Elyse managed a tremulous gasp before calling out. “Tuck!” He came out in a matter of moments and his eyes widened when he saw the situation. He held Aubrey protectively before moving in, trying to get the knife away from Elyse’s neck. “Avice, what the hell is wrong with you?”
Elyse looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “I don’t know what she’s talking about.” “Avice, let go of her,” Jack growled, his eyes sharp.
"I may be afraid of your hatred, Jack, but I am certainly not afraid of the consequences of killing a liar. I'm already going to Hell," she said lowly, digging the knife deeper. "Tell him the goddamn truth, Elyse. Tell him about how Knox sent you, and the choice that you gave me."
Jack paused for a moment, but she shook her head, her eyes filled with tears. “I don’t, don’t know what’s happening,” she said, her shoulders shaking. “She’s hurting me!” Jack stepped forward and quickly attempted to disarm Avice, still holding Aubrey.
She backed up again, her steps careful. "Stop. Stop. Tell him how you brought me outside the day I invited you to our house and told me that he was looking for him, and how I could stay and she would tell our location, or I could go, and tell you to not follow. I do recall that day vividly, as it was one of the worst."
“Avice,” Jack said, his voice sounding strange. It was almost how he spoke to her mother when Avice was tied up in her house. “Avice, put down the knife so we can talk about this. You don’t want to do this.”
Something changed on her face, and she looked terribly helpless, a tear streaked down her face. "You wouldn't talk to me. We won't talk about this. Isn't that a given? You should hate me. I hope you hate me after what happened. There's no reason you shouldn't." She took a breath, dropping her arms and stepping away from the two. "It was my choice to leave than have your location given out. I didn't want you to die, and that's okay. Probably the last respectable thing."
Elyse hurried to Jack’s side and he stepped in front of her in a protective motion, giving Aubrey to her so he could act as a shield between them and Avice. His eyes were watching her warily, as if she were something to fear, something dangerous. But there was something else there, too. A longing, perhaps. “Avice, you’re not making sense,” he said, almost gently. “You need to calm down and then maybe we can go to the doctor or something. Okay?”
She ignored him, her eyes traveling along the ground as her voice was hateful. "You like the sad ones, right Elyse? That's what you told me? You like fixing them." She shook her head. "It's pathetic. I'm leaving." She held herself as she turned away. "I hope you're happy."
There was a silence for a moment as Jack turned to Elyse. “Sad...” he said slowly. “Tuck, it’s not what you think,” she said quickly but he moved quickly, taking Aubrey from her. “Avice!”
He glared back, holding Aubrey close. “I don’t trust either of you right now. If you want to leave, leave. God knows you’re good at that.”
She crossed her arms, staying just in front of the steps. "Just say what you want to say, for God's sake."
"The day I left was the day we invited her to our house," she muttered. "She pulled me outside and revealed that Knox is looking for you, and she worked with him." She took a deep breath. "..And so she gave me two options. Stay here and have your location revealed, or leave and you're safe. I think it's obvious why I left."
