The wind howled and made the whole house shake as Jonathan entered, leaving Austin outside. The large farmhouse his family owned sat on the outskirts of town, its yellow paint chipping with age. Jonathan made his way to the bathroom avoiding the creak in the floorboards so he wouldn't disturb his parents. Not yet he thought, smirking. He was quite messy ,he thought to himself. He didn’t think he was ever this messy, even when he had that accident a couple weeks ago in the underground well. He pushed his way into the bathroom. Lighting a candle he saw his reflection in the oval mirror. His eyes were black and sunken in. He looked pale and thin. He was drenched in sweat, and blood that wasn’t his. He felt drained yet exhilarated too by what he had just done. He had never done something like this before. it just wasn’t in his nature. His hands started to shake as he brought the washcloth to the bowl of water. He brought it up to his face and started to wash. He brushed it through his now pale blonde hair that had once been golden. His dark eyes seemed almost black and sunken into his face, making his cheekbones more pronounced. He was thinner than he had been a few days ago. Hearing the wind howl against the house he threw the washcloth to the floor and braced his hands to the sink on either side of him and looked up into the mirror. He looked wild. However his appearance meant nothing to him if it meant nothing to her. He would be with her soon and it didn't matter what he looked like when they left.
He met her the day of his accident. It was the same day he and his family had moved to the town of Salem Massachusetts, and the same year the slaves had been freed. He had been exploring the property, (60 acres father had said) and had come across an old well in a field sitting in the shade of a glorious oak tree. With the intentions of quenching his thirst on the hot August day, he looked into the well and saw a glimmer at the bottom. He had moved closer to get a better look and all of a sudden he was falling. He remembered feeling as if his soul had been torn out of his body from the sensation of falling until he hit the bottom. He had been knocked out cold. When he had finally come to, it felt like his head had been cracked open by a rock. It was damp and cold, and boulders paneled the round walls. He looked up and saw the midday sun had already come to pass. It was nearly twilight. He must have been out for hours he had thought! He listened but he did not hear the worried cries of his family. He scowled, of course they wouldn't notice. Austin wouldn't be two feet from their mothers leg and She would be too busy to notice her eldest son was missing. Not to mention injured. He put his hand up to wear his head throbbed and his fingers came away with blood. His father of course would have his fingers crossed that he didn't return, that drunk, he thought sourly. At least he skipped his daily meeting with the belt. He was so wrapped up in his self loathing that he hadn't noticed the girl standing a few feet away from him. A dark tunnel loomed behind her. She had pale brown hair that curled at the middle of her back, and startled green eyes. She was pale and looked so frail he thought one harsh word could make her crumble. She had asked what in the Lords name was he doing down here and seemed quite angry until she noticed the blood on his face.
Jonathan smiled to himself remembering, changing his stained cotton shirt. She had seemed even more startled when he had responded to her that he fell. But she had helped him, led him through the tunnel to where an exit was above. Since then he had went back there each day and she would be waiting there underneath the tree. She was the only one that had ever listened to him or showed any emotion to how he felt. She would laugh when he tried to make her smile and then she would grow serious whenever he talked about his family. She made him feel alive. He couldn't stop thinking about her so one day he asked her to marry him.
He picked the cloth back up, continued washing his arms of blood and he imagined it as washing away his responsibilities here. He will be free from them in minutes. Slowly he exited the bathroom making his way to the cellar where the gas for the gas lamps were stored. he lifted the cellar door open and made his descend down the ladder. She had said there was only one way for them to be married. He already had taken care of his brother. Austin, the foolish little creature, so trusting his older brother was calling for help when he should have stayed sleeping. Wouldn't have mattered he thought to himself, calling him was just easier. luring him was much more quiet than bashing his brains in the bed frame while he slept. Stabbing had worked just fine. He had delayed Jonathan though, he didn't count on his brothers little body to hold so much blood, and he actually had to take time to wash it out before he moved to his parents. He couldn't leave too much evidence especially if they had awoken for whatever reason. Drat! he thought to himself. All of the gasoline was gone. he kicked a wooden chair over and looked for something else to use.
He made his way back upstairs and continued his way up and onto the third floor with an axe in hand. It had been propped up against the wall under the ladder almost as if it had been waiting for him. This will get the job done just fine. He climbed his way up and made his way around the corner until he was standing at the bottom of his curved staircase. She appeared at the top of it, a small smile playing on her face. she tried to rest her hand on top of the banister but of course it passed right through. He wanted to grab for her hand to pull her into his embrace but he knew he couldn't. Not yet. But soon. She drifted next to him as he walked to his parents room, dragging the axe across the floor, as she whispered encouragements in his ear as he drew closer down the end of the hallway. He opened the door and saw the two figures of his parents peacefully sleeping. “Kill them now” she crooned. “They never cared about you. Let me take care of you.”
Without any more hesitation Jonathan closed the distance between he and his mother as he raised the axe. With a swift slice downward he neatly severed his mother's head from her body. Her head fell to the floor and her blood sprayed his front, staining his shirt and he cursed. She was just collateral damage. A bystander who did nothing to defend him. “Yesss” She whispered in his ear. “Now your father. He will rot in Hell.” Her words compelled him to act. He made his way around the bed almost circling it. He made this last longer. his father deserved this pain. His death, he thought, will bother him the least. Even his fathers screams of agony from the first strike was music to his ears. every hack was for every whip of the belt. hack! hack! hack! Every blow was for the cruel words that were lashed out at him everyday. hack! hack! hack! He started to laugh then. why hadn't he killed him sooner?, he wondered. And he kept hacking, blood spraying, completely drenching him, looking like a demon out of Hell. The girl stood in the back of the room by the door. Wind blew in the room from the open window above the bed and caught her hair making it look wild. A sadistic grin etched across her face as she watched the slaughter.