by Laura DeLuca
“You have to believe me, Justyn!” she pleaded. “This wasn’t my idea! Professor Carter made me do it! He threatened me, but I would never hurt anyone! Please tell me you believe that!”
“You want to prove yourself to me, Livy?” Justyn asked, his voice eerily collected. “Hand over that knife.”
For a moment, it looked as if she was going to comply because she was just that anxious to please him. She had real tears in her eyes as she stretched out her arm. She seemed almost mesmerized by Justyn’s penetrating stare. He nodded encouragingly as he reached for the blade. He practically had his hand on the hilt, which would have, at the very least, evened the score. However, it wasn’t meant to be. Just before Livy was about to relinquish her weapon, Frankie stumbled in the door with a fire extinguisher in his hand. The spell Justyn had weaved was instantly broken. Livy jerked her hand back at the last second and eyed them all warily.
“I saw the smoke,” Frankie panted, out of breath, “and I….”
The words died on his lips as he took in the rest of the situation. The fire seemed minimal in comparison. Livy was standing there dressed like a man with her eyes wild and the razor blade raised high in defense, while Professor Carter was only a few feet behind her, using Rebecca as a human shield.
Finally, Livy began to realize all her well-laid plans were completely foiled. But even though another threat was suddenly looming over her, the desperation faded from Livy’s eyes. She actually smiled for a minute and then started to laugh—a horrible cackling laugh that said more about her sanity than any words. Of course, Justyn wasn’t paying attention to Livy anymore since she wasn’t the immediate threat. Both Frankie and Justyn had their gazes trained on Professor Carter. The teacher must have seen that same outraged expression in Justyn’s eyes that Becca saw—a look far scarier than any he had managed for his role as Sweeney Todd. For a moment, Justyn looked more crazed than any of them. Professor Carter was right to be nervous.
“Dammit, Frankie, I told you to stay downstairs and call the cops!”
“I did. I did.” Frankie lifted the extinguisher like a weapon. “They’re on their way!”
Already, Rebecca could hear sirens in the distance, yet her situation was still precarious. The flames were starting to spread. Soon the only exit would be blocked. They were all starting to cough from the smoke inhalation. Her throat was sore, and she was getting dizzy from the sleeping pills. Beside her, Professor Carter began to shake with what could have been rage or fear. It was hard to tell when she couldn’t see his face.
“Don’t you dare let her go!” Livy screamed at her father, finally giving up the innocent act now that she knew she wasn’t fooling anyone. “Just kill her!”
“Let her go, Carter!” Justyn insisted through clenched teeth. “If you hurt her, you have to know that you’ll die next.”
Professor Cater sneered. “I don’t think you’re in any position to be making demands, Mr. Patko.”
“You heard Frankie,” Justyn spoke with the same calm demeanor. “The cops are on their way. This is all over for you. Why not put the weapon down and make this a little easier on yourself? You don’t want to add murder to your rap sheet.”
Professor Carter actually laughed out loud for the first time, and Rebecca would have shaken her head if she could have done so without the knife cutting her skin.
“They already killed Scott,” she whispered.
Frankie’s eyes widened. “Oh, man. Oh, man, this is not good.”
“No, it’s not good at all, Mr. Wade. You can see now that there’s no reason for us to surrender,” Professor Carter explained calmly. “No reason not to slit her pretty little throat. No reason not to kill all of you and just walk away from this place like nothing ever happened.”
“No! You can’t touch him. Not Justyn!” Livy threw herself between Justyn and her father. “Just forget them, Justyn! Forget all of them and come away with me. I’ll make you happy. Don’t you see that we belong together? Becca will never love you like I do! Just look at all I’ve done for you! All so you could be free from her!”
Despite the fact the knife in her hand was lingering dangerously close to his skin, Justyn shoved Livy away when she attempted to embrace him. She stumbled backward and fell in a heap to the floor, sobbing, but still reaching out to him beseechingly.
“Stay away from me!” he spat. “You disgust me!”
