Unwound (The Symphony of Brass and Bone)

by Yolanda Olson

  “I need help,” he said to them sternly.

  The two looked at each other and stood. I gasped in horror; they had been fused together. One body two girls standing proudly looking down at me and then up at the voice that had commanded them. How could London have done something so cruel? I watched them as they looked at each other then began to seemingly pull themselves apart. It was almost beautiful. They each turned their heads toward the opposite walls and almost as if a dance, began to twist apart from each other. I heard their flesh tear and I heard the grunts of effort. I watched entranced as they danced apart from each other until they both stood there each with her own body.

  “Ember, please hold his ankles. Roan, please hold his shoulders down,” the voice said to them.

  Each girl nodded and I realized that Ember was the girl with the orange hair and Roan was the girl with the peach hair. As they each held me down I realized they had full human bodies, so why did they choose to stay fused together?

  “Would you like to know how they got their names?” he asked me softly as he ran his hands over my hair.

  I refused to look at him; he was a traitor.

  “Ember was the name of a girl that mistreated my sister when they were young. She would tease her and sometimes hit her for thinking a little differently than most. It’ s not her fault that she’s a genius. She can’t help it you know? Anyway Ember was also the one that gave me the idea of making these puppets because she had a group of friends with her that would torture my sister and it made me realize that they never thought on their own,” I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. Now I understand why Winter had become so frantic when she had heard his voice in the cabin. He was looking lovingly at Ember, “ I preserved her body. She died young and I knew that it would be good for London to be able to take out some of her frustrations on Ember’ s body. So the Ember you see here is actually the Ember that bullied my poor little sister as a child.”

  My mind was beginning to spin. Now I knew why he wasn’t afraid of her. Now I knew why he had tested my strength and my wits. So she would know how to best fight me off. He had been watching me like an experiment.

  “Roan’ s story is much simpler,” he said glancing at her. “Roan was the name of a boy that I loved. He told me he loved me back but it was a cruel joke really. All his friends had dared him to play along with my affection for him. One night they had told him to invite me out and we went to a cliff overlooking the town. I leaned over and kissed him, which he returned before the door opened and I was pulled out. His friends beat me viciously that night and left me broken on that mountain top. I decided as I lay there broken that I would never love again. No boy or girl would ever feel my affection again. So because Ember and Roan were two of the most evil humans I had ever met, that is how these two got their names. Ember kept her name I guess you could say,” he said with a chuckle as he put a hand carefully against the entry wound on my torso.

  “There were many girls that tried to win my affections and many that I wanted to love. Females seem gentler than males in the world of love and I wanted to experience something meaningful, but I promised myself never again, you know?” He said as he placed a worn leather strap in my mouth. “Bite down, Caelum. I’ll try to be as quick as I can.”

  I did as I was told and stared straight at the ceiling. I knew the pain that would come next; I could only hope I was still somewhat immune to it.

  “Anyway, I clearly broke that promise to myself when I first laid eyes on you. I couldn’t help it. What I didn’t know though until you told me was that London had made you. I knew I shouldn’t have left her alone, but after she burned out mother’s factory down gathering tools to make you, I knew she would need to figure things out for herself.”

  It all made sense to me then. Morrison was the mother of London and Edison. I should have known when he told me it helped to be the son of a seamstress but I wasn't thinking clearly then. I should have also known of Edison's treachery when Winter was scared of the voice in the cabin and insisted that we leave.

  Was Morrison hiding in this place of hell as well? Why had Edison been so keen on helping me destroy London if he had every intention of caring for her?

  "Now, I know I said that Ember was the first one I made," he continued as he finally removed the weapon from my torso and began to stitch me up, "but honestly, it was little London who was the first. See, she wound up killing herself because of all the teasing and I felt like my world had been taken from me."

  I felt something wet land on my chest and realized that he had tears falling as he spoke of London's death.

  "There, all better," he said as he placed the final stitch in place. "You can release him now," he commanded Ember and Roan. They let go of my legs and arms and Edison continued his story.

  "Our mother was distraught over her death, but not as badly as I was. For years London had been my sole companion and I refused to lose her. I had always been a technical genius and I knew certain things about the human anatomy, so I experimented with Ember before I finally figured out how to bring London back to life. So in all honesty, when London screamed that she's "one", she was telling you here number. She was the first one created. Then Ember even though her number isn't two. It's eight one two, the night that London died."

  "Please let him go!" Winter shrieked from where she stood.

  I turned slightly to be able to see her still standing in front of the mirror paralyzed. I wondered why she hadn't moved to help me when I saw the reason.

  The eyes in the mirror blinking and the smile starting to manifest. I should have known from the first time I met her since I didn't have much of a reason to trust her. It was Jett. She was the mirror holding Winter hostage where she stood as the scene before us unfolded.

  "What's up, Junk Heap?" she asked casually as she stepped out of the mirror still holding on to Winter. "You really fell for that 'we can all change line' didn't you?"

