After Humanity

Bonus Chapters: Alice's Choice part 2

Kathryn and Rachel were in the kitchen when I arrived. While the older girl was hard at work,  Rachel sat at the table, her head resting on her arms, eyes closed. The poor thing was exhausted. It didn't matter. I had to get them away from the kitchen immediately.

"We have work in the main house," I said, loudly enough to wake the child. She sat up quickly in surprise, her eyes heavy with slumber.

"But Alice," Kathryn protested, "We have yet to finish any of the preparations for Master Torvald's dinner. I'm not even."

"I will not be questioned, Kathryn," I answered testily, cutting her off. "I have given orders and I expect they will be followed. I hope that in spite of letting Rachel sleep you have done all the other chores you promised you would?"

"She's exhausted!" Kathryn said, a clear frustration apparent in her tone. "Can't you see that, Alice? I doubt the child has gotten more than a few hours sleep in days!"

Of course I could see it. It pained me that Rachel was under so much stress that she couldn't rest. But I had not been sleeping either. I was certain Kathryn was no different. Under a true sibla master, childhood was not a luxury granted to any. It had certainly never been granted to me in my youth. Rachel would have to make do to survive. Already I was coddling her more than I should.

"She must learn to adjust like all the rest of us," I answered coldly before turning my attention to Rachel. "Get up, girl," I said sharply. Rachel was quick to comply. I ignored the look of scorn Kathryn cast in my direction.

The two girls followed me as I lead them to Magnus's study. I knew Torvald would not return there until he had finished harvesting the "animal" as he planned and so I forced Kathryn and Rachel to spend the afternoon dusting the already immaculate room. Keeping my eye on the grandfather clock in the corner of the room I threw myself into the mindless task along with them, making the clean room shine with almost unnatural polish. When the clock struck three I knew I could delay the inevitable no longer.

"Back to the kitchen," I ordered. "Torvald has a guest coming for dinner and we must ensure the meal we prepare is perfect."

I saw Kathryn and Rachel exchange confused glances and as I walked ahead of them at a brisk pace, I could hear them whispering. I knew my behavior likely seemed erratic. They could not understand why I had dragged them from the kitchen. Why I was dragging them back now as I was. But I couldn't worry about that. I could only pray that Torvald had left the meat for the evening meal by now and was long gone. That the ramifications of Olivia's death would not come until later. As I put my hand on the brass doorknob my heart pounded, fearing what I might find inside, but nothing could have prepared me for what I soon faced.

When I walked into the kitchen I felt the breath knocked from my lungs. There she was, lying on the kitchen table. Her throat had been cut, her body scalded and dressed, but he'd left her head attached. Olivia's dead eyes looked blankly ahead and yet I could swear they were nonetheless staring at me in judgment. My mind flashed to the vision of my child hanging in Dulane's larder. How her glazed eyes had stared at me the same way....

From my side, I heard Rachel gasp, bringing my mind back to the present. Then the name spoken aloud.

"Olivia..." The pain in Kathryn's voice was palpable. "Oh my god, Olivia."

I watched as Rachel buried her head in Kathryn's skirt to hide from the horrible sight. The older girl pulled her close. I'd known what he had planned, but I never thought he would be this cruel. I was just as shocked as the girls by my side. He had left a human corpse on my table!

"Alice."

My eyes immediately snapped to the deep voice who'd called out my own name to find Torvald standing just beside the body. The surprise of seeing Olivia, not butchered as I'd expected, but lying there dead, a full human corpse in my kitchen had distracted me. It seemed however that Torvald had not simply been content to leave the body and go. He was not through torturing me and already I could already see the displeasure on his face.