(chapter thirty-nine.) the bleeding throat
❝ YOU DID WHAT YOU HAD TO.❞
☂
"YOU GUYS ARE CLOSER THAN EVER."
Five and Paris glanced at each other as their shoulders brushed against the others. They were standing close, yeah, but the only who did seem to notice was Klaus and Paris' dad.
"And why should that matter to you?" Five questioned, his hands clasping themselves behind his back while his eyes set on his brother. Paris gulped the slightest and cleared his throat while Klaus next to him nudged him.
"I'm just observing," Diego said, glancing at the two before looking away and eyeing Klaus as the man opened the door of the bar they were all about to enter.
"Look," Klaus said, pointing at Luther sitting in a table by himself, drinking. Paris scrunched his nose and when Diego and Klaus paid no attention to them but rather Luther, Five found this as a perfect time to place his hand on Paris' own. Paris jumped and after finding out what was the thing placed on his hand, he felt his face heat up at finding Five's hand with his own.
With Five limping, the two hid their hands behind their backs, not wanting anyone to see them as they headed towards Luther.
"Trying a little hair of the dog, are we? Hm?" Klaus questioned, humor lacking his voice.
"Leave me alone," Luther let out, clearly annoyed that his brothers and the Capulet wouldn't leave him alone.
"Give us a minute," Diego instructed, sitting beside Luther. Klaus, Five, and Paris looked at the man and nodded.
"Okay," Klaus started. "Come on. Maybe they'll brood each other to death."
The two walked away and for a second, Five stumbled back as he felt Paris not moving. Letting go of his hand, the blue-eyed boy headed towards Diego.
"You better hurry up," Paris softly told him. Diego looked up at him. "Aunt Poet and Aunt Allison might be in danger in this exact moment. And if we lose her, well, Diego, healing pain is not the only thing I can do. Causing it, I can."
He turned around and left and Diego gulped, looking away to look at his brother. Maybe he was scared of the boy. Just a little bit... okay, maybe a lot.
"Look," Diego started as he shook off his thoughts and looked back at his brothers, "Dad was wrong to lie to you. To all of us."
"Look, I did my time. Alright? Four years of there, watching and waiting because he said the world needed me," Paris rolled his eyes at Luther's words, annoyed just by even being around him. Was he the only one feeling this way? Maybe it wasn't only because he's basically making everything about him, but maybe it's because Luther has showed his hate to the Capulets. "Four years of nothing but soy paste and processed air because I was naive enough to believe that dads don't lie to their kids. But guess what? The joke's on me."
Luther drank from his cup and Diego turned to look at the three figures across the room, staring at him already.
"I'm done," Luther continued. "With all of it. With him. With you. With this family. With the Capulets. You wanna save the world, you go right ahead. I'm fine to sit here and finish my beer and... get my... buzz on."
Halfway through Luther's speech, Klaus pointed at his hand and tapped it, indicating that they didn't have enough time for this and Paris agreed because maybe something was happening to Poet right now and he couldn't live with the fact if his aunt was dead.
"You want to turn your back on me," Diego began again, glancing at the three again, "the guys, the Capulets, that's fine." He sighed before grabbing his gloves from the table. "But Allison deserves better than that."
"Allison?" Luther questioned. "What are you talkin' about?"
"Well, we got ahold of Harold Jenkins' police file. Turns out Vanya's boyfriend is a convicted murderer. Who would've saw that coming? A little hard to trust anyone who wear corduroy."
"Wait, so... where's Allison now?"
"She and my girl decided to go after Harold Jenkins," Diego said. "Alone."
Luther stayed quiet for a second before he spoke in a loud tone. "You should have led with that! Jesus Christ." He stood up and ran out of the bar and the brothers and Paris rushed after him. "Shit."
☂
"Mr. Luntz? Mr. Luntz, can you hear me?"
The man on the hospital bed groaned and he opens his eyes to stare at the three people in front of him. "Who, um... Who are?"
"I'm Sergeant Cheddar, and these are... These are my associates," Allison and Poet looked at each other as the man winked at them. "Just have a couple of questions for you?"
