Page 30 of Unhinged Kallie

Challenge accepted. I made an exclamation mark this time, right down the front of the guy and my dad’s artwork, but my dot ended up off-center as the man squirmed on the table.

“Ugh, don’t move,” I said. “You ruined it.”

“This is precisely what I’m talking about. You can’t control yourself. The answer is no.”

White hot rage exploded inside of me. Reaching out, I grabbed the massive knife off the tray of tools and, with a scream, slammed the blade down into the guy’s heart three times. There was a soft scream through his gag, his body tensing and then convulsing as it realized this was the end.

Blood flew in all directions, coating my dad and myself. We looked like we’d done a round of paintball, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the look on his face. His nostrils flared as his angry stare found mine.

“Well, I guess you just made my point,” Dad said, tossing the towel he was using down. “Learn to control your temper Kallie, or I’ll lock you up down here.”

Tears filled my eyes.

“Dad…”

He pointed to the door. “Get out, leave your clothes in the hamper by the door, and get cleaned up. I don’t want to see one drop of blood tracked through the house, or I swear you’ll never leave it again.”

“Ahh! You’re impossible. Mom would’ve let me go to school.”

“Now,” he said, and I marched for the door. I knew I could be a handful sometimes, but Uncle Abel was far more erratic than I was, and he had a family and kids and held down a job. Why did my dad not have any faith in me that I could do that too? It felt like I was nothing more than a screwup to him.

I stood in front of Carter and whipped my shirt off over my head.

“Holy shit, what are you doing,” he asked, closing his eyes before jumping and turning around.

“Spare me. I’m sure you’ve seen June’s tits before,” I said and tossed the material into the hamper.

“That’s different. She’s my girlfriend.”

“She’s a slut,” I said, the anger brewing higher.

“No, she’s not,” Carter argued. “She’s nice.” I wanted to tackle him to the ground and make him see that he was with the wrong girl. I could see it clearly in my mind. He was meant to be with me.

“Did she let you touch her?”

“I’m not answering that.”

The storm of fury already brewing was trying to make another appearance, but I didn’t dare say anymore. I could feel my dad’s eyes watching me like he was waiting for me to screw up again. Pulling off my jeans and socks, I tiptoed over the few droplets of blood I’d left on the ground and slipped out.

My dad was right about one thing. I was different from him and needed to prove that being me wasn’t bad. I could do this. The question was, how do I convince him?

* * *

CARTER

The door shut, and I slumped against the wall, shaking my head. Shit, that was close. Why did I have to be attracted to her? Not only was it wrong when we’d grown up like siblings, but she was fourteen. Fuck, I hated my body’s reactions, and looking out for her and not falling harder for her was getting more difficult.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly turned around. Cain had already gotten the wheelbarrow from the secret passage and was loading the guy into it.

“We should find a better way to dispose of the bodies. The pigs are so well-fed that they are leaving parts behind for too long. I had to sift some hands and feet out and put them in the grinder, then in the compost to be spread.” That was definitely a sentence I never thought I’d have to say.

“Yes, I noticed. That was good thinking. I’ve set up a new disposal station through the doors,” he said, wheeling the barrow away.

I followed, realizing that I was no longer affected by the limbs hanging over the side and the sound of begging. Stepping into the secret passage behind Cain, I spotted the extra-large oven and screwed up my face. When did this get installed? I didn’t wait to be asked and grabbed the guy’s feet, helping to toss him onto the metal slab already pulled out and ready to go.

Cain shoved the metal into the oven and closed the door before hitting a switch. Fire erupted, and within minutes the body was consumed by the flames.

“When did we get a crematorium installed?”