“You can’t mean that.” Livy moaned. “I can’t live without you, Justyn! All this … I did all this for you! So we could be together.”
Again, Justyn had forgotten about her. He stepped over her broken and weeping body and headed toward Professor Carter without so much as a backward glance. Not even Frankie trying to hold him back could restrain him. The teacher, sensing the imminent threat, pressed the knife harder against Rebecca’s throat. She whimpered, and that was what finally made Justyn freeze in his tracks. Their eyes met for a moment, and she saw his desperation. She wished she could tell him it was okay. That no matter what happened, it wouldn’t be his fault. But it was hard to speak with the knife so close to her vocal cords.
“One more step and she dies.”
Rebecca almost thought Justyn would be willing to take the chance just to rip the teacher’s face off. He was really that furious. But he didn’t have time to consider it. Livy had pulled herself up from the ground. The tears streaming down her cheeks made her thick makeup smear, and the black splotches caused her to appear crazier than ever. She came toward Justyn with her razor blade raised high, all hint of rationality gone from her eyes. Even though the stereo had been silenced, once again Rebecca heard the eerie words of Sweeney Todd rising around them. It look her a minute to realize it was Livy, no longer singing in her lovely soprano, but instead, in a gruff cackle that was somehow more fitting for the Demon Barber than any of the actors who had portrayed him. Only she replaced Mrs. Lovett’s name with Justyn’s as she chanted brokenly, repeating the same few lines over and over again.
“We all deserve to die.
Even you, Justyn Patko,
Even I.”
Rebecca was sure she was going to lunge for Justyn’s throat and make good on that threat. Justyn must have thought so too, because he lifted his arms to shield his face. Rebecca screamed, and Frankie dived toward Justyn to try to knock him to safety. Yet, none of it mattered because Justyn had never been her target. Still sobbing, Livy lifted the knife and held it against her already scarred arms.
“Why couldn’t you just love me?” she asked.
Then with a scream of pain that echoed through the small room, she sliced open both her wrists and collapsed onto the ground.
Chapter Thirty-Four
“Livinia! Livinia, no!”
Professor Carter released his hold on Rebecca so quickly and unexpectedly that she fell to the floor, dazed and confused. She hit the ground so hard, she could barely breathe. The black smoke was making it difficult to see what was happening, but it appeared that everyone was on the floor. Frankie and Justyn were huddled together in a tangled heap. Justyn’s face grew paler by the minute as he watched the bedroom carpet soaking up the blood that streamed from the gaping wounds on Livy’s arms. She was already only half conscious as her father cradled her against his chest. He desperately tried to stop the flow with the discarded ski mask, but the blood quickly soaked through the flimsy material.
“Don’t die, Livinia,” he mumbled and cooed as he stroked a few loose pieces of hair that had escaped Livy’s hairnet. “Please don’t die.”
When he saw there was a lull in the danger, Frankie jumped up with his extinguisher and started to put out the few remaining flames that hadn’t died out on their own. While it alleviated the possibility of burning to death, it only seemed to make the cloud of smoke grow thicker, almost enveloping the room. It also didn’t stop the ear-piercing screech of the alarms. Rebecca coughed and gagged as she tried to pull herself to her feet. But between the smoke inhalation and the sleeping pills, she was just too woozy. Se
eing her stumble finally broke through Justyn’s phobia, and he crawled over to her side.
“Becca! Are you all right? Are you hurt?”
She nodded her head, even as Justyn kissed her sooty cheeks. “I’m…I’m fine. But we should get out of here so we all stay that way.”
Justyn nodded and lifted Rebecca from the ground. She wrapped her arms around his neck and felt safe and secure. She thought it was finally over. They were halfway to the door with Frankie beside them when Professor Carter called them back.
“Help us!” he cried. “Please! You can’t just leave us here. My daughter … she’s … she’s dying!!”
