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“We need to get thefuckout—BONES!”
He darts across the floor to the curtain and bats at it, meowing.
“Get over here!” I hiss. “We have to leave, NOW!”
But he keeps meowing and playing with the curtain. And my head keeps spinning. And my mouth keeps growing drier.
And thatsmell…
“Bones!”
I’m getting tired.
Why the fuck am I getting tired?
“Bones! Come here!”
But he keeps batting and meowing at the curtain, over and over, until suddenly, he slips under it.
Fuck.
I lurch, terror clawing at me when I realize my feet aren’t working like they should. But I grab onto the desk and stagger along the side of it, then the shelving, until I’m standing unsteadily in front of the curtain, where the smell is overwhelming.
“Bones…” I mumble. “Bones, we…come here…”
I grab the curtain. And with an effort that it shouldn’t take me, I yank it open.
This time, I really do scream.
I scream a scream of pure, abjecthorror.
Because I’m face to face with the rotting corpse of my father, pinned to the wall.
“I’d hoped we could have a little family reunion.”
I whirl, staggering as the floor rolls underneath me. I blanch and sob as I start to vomit. I lift my heavy head up, trying to wipe my mouth on the back of my hand as my bleary eyes lock onto Gail’s.
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” she says through the glazed smile on her face. “I hope this doesn’t damage our relationship. Iamyour stepmother, after all.”
I blanch again, heaving as I drop to my knees.
“What the…fuck…”
“Just some drugs to help you relax, honey, don’t worry!” she gushes. “Just to calm you! I know family reunions can sometimes be a lot.”
“Please…”
“You were such a good sport, doing all of those things I asked you to, Una.”
My gaze drifts blearily to the mask on the floor.
“I—I never wanted to be cruel, of course. But justice must be served. The people who slandered, and hounded, and killed your sweet father—my dear,dearSeamus—must be held accountable. And once they are…Una!” she squeals. “We can be one big happy family! You, and me, of course…”
She nods past me at the horror-show of the decaying corpse of my father on the wall.
“And yourdearfather. We can be a family again, Una.”
“Gail…”
