Prompt 5- Livie79

Jake bounded up the stairs and pulled open the front door. “Anybody home?”

“In the kitchen,” Bella yelled, rolling her eyes when he appeared in the doorway. “Don’t you know how to knock? One of these days you’re going to come in here and see something that might scar you for life.”

“Whatever. You and Edward aren’t gonna be getting busy with your sister here.”

“She’s not always here,” Edward interrupted, walking into the kitchen. He leaned over Bella and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Good morning.”

“It was,” she snarked, her eyes darting to Jake.

Stealing a bite of her toast, he followed her gaze. “What’s this loser doing here?” Edward joked, ducking out of the way when Jake tried to smack him.

“Why are you two always busting my balls?”

“Because you’re dating my baby sister. It’s my job.” Bella lifted her brow in challenge, her smile teasing.

“What’s your excuse?” Jake asked Edward, a smile already taking over his face as he waited for Edward’s typical response.

“She’s always right.” Edward chuckled and grabbed his keys. “I gotta go. See you tonight.” With a quick kiss to Bella and a jab to Jake’s arm, Edward disappeared out of the house.

Jake settled in the chair across from Bella and grabbed a piece of bacon. He was about to speak, when movement outside the window caught his attention. “What the fuck?” He whispered, his normally playful tone completely gone.

Bella looked out the window and shuddered. “It’s creepy, right? It just sits there and stares. No matter where I am in the house, it’s always outside the window. I thought owls were supposed to be nocturnal.”

Jake licked his lips, his throat suddenly dry. “How long has it been out there?”

Bella shrugged and turned away from the window. “A few days. I try to just ignore it. Edward thinks it wants to be my pet or some stupid shit. I wish it would go back to wherever it came from.”

“Have you been sick at all? Any strange cuts or bruises?”

Bella pressed her lips into a thin line. “Don’t start that folklore bullshit, Jake. You know it freaks me out.”

“Just answer the question, Bella.” Jake’s no nonsense expression caused a chill to run up Bella’s spine.

“I’m fine,” she lied, tugging on the hem of her shirt.

“Are you lying to me?”

“No. There’s seriously nothing wrong with me.” She tried not to think about the swollen red cuts that had appeared over her abdomen and inner thighs the last few days. Or the strange bruises marring her pale flesh. She tried, but she failed.

“Well something―” Jake pointed to the window where the owl stood stone-still on a branch, its eyes focused solely on Bella. “―has caused that thing to come here. And if you aren’t sick, its been sent for some other reason.”

“Sent, Jake? Seriously? Someone sent an owl to stare at me? Okay.” Bella rolled her eyes and shifted in her chair. She didn’t want to let Jake get her worked up, but a sinking feeling began to settle over her.

“I didn’t say someone. I said something.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You think a demon, some sort of evil spirit, sent an owl for me?” Bella laughed and stood from the table. Turning her back on Jake, she put her dishes in the sink, hiding the way her body shuddered at the thought.

“That’s exactly what I think.”

Bella pressed her hands flat against the countertop and dropped her head. Pulling in a deep breath she slowly turned to face him. “And what’s it here for? To scare me?”

“It’s here to take your soul.”

Before Bella could tell him to go fuck himself, Nessie waltzed into the room. “Are you scaring my sister with that soul sucking shit again? You really need some new material.”

“It’s not shit. Have you seen the owl outside.”

Nessie peeked out the window and shrugged. “Yeah so? It likes me. I’ve named him Shadow because every time I turn around he’s there.”

Jake’s face paled and Bella’s mouth fell open. “What?” They asked at the same time.

Nessie looked between Jake and Bella. “The owl. Shadow. He’s been following me around the past few days. We’re buddies.”

Jake shook his head. “But it wasn’t with you this morning, its been out there staring at Bella since I got here.”

“I don’t know what owl was perched out there earlier, but it wasn’t that one. That one hung out with me on campus this morning.”

Not for the first time, Bella felt a sliver of fear creep up her spine. She’d felt uneasy, creeped out even, but this was different. This was something more. She opened her mouth to speak, but Jake shook his head. His eyes were filled with the same fear Bella felt. With a small nod, she left the room, a strained smile on her lips.

~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*

Long black fingers with razor sharp nails tented in front of a ghoulish face. Cracked rotting teeth gleamed as oozing, split lips turned up in a smile. Sunken cheekbones, covered in scabs and sores, lifted until pitch black eyes narrowed into slits. Its eyes darted from side to side, not seeing the decay and death around it, but instead shimmering visions of golden sunlight. It saw a modest home with big windows. It saw humans moving about their daily tasks. It saw what the owl did. What the owl had been sent to collect.