Rebecca was going to ignore him. Of course, she wasn’t cruel enough to leave even Livy alone to bleed to death. But the fire was out, and down in the street below, the sirens were getting louder, signaling the police and fire engines had arrived. In just a few more minutes, help would come for Livy. She expected Justyn would be on the same page, but his reaction to Professor Carter’s pleas was completely different and somewhat terrifying. He froze in mid-step. Rebecca could feel his muscles tightening. His voice was emotionless as he gently set her down, but his frowning lips and creased brow said more than words.
“Frankie, stay with Becca for a second. There’s something I have to do.”
Frankie seemed confused, but he nodded and put his arm around Rebecca’s waist to help keep her steady on her feet. It was almost too much a demand for such a small guy. She felt him struggling to hold her up. Especially when Rebecca started to tremble as she watched Justyn step slowly and with calculated precision toward the professor. Silently, he picked up the razor blade Livy had dropped, not even seeing the blood that would normally have sent him reeling. With a coldness that shook Rebecca to her core, Justyn lifted the blade and held it against Professor Carter’s throat, even as the man sobbed and cradled his broken and bloodied daughter in his arms.
“Wasn’t it you who told me that the role of Sweeney Todd was written just for me?” Justyn asked, his voice a cold whisper Rebecca barely recognized. “So tell me, Professor Carter, why shouldn’t I bring that role to life right now? Why shouldn’t I slice your throat and let you and your daughter rot together?”
“Do whatever you want to me, but please, spare Livinia!” Professor Carter begged. “None of this is her fault. I destroyed her the same way I destroyed her mother. Blame me, not her!”
“I do blame you.” Justyn pressed the knife harder, drawing a prick of blood. “And I will have vengeance for what you did to Becca.”
Rebecca was terrified by the utter hatred she saw in Justyn’s eyes. Just like Sweeney Todd, he was consumed by the need for revenge—so consumed he didn’t realize he would be throwing away everything he cared about, including Rebecca, if he made good on his threats.
Quietly, Rebecca broke free from Frankie’s arms and forced her shaky legs to carry her across the room. She walked up beside Justyn and put a hand on his shoulder. Even that didn’t make him release the deadly grip he had over the professor. The footsteps coming up the stairs weren’t slowing him down either. Any minute, the police were going to crash through the doors, and all they would see was Justyn killing an unarmed man. Rebecca wasn’t about to let him throw his life away for revenge. It wasn’t worth it.
“‘Vengeance and hatred are the road to hell’,” Rebecca quoted. She forced him to turn and look her in the eyes. “Justyn, you have to stop this. If you don’t, you’re letting him win. He has no power over us anymore. Except for the power you’re giving him right now.”
At first Rebecca wasn’t sure she had actually gotten through to him. His nostrils still flared as he watched the professor silently cower before him. Finally, Justyn’s hand started to tremble, though it wasn’t with rage. His fingers opened, and the blade fell to the ground. He turned to Rebecca, and she saw her Justyn—the loving, gentle man she adored. He lifted her hands to his lips.
“You’re right,” he whispered and kissed her fingers. “You’re safe now. That’s all that matters. I don’t need to kill him. He’s already dead in every way that matters.”
Justyn pulled himself to his feet and wrapped his arms around Rebecca. The waves of relief that washed over her came with even stronger waves of dizziness and fatigue. Everything was getting blurry, and she wasn’t sure it was the smoke or just her eyes. For just a second, she closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder. She knew they should be leaving, but she was so tired. So very tired. All she wanted was to go to sleep.
“Oh, Livinia! Livinia!” Professor Carter wept. “What have they done to you? What have they done?”
The sound of his voice brought Rebecca back from the brink of exhaustion. She opened her eyes to study first him and Livy. Despite all the horrible things she had done, Rebecca felt only pity for Livy. Her face was so pale it was literally white and almost grotesque with her hair pulled back and her thick makeup smeared all over her face. Still, her chest rose, however weakly, and Rebecca knew she was still alive. Something Professor Carter didn’t seem to notice as he gently laid his daughter on the ground and sobbed, his voice wracked with grief.
“She’s dead! She’s dead!” he cried.