  "Silence Jett, there's no reason to taunt him. He's already in a compromising enough situation," Edison said to her.

  Jett immediately sulked and looked away as she tightened her grip on Winter.

  "Get to your feet Caelum," Edison commanded as he put one of my arms around his shoulder and helped me up.

  As I got to my feet I looked into his eyes and he turned away. He must have been able to see the hurt in my face from his betrayal. I looked over at London who was still perched in her chair watching us with manic eyes.

  Killing London wouldn't change anything. I'd have to kill Jett, Ember, Roan, and Edison first.

  "Please understand," Edison began, "I never meant for any of this to happen I just wanted my sister back. I made Ember and Roan after London, but I never expected her to make you or the others. I just wanted to hurt the ones who hurt me and bring my sister back to life."

  "Where's the white haired girl?" I asked staring directly at London.

  She began to giggle and rock back and forth so I knew that the Xandy girl had to be close but I couldn't see her.

  "I'm laying in the ashes as always," came a voice. I turned and looked at the fireplace in time to see a pair of eyes open then close again.

  "Xandy doesn't talk much," Edison said thoughtfully.

  "I wasn't speaking to you," I said to him harshly.

  "Jett speaks for me," the voice came again as I watched Xandy rise from the ashes yet manage to still look completely immaculate as if she hadn't been laying in soot and the parts of others. She walked over to Winter and with clawlike hands she ran a finger down the side of her face. Winter squirmed as Jett held her tightly and Xandy dug a little deeper tearing the flesh from the side of Winter's face.

  "Leave her alone!" I shouted making my way to them just as Roan and Ember stood in front of me.

  Xandy turned and looked at me with large, doe like eyes and blank stare. Then she looked past me for a moment to Edison. I turned to face him as well and saw that he had his arms around London sitting on the chair arm and nodded.


  For the first time Xandy smiled as she turned her attention back to Winter and dug her claws into her body and lifted her from Jett's grasp. Winter screamed out in pain as Xandy lifted her higher and higher.

  "Caelum," she whispered as she took her last breath.

  I hadn't been able to help her because as Xandy took her from Jett, she, Ember, and Roan had converged upon me like a group of vultures holding me in place while Winter died in front of me.

  I fell to my knees feeling helpless and felt the tears flowing from Jared's eye. One of my very best friends was torn to pieces in front of me and I couldn't save her. How then would I be able to avenge her?

  In a moment of sheer rage I was able to get back to my feet and get the three of them off of me. Roan was the first to die. I grabbed her head and ripped it clean off of her body and as Ember watched in fear I punched a hole through her chest and ripped out her heart and threw it viciously in Jett's face to distract her. It worked, as she squirmed and swatted the heart away from her, I grabbed her by her arms and rammed her repeatedly into the wall until the fragile parts of her shattered into a million small pieces.

  "Three down," I said looking Xandy in the eyes.

  She didn't look worried or concerned instead she held my gaze for a moment then turned her attention back to Edison.

  "No. Don't touch him," he said sternly.

  "Spare me the pity," I seethed at him. "Everything you've said to me or felt for me was a lie. It was all a ploy to make sure I wasn't strong enough to kill London, what you didn't count on was me being able to dispose of your toys so quickly. I swear to you, for Winter and Jared, everyone in this room will die tonight."

  "I don't think so Caelum," he said moving away from London. "I loved you and I still do. That wasn't a lie and it hurts me that you think that. However, I never feared London because I know how harmless he really is. Yes, you killing those three so quickly was a surprise and it shows me how far you have progressed, but I can't allow you to hurt my sister. We could live here you know, the three of us. I can program London to never hurt you again and you could stay here with me. It would be a beautiful life. I promise there would be no more nightmares and no more harm or pain, just tell me that's what you want too and I can make it happen."

  I stood there hiding my disbelief in what he was suggesting. He wanted me to let London live when she had been the cause of so many deaths of those that really cared for me and be a happy family together. Edison came closer and put his hands on either side of my face. Gently he pulled my face closer to his and placed his lips softly against mine.

  I made my move and heard him grunt in surprise. I pulled myself away from him and looked into his huge, surprised eyes as he looked down. I had done to him what London had done to me. The rotary cutter was sticking out of his body, handle deep with blood rushing out of the wound.

  "I want you all to die," I said as he crumpled to his knees.

  "But—I—Caelum," he gasped out as he put his hands on the handle attempting to pull it out.

  I raised my eyes to London who was staring at me in surprise and fear. I had just mortally wounded her creator and now she was next.

  "London," he said in labored breath, "Run little sister. Run."

  He fell to the floor in front of me and I looked down watching the blood pool around him and the lifeless look in his eyes. For a moment I felt my heart hurting at something so beautiful dying so tragically but it was what I wanted and I had accomplished it. I turned my attention away from Edison to London just in time to see her leap out of the window.

  "NO!" I shouted as I ran toward the window in time to see her run at inhuman speeds off of the property and disappear into the woods.

