Thaddeus Brahms: Echoes Of An Unseen Heart

I gasped as the blade sank deeper into my stomach, pain rippling through every nerve. I forced myself not to choke on the blood pooling in my mouth. It hurt… more than I ever thought possible. More than the years I spent rotting in that dark cellar. More than the isolation. More than the nightmares. But nothing hurt more than seeing her terrified of me. My Clara… scared of this monstrous face. “F-Forgive me… C-Clara, please,” I stammered, my voice trembling. Her hands shook violently around the hilt of the knife. God… she was crying. My Clara was crying. She couldn't see the pain in my eyes — the mask hid that well — but I made sure she could hear it in my voice. I cared for her. I always did. “Y-You’re a monster! I hate you, Thad!” Her scream echoed through the room. Before I could speak, she yanked the knife free and plunged it into me again. This time, I collapsed to the floor. Helpless. Motionless. She stabbed me in the heart. When it was over, she staggered back, gasping for breath. I watched through blurred vision as she rushed to the delivery guy, helping him leave… leaving me behind. Alone. A tear traced its way down my cheek. She left me. “W-What about your promise, Clara?” I whispered. I exhaled shakily, closing my eyes for a brief moment. The pain flared again as I wrapped my fingers around the knife's handle, biting down hard as I pulled it from my chest. “Fvck!” I groaned, the agony almost blinding. I hurled the bloodied knife across the room, breath ragged. It hurt… but I could still move. I could still finish what I started. Brandon’s lifeless body lay crumpled nearby. The garden boy. The one who smashed my favorite porcelain doll. Rude. Arrogant. Disrespectful. He deserved it. The rain pounded against the earth as I dragged his cold body outside, burying him beneath the soaked ground. I stayed for a moment, the downpour washing over me. But I wasn’t thinking about him. I was thinking about her. My Clara. I reached up, pulling the mask from my face. Closing my eyes, I tilted my head to the sky, letting the rain fall over me. You’ll find me again, Clara. And if you don’t… I’ll make sure we’re never apart. No matter what.