-'A Hymn For The Shameless' by Alesana
This is the final part of Curse Of The Virgin Canvas. I'm typing this up on the spot with a thought-up plot. Once again, I'm sorry for any grammar mistakes or irrelevant details - I don't generally proofread.
II. The Thespian
The 'man' was known as The Thespian.. I collapsed to my knees at the sight of my murderer..
After fleeing the forsaken house, I kept hearing her voice. The voice of my dearest Annabel. Her voice was comforting. "It's all going to be okay, my dear.. It's almost over now, my love." Any typical man would have been startled by this. Hearing the voice of their murdered lover.. Yet I remained calm. Another piece of evidence to disclaim any accusations of being mad. I can assure you I was most definitely sane!
I found myself on the outskirts of town near the commoner housing. Annabel and I had once lived here together when we were young lovers. Oh, how my heart beckoned me to visit the old shack! I found myself walking the narrow alleys to the old four room house. The house was in the early phases of falling apart. The two upstairs windows appeared to be broken, the downstairs windows on either side of the door lacked the shutters that once hung delicately on their hinges. The door itself was in surprisingly good condition compared to the rest of the rust-bitten chimney brick house.
I approached the door and attempted to turn the doorknob - locked. this wasn't a problem, seeing as I simply slipped through the busted window to the right of the door. The floorboards creaked with neglect as I set my foot down. My immediate notice were the paintings along the back wall of the house. They were from my early days of painting.
My paintings used to bring a absolutely livable source of income for Annabel and I. It was how we afforded to leave this decrepit house. However, my artistic style was a lot more.. of the norm, I believe would be the best way to put it. One of the paintings hanging on the back wall was one of the sillouhette of a man knelt at a gravestone that overlooked a cliff that dropped to the sea. One of my earlier works, of course. Still wasn't a source of ridicule.. The next painting over was one of my later works. It depicted a child; A little girl to be exact, Holding a dead cat. Whether she realized the cat was deceased or not was the choice of the viewer. Looking back on my own work, my viewpoint is that the little girl is denying the fact that her beloved cat is deceased.
As I turned to me left, there was a beaten in door. It was the door that led to the cellar. Now, remember that I am most definitely not mad, but my eye caught what appeared to be a faint glow on the floor from a candle. I found myself slowly walking towards the doorway that led to the cellar. It was a force beyond my restraint! I couldn't resist! Something wanted me to descend into the cellar!
I began my slow descent to the cellar, my heartbeat getting ever more intense with each creak of a step. My feet hit the concrete surface of the cellar floor and there was a centimeter or so of water along the floor. Annabel and I always had flooding issues.
I examined the entire view of the cellar. It was pitch black. Not a single glimpse of light nor the faint smell of smoke from an extinguished candle. I stood there for a moment to allow my eyes to adjust to the darkness and I began being able to make out the shape of a man. As I began to approach the figure I felt my heart sink. Every fiber of my being yearned for me to turn and leave this place. I didn't belong here! I had no buissness here!
The figure spoke to me. "I've been expecting for some time, sir." The figure spoke with an almost demonic voice that I strained to decipher. "Please. Allow me to introduce myself."
The room was suddenly lit by an unknown source of light. The man - No. IT was disgusting. Every one of the worst paintings I've ever laid on canvas combined to the darkest and most demonic figure imaginable would still have nothing to do compared to IT.
It's skin was black as the darkest and unholiest of nights with coal-black eyes to match. The figure had black hair that was thin and rotten like that off of a corpse. The stench now flooding my eyes with tears smelt like that of the very rotting flesh and souls in the depths of hell! What was this monstrosity! IT wore a black blouse top and black dress pants.
It spoke again. "I am to be known as The Thespian and nothing but! I am the one who took the life of your precious Annabel!"
With those very words coming from the monster's mouth, I collapsed to my hands and knees and prayed. I prayed to live. I prayed that an angel would arrive and wake me from this most terrible nightmare! Please! With all of the faith and hope in my body! Save me, God! PLEASE!
