Necessity
"Is it such a necessity? Seriously?!" V's voice suddenly rose to a high note for him.
His head was spinning, heart was pounding madly against ribs, almost causing pain, then suddenly stopped inside, causing breathing to falter. He was afraid of the damn ghost. The ghost of his mother, who couldn't hurt him, but still had a huge influence on him and on everyone in general.
"Necessity," Sister said in her usual cold and sharp voice. The young-looking woman adjusted her cape, as if dust had accumulated on it. "You hate him, so what's the problem with eliminating him?"
Perpetua's lip trembled, his eyelid twitched, and his heart skipped a beat again.
"He's my brother..." he breathed through gritted teeth.
"And?" she asked, her voice so indifferent that it was more terrifying than any sharpened blade in his stomach. "You've done worse things, so what's changed? Is it just the fact that you're related by blood? Or is it that you've developed a Christian conscience?"
Her words pierced through his skin, reaching deep into his soul... Or what was left of it after his dark initiation and equally dark deeds for the Devil. She was right: killing someone for the greater good was the least of his sins. And he really didn't like his brother, but not enough to kill him... He was like Cain, who offered Abel to God to appease him. But Cain did it out of his own desire and envy, while he did it because it was necessary. Because otherwise, they would get rid of him as a weak link, as trash. But V didn't see himself that way. He did and could things that Cardi only saw in his nightmares!
"Why can't we let him go?" Perpetua spoke softly, bowing his head.
His eyes burned into the floor, his thoughts flying chaotically in his mind, banging against the walls of rules, orders, and damned obedience: to her, to the Master, to the Ministry, to his oaths... He could take his brother's place by force, leave him with nothing on the fringes. And V didn't understand why he didn't have the courage to take the Copia's life. Great Hell, his blood was worth nothing! He's a jerk with a huge bright soul, and he could never hurt anyone! It was annoying, there was anger, but anger for his brother's weakness, not for who he was.
And he was a victim of his own mother.
Just like he is now.
"The car will be waiting for you tomorrow…"
"No..." he whispered, realizing what method of death his mother had come up with.
"An accident. According to our information, the Cardinal will leave the Abbey tomorrow and…"
"No," his voice got louder. "Don't force me."
"It's a necessity," Mary repeated her words. She took a step towards her son and raised her hand to his chin, as if even grabbing him.
Perpetua pursed his lips and tilted his head back so that the ghostly cold would not burn him.
"Do what needs to be done," Sister said, driving the words into V's skull. "I want to see strength. And I finally see it. Don't make us all doubt."
He grimaced, closing his eyes against the hellish, icy touch, and nodded. Even in death, this woman was powerful. She weaved her threads like a skilled spider.
He would have to obey.
***
V wouldn't have recognized himself in the mirror: a tail, no makeup, no mask, no ostentatious attire. Just a man, a passerby, someone whose face no one would ever remember, no matter how hard they tried. At least, that's what he wanted to believe. This was how he considered himself, because he did not want to think that he would kill the Cardinal. Gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles ached, Perpetua whispered prayers. All the prayers he knew, a mix of satanic and Christian. It was sinful on both sides, but he didn't care.
As soon as the voice in his earpiece gave the order, he started the truck. It was difficult, and his hands were unsteady. He started the truck and stepped on the pedal.
Should he say that it didn't work? That... That Cardi turned somewhere the truck couldn't go? Or... Should he say that the truck wouldn't start at all?
Perpetua slapped his face, trying to gather his thoughts.
This had to be done.
He could already see the tops of the abbey, and the familiar fence was approaching. And then the Copia came out, walking along the sidewalk with his stupid boombox, and then he was going to cross the road...
V honked the horn, hoping that his brother would hear it and jump back.
He didn't jump back. He just turned his head, looking as confused as always.
A thud sounded on the truck's body, blood splattered, and there was darkness and splashes in front of his eyes.
V didn't slow down, just drove away to the designated location. Like a death-bringer.
For the first time in his life, he wanted to jump in front of the car... So he wouldn't have to blame himself for it. Or anything else. https://archiveofourown.org/works/81143111