“We are ready,” the creature hissed. “Take what I have sent you for. Do it tonight.”

~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*

Bella sat in front of her vanity with her hands in her lap as she stared at her reflection. Her hair was fixed, her makeup done, and her dress and shoes were on. But fear and unease kept her rooted to her seat.

“Baby, we need to go.” Edward walked into the room, his eyes downcast as he fiddled with his watch. When he lifted his gaze to Bella, his lips parted and he froze. “You look fucking gorgeous.”

“Thanks,” Bella whispered, her eyes meeting his through the mirror.

“What’s wrong?”

Bella shrugged. “I don’t know. I just feel weird. Maybe we shouldn’t go anywhere tonight.”

“It’s our anniversary. There’s no way we’re not going out tonight. Now, move your beautiful ass. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get back.”

Bella gave him a shaky smile and stood from her seat. “Okay.”

Nessie waved goodbye as they moved toward the front door, wolf-whistling at Bella as she disappeared outside. She chuckled as the door closed, ignoring whatever smart ass comment Bella had made. Her laughter caused her to wince as a sharp pain ripped through her abdomen. Lifting her shirt, her eyes widened at the sight of several swollen cuts in the formation of a star. Heat radiated off them, showing signs of infection.

Suddenly dizzy, Nessie closed her book and pushed off the couch. She pulled herself up the stairs and into the bathroom. Pulling off her shirt, she gasped. Her skin had blackened, the cuts becoming more infected, the skin around them bruised. Grabbing a tube of salve, she slathered it over the cuts then opened a bottle of pain medication, popping several in her mouth.

She wanted to call Jake. She wanted to call the hospital, but her body refused to cooperate. Sluggish, she stumbled into her room and fell on the bed. Her head lolled to the side, her eyes landing on Shadow.

“Hey, buddy,” she wheezed. “I could sure use some help here. Something’s not right.”

The owl twisted its head, its large black eyes locking with Nessie’s. The grinding sound of metal against metal echoed around the room as the window locks twisted. The hinges groaned as the window slid up inch by inch.

The owl slunk closer. Its claws extended and its black eyes shimmered, becoming a dark red.

Nessie lay motionless, her eyes blank as she stared at the owl. She didn’t blink. She didn’t speak. She didn’t move. On the outside, she was a statue. But on the inside, terror welled within her. She screamed and thrashed inside a body that had become her tomb. She begged for help that would never come.

The owl hopped from the branch to the window sill. Its feathers vibrated, shaking as they grew longer. In one quick move, it was in the room and standing on her torso. Razor like talons pierced her skin, tearing through flesh and tissue. Slicing into her organs. It lifted one leg, extending it forward to the top of the star. In one slow, agonizing motion, it drew a full circle around the symbol.

Twin tears spilled from Nessie’s wide, blank eyes. It was the only indication she was actually alive. Whispers crept from the shadows as the weight on Nessie’s torso increased. They became louder―moved closer―shrouding her in darkness. The owl inched up her torso, stopping when its talons covered her heart.

It leaned forward, its eyes locking with Nessie’s.  A low rumbled started in the back of its throat. When it opened its mouth, the room began to shake. Nessie’s lips parted in a silent scream as a thin, white mist began to float from her mouth and nose. Talons dug into her chest, piercing the flesh over her heart. Blood oozed and spilled out of the wound as the owl pulled and shredded her skin like paper. It dug out a hole in her chest until her beating heart was exposed as it sucked her soul from her body.

Outside, heels clicked against the concrete drive. Bella’s hand covered her stomach, her complexion waxy, her face pained. “I’m sorry,” she exhaled, her muscles tightening.

“Why are you apologizing? It’s not your fault you got sick. Lets just get you upstairs so you can lie down.” Edward smoothed his hand down her back, stopping when movement from above caught his attention. The curtains in Nessie’s room fluttered in the breeze, stretching out through her open window.

“Why is her window up? It’s freezing.” Bella stilled when she noticed an owl on the branch. “Oh, my God,” she gasped as it moved closer. “It’s going to get inside her room.”

“The hell it is. Go lie down, I’m going to close her window.”

They walked up the stairs, Bella going one way and Edward the other once they reached the top. A chill raced up Edward’s spine as he drew closer to the partially open door. “Nessie?”

The floorboards creaked, the sound echoing in the silent hallway. He pressed his fingers to the door and pushed, the hinges groaning in protest as it swung open. “Ness?”

