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Mr. Harrow would let her go… But everyone else in the so-called Family would have to die.
He felt somewhat bad for staking his claim on her in public in such a fashion, but he had very much enjoyed tearing Aaron’s limbs off.
“I was screaming at him to stop, but he didn’t listen. He never does. I don’t think he hears me anymore. That’s why we’re in two pieces. He didn’t want to hear me.”
I’m just the part of him that hurt too much. The part of him that cared about things.”
“When we first came here, we cried, and screamed, and pulled out our hair, and then I had to go away, because otherwise we’d never stop. But now you make him feel those painful things again. When you hurt, he hurts. And it scares him because he thinks it’ll make him break again.”
“I want to thank you. This has been the nicest moment I’ve had in…a hundred and thirty-five years.
He kissed her. Slow and passionate. She tangled her hands into his clothing. She should hate him. She should want to drown him in the fountain. But she kissed him back.
Hiding depression was a skill that was practiced and sharpened like a knife.
“She’s coming to me! Oh, please don’t tell me this is the beginning of some terrible love triangle. How utterly boring. Jackie, this isn’t a triangle. It’s an exclamation point. And you’re the dot.”
“Swear to your God all you want. He’s long since forgotten us.
He’d be one hell of an adventure in bed; she knew that much. And holy shit, he knew how to kiss.
Another con? No more Simon.
She somehow hated him and didn’t hate him, both at the same time.
“If he’s your subconscious, does that mean subconsciously you want to molest me?” “I consciously want to molest you, darling. I thought I had made that quite obvious. But you’ve also made it painfully clear how unrequited it is. Metaphorically and literally.” It’s more requited than I’m ever gonna admit.
The idea of her turning that wooden head up to face him and utter the word “Father” made him drop his screwdriver to the tabletop. He put his head in his hands. He had wanted that only a few days ago! He had wanted to bottle her and sip her like the fine wine that she was. But now the idea churned something in his stomach.
No, it was because the sight of her like this—tied to a post, gagged, tears staining her cheeks—did terrible and wonderful things to him. Dear Libido, you pick the worst possible times. Love, Simon.
“I don’t think you understand. I don’t feel. Not like Ludwig because I can’t, but because I choose not to.”
I should make you one of my pretty toys like I did with Hernandez and so many others. But…I don’t want to. Because the idea hurts me.”
I thought about going up to Jack, or to Amanda, or to Clown, and saying ‘my life is more important than yours.’ I realized I couldn’t do it. And if I can’t do it to their faces, I’m not going to do it in secret. I’m not a coward. I know I look like one, but I’m not.”
“If you try to communicate with Mr. Harrow again, for any reason, you will be punished. Simon can tell you about the five years he spent in the tower.”
The Faire was horrible, and it ate people, and it was a monster…but it was beautiful, too.
“Hey, Simon?” “Hm?” “They’re beautiful.”
“Which one of the Family members has the giant magically-willed-into-existence dildo collection, that’s what I wanna know.”
“That fat oaf hanged me by my ankles from the center and left me there, upside down, for five years. Five years. Take a moment to ponder how many times I died from that before they finally let me down.”
“He asked me. Begged me. He fell at my feet and wept and said he couldn’t go on anymore. But somehow, it’s my fault when I agreed to give him what he wanted? Why is his sin my cross to bear?”
“I can be very gentle, Cora. You might not think so. But I promise you—we can reclaim that part of your soul together. We can kill him and what he did once and for all, if you’ll let me. He tore you apart, and I will be the one to put the porcelain pieces back together. Only me, and no one else. I’m so very good at gluing shards of broken things together. Trust me…I’ve done it to myself plenty of times.”
It was clear that living with her disease had left her with a high tolerance for suffering. He grinned wickedly. He was eager to test out that theory.
Well, okay, running now and again in good fun was always entertaining. Especially if it ended in a steamy sexual encounter.
Goodness me, I really do have a crush, don’t I?
“I do think I like it when you beg.” She shot him that withering glare again. Too bad she didn’t realize how much he enjoyed it. Show me all the fire and spite you have, cupcake. I think it turns me on. “You’re a pervert and an asshole.” “We’ve covered both of these things.”
“Remember that if you ever try to stick anything in my mouth without permission again.” He paled. Just a little. His eyes went wide. “You wouldn’t.” She grinned at him for once. “Try me.” She watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed nervously. “Noted. Duly and thoroughly noted.”
She had half a mind to cup the bulge between his legs and tell him to be a good boy.
“How tall are you, anyway?” “Six-five.”
“Probably not. How is the outside world? Still crippled with xenophobia, tribalistic racism, sexism, homophobia, war, and disease?” “Pretty much. But now we have the internet that lets us hate all sorts of fun, new, and interesting people. Oh, and watch lots of stupid cat videos.”
“I don’t know what this is between us, Simon.” “I can tell you what I want it to be. It mostly involves you hanging from strings. Naked.”
I…enjoy being around you. That is before you factor in that I’d very much like to tie you up and rut you so hard you cry out your own name.”
“You’re a pervert.” “And you still aren’t saying no.”
“I think we’re about to Invert. We have what we came for. We’ve gathered plenty of seity from the crowds, and now we have you. It’s time to go back into hibernation before we draw too much suspicion.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever wanted someone so badly as I want you, Cora. And I mean that with all my past taken into account.”
“Let go, Cora. Let go of your old life. It’s gone to you. You have nowhere to go, nowhere to be…no one to help you. No one to hold you. No one but me.” He pulled her tighter to him at his words. “Let go…”
“I released you from my strings quite a while ago, Cora. Now it’s your turn to let go.”
“And here we have the two jealous cowboys, riding into town to save the damsel in distress. Well, I hate to tell you, my dear knights in shining armor, but your princess prefers the dragon.”
Welcome to the Inversion, Cora. You can leave the Faire now. Go see for yourself.”
Because she was staring at a forest which had its colors perfectly backward.
Someone had taken a picture of a forest and had clicked invert on the color spectrum. Just like Simon’s eyes. White was black, black was white, and cyan was red.
“Time passes slower here than it does on Earth. It might be five, ten, twenty years before we return to the park as you saw us.”
And here, kneeling at your feet like a fool, is someone who has come to value you highly enough to refuse the idea of turning you into one of his dolls. Twice. That is no small feat.”
“Tomorrow, you’ll wake up, and your new life with us can truly start. Say goodbye to who you thought you were, Cora Glass. Tomorrow you are the Contortionist, once and for all.”
The Faire was her home now. She was Family. She was the Contortionist. Shutting her eyes, she let it happen. Cora let go.
There is no such thing as freedom.
