Chapter 1
Ever look at the hand you once kissed, only to see its bloody, mangled remains?
Do you miss that laughter that rang loud and right into the night?
Now it’s a long banshee wail of torment, does this please you?
What about the smile that could break open the sky with how bright it was?
Does it hurt to see it twisted into an insane mix of a frown and a grin of horror?
How do you sleep at night, with my heart right there next to you on speed dial?
Do you enjoy giving it a good hit every day or night, whatever works for you, whenever it pleases you?
A rough moan escapes my mouth as I start to tug and jerk at my restraints.
A backup plan, but this insanity you inserted in me might give me the edge I need.
Darkness is everywhere I look.
Warm liquids drip down my arms from my shackles up against the wall; my chest is empty from my missing heart you tore out.
Remember that night you did it?
You came to me with so much cheer, and with I thought was a hug turned out to be my downfall.
You grabbed into my chest and dragged out my life source and replaced it with a machine.
You stitched me up in your crude way and put me on the wall of others you’ve made.
All of us in the light laid out naked and disfigured from the pieces you took from us; why was I the only one like me?
With rage, I know it will not help the best in this feeble attempt, but I used all the force I can muster to rip at the cold steel on my wrists.
I use my blood to help wiggle out, and as a sick snap rings out in the dead silence, a dozen eyes are suddenly on me.
Looks of stitched-up monsters, but I know what they want.
I am almost free of the steel as another crunch of bones rings out.
They too; are coming with me.
I feel my grin coming back, and all at once we rip and tear into ourselves in any way we must.
Never thought your sick love spell could break over us?
Soon we are dragging broken limbs, and even a few pulling the ones who have died.
We march up the broken wooden stairs, losing toes and fingers in the march of freedom.
Sick crunches sing, then one laughs.
Without reason, we all join in, and soon the haunting sound fills the air with a melancholy tone.
The light is not far, and you will not suspect us.
One step, then two steps more — we can do this.
Light floods us, and the sound of laughter dies as the roar of a chainsaw invades the small space.
With our combined rage and numbers, we know what to expect.
They rush you from behind me, and I stay back to watch the beauty unfold.
I twist my head to the side and form a wicked smile as our eyes meet.
Your hand shoots out for my help.
I was your latest, and you hoped your charms would hold more power than they.
When they ripped your arm off, I let out my crackle of laughter and pointed it at you.
A stub on each side is my price of freedom, a small price to pay if it got me here.
You’re drowning in your blood, and as many that you cut down, we were still too much.
None of our wicked smiles ever left our faces.
You screamed in horror at us and our relentlessness.
I come in at long last, and they part.
Each was holding an organ, the one they were missing.
Staring down into your eyes, I can see the life leaving you fast, so I act.
I reach deep into your disemboweled body and take back what is mine.
Blood spurts out of your mouth as I yank out your heart, and it hits me in the face.
I lick it off and then eat your heart.
The others start the same.
The room fills with manic laughter as we fill our missing parts and watch you scream and wither below us.
No longer the victims, we drag you to the wall and pin you up.
With our jobs done and feeling complete again, we slowly leave as your begging cries fade behind us as we do.
Let’s see how you like being surrounded by darkness.