"Am I in trouble?" The man on the bed questioned and Poet scrunched her nose at seeing the man's face. It reminded her of the way her face used to look like back then after she came from missions.
"No trouble," Sergeant Cheddar answered, "nothin' like that. I just... I wanted to ask you about the accident in the Bearskin Tavern parking lot last night."
"You're a cop," Poet held back a sarcastic remark and clenched her fists together to keep that remark in. "You gotta protect me no matter what, right?"
"It's my sworn duty."
"It was no accident," the man said.
"What do you mean?"
"This guy... hired us to start a fight," Poet furrowed her eyebrows at the man's words and continued to hear him. "He wanted us to rough him up in front of his girlfriend.he paid real good, up front. We got drunk. Took it a little too far. Started to hassle the girl, too. And then, all hell broke loose."
"The guys who paid you, what did he look like?" Poet closed her eyes and sighed at coming to hear Allison speak. Though, the question was good, Poet knew that just because she spoke, the two will most likely be talked to by the sergeant. "Brown hair, light scruff, slight build?"
"Yeah," the man answered. "Yeah, that's him."
"Well, that's a... a really good guess."
Allison placed here hand in her jacket and took out something. "Is this the girlfriend?"
"Hey, uh... Just, um... Just a moment," Poet looked up at the ceiling and while sighing, she turned to look at the sergeant as he closed the curtain. "Hey, by any chance, is your movie called Small Town Cop Falls for Hollywood Superstar's Bullshit?"
"We're sorry for misleading you," Allison said.
"I believe the word would be "lying"," Cheddar said, hands on hips.
"I'm sorry I lied," Allison corrected herself. "But I didn't know how else to get answers." She raised up the paper where Vanya's face was at. "This is my sister. And I think the guy that put him in this hospital has her. I have to find her."
"I could get fired for just bringing you down here with me."
"Well, that's your fault," Poet let out. "If you knew that information, you shouldn't have brought us. But you did."
"Poet," Allison warned, casting her a side glance. "Please. I think she's in trouble. I need your help."
Cheddar sighed before opening the curtain. "Answer the lady's question. Is this the girlfriend?"
"Sorry, but the doctor's ordered more tests. You're gonna have to ask him questions later."
"Jesus fucking Christ lady," Poet groaned, placing her hand on her chest. "You scared the crap out of me that I thought I was gonna end up in the hospital bed just like him."
The three went out and while they waited by the Intensive Care Unit, they talked to themselves, waiting until someone told them they could ask question again. Their conversation, though, was cut off when the same nurse that they just saw headed towards them with her voice laced with urgency.
"Hey, Dale?"
"Yup?"
"Have you seen Mr. Luntz?" Poet perked you at the question and her mouth opened the slightest.
"No, why?"
"I took him to X-ray, and then he disappeared," the nurse answered and Poet could feel Allison's thoughts rushing to her own mind.
"We... You better let security know," Cheddar, also known by the hilarious name Dale, said. "I'll call it in."
"Yeah."
The nurse walked away and after judging Allison, Allison rushed to the nurse. "Oh, wait, one more thing." Allison unfolded the paper in her hand and showed Vanya's picture. "Do you recognize this woman?"
The nurse grabbed it and hummed. "Mm. She left with Mr. Peabody this morning."
The nurse handed back the paper and Allison questioned behind her. "Wait, this morning?" She turned to look at the Sergeant and Poet. "They must've been here when we stopped by the cabin."
"Yeah."
"Maybe they went back there," Poet suggested and Allison nodded before she and Poet turned around.
"I'm gonna go get my sister," Allison said but Cheddar stopped them.
"Woah, hold on," he said. The two women turned around. "We got a missing vic, and this guy might be dangerous. I need you to stay here." He walked away and the two could hear him say, "Allison frickin' Hargreeves, man, oh, man."
"We're still gonna go, right?"
"Yep."
☂
As they arrived to the cabin placed in the middle of nowhere, the wind was blowing harshly. Violin was also heard playing from the inside and the two knew Vanya was inside, hopefully alone.
They rushed towards the entrance of the house, hoping to talk to Vanya, but Poet knew that because she and Allison got in an argument, that talking will most likely not be an option at all.
