into her lower abdomen, causing her to gasp out in pain. "Don't worry. We wouldn't kill you that quickly. I've avoided all the main arteries. In fact, this just landed near your intestines which are quite durable. It'll take you hours to die from ensanguination." Picasso then slid the dagger out, causing Marley to expell a small cry.

Blood immediately started pouring out of the wound. She started panicking, seeing the blood soak her shirt and her pants. 

Picasso started cleaning the dagger as she felt Moriarty unlock her handcuffs. She left her wrists leave the metal chair as she was pushed forward. Marley landed with a thud to the ground, pain surrounding her. She tried to will herself to move, finally rolling onto her back to face her attackers. Picasso stalked towards her menacingly. Marley tried to move back but Picasso planted his left foot and swung his right, connecting it with her stomach. 

Marley yelped out as she was thrown from the ground by the force. Marley rolled onto her stomach, pressing her forehead against the ground to brace herself. The room was spinning around her. 

Shoes approached her again but she kept still, trying to ebb away the pain. She was grabbed by the back of her neck and picked up. Marley looked into Moriarty's eyes which were emotionless. "I haven't taken part in someone's demise like this in far too long. I usually try to distance myself. Even with Sherlock, I didn't directly push him off the building. You, my dear, are a first for me in the past ten years." Moriarty quickly jabbed Marley in the nose, snapping it. Marley clenched her teeth as she felt the blood run down her face. Moriarty then grabbed onto Marley's shoulders and thrust his knee up into her gut as Picasso let go. 

Marley's air was knocked out of her as she fell roughly to the ground. Her hair was grasped onto, lifting her head up and giving Moriarty enough leverage to send a blow to her face. Her head banged onto the ground with a sickly thud. Marley looked up through blurry vision only to see a fuzzy outline of a shoe swing towards her stomach again. As it connected, Marley heard two ribs snap, sending her into the wall. As she lay there limp, the room was quiet. The only sound heard was Marley's raspy breathing.

Pass out. It'll give you a rest. You need to pass out.

Marley looked up at the swinging lightbulb and slowly closed her eyes, drifting into unconsiousness.