  I was about to leap out the window after her when I turned around looking frantically for a weapon and noticed the journal, my journal in the chair where she and Edison had sat. I ran over to it and flipped through it until I found the pages that gave detailed explanations of how to sustain me and collapsed in relief onto the chair.

  I had more time now. I would be able to restore myself and avenge my fallen friends and myself. I would have more time to find and dispose of London.

  Letting out a sigh of relief, I looked over at Edison's body only to find that it wasn't there anymore. I was confused for a moment until on the far end of the room I saw Xandy with Edison over her shoulder give me a deadly stare before she too, leapt from one of the windows and disappeared with Edison's body into the wilderness.

  "Caelum?" a voice asked timidly.

  I looked at the door I had barricaded so well and saw Cassara standing there looking at me curiously.

  "Is she dead yet?" she asked.

  "No. She got away. But most of them are dead and I have the book. Let's burn this place to the ground and get ready to finish this once and for all," I said to her as I rose from the chair.

  I glanced over at Winter's torn body tossed aside like one of London's unfinished projects and my heart hurt for her. I picked up the ravaged beauty and asked Cassara to clear the main work table and to place one of the unused cloths on it. I wouldn't leave Winter laying on the ground like that.

  I placed her gently in the middle of the table and crossed her fragile, small arms over her chest and ran my hands over her hair. Behind me I heard Cassara sniffle quietly as I leaned down and gave Winter a gently kiss on her lips. I knew it was a sign of affection now and I needed her to know that I did care for her. I vainly hoped she would feel it in some way.

  After I had decided that she was properly cared for now, Cassara and I began to place kindling around her and throughout the house. I went back into the room where Winter lay in pieces and after pouring some kind of strong smelling liquid on the floor around her, I lit a match letting it fall to the ground.

  From outside we watched as the fire that would engulf London's only home and our place of torture raged into an uncontrollable inferno. Cassara put her head on my shoulder as we stood there and in that moment, I became more determined than ever that London Blackhouse would be dead soon enough.

  The Undoing of Edison

  An Ode to My Beloved

  I lust for you, even though pieces of you are not wholly yours.

  I admire your flaws that are more prominent than the midday sun.

  I dream of how your skin would feel against mine; some rough, some soft.

  I long to hold your face in my hands and gaze into your beautiful imperfection.

  Run away with me and let my mortality envy your eternity.

  I sat in my chair watching London. She moved quickly and I felt that I had done a good job in taking care of her. There were nights of course when her manic fits were even too much for me, but I would never be too far away from her if she needed me.

  And that’s why I stayed mostly in the shadows. So that she would be able to be her own young woman, but still have a watchful eye whenever it was needed. I tried not to interfere in her affairs but what she had been working on lately had raised a curiosity and desire within me that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

  It was beautiful. Half man, half machine, and all of London’s little quirks would make it come to life. She used only the most perfect pieces when creating it and with each stitch, with each wheel she inserted, I felt myself falling a little more in love. I kept my feelings to myself. I didn’t want her to ever think that I could love anything more than I loved her and so I would just sit there in silence, in the shadows, and watch as she would sit on his lap and hammer it’s teeth into place. How she would rouse it from its sleep and carry it away into her room and care for it like a mother would a newborn child.

  I would watch in silent horror on other nights where she would bring it to life only to murder it in the most brutal ways. I knew that eventually she would allow it to have life and I knew that it would be secluded to one of her upstairs rooms, but this one ... I would sneak in with this one while it slept and I would make sure that it was never to gravely injured.

  The night finally ca
me where he was finished, for the most part; she purposely left one of the eyes empty of vision and as she stood and admired her handiwork, I stood and approached the table he slept on.

  Yes, I’ve called him “it” way too many times not to deny the fact that he was a man.

  “What do you call him?” I asked her, resting a hand gently on his arm.

  London turned quickly and looked over at him. I watched her for a moment as she rocked gently back and forth on her heels, before grabbing a straight razor off of a nearby table and climbing on top of him.

  “Three ... Two... Five... Seven...” she sang with each brutal cut into his arm.

  Thank God he’s still sleeping, I thought to myself cringing. I wasn’t sure exactly where London had lost her way, but her mind seemed sicker each passing day. There would be no way to medicate her without what I had done to her be known and I didn’t want to risk that. They would take her away from me.

  London wouldn’t do well on her own and if anything happened to her it would be my fault and no one else’s.

  When we were children, she protected me fiercely. And now as young adults, I would return the favor. I wouldn’t be able to do much, but what I could do would echo in the void like a lion’s roar and anyone who meant her harm, would know that I was nearby. Not that I was an imposing figure, because I wasn’t.

  I was tall, thin, and wore glasses to correct the vision I had been so poorly born with and I wore my hair to my shoulders. I kept it cut in layers, but nothing too feminine. I just liked to look presentable. I think the most dangerous part about me was my knowledge of things. I had spent my youth studying everything I could get my hands on and it all came in handy when it was time to “save” London.