Chapter 22 This House Of Straw
"Shit." Georgie mutters as Vivian helps him in the back of the car. "I know. I know." Vivian reassured as Georgie looks down at his wound. Vivian looks up and sees you and Bigby running out of the portal, which was located on the side of a building.
She gasps and runs to the driver's seat and starts it. Bigby runs to the car and grabs the bumper of the car before it could take off. As he holds the bumper, he starts to turn into the large gray wolf. You watched as Bigby picks up the back of the car but the bumper breaks and the car takes off.
You run over to Bigby as he looks at you then he kneels down to you and gestures with his head for you to climb on his back. You nod as you sheathed your sword and jump on his back and wrap your arms around Bigby's neck as he takes off after Georgie's and Vivian's car.
Their car drives down the busy street, few cars stop in their tracks, as Bigby charges down the road and two city buses started to close in on each other. Luckily, Bigby starts to run on all fours and runs through the closing gap with no problem. You closed your eyes when Bigby turns the corner and dodges oncoming traffic.
Then he jumps up on top of a truck, runs across the top then jumps on another truck then on top of a city bus and runs across the roof until you guys make it to the end of the street.
Bigby stops and looks around, not knowing where Vivian and Georgie went. You look to your right and see a building then up at the rooftop and said. "We need to get higher." You said and he looks over to where you were looking, saw the building, charged towards the door and enters inside of it.
You could hear people screaming as Bigby makes his way up the stairs and all the way to the roof, which made you think what the mundys were thinking when they saw a woman holding on to eight foot tall gray wolf's neck as it runs on it's two legs.
Bigby makes it to the roof and the two of you look over the streets. Then you noticed a car driving erratically and you patted Bigby's shoulder and point towards the car. He nods and began to follow the car which meant for him to run along rooftops and jump from building to building. Then he jumps to the highway bridge and goes over to the side and sees their car driving along.
He takes a few steps back then turns forward and jumps in the air and lands on their car, which swerves a bit. You look to your left and noticed a limo was next to you which had the Crooked Man inside of it. His window was down and he was staring at you as the limo drives away from you.
You jump off of Bigby's back and took out your sword and started to use the handle to break the windows while Bigby used his fist. Vivian starts to swerve the car and both of you fall on your knees. Bigby grabbed the sides of the car with one hand while his other hand grabbed yours so you wouldn't fall off the car, you sheathed you sword with one hand.
Suddenly, the car stops and you and Bigby were thrown off the roof. You were ready for the impact of the road but instead you felt something soft and arms around you. You realized that Bigby grabbed you and held onto you as the two of you rolled on the road until he stops.
He removes his arms off of you and you get up and help him to his feet. You smile at him and the two of you run towards an alleyway where you see Vivian and Georgie's car in it.
"Gun it." Georgie orders Vivian. "Are you sure?" She asked him. "Just do it!" Georgie shouts and Vivian slams down on the gas pedal but you two don't move.
"They're not moving." Vivian shouts at Georgie.
The car keeps roaring down the alleyway but you two stand there until Bigby grabs you and jumps to the left and climbs up on the building to the roof. He climbs up on the rooftop and cradles you as he runs across some more rooftops until you two make it to the Pudding 'n Pie. There you see Vivian leading Georgie inside of the club.
Both of you watch them until Bigby looks to the side and sees a white shirt, pants and a tie hanging off the clothing line. He sets you down on your feet and goes over to them as he turns back to normal and puts them on.
Finally, both of you make your way to the club as you see a trail of blood from the car to the door of the club. "Holy shit..." Bigby mutters as he looks inside of the car and sees a large pool of blood in the back seat. Then the two of you make it to the door and enter the club.
"Come on! We can't stay here." Vivian's voice shouts as Georgie was groaning in pain. "Hang on. I need a minute." Georgie said to her as you and Bigby walk down the hall and head to the doorway to the rest of the club. "Shit." Georgie groans as he was sitting on a couch.
"Hello, you two." He said. "I hoped you two would come to your senses..." then he slowly stands up and walks towards you two. "Crooked Man's the one you two want. But of course, you two are too stupid to see that. Or maybe you guys just like me too much to let me go." He said as you two walk towards him.
"We're taking you in, Georgie. Let's go." ordered Bigby. Georgie leans against a railing and groans. "You gonna carry me?" He asked as you two march towards him.
Vivian steps in front of Georgie and pleads to you two. "Please, Sheriff and Deputy. Haven't you two done enough? Look at him! He's dying!"