"Vanya?" Allison called out, squinting her eyes as the wind was too hard. "Is that you?" She opened the front door and in front of her was her sister, playing the instrument that was there for her the most. "Vanya, there you are. What is going on?"
The girl stopped playing and turned to look at her sister and her friend. "What are you two doing here?"
"We came to find you," Allison answered. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Vanya replied.
"There's something... weird going on," Allison commented and Poet paid attention to Vanya, hoping to read her thoughts. But nothing came to her. Vanya's mind was silent. Too silent. "What's causing it?"
"Me."
"What do you mean, "me"?" Allison questioned, walking towards her. Poet sighed.
"It's not a surprise, Al," Poet answered. "Your father wouldn't have taken Vanya if he would've know she had some type of gift. And she does."
"Yeah," Vanya agreed. "I mean... I made those things happen. With my powers. Turns out I've had them all this time."
"But how?" Poet asked. "Your powers would've been shown along with your siblings. Are you okay, though?"
"Yeah," Vanya relied. "It's weird, huh?"
Allison gasped and Poet looked at her. "It's in—- it's incredible."
"But?"
"Ca—can we do this in the car?" Allison questioned and Poet furrowed her eyebrows again at her friend's request.
"Why?"
Allison sighed. "You're not gonna want to hear it."
"Well, that's never stopped you before," Poet, without knowing she did so, hummed in agreement and Vanya smiled at the girl a bit.
"Leonard Peabody?" Allison said. "His real name is Harold Jenkins." She took more steps. "Remember when I couldn't find anything in the library on Leonard? It's because Leonard Peabody doesn't exist. Harold Jenkins does. He was in prison for 12 years. He murdered his father when he was 13."
"This is... insane," Vanya said and Poet couldn't blame her for thinking so. Everything sounded insane. And it did. "His dad was an engineer at the—"
"I have the police report in the car, Vanya," Allison said. "I can show you."
"I don't... I don't understand."
"I think I should wait in the car," Poet spoke, awkward at being in the same room. She backed away but the sisters looked at her and shook their heads, so she stayed put, trying her hardest to make it seem like she wasn't listening.
"Leonard, Harold," Allison began again after making sure her friend wasn't leaving, "I—I know it doesn't make any sense and I know it sounds crazy, but we were in his house. He has pictures of all of us with our eyes gouged out. Even Poet and her nephew, Paris are there."
"Wh—what? I—"
"I promise I will tell you everything in the car, but it is not safe," Allison said, standing in front of her sister and holding her arms. Vanya stepped away and shook her head.
"No, stop," Vanya day on the couch, processing her mind through every word Allison just said.
Allison squatted in front of her. "Look, um... I can't imagine how hard it is for you to hear this... how you feel right now, but I... I love you, and I— I just... I wanna be here for you, as your sister."
"There's just no way. But I love him," Vanya looked at Allison. "This just doesn't make any sense. And this power... I—I don't know. I don't know what's going on. I don't know what to do."
Allison stayed quiet as Vanya sniffled, but the silence was cut off when the woman spoke. "I understand now..."
Poet stood by the doorway, listening to every word Allison said. And she stood there, shocked as she listened to the reason behind her question earlier. "He made me an accomplice."
There was a tense silence before Vanya cut it and spoke. "You did this to me?"
"I..." Allison was trying so hard to find the right words and Poet could feel the anger building up in Vanya. "I... I didn't realize."
"You knew this whole time?" Vanya stood up quickly. "That I had powers."
Allison stood up, too, and Poet walked closer to the two just in case something happened. "No, no! I didn't really understand until I came today, until I saw it."
"Well, now it all makes sense," Vanya said and Poet stood behind Allison by now. "This is why you never wanted me around."
"What? No."
"You couldn't risk me threatening your place in the house," Vanya continued, "your—your dominance."
"That is not true."
"You couldn't handle the fact that Dad might find me special."
"You are special, with or without powers," Allison tried to reason but her words fell in deaf ears.
"Don't—Don't day that!"
"We have a chance to start over."
"You destroyed my life!"
