“How are you?”
I gaze at him, my eyes catching the G pinned to his shirt, before answering. “Hurt.”
“Rightfully so.”
“I was talking about my head.” I will give him no emotions whatsoever. It’s what he wants. Showing emotion only means he’s won, although I’m not sure how long I can keep it up.
He muffles a laugh. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“Who are you, exactly?” I ask, adding to my lie in order to keep up the charade.
“Don’t pretend that you don’t know. I can see through all that.”
He circles his finger in the air. “That little thing you’ve got going on there? Playing pretend? Yeah, it’s not working.”
He laughs. “My name is Hubert Newman, but you already know that. Sebastian told you everything there is to know about us. I know he did; I can see through his lies. I wasn’t entirely convinced at first, but when I saw your little act, I realized that you were both playing us. I know Sebastian is messing with us and I know that you’re part of his game. Do you think I don’t notice your hatred? Did you think that I wouldn’t recognize the face of a girl who sees her worst enemy standing right in front of her?”
In shock, my eyes widen, and my heart starts to race.
“Surprise? Nah … I don’t believe it.” He cocks his head. “You should know that I’m doing everything I can to thwart his plans. No worries, I’ll roast him first. He should pay for his insolence. After that, I’ll make sure that he never comes between us and our mission.”
“What mission?”
He smiles like the devil. “To use and abuse anything and everything we deem interesting … because this is our world, our playground, and I will not allow anyone to ruin it.”
I swallow, fear careening through my veins, causing my body to jumpstart into action, but I won’t allow myself to feel threatened by him—not anymore. I’m past that point. Creatures like him deserve to die a slow painful death. I won’t give him my anxiety because it would cause more harm than good.
“Did you come here just to belittle me? Because it’s not working,” I say, seething. If I were free of these restraints, I’d be at his throat right now.
“Oh?” He raises an eyebrow. “Pity.”
He smiles widely. “Then I’ll have to take it up a notch. Did you know the poison your mother used on your father is a rare product produced by uranium in a reactor? An element so rare it can never be bought on the black market, let alone a legal one. Of course, you must know by now that our means are … shall we say … endless.”
He squints then lowers his head. “It has an ugly side effect.”
Side effect? What’s he talking about? I know reactors have something to do with radiation, which explains why my father got so violently ill all of the sudden.
“You see, when someone comes into contact with radioactive material although very limited, it causes violent reactions inside the body. Your mother, of course, being the stupid sow that she was, took a sip from the wrong cup.”
“Don’t you dare call her names!” I yell.
“Oh? You still care? Did you forget about the part where she told you that she killed your dad?” He gazes at me, and when he sees the frustration on my face, he bursts into laughter.
“This is too good to watch.”
“Shut up. Just shut up.” I don’t want to hear about how my mother poisoned herself in the process of killing my dad. It’s too much right now. I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel; pity, hatred, fear, sorrow. It’s all coming at once.
“Oh, my dear girl, I’m not finished messing with you yet. You see … your mother didn’t want to wait until nature’s call.”
I sit up straight as far as my shackles will take me, gasping for air. “What?”
“You didn’t hear yet? And here I thought the nurses were quick to tell,” he hums. “Seems they’ve been taught well here. Better keep your mouth shut or else …”
“What is happening to my mom?” I yell.
“Nothing.” He grins. “Not anymore, that is. When she went on a bathroom break, there was a little accident. I guess the nurses didn’t think to keep their eyes peeled and accompany her. Hmm … or maybe it’s because I told them not to bother.”
“WHAT happened?” I shriek.
What was left of my heart shatters when he opens his mouth and speaks. “She couldn’t live with the guilt anymore, so she hung herself with the shower curtain.”
Accompanying song: “Hurricane” by Thirty Seconds To Mars