"Vivian! You don't know what you're doin'." Georgie shouts at her. "I'm trying to help you here!" Vivian replied to him.
"You can't seriously want to protect this guy. You know what he did." You said to her as she looks down at the floor. Then she looks back at you two and said, firmly. "I'm not going anywhere. It isn't his fault!"
"He's a murderer!" Bigby exclaims.
"Faith and Lily? He's the reason they're dead!"
"Look, I know he made a few mistakes. We all have." Vivian replied.
"What?" Georgie asked, confused.
"He made sure they couldn't talk with those damn ribbons, and then he killed them! You're wearing one yourself!" You shouted at her and you see a flash of sadness on her face. "Doesn't that bother you even a little? Knowing that man murdered--"
"Of course it does!" Vivian shouts.
"Those girls, they're like---"
"So it's all my fuckin' fault then? You fucking---" Georgie said then he shouts in pain.
"I didn't mean--"
"You're gonna throw me to the fucking wolf too! You know I didn't have a damn choice! What the fuck?" He exclaims then he yelps in pain then turns to you two and shouts, angrily. "I did what I had to! Sometimes you have to just do what you're told. Then it comes back to bite you in the ass because some good-for-nothin' Crooked bastard decides you're not worth shit anymore!"
"You didn't have to do anything." You said to him, firmly.
"Like hell I did! Look, Faith and the others tried to pull a runner on us, and as you can imagine the Crooked Man wasn't too thrilled. But of course the big boss didn't want to get his fuckin' hands dirty....so he told me to take care of it! You think I don't know what that means? Either I do what he says or I'm the one getting dealt with! So I fuckin' killed 'em! And I'd do it again! Cause it's not my fault! The Crooked Man gave the order! He told me to kill them! And then he fuckin' sold me out!" Georgie replied, angrily.
"You're still the one who pulled the trigger! Nobody held your hand and made you go through with it." said Bigby. "Fine! Believe what you want." Georgie groans. "I can tell you two've made up your mind. Doesn't matter if it's fuckin' true or not!"
Bigby walks closer to him, glaring at him his teeth bared, you standing behind him. "Go ahead and arrest me then! But it won't bring back Lily and Faith! It won't free your friend Nerissa! And I'm just the sap takin' the fall for the whole thing!" Georgie said and you and Bigby just stare at him.
"It must be so easy being you! Just come in here and blame me for all this shit! Job's done, right? Georgie's the bad guy! It's all his fucking fault!" Georgie shouts then he doubles over in pain for a moment then looks up at you two and said. "But what was I supposed to do?"
"You could've done anything else. You could've let them go! You could've freed Faith and Lily from those fucking ribbons instead of murdering them!" You said to him.
"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about! If I freed them--" Georgie started to say but he stops and looks over at Vivian with worry.
Then he turns to you and Bigby, pointing at Vivian and said. "What would you have me do? Kill her?"
"Georgie, don't." Vivian pleads.
"It was them or Vivian! So you tell me! If freeing Lily meant she had to die--do you still think I had a fucking choice?" Georgie said and you look at him, confused. "Wait. How is she involved in all this?" Bigby asked him.
"This is the original." Georgie said as he places his hand on Vivian's shoulder. "The Girl with the Ribbon. I'm sure you two have heard the stories. Couldn't take it off, couldn't talk about it. She used her little purple ribbon to make more of 'em. To keep our girls quiet. To ensure absolute discretion."
"You promised you wouldn't..." Vivian said, tearfully, as she closes her eyes for a moment. "All that magic is connected to this little thing." Georgie said as he points out her ribbon. "You remove hers....and the spell's broken. They're all free! But you know what happens to her? The same thing that happened to Faith. So don't you come in here and tell me I fucked up!" Georgie explains.
"What the hell, Georgie?" Vivian asked in anger as she shoves Georgie's hand off of her shoulder. "We were supposed to look out for each other! I trusted you!"
"You can't fuckin' blame me. You're not innocent here either!" Georgie replied.
"I know that! But did it have to be like this?" Vivian shouts.
"Wait, those were your ribbons? You're in on this? I thought you cared about them!" Bigby said to Vivian.
"I do! Of course I do! You have to understand....nobody was supposed to die. When we built this place...it was just a stupid idea....a gimmick. Discretion is our guarantee....That's how it started anyway. This was supposed to be our place. We were gonna be in charge for once, and nobody would try to control us, or use us....that was the point. Then the Crooked Man showed up and everything just turned to shit." Vivian explained.
