Adora

“You can’t be doing this,” Isaac whispered. 

    “That’s where you’re wrong.” I chuckled more to myself than anything. “If I couldn’t do it, why was I able to do it?” I looked around the silent streets. There was a light fog and the air felt damp against my hot skin. What to do next? I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I looked down at the girl, her body nearly unrecognizable. 

    “Zachary, run. You don’t need to do anything more.” Isaac’s voice was tense. 

    “I suppose you’re right.” I turned away from the lump of meat and flesh that resembled the human it used to be, and strolled away. Why should I run? People rarely braved the night alone, especially in the fog. I shivered and pulled my blood soaked cloak closer to me. I had a long way to go before I made it back to my home, and my horse had spooked when the girl screamed. Walking would suffice until I found another way to travel. 

“Zachary you must move faster, please, I’m begging you.” Isaac was always one to worry.

 My plan would work. If there wasn’t anybody to see me, why should I rush? After nearly an hour of walking I returned to my home, a small cottage near the edge of the woods. It was nearly a kilometer out of town and I was rarely ever bothered. This night was different. There was a woman standing at my door, tightly wrapped in her shawl. She turned to me, and her eyes held something I could not describe. Her face was familiar but I had never seen those eyes before. In my condition at the time, I would expect fear, but that's not what it was. It was something else, a glint, a shine I hadn’t seen before, nor will I ever see it again. She smiled at me, taking a step closer. “Are you Zachary Taylor?” Her voice was sickly sweet, and it rolled off her tongue like honey. Much different from the woman I had just spent time with, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I had met her before. I had no idea what to say. “You must be, I saw you.”

“She saw you? How could you be so careless?!” Isaac’s voice was quick and sharp. 

“I’m sorry, I didn't mean to. I swear I didn’t. I didn’t think.” I said hurriedly.  I couldn't keep from choking on my words as I spoke.

“Thats right, You didn't think,” Isaac seethed.Isaac seethed.

“Excuse me, are you alright? Who are you talking to?” The woman reached out and touched my arm, her eyes still holding that unexplainable shine.

“Yes, I’m quite alright, but I believe you have the wrong house,” I stepped closer and took her hand. “My name is Isaac King, not Zachary Taylor.”  I tilted my head at her and smiled. “What might your name be, and why are you here of all places?” 

“My name? It’s Adora Archer. As for why I’m here, I have already told you that I saw you in town. What you did to that girl.” She smiled like someone would when remembering a happy time in their life. “It was beautifully done, and over in minutes. Almost as if it was a dance. I heard your name when you were talking to her.” Listening to her voice was almost like a song, and I longed to speak with her just to hear more. 

“I apologize for lying to you. My name is indeed Zachary Taylor.” Isaac would be outraged at me for  coming between him and Adora, but I didn’t care in that moment. “Please, come inside. The sun will be up soon, and I must get out of these clothes.” I turned and walked into the house without waiting for her reply. I heard her footsteps following close behind me moments later. I waited for her to pass me before closing and locking the door. 

“Are you angry with me?” She stood in the center of the room, only I saw it as a stage. Her golden hair glowed in the candlelight and her eyes shined like diamonds. 

I remember thinking that the night may be more enjoyable than I originally planned. “No, no I’m not angry,” I laughed quietly to reassure her and to keep her calm. “Please, wait here. I’ll be back shortly.” I hurried into the neighboring room and closed the door. 

“What are you planning?” Isaac’s voice was quiet and harsh. 

“I want to do something, and here I have the time and materials.”

“Not here. This is where you live, never do something so drastic in your home.” 

“That’s enough Isaac.” I changed my clothes and put the soiled ones in the back of my closet, then went back into the room and saw Adora standing right where I had left her. She turned when I came back into the room and smiled. I smiled back and waved a hand at the couch next to me. “Please, have a seat. Can  I get you anything? Tea perhaps?” 

“Oh yes,” she sighed as she sat. made herself comfortable. I rushed to the kitchen and began to boil some water. 

“Doesn't this seem strange to you? Honestly Zachary, a woman, whom you have never seen before appears at your home in the middle of the night with no explanation. More importantly, someone that has seen what you've done. 

“Isaac, stop worrying so much. You always worry. Nothing will go wrong.”

“I think it’s time for you to wake up Zachary.”

“What?”

“I said wake up. Face reality. I'm not alive, I don't exist. Look around you does any of this look real to you? It's your fault Zachary, you killed me.”

“No, I couldn't have. You’re lying. You’re my brother, how could I have killed you?”

“Wake up.”

“You’re lying! I am awake. Stop lying to me!”

“Turn around.” My body tightened as I turned slowly, and the room changed. Blood splattered on the walls and covered the floors. On the ground, I saw Isaac lying motionless in a pool of dark crimson. “You did this.” I wanted to scream but my voice had left me. “Now, wake up.” Everything disappeared and I was left in darkness. 

