Chapter Twenty-Five-
'You Make The Sound Of Laughter,
And Sharpened Nails Seem Softer...'
Taylor woke up slowly at first, just trying to think what could have happened whilst he had been sleeping. What more nightmares could have been released before the break of day. He didn't have to think for long though, he felt a dull pain in his wrists and as he moved they scrapped roughly against the dry ropes. Taylor opened his eyes to see he was now tied to the bed, but this one was different. He knew this one. He knew whose it was. It was just Isaac wasn't there to torment him.
Taylor looked up as he slowly sat himself up. He still felt weak and sluggish, suddenly crying out as all of his beating had not entirely healed. He winced in pain as he laid back down again. He was weak and scared, more scared than he could imagine. This was finally it, they had to have won now. He was going to die so very soon, if he was lucky. If he wasn't he'd be a monster just like them for all eternity. It was a horrifying thought but he could do nothing to stop it. This was the end, how in the world could it not be?
The door opened slowly. Taylor closed his eyes almost subconsciously, not wanting to see his brother at all. He just wanted him to get it over with. To finish the job and then it would all be over, this nightmare of a life would end and he may be at peace finally.
"Taylor?"
Taylor opened his eyes ever so slowly. He saw in front of him not Isaac but Kadijah.
"Hey." Taylor said slowly. "Are you all right?"
She nodded. "I'm sorry, I mean you saved my life but... I'm so sorry this is happening to you."
Taylor sighed. "It had to happen some time." He suddenly remembered. "Oh no, does Zac think that I'm...?"
Kadijah looked a little sad. "Yeah. I tried telling him you weren't but he doesn't believe me. Maybe we could still get you out of here..."
"No, don't bother. I'm pretty sure this is what that bastard wants, there's nothing that can change it." Taylor felt tears fill his eyes suddenly but blinked them away quickly. He wasn't going to cry, he knew it would happen. He just didn't think it would all end that way.
"Tay, maybe I could try to fight him, I could..." Kadijah said sadly.
"No, don't." Taylor replied, almost angrily. "You can't fight them, just get out of here before they find you."
Kadijah bit her bottom lip and stood up. "I'll look after Zac for you, if you want."
Taylor nodded, feeling more tears falling. Look after Zac because I wont be able to. He wasn't ready, how could he be ready to die? It couldn't be happening...
Kadijah turned back to him for a second. "Do you believe in Allah?"
"I believe in God, yeah." Taylor replied.
"Then have faith. Allah will protect you, trust me." And with that she left.
Don't go... Taylor thought sadly. He was to just wait to die or live again as a monster. He had never wanted to go home more so than at that moment. If it would end right there and then it may be a comfort but no, Taylor was to wait for his fate for maybe a whole day. It could be dawn, he could have to wait until darkness again. It was all crashing down on him suddenly; the actual acceptance that he would indeed die there.
An hour passed slowly, more slowly than anybody could imagine. It was running over and over in his head, the very events up to that moment. He was trying to pinpoint the place in time where he could have changed it. Where it could all be changed for the better. He knew it wasn't so.
The door opened at such a force that it slammed into the wall. Taylor winced and closed his eyes. He heard the door close and waited for it to happen. He knew it was Isaac, he didn't know how but this time he knew for certain that it was his brother, no, a monster who was going to kill him. Take his soul like it took Isaac's and leave him either dead or another monster to roam the earth, living on the blood of others.
You wanna know real pain? Try biting into the neck of an innocent person and feeling yourself killing them without any remorse for their soul.
Melissa's voice rang around in his head. The pain and suffering she had been through for four centuries as a creature of darkness. The pain and suffering Isaac had gone through, what it all added up to. Taylor shuddered. All those times they had probably tried so hard not to, but in the end had to take the lives of others. It all added up to a torment on earth indescribable to mortals. Taylor felt tears welling up in his eyes. Not for him but for his brother and for Melissa. What hell they had been put through and now what he was about to be admitted to, whatever result he would be after the most basic reason for killing; food.
"You want me to get this over with quickly?"
The voice made Taylor open his eyes. Tears came out as he did so and Taylor nodded slowly.
"You're very quiet." Isaac observed.
"Please don't do this." Taylor replied.
"After that stunt you pulled? You're lucky you're going to die now."
Taylor closed his eyes for second. He had to ask. He had to make one request. "Please don't change me."
"What was that?" Isaac laughed. "Why would you think that?"
"Just... Don't, please don't turn me into a monster." Taylor asked again.
"I wouldn't give you the pleasure. Besides, I can't. Not yet anyway." Isaac turned away from Tay for a second.
"Why not?" Taylor asked, now knowing there was a limit. He knew there had to be. "Aren't you strong enough?"
"On the contrary, I would just because you asked. But no, my father is against it."
Taylor felt anger boil up as it made him think of his dad, of Isaac's real dad. "He's not your father Ike!"
"Excuse me?" Isaac asked angrily.
"He'd not your dad! Dad is back at home wondering where the hell we are!"
"Little boy, I'm two hundred years old, I really doubt it." Isaac said calmly.
"No you're not! That's a lie! Everything they've told you is a lie Isaac!" Taylor nearly screamed his brother's name.