The moment his eyes landed on her, the entire world slowed to a stop. “Nessie!” Edward’s voice shattered the silence when he screamed out her name. His heart pounded in his chest as he stood frozen in place. The bed was covered in blood. Nessie’s mutilated body lay motionless with an owl perched upon her chest.

The owl tore a chunk of her heart from its claw and swallowed it whole, blood splattering on the already soiled sheets. In an unhurried motion, it turned its head toward Edward, its body never moving.

“No. Oh, God. No.”

“Edward, what’s―”

“Don’t come in here!”

Bella ignored his plea and pushed past him, her hand flying to her mouth. Before she could react she was shoved forward, a hard body colliding with hers.

“Move! Get out of the way!” Jake lunged forward, the blade of his knife reflecting the light as he brought it down in one swift motion and plunged it into the owl. It dropped Nessie’s half-eaten heart from its talon, an otherworldly scream piercing the air. Blood dripped from Jake’s nose and ears as he lifted the blade and stabbed the owl again.

Bella screamed and moved forward, but Edward grabbed her elbow, yanking her back. Jumping in front of her, he grabbed the owl, squeezing its neck until the bones began to crack under the force. Feathers floated through the air as wide black and gray wings flapped, trying to escape its demise. But the damage was done. With one final blow, the knife ripped open the owl’s abdomen, its intestines spilling on to the floor.

Panting breaths were the only sounds that followed the knife clattering to the floor. Wide eyes swept from person to person before all of them landed on Nessie.

“No,” Jake sobbed, falling to his knees beside the bed. “No, baby. No.”

A strangled cry ripped from Bella’s throat. She ran to the other side of the bed, her position mirroring Jakes. “Nessie. Nessie, please no. Oh, my God. No.”

Jake shook his head. Tears fell onto the bed as he cradled her face. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead, his throat burning with bile when he looked at the blank sockets where her eyes used to be.

Red lights flashed outside the house for hours that night. Bella, Edward, and Jake sat despondent and heartbroken as they answered question after question. Night turned into day and life pushed forward. One day bled into the next as the three tried to pick of the pieces of their shattered world.

Dressed in his only suit, Jake sipped from his tumblr of liquor, the burn a welcome distraction. Bella smoothed her hand over her black dress and looked around the kitchen filled with food from neighbors and friends. Her red swollen eyes found Jake’s. Covering his hand with hers, she smiled sadly. “Do you need anything?”

Jake blinked back tears and downed the rest of his drink. “I was too late. I tried, but I was too late.”

“Too late for what? What happened, Jake? How did you know?”

“I told you the owl was here for a reason. I told you that you were marked. But no one would listen. I talked to my dad after I left here the day Nessie said the owl outside the window was always around her. He said―he said I had to kill it. If I didn’t―”

“The stories are real?”

“How can you even ask that? After what―after what happened to Nessie?”

“But it followed me too, Jake. I’m still here. I’m not saying I don’t believe you. I just need something to make sense. I need to know why my baby sister was taken away from me. I need to understand.”

“You’re here because I killed it. I stopped it.”

Tears fell from Bella’s eyes as she wrapped her arms around her waist. Edward stepped behind her, squeezing her shoulders. “Why don’t you go lie down. I’ll clean up here.”

Nodding, Bella rose from the chair and hugged Jake before disappearing up the stairs. When she was gone, Edward turned to Jake, a serious expression on his face. “Are you sure?” He asked. “Is it really over?”

Jake lifted his eyes to Edward. The pain and sadness reflected in them told Edward everything he needed to know before Jake uttered a word. “No,” Jake whispered. “No.” Standing from the table, he disappeared out the door, leaving a shocked Edward frozen in the kitchen.

When darkness fell that night, Edward wrapped his arms around his sleeping wife and kissed her cheek. He whispered words of love and promises to protect her. But his promises were empty and their fate was out of his control.

As his eyes became heavy, he lolled his head to the side and looked out the window. With a swear on his tongue, he gritted his teeth and prepared for what was to come as two owls landed on the branch outside their window.

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Dear FB group, this was for you. Every time you post owl pics, this is the kind of shit that goes through my head. It took me the same amount of time to write this one prompt as it did for me to write all of the other ones because I had to keep stopping because omfg. OH MY FUCKING GOD. Next time you think about posting an owl pic just remember, it could be your heart it's snacking on next time. jsjsjsjs Don't say I didn't warn you. See you creeps tomorrow.

~The Unholy Trinity