Virulent (Folie a Deux 1)

“Look and see, a gift for me. My Pike gave me a shiny ring, and for you, he’s brought nothing.” I pout, allowing the sharp metal to scrape against the wrinkles of flesh. When I reach the vein that’s now throbbing wildly, I push into it, right into his forehead. Aunt Rhonda screeches beside me, causing me to snap my gaze toward her. “Shut up, bitch!”

Her mouth falls wide open at my retort. I’ve always hated her. She used to look down on everyone that didn’t have a massive bank account. She’d gossip with my mother about the women in the town, talking about the bad things they did, only, she was worse than any of those mother’s out there.

I turn my attention back to Uncle Greg, who’s flailing under the strong grip of Jameson. Pike’s eyes glimmer as he watches me with a dirty grin on his handsome face. Today when I walked into the abandoned chapel, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. His cherry red shirt, the black slacks and suspenders with his hair slicked back, it took everything in me not to jump him right there and show our folks just how good we look while we’re fucking.

“Molly,” Uncle Greg mumbles, the red slowly trickling down his face as his eyes stare into mine as if he’s trying to find my soul. “Please, girl,” he whimpers when Gigi cuts deeper. His skin is thin, like paper being torn apart and it looks so pretty.

“Pretty patterns, bloody cuts, I’m about to end you and spill your guts,” I giggle softly, glancing up at Jameson who seems intrigued by me. “I like to play with knives, I like to slice and dice. When they see Gigi, they run like mice.”

“Sweet Molls,” Pike calls to me, but I don’t move Gigi from the flesh of his father’s forehead. The blood is now raining down on me and I know I’ll be drenched in it soon. Aunt Rhonda is still wailing like a banshee, but she’s now bound to a chair. “Perhaps you’d like something to drink?” I watch Pike pour champagne in two glasses, then in another glass he pours a clear liquid that seems harmless, but I know what it is.

He hands it to me with a smirk, then rises to stand behind me. His large body looms over me and he grips his father’s face which causes the old man’s mouth to snap open. Slowly, I pour the clear liquid onto his tongue which starts to sizzle and bubble.

“Big bubbles, little bubbles, it’s all going to burn.” I glance at Aunt Rhonda and smile. “Soon it will be your turn,” I tell her happily.

Pike laces his fingers through mine. Holding my hand, we watch together as husband and wife as his father gurgles in agony on the acid as it eats through his mouth, throat, and chest. I lift the glass and pour the last few dribbles down his now gaping throat, watching as his body shudders.

Setting the glass down, I step back and watch as the old man takes his final garbled breaths and seconds later, he’s gone. Dead to the world. My own parents sit opposite the horrific scene, their eyes wide in shock and horror. But they don’t need to be, they’ve created this monster, they made me who I am, and Pike loves me. That’s all that matters.

For a long time, I believed I wasn’t worthy of love. The kind of forever love that people in movies and books find. And all the while Pike was there, I thought it would be a passing faze. Me and him. But it’s not. I glance down at the ring on my finger and smile.

Turning to Aunt Rhonda who’s gaping at us in horror, I pick up the empty glass and wave it in front of her face. She shakes her head so fast—left to right—it makes me dizzy.

“Molly, Pike,” she pleads. She fucking begs. Her face contorted in fear, anguish, because she knows what’s coming. And I can’t help smiling.

“Jameson,” Pike calls his friend. “Can you fill this glass? I think my mom would like something to drink. She’s celebrating with us today.”

I stalk closer to the trembling woman. Her body is frail, almost breakable. Almost. I lift Gigi, pressing the silver tip against the woman’s neck, pushing into her flesh until I see the ruby red. It trickles like a waterfall going dry. Small drops fall to her dress, staining it.

“Please, Molly, you don’t have to do this,” she tells me once more, making me giggle. Her voice is raspy, filled with the fear of a woman who knows she’s about to end. She’ll join my mother and father in the afterlife. They’ll all live in hell together.

Jameson returns with another glass of the clear deadly liquid. He hands it to Pike who joins me beside his mother. I watch as he tips the glass, allowing the acid to trickle gently over her head. Her hair seems to sizzle, coiling itself into tiny ringlets as she’s drenched.