"So do you two get it now? Why I couldn't just--if you still think it's so fucking simple then you do it! Go right ahead! Kill her then!" said Georgie.
"What are you doing?" Vivian asked Georgie in fear.
"Break the spell! Save the fuckin' day!" Georgie shouts.
"Stop it!" Vivian screams and she backs away from you guys in fear.
"I told you....sometimes all your options are shit. What the fuck are you supposed to do then?" said Georgie.
"We'll find another way, she--she doesn't have to die. Maybe the witches can--" you started to say but Vivian interrupts you. "Don't talk about me like I'm not even here. Please." Then she walks towards Georgie and shouts. "You think this is hard for you? My life is such a fucking burden on your conscience! Don't I get a say? It's my life!"
"You're right. It's your life...." you said with concern.
"I know what I've done." Vivian said as she places her hand on her ribbon.
"Wait..." Georgie said, shakily.
"I'm sick of everyone thinking they can just--do what they want with my life. I thought it would be different here. But it's all the fucking same." She said as she paces around the club.
"Vivian. I didn't mean--" Georgie said, regretful.
"Do you think I wanted to be this person?" She asked Georgie. "What I did to Faith and Lily...to all of them..."
"Vivian....wait....I--"
"Every day I have to look Gwen and Hans in the eye and pretend I don't care. I have to forget what I've done to them. What I took away from them. I look at Nerissa and I hate myself." said Vivian.
"Vivian..." Georgie pleads.
"I can't pretend anymore." Vivian said as she places her hand on her ribbon again.
"What are you doing?" You and Bigby said in fear.
"Vivian! Don't!" Georgie shouts as he tries to run towards her but his wound stops him as he doubles over and holds his stomach.
"Goodbye, Georgie." Vivian whispers as she removes her ribbon and her head falls off of her neck as her body falls over.
"No! Fuck! No, no, no, no, no!" Georgie exclaims while you gasped and place your hand over your mouth as Bigby stood there in shock. Georgie walks over to Vivian's body and falls to his knees as he says in tears. "Why'd you have to do that, Vivian?"
"Are you happy now? Is this what you wanted?" Bigby asked Georgie in anger.
Georgie ignores him as he says. "Vivian....I didn't fuckin' mean it. I was just---" then he shouts in pain and sits down next to her leaning against the cigarette machine. He let's out quick shaky breathes then grabs her ribbon and places it in Vivian's hand and holds it for a moment.
You run your hands over you face, not believing what you just witnessed, as Bigby looks at Georgie and Vivian's body for a moment. Georgie screams out in pain again as Bigby steps in front of him. "Get up." He orders, firmly, but Georgie doesn't move. "Get UP!" Bigby said again.
"Don't think so, Bigby." Georgie said and he moves his arms away from his stomach and you could see some of his intestines poking out. "I'm gonna die here. I think we all know that. Just make sure you two give the Crooked Man the same treatment when you two find him. Really fuck him up for me, alright?"
"Don't worry. He'll get a lot worse." Bigby said to Georgie. "Good." Georgie said. "Old foundry by the river, alright? Sheppard Metalworks. He'll be there...the fucking asshole. You wanna finish me off now? Or do you plan to kick me around a little first?"
"That's not who I am." Bigby replied to him. "Sure it's not." Georgie said, rolling his eyes. "No more games, alright? We know how this ends." Georgie coughs then said. "Just be quick."
You look between Georgie and Bigby in shock as Bigby's features turned wolfish again. "All right, Georgie." Bigby said as he kneels down, raised his clawed hand and shoved it in Georgie's wound. Georgie screams in pain then Bigby pulls out his intestines, ending Georgie's life as he slumps over to the side.
You look between the bodies, feeling very somber about this, and wrap your arms around yourself as you close your eyes. Bigby, who started to turn back to normal, gives you a concern look. You open your eyes and continued to look at Georgie's and Vivian's body with sadness then let out a sigh.
You look up at Bigby and said. "Let's go get that Crooked bastard."
Bigby gave a small smile at this and the two of you walk out of the club and headed toward the front door. Once you get to the door, you look over at the light switch and switch the lights off. "Closed for good." You muttered as look over at Bigby. He nods slightly at this and opens the door.
The two of you walk out of the club and headed towards the Sheppard Metalworks, wondering what else this night had in store for you two.
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