“Archie is haunting me. And he will not leave until I tell you the truth,” Edward bellowed, deep voice breaking, answering a question that was never meant for him. “Tell him, that is what Archie wrote on the walls. This is the very moment he hungers for.”
William looked behind him to find Edward, always a few steps behind him.
“Can you see him?” William called back, pointing directly to the spectacle.
Edward looked to Archie then back to William. “I can. And I have. He’ll not rest untilIspeak, and you believe what I have to say.”
Relief came from knowing that William wasn’t the only mad one. If Edward could see Archie, they were both victims of this lack of sanity. Except it felt so real. And William wasn’t scared of Archie’s spirit before him. It was the truth Edward had just promised which frightened him.
“I already know the truth,” William shouted, spinning around to Edward. “I’ve worked it all out.”
“No, you haven’t.” Edward stepped in, panting and breathless but with an air of confidence that had been missing when they were in the manor. “There’s more to the story you need to understand.”
“Not. Another. Step,” William warned, his pointed finger at Edward meant in threat. “If you come any closer I’ll… I’ll…”
Break and crumble like a petal in an uncaring hand.
How could he want to run from a person, whilst also wanting to fall into the embrace of their arms, all in equal measure?
“I swear to you that nothing happened between me and Archie.” Edward’s eyes flickered to the figure behind William again. Hanbury watched on, windows aglow, door open like a laughing jaw. “But that isn’t what Archie wants me to tell you. It’s not the truth you might think that haunts me and followed me here to manifest into this.”
“Say it then,” William whispered, unsure of if he wanted to know anymore. “Spit it out so you can release your burden and then releaseme.”
Edward steeled his expression, rolling back his shoulders. His hair soaked through and draped heavily over his dark eyes. He took a deep breath just as a roll of thunder passed overhead, followed by more lightning not but a second later.
William held his breath. What came out was something he never thought he’d hear, let alone from the lips of a person like Edward.
“I killed Archie.”
I killed Archie.
Who would’ve thought that it only took three words to shatter a person’s world? Three words to ruin flesh, soul and bone. To crack open the universe and let all the darkness in to fill the void.
That’s what happened.
William Thorn broke, entirely.
Everything came to a stop, even the rain seemed to hang like crystallised pendulums, all whilst Edward just stood there with the weight of guilt baring down on broad shoulders.
Hanbury Manor watched as William closed the space between him and Edward, cocked back his fist and drove it into Edward’s face. His hot, spiking anger didn’t come from the revelation, but the fact that the poisonous words Edward had just shared had been yet another lie.
The crack of fist to skin made no noise. Or maybe William didn’t hear it beneath the gruff groan of Edward as he snapped his head to the side, clutching a hand to his nose.
“Liar,” William spat. “You – fucking – horrible –liar.”
With each lashing of his tongue, William pushed with his hands and his full might into Edward’s chest, staggering him back. By the fourth push Edward stumbled over his feet, falling to the ground. William was left to hover over him, a looming force of sinister emotion that longed to cause pain to the man beneath him so that he could experience a lick of what he left rage inside.
“I’m not lying,” Edward replied, almost too calm for the moment. “I swear it. For the first time, I’m telling you the truth.”
It took considerable effort not to kick Edward whilst he was down. An energy built beneath his skin, so potent, if he could sink his fingers into the seam of the world, he was sure it would tear apart with the ease of soaking wet paper.
“Do you find a thrill from playing these games with me?” William shouted, letting the storm swallow up his revulsion. “Do you!”
“No, William. I–”
“Go. Leave, tonight. I don’t ever want to see you again, Edward. I don’t ever want to think about you.” He almost believed himself as he said it. “You’ve brought this chaos to my door, and for what? Actually, don’t answer that. I don’t care to listen to another word out of your mouth.”
To solidify his command, William cocked his hand back and threw the car keys as far from the manor’s door as he could muster. Edward didn’t bother to watch as they sailed over him, landing in a clatter amongst the puddled driveway somewhere in the distance.