"You talk to me as if I would know a pathetic mortal like you." Isaac observed, still remaining calm.
"Ike I'm your brother! Why can't you remember me?" Taylor felt hot tears run down his face. He felt angry but so exhausted with pretending that it didn't matter. His brother was staring straight at him but Tay had to act as if he meant nothing, as if he no longer saw him as the guy he'd known all of his life. Just another vampire.
"Unless you're a demon, I don't see how that could be true. Keep it up and I'll make your death slow and painful for you." Isaac was starting to get angry now.
"Ike, please, listen to me. You're not two hundred years old, you're not even twenty yet." Tay tried to stay calm. "Those guys have brain washed you. Me, and Zac, we're your brothers. You've got to believe me Ike!"
Isaac only laughed harder. "Nice story, mortal, but I don't believe it for a second. Trust me, a meaningless human such as yourself will be glad to die..." Isaac moved towards Taylor.
Taylor tried to think quickly. "That song then! I knew it because we wrote it! Don't you remember? We spent hours just fighting over that damn key change! Just try to remember Ike!"
Isaac stopped and thought for a second. "Hey, wait, I remember now. What was your brother's name again?"
Taylor felt absolute joy fill him. "Zac. Please, tell me you remember..."
"Wait right there." Isaac said suddenly and left, closing the door behind him quietly.
Taylor felt himself sigh loudly. Ike was remembering. He had to be. He was finally seeing the truth behind their lies, their evil to destroy all three of them. It would all be over soon, and for the better.
"Is this him?"
Taylor looked up and felt his chest tighten in a knot. Isaac was holding Zac by the neck, who was unconscious and badly beaten. They had already began torturing him. Taylor wanted to throw up as Isaac dropped their brother to the ground. Zac didn't even move. As Taylor felt himself start to struggle again to help his brother, Isaac only laughed.
"You can watch." Ike said as sweetly as he could.
"NO!" Taylor screamed and struggled even more. He pulled at the ropes as hard as he could as Isaac shook Zac awake. Zac didn't move still, it was obvious he was very weak. Isaac merely shook him harder and Zac moved in his sleep. Taylor pulled as hard as he could and felt the ropes loosening. He had to get out, he had to save his brother. He just had to.
Zac opened his eyes slowly. He felt sick, all he could remember before falling unconscious was beatings. And lots of them. So many faces in front of him, telling him Taylor was dead and soon he would be too. Zac looked around slowly, only to feel his hands being pulled behind his back. Zac started to cry. They were going to do him over again. This time it would surely kill him. Zac tried to move but he couldn't. Pain erupted in his chest and stomach. It hurt so badly, he knew it must be killing him from the inside. Zac tried to speak but his throat hurt too much. He sighed quietly and started to cry harder. It would end soon enough, just like it did for Tay. It would end so soon.
"Ready to become a vampire?" Isaac asked suddenly.
Zac looked up at him suddenly and shook his head frantically.
"Zac! Zac are you Okay? Zac, answer me!" Taylor yelled.
Taylor! Zac screamed in his head. He tried to say it out loud but nothing would come out. His throat was closing up, it hurt so much to breathe. Zac started to struggle and saw Isaac in front of him. Zac felt absolute fear as his body froze. He felt his head being pushed to the side roughly. As he did so he felt more tears free falling. Ike was going to kill him, after so long of waiting for a result, after convincing himself he was going to die there, it would finally happen.
Suddenly Isaac disappeared. Zac saw Taylor grabbing Isaac and fighting him. He wont win... Zac knew he wouldn't. Taylor was trying to save Zac but it wouldn't work. Isaac grabbed Taylor and threw him onto the bed. Taylor tried to get up but was pushed back down again. Zac couldn't see any more and struggled as hard as he could.
Taylor grabbed Isaac as he saw his fangs grow. He had to save Zac, before it was too late. Taylor pushed him down but knew that was all he could do. Isaac glared at him angrily, much like a wolf would at its next meal and grabbed Taylor. Taylor tried to struggle but was soon held down. He couldn't move. It was all over.
"For your sake, I'll make sure your little brother doesn't die when I kill him."
Taylor tried to move, to talk, to even breathe, but nothing worked. He was completely paralysed. Taylor tried to move even the slightest before a pain came so suddenly he couldn't even scream for a few seconds. Before he could distinguish what he was doing he was screaming as loud as he could. Absolute pain filled his entire body and with that he felt his life slipping away steadily at first, then so fast he felt dizzy. It was all happening so quickly, Taylor began to close his eyes. He tried to fight it but he couldn't. He was no longer breathing as he fell down, it was all over. Nothing or nobody could save him.
Isaac dropped Taylor's limp body back onto the bed and saw Taylor stop breathing. As Isaac walked over to Zac, he felt absolute pain fill his body, like a knife had been stabbed in his heart. He cried out as he heard the words ringing in his head.
"If you spill the blood of your loved ones the curse will be broken. So much as a scratch and this life you live will end and your old one will be restored."
Isaac felt the pain lifting very slowly and looked around in the room he was in. He couldn't remember it, his whole past was blurred. Nothing made sense as he looked at his surroundings, trying to distinguish what memories he had. One stayed in his mind though. It didn't make sense but he knew it was true and a blessing. The spell had been broken.
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