Chapter Text
November 6th
William pleads aimlessly. “AAAGGGH!! AAHHH! STOP! PLEASE! STOP! PLEASE!” There is pain stinging in his high-pitched voice. The grating sound of his pitiful screams breaks Henry’s focus, exiting his trance. The pained, broken, and raspy voice, begging for any mere modicum of his mercy. Henry spares none for him.
Henry slowly opens his eyes, seeing the cause of all this disturbance. Henry takes in the sight of it: the sight of William writhing and struggling against him as the vines constrict and ensnare him; as if he is a mere pest caught in a spider’s own web. His attempts of escape hopelessly futile. Finally broken, and completely irreparable. There are trails of blood silently trailing down from William’s eyes, staining his face the further they fall.
Henry finally releases his hold upon William. William’s head finally lowers in utter defeat. Henry draws his hand back, finally granting William permission to speak. Tears begin to fall to the ground.
“Please. Please, I beg of you. Just make this, it, stop. All of it. I’ll do anything. Anything.” William whimpers like a cowardly dog. Begging for forgiveness. He breaks into heavy sobs.
Henry merely hums in response; intrigued by this proposal. After several silent moments, Henry’s voice is resolute; calculating and full of deliberation. “Anything… comes with a price, William. A great price.”
“I don’t care,” William snaps, his voice strained. “Just whatever you do, whatever happens, just keep him safe. Safe from pain. Safe from unhappiness. And…. and….,” William falters for a moment, struggling to collect himself, “…and s-safe f-from… m-m-me.”
There is a shared silence between them before William sharply exhales and continues. His pace quickening in his words just as fast as the tears flowing and falling down from his face like a dam broken.
“I just want him safe. Happy. Comfortable. And free…. without me,” Will confesses, “I don’t want him to suffer because of me. It’s best if everyone were to just forget about me. I only make things worse.”
Henry considers his words, and speaks with uncertainty. “Is this truly what you want, William? For your family and friends to finally be rid of you? Finally free from the scourge that’s been plaguing them and causing all of their suffering? To finally be done with you, the bearer of all of their burdens?” Henry pauses for a moment. “Is this truly the price you wish to pay, William?”
William nods silently.
Henry’s voice is ominous, deep, and foreboding. “Then, William, you shall now and forever be my ever-watchful eye. For all time, you shall be mine.”
Henry raises his hand up towards William’s face, hovering right above it. Poised, and ready to strike. William slowly raises his head in response. Accepting, and finally ready to atone.
Henry spreads out his fingers in his hand, perfectly entrapping William’s head.
“Let me free you, William”, Henry’s says, his words terrorful. “Now, JOIN ME.”
Henry’s vision starts to blur as William’s memories flow into him. Happy, loved, and cherished memories. All ready to be forgotten. William merely stares back, his mouth agape. His eyes glazed as if in a trance. Streams of blood falling from his eyes once again.
Henry merely hums in the blissful silence. You belong with me now.