Justyn hardly spared the professor a glance. “Forget him,” he said with a wave of his hand. “They’ll be fine. Let’s just get out of here.”
Rebecca nodded, and they took a step toward the door. However, it was a mistake to take their eyes off him, even for a second, when he was still armed. Rebecca felt more than heard the swish of air as Professor Carter started to move. In an instant, he was up and running toward them, the razor blade in his hand.
“You killed my daughter!”
Rebecca turned back around just in time to see the knife coming at them, aimed at Justyn. He was only a step behind them. They had no defense. They had no time to run. Rebecca was sure he would cut Justyn down, and probably her too, before anyone could stop him.
“Hi-yay!”
The shout echoed through the room, startling everyone. It was followed by a jean-covered leg that crashed into Professor Carter’s chest and sent him sprawling to the ground. Rebecca and Justyn both stood in open-mouthed wonder as Frankie twisted the professor’s arm around to disable him. The knife fell to the ground, and a second later, Frankie pinned both the professor’s hands behind his back. Despite the fact Frankie was about half his size, he had Professor Carter positioned in a way that made him completely unable to move no matter how much he grunted and struggled.
“Yeah! Toby saves the day again!” Frankie announced. “Nothin’ gonna hurt no one when there’s a black belt around!” He actually laughed when Justyn and Rebecca still looked incredulous. “What? How do you think a twerpy genius like me made it through four years of high school without getting shoved in any lockers?”
Even as he finished the sentence, the police and firemen burst through the door. They relieved Frankie of his burden and led them all to the safety of the street curb. Rebecca watched as Livy was taken away in an ambulance, her face still chalk-white, but her wrists securely bound. The E.M.T.s assured them she would survive, but wouldn’t be seeing the light of day anytime soon. At the same time, Professor Carter fought and cursed as the detective, who had handled the rape case from the beginning, read him his rights and shoved him, handcuffs and all, inside the squad car.
While it seemed like a lifetime had passed, Rebecca realized it had only been about an hour since she’d stepped into her bedroom and found Livy waiting. It had been the longest hour of her life. Justyn told her that he ran out of his calculus class in the middle of his exam when he got the odd text message, feeling strongly that something was wrong. Frankie, seeing the distress on his face, risked failing his first test ever just to follow him. Rebecca owed her life to both of them. But thank goodness, it was all over. She was securely tucked away in the ambulance Justyn had insisted on. There, safe in the arms of the man she loved, she finally gave into the effects of the sleeping pills and left the nightmare of the Demon
Barber far behind her.
Epilogue
“So let me get this straight.” Carmen leaned over as far into the front seat of the car as she could, as though she wanted to make sure they could see the dumbfounded expression on her face. “You got a text message about hamburgers and that’s what made you realize something was up?”
“Well, even if Becca had some crazy craving for a hamburger that she just absolutely had to have, she wouldn’t have asked me to pick them up for ‘us’. Seriously though, I almost ignored it, but it just kept nagging at me. I kept thinking about the note in my locker and the dream I kept having. Finally, I knew I couldn’t sit there anymore answering calculus questions unless I knew Becca was okay. I went out in the hall and tried to call her back. When she didn’t answer the phone, I took off.”
“Wow, so what you’re really telling us is that you being a salad-muncher is what saved the day.” Tom laughed. “Who’d have thunk it.”
“It was actually Frankie following Justyn that really saved the day,” Rebecca corrected them.
“Kinda like the way I saved all your sorry butts last year?” Carmen teased.
“Exactly.” Rebecca grinned. “Thank goodness he didn’t listen when Justyn told him to stay downstairs.”
Justyn nodded and laughed. “True. Please forget what I said about him being less threatening than a ten-year-old girl. With his black belt, you might be safer with him than you are with me. Besides, I wouldn’t want him to kick my butt.”
“Are they going to flunk you guys for running out of that class?” Tom asked.
Justyn snickered. “Not at all. In fact, it seems that when one of your teachers tries to kill you, it guarantees you a four-point-oh for the semester. We pretty much get a free ride through winter finals.”