"Get off your knees, you miserable fool. Your prayers have lost all meaning, for God has turned his back on you. Heaven's gates are shut. You're left to knock at the very doors of the devil's domain!" Hearing The Thespian say these words, I screamed. Please, somebody had to hear me! "Shut up! Nobody can hear you! I'm the one who holds the power here so you're lucky I don't kill you where you stand!" I broke down into tears as The Thespian approached me with a dagger of which I hadn't noticed. I collapsed onto my back and desperately tried backing away from fate. My head bumped into the corner of the concrete wall. I was trapped by a killer. My dearest Annabel's very murderer!
Alas- my emotions of despair and fear vanished in an instant. A sharp, unbearable pain had struck my side. I glanced down to my right side where The Thespian had stabbed me with the dagger. I realized now that I was going to die young. No family. A murderer. Nothing left to be remembered by but a series of violent and disturbing paintings. I glanced up to my killer who was standing over me, grinning sadistically with pointed teeth. Suddenly The Thespian was gone and the mysterious light that filled the room was gone. I was left to die in the pitch darkness where the last sight I would have is darkness.
I felt my vision blurring as I began to slip away. Annabel. My sweet Annabel.. I'm coming for you..
With those final words being mouthed from my lips, I past away. Will my body ever be discovered and buried accordingly? Of course not! "The mad fool stabbed himself!" the would claim.
I found myself in the very bedroom my Annabel was murdered in. Had everything been a dream?
As I lifted myself from the bed and looked across the room where I saw my dearest Annabel sitting in a chair.
I was speechless at the very sight of her dressed in the most beautiful and elegant white dress.
However, my dearest Annabel rose from the chair, revealing that she was holding a bloody dagger. The very dagger The Thespian had stabbed me with.
A look of fear and disbelief flooded my face. Was I condemned to live through this event again from my most beloved?! My dearest Annabel dropped the dagger. She explained her story.
Darling, I'm sorry I set so much grief and heartache upon you. I did it because I love you. You were slowly going mad as reflected in your portraits. I couldn't bear to ever consider leaving you - I love you, darling. I had no choice but to kill myself. I lay awake the entire night before you returned to find me dead. You left to get new pastels, and I took my chance. I stabbed myself with the very dagger you were stabbed with.
You hurt many people, my love. Look around you. Each of the innocent fourteen people you mercilessly slaughtered are around you but they hold no grudges! Please, forgive me my dear. I was The Thespian. I had to kill you to prevent you from succumbing to madness any more than you already had. The disturbing images you would fill your canvases with were enough to send the Devil himself running in fear for his very life.
When we first kissed, would you have ever imagined that the paintings would have led us to this?
I sat there in disbelief. I was murdered by my own lover.. I murdered the fourteen men, woman and children that stood around me. Was I too forgive her and move on to an eternal life with her?
No. I was betrayed by my dearest Annabel. I handed her my love and she cut it to pieces!
They could never dig a grave close enough to hell for the likes of her! I stood up and screamed. I looked back at Annabel who was looking back at me with tears streaming down her pale cheeks. She mouthed a final goodbye as the room faded away into darkness. Flames rose around me and all I could hear were the screams of the forsaken and betrayed. This was what I was left to. A miserable eternity in hell. Alone.
Would I ever see her face again? I hope not. An eternity in hell is nothing compared to living an eternity with someone who betrayed your very trust.
Let this be a note for anybody who manages to hear my story - Never fall in love to quickly. You'll die with a knife to the side and a knife to the back.
I handed her a knife and my heart..
What did I expect? I loved her and gave her the very blood from my veins but she left me to die..
How could I have been so blind?
I guess I fell in love to quickly,
As her knife ended the show..
Good intentions or not - I was betrayed by my dearest Annabel.
Okay, I think this bit was a lot better than the first part. and I'm quite proud of it. If you actually took the time to read it all, thank you and please leave a comment! Be it feedback or just saying good job. I don't care.
If wanted, I'd gladly come up with a new story.
As always, I apologize for any grammar mistakes or senseless details. I didn't proofread. /:
Later,
-Kumorii