A Marionette's Dream

May 4, 1903

Adeline hasn’t tried to attack in nearly a year now, Lucas tries his best to make me feel safe. I always tell him that I am okay, but he refuses to believe me. Sometimes I see a little flicker of his old self in his brown eyes, but it quickly hides away again. It worries me that he can’t remember who he truly is. “I’m going into town Scarlet! I’ll return shortly!” Lucas calls from the front door. I just ignore him and continue to sit silently in the sitting room.

Adeline wouldn’t hurt him again, I know she won’t. She is smart, she knows that if she kills him again that he’ll just come back. I scoff and grin to myself. “She can’t take him this time, she doesn’t have a plan at all,” I say softly. ‘You idiot, you know better than to think like that! Never doubt your enemy.’ My conscious scolded me. She’s right. I shouldn’t ever doubt Adeline, I’ve doubted her before and she has proved me wrong multiple times. I worry about Lucas, ever since her threat I’ve been keeping a close eye on him.

A loud crash startles me, I jump from my seat and look around the sitting room. I don’t sense anyone. I chuckle softly and place my hand on my forehead. “Must be my imagination,” I say softly. I small giggle causes my body to tense, “Y-Your imagination isn’t nearly as strong as it used to be Scarlet.” I slowly turn my head and nearly scream. My poor baby brother was standing there, all bloodied and evil looking. “What’s wrong dear sister you look like you’ve seen a ghost.” He says mockingly.

I try to control my breathing as I back away from him, “N-No this isn’t real! Aidan is dead!” I yell as I glare at him. “Oh, my poor little naive little dolly! Can’t you see it? Maybe try looking a bit closer yes?” My body tenses more when I hear Adeline’s voice in my head. I step closer to Aidan and look at him closely. I gasp, “Y-You’re...y-you’re a demon.” I say quietly. “BINGO! Miss Adeline found me last December, she took me in. I tried to talk to Lucas, but he just pushed me aside like I was nothing.” Hatred was embedded in Aidan’s tone.

“H-How...how did this happen?” I stutter out as I stare at Aidan’s face. Stitches ran across his face and his neck, they were almost similar to mine. “Oh, poor dolly didn’t ask her master about the deal! How rich!” Adeline’s laughter filled my head. “What the bloody hell are you talking about!?” I yell aloud. “Don’t you get it little miss perfect? Lucas lied when you made that deal you basically gave yours and your brother’s souls to him.” She explained. ‘No that’s a lie...Lucas wouldn’t lie to me.’ I think as I continue to stare at Aidan.

“D-Did Adeline do this to you, Aidan?” I ask as I slowly approach him. He glared at me and replied: “No when I woke up from that cold darkness I was drawn to that bastard, but I couldn’t find him. When I finally did he turned me away, he didn’t want me. Adeline did.” His eyes soften when he mentioned her. My stomach drops when I finally notice his eyes, they’re blue like mine. “He...He really did lie.” I mutter.

Adian’s glare returned, the aura around him was dark. “You did this to me, you made me into this monster!” He yells. His words stung like a knife, “A-Aidan...I-I didn’t know this would happen...p-please believe me when I tell you I didn’t know!” I yell. “Oh honey don’t let that pathetic doll lie to you, she knew all along.” Adeline’s voice wasn’t in my head this time. I shudder in fear as I stare at her. She has her hand on top of Aidan’s head, she’s stroking his hair like a mother should.

“Scarlet! I’m home!” Lucas calls as he shuts the door from behind him. “Oh goody! Our guest of honor has finally arrived!” Adeline cheers happily. I clench my jaw, she’s going to hurt Lucas. Before I could warn him Aidan had me pinned to the floor with his hand over my mouth. “You can’t ruin mummy’s plan Scarlet, that’ll be a bad doll.” He says harshly. Mummy? He’s calling her mummy!? “Scarlet? Are you still in here?” Lucas asks as he pokes his head into the sitting room. “She’s not, but I’m here Lucas!” Adeline spoke happily as she forced him against the wall.

Lucas began to struggle against her, “Oh relax sweetheart! I’m just going to give you one minor tune up.” Said, Adeline, as inched her lips closer to his. He tried to lean his head back but he couldn’t. Their lips touched, Lucas’s eyes widened. Something had changed in them, his eyes didn’t look happy anymore. Adeline broke the kiss and flashed a wicked grin at me. “Alright, Aidan let the little doll go.” She said as she slowly let go of Lucas.

Aidan removed his hand from my mouth and stood up. I stand up and run over to Lucas, I’m sent back to the ground by a strong punch. I spit out blood onto the floor and look up in shock. Lucas had punched me, “How dare you try to touch me you, foul creature.” His tone of voice was harsh. Tears filled my eyes as I stared up at him shock, Adeline snaked her arms around his waist and smiled sweetly at me. “Oh dear, I believe you’ve punched the poor doll a little too hard.” She said sweetly as she nuzzled Lucas’s neck.

He smirked and showed his rows of sharp teeth. “She’ll be fine love, after all, I did create the little nuisance.” His words pierced through my chest like a knife. He doesn’t mean that. Aidan skips over to them and stands by their side. Lucas takes my brother’s small hand into his big one, he looks down at me. I look back up at him, his eyes are red again. “If you try to come after us, I’ll tear you apart stitch by stitch.” He says harshly as he leads Aidan out the door of the sitting room. Adeline stays behind, she grins at me evilly and walks over to where I lay.

She bends down so her face is only inches from mine, “I’ve won this war Scarlet. I figured that if I can’t kill him, then I’ll steal him.” She whispers. Tears streamed down my cheeks, she chuckles lowly as she stands up straight. “Please weep for him, because that’s all you’ll be able to do. I’ve stolen your baby brother, and now I’ve stolen the one thing that was keeping you sane.” She spoke again, I ignore her. She’s taken everything from me, my brother, my dignity, and now the one person who would protect me.

“D-Don’t leave me like this please...e-end my misery.” I plead quietly. Adeline turns away from me and begins to walk away before she walks out she turns to look at me. “I bet now you regret ever making that deal.” She says mockingly as she leaves me alone. I sob quietly, I curl up on the floor and try to remember my life before all of this hell and chaos happened. I didn’t have a perfect childhood, but no one’s childhood is ever perfect.

“I-I wish I never made that deal...I-I wish...I-I wish I was human again,” I whisper hoarsely as I continue to sob on the sitting room floor. I haven’t thought like this in eleven years, before I regretted it because of the pain Lucas was causing me. Now I regret it because I lie here a broken, sad, and pathetic woman. More tears fall as I begin to laugh, “I-I’ve let a filthy creature like Adeline beat me! S-She’s won this battle, but she hasn’t won this war quite yet.” I say softly as I sit up from the floor. I’ll make her pay, I’ll make her wish she was never brought into this world. “She’ll rue the day she crossed my path.”