I awoke to the sound of screams coming from somewhere I couldn’t place. It took me some time to realize that it was coming from myself. I couldn’t breathe as I stood up and rushed into the kitchen. Everything was spotless and clean, the way I had left it. I had to check one more spot before I felt completely at ease. I made my way through the kitchen to the pantry. The smell was still there and I held my breath as I opened the door. Looking down, I saw the crumpled remains of my brother. He was still there. Why couldn’t he leave me alone? He was and always had been the favorite son. But where had that gotten him? Nowhere. In the end, he was only a pile of flesh left to rot. And yet, he still haunted me. 

In my panic I felt as if I had forgotten something. I looked around and everything was still in order. I thought back to my dream and remembered a voice. That’s right, the woman from my dream. I needed to do something about her. She belonged to my brother, after all. I wanted to give her back to him. Adora, the beautiful woman with the voice of an angel. The mysterious gleam in her eyes, not for me, but for my brother. Isaac was wrong, his death wasn’t my fault, it was hers. She taunted me, teased and provoked. Isaac’s death was just an unfortunate accident. I wandered down to the cellar so I could see if she was awake. If she was, I’d see how long it took to see the light leave her eyes and her voice to fall silent. If not, I planned to wake her up and continue with my original plan. I laughed as I reached the end of the cellar and heard her sobbing from behind the door. 

First, fear. Then, something else, something more fun for me. I wanted to hear her voice as much as possible before it was gone forever. How would I begin? I hadn’t thought that far ahead. The knife, I needed the knife. But, before I went to get it, I pounded on the door and she screamed. It thrilled me more than anything ever had before and I laughed again. “I’ll be back with you in a moment my sweet, sweet Adora. I just need a moment to grab something for you. Now, don’t go anywhere.” 

I was answered by sobbing and cries for help. Of course she couldn’t go anywhere, she was strapped to my table, alone in the dark. It was only a matter of time until I heard my little bird sing. I smiled at the thought and rushed back to the kitchen in search of my carving knife. It was sturdy enough to do what I had planned. My body began to shake with excitement and I took a deep breath to calm myself. I didn’t want to get too ahead of myself or it would all be over too soon. Back down to the cellar and the door. I heard no sounds so I pounded on the door gaining a scream and more cries for help from the other side. It wasn’t enough. I crept into the room quietly without saying a word as she was screaming. She didn’t even notice. I let the knife scrape against the stone wall as I walked, my footsteps silent. The room fell silent except for the sounds of her panicked breathing and the knife. I struggled to keep myself composed. I stopped walking and tapped the knife against the table she was confined to, gaining more screams. I couldn’t contain myself any longer and I howled with laughter. “Adora, my sweet, beautiful angel Adora, you know where you are, right?”

“Zachary, is that you? Please, let me go. Please…” Her voice was shaking and filled with panicked terror. “Please, I’ll do anything. Where is Isaac?”

“He’s dead! You know who is at fault for that, don’t you?” I struggled to keep my voice calm as I spoke to her. “It’s your fault Adora. If you hadn’t mocked me with your smile, your sideways glances, none of this would have happened.” Having full control had me ecstatic. I wanted to see her face as I cut her skin to ribbons. A lamp, there was a lamp on the wall by the door. There were also matches in my pocket. I made my way back to the door and lit the lamp that was just over my head. After, I turned back to Adora. She was still beautiful despite her cheeks that were wet with tears, and her eyes that were red and swollen from crying. Her eyes, yes, those had to go first. I looked at the rest of her, besides her wrists and ankles being bloody from struggling, her body was perfect. Her hips had a gentle curve and her legs were long and beautiful. Legs, those would come next. Adora had gone silent as I was looking over her, planning everything. “Where did your beautiful  screams go? You were making me excited.” I sighed and walked back to her, and she tensed up. 

“You’re twisted sick Zachary,” her voice quivered as she spoke. “Just let me go.”

“Where should I begin,” I continued as if I hadn’t heard her. “Maybe here?” I placed the tip of the blade against her bare stomach and added a small amount of pressure. She screamed and jerked suddenly, causing a large gash to appear in her skin. That caused her to scream even louder and struggle violently. That wasn’t what was supposed to happen! Not part of my plan! Blood began to pour out as she thrashed about, fighting against the ropes restraining her. “You… You ruined it!” I began slashing her skin over and over again in different places. More and more blood poured out by the second, and the warm crimson covered everything. Her screams were drowned out by my own anger. I could barely hear a single thing. When I finally calmed down, I noticed that there was guts and gore stuck on the blade of the knife and spilling out on the floor. Adora’s screams had grown weak and the smell of blood was overpowering. If I had to think of a word to describe how I felt in that moment, I felt pure bliss, ecstasy. Adora began coughing and choking on her own blood, and her life was fading right before my eyes. 

“Why,” She managed to choke out between breaths. “Why did you do this?” 

“You were too beautiful, too precious for this world. Now, I think the world suits you perfectly. Don’t worry darling, you’re still beautiful to me.” And that was the end of it, she fell into a deep sleep that would last forever, eternal rest.