Poet watched everything unfold in front of her and she watched with tears-eyed eyes as the sister fought.
"Oh, please, Vanya," Allison spoke softly. "Everything is out in the open. We can move on!"
Poet shook her head at Allison's words. "Oh, I'm moving on. But not with you, with Leonard."
"With Harold, you mean."
"With Leonard! The only person who has ever loved me for me." Poet looked up as the tuning fork resonated and her heart started to thump against her chest. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you're not threatened now."
The wind started to blow and things started to clatter. Allison looked around. "I don't want to argue with you."
"Then go!" Vanya yelled.
"Uh—" A sound of something crashing was heard and Poet places her hand on Allison's shoulder
"We need to go Allison."
"I'm only trying to help you," Allison continued and Poet didn't move her hand from her arm.
"I don't want your help!"
"Vanya, I love you!"
"Stop saying that!"
Everything started to move and Poet has never felt such fear. She was usually known as the strongest one out of them all, but Vanya, now showing what she can do, she might be the most dangerous and powerful one.
"Are you...? Are you okay?"
"I said go!"
Lightbulbs smashed and Poet moved Allison away from the glass. Vanya panted and Allison looked at her. "Please don't make me do this."
"Allison don't."
"I heard a rumor—"
As if something overcame her, Poet pushed Allison away quickly out of instinct and she was met with pain. An immense pain. She started to choke and because she pushed Allison away, Allison hit her head on the floor hard to the point where she was unconscious.
Blood was seeping from Poets wound in her throat. And Vanya rushed you her quickly. "Poet." Vanya grabbed her by the shoulders Poet continued to choke for air. She continued to choke as she held her bleeding throat. "No! No! Poet!"
Poet fell on the floor and Vanya continued to screamed as she watched the brunette fall. She didn't mean to do this. Especially not to Poet. Poet was there for her even when Poet didn't mean to. She treated her like a friend. She acknowledged her.
"Vanya, wait—"
"Poet! I didn't mean to," but not turning around, Vanya couldn't see the smile growing on the mans face as he realized that the second threatened person that would ruin his plan was dying on the floor. Poet Capulet was dying. "I didn't... I didn't mean to. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"You did what you had to."
Vanya started to hyperventilate at she watched the life in Poet's kind eyes leave. There was no light in them. Nothing.
"We have to go!"
"I can't just leave her!"
"We have to go now!"
Vanya left with the man that would ruin everything and just as she did so, Allison woke up with a pounding headache, looking around before she remembered what happened. She saw her friend's body, not so far from her, lifeless,
"Poet! Poet! No, no, no!" Allison yelled. "Poet!"
Allison ripped a part of her pants and placed it on Poet's bleeding throat and held it while tears rushed out of her eyes. It felt like days as she sat there, yelling for help to the unknown. But it wasn't until she heard a car park by the house did she stand up quickly, her hands sticky with blood that didn't belong to her.
When she opened the door, she found Diego, Luther, Klaus, Five... and Paris. When they saw Allison and then her hands, they all knew something was wrong. It wasn't until Paris placed his hand on his throat and his knees buckled, did he know something wasn't right.
"It's Aunt Poet," Paris breathed out and Five heard him,
"It's Poet!" Allison yelled. "It's Poet!"
They all rushed towards the steps and when the stood by the front door, their breaths hitched in their throats at coming to see the Capulet lying on the floor with her shirt stained with blood.
"Poet!" Diego yelled and he ran towards her, Paris, Five, and Klaus following after her. Diego stood on good of her, his hand placed on her cold cheek. He started to cry and everyone watched as he did so, but not only did he do so, too, but everyone there beside Luther, who felt guilty for treating her badly. And Julian stood by, his heart breaking, even though he's just a spirit, as he watched his twin sister not breathe.
"Poet..."
☂
AUTHOR'S NOTE!
wow... wowwwwwww
dude this is 3000 + words
and im shocked that i wrote that
much. what do you all think is
going to happen to poet? will she die?
will she survive? i think she's gonna
die... im just kidding, no i don't,
i love her. so enjoy this chapter.
hopefully.
see you soon!