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The Beast took a second to glance at her frightened form and sucked in a quick breath as he did so. All the people living inside Kevins’ body knew what a soul mark was for Kevin had one too, though he had never met his soul mate, or so he thought as the Beast took a moment to mentally ask Dennis, Patricia and Hedwig if they knew what this girls name was. He asked because the next thing he said to her would either be a miracle for all of them or she would reject him and the others. Personally he could take rejection seeing as she was indeed pure but seeing ALL of their names on her (besides the ones covered by her shirt) he feared how the others would take it. For so long they had believed they couldn’t possibly have a soul mate other than Kevin himself but to see the scattered names ‘Samuel’ and ‘Jade’ and ‘Dennis’ and the cutoff of ‘Patricia’ going under her shirt while ‘Kevin Crumb’ lined her pants as well as Mary Reynolds name did. Several other names such as Kat and Ian and Rakel were visible on her chest.
The one name however that stood out to him was his own, The Beast, which seemed to have fresh ink because it was just a bit blacker than the others and was adorned right above her belly button next to possibly the nastiest scar he could see she had. All those names belonged to people living inside Kevins’ body. However, it was HIS name alone that confirmed that this girl, this beautifully broken creature before him belonged to all of them. It also proved that they all had souls. For no human had the name The Beast and to have this girl have his (as he was sure she had them all of them, the rest merely hiding under that shirt) made his belief that the broken were the more evolved only stronger because even he was broken and who better to be paired with than another broken soul? His name on her made her his to have and protect.
As long as she was indeed Casey Cook as the name hidden on Kevins’ left thigh said. If by some chance she wasn’t Casey Cook the fact that she was broken still made him rejoice for he was not the only one evolved but it would be seriously unlikely that anyone other than his own soul mate would have his name for he was not merely a man with a man’s name.
As he waited for Dennis or Patricia to give a response in his mind it was Hedwig that answered his question first with a, “I think she said it was Casey Cook in the walkie talkie when she was being a bitch! I’m not sure but it didn’t help that she slapped me. Wait, isn’t that the name on Kevin’s leg? Etcetera…?” His lisp emphasized the fact that now even he was questioning how things between them and Casey should be because even after all the abuse Kevin’s mother had put them through and made them who they are, deep down they understood that you weren’t supposed to hurt your soul mate at all. They were supposed to be the one person that understood you no matter what and eventually loved you if all went well. People normally married their soul mate and lived happily ever after. The key word being “normally”. That wasn’t the case with Kevin’s mother and father however and dampened all their views on the idea of soul mates. Out of all of them though, Hedwig was the one that still dreamed of Kevin meeting his soul mate and making him safe and happy. Hedwig dreamed FOR Kevin to one day be happy with HIS Casey. Never in a million years did Hedwig think that even any of the others would get a soul mate, let alone the same one.
The words being uttered between Patricia, Dennis and even the others in that room with the chairs drifted through the Beasts’ head. Each one being astonished at such a revelation and each having their own opinions on the matter.
Jade was being particularly verbal towards Dennis and Patricia on how messed up they were to almost kill their own soul mate. “You people are so messed up! How could you even go along with killing in the first place? And the fact that that poor girl is OUR soul mate is even more fucked up you mother fuckers! I mean, the Beast can see our names on her. She is OURS!”
“Jade! Do calm yourself down,” Patricia said, “none of us had ANY idea she was THAT Casey. You know we would have never intentionally put harm towards Kevin’s soul mate. Exactly how were we to know that Casey would even be ALL of our soul mate?”
Orwell decided to speak against that since the Beast was listening to them all right now. “It is unfair what you, Dennis and the boy have put us through as well as all those girls, not just Casey. You have not only wronged US but you have wronged that poor young woman when clearly she has suffered enough at the hands of another! Whether or not you were informed of her status as our soul mate is inconsequential for she has already been wronged by you four and now we must all pay for those crimes on her! She has fought her own battles like those of the past for her own rights.” If Orwell had control of Kevin’s body he would have been panting with anger for those words.
“Well we never would have found out who she was had I not taken her along with the others in the first place, would we? Those girls were pampered from the day they were born and that was obvious but not our Casey. It’s clear she’s not only pure but resourceful because she didn’t try to be rash about surviving, she waited until she had chances and took them,” Dennis butted in. “Had I known she was not only Kevin’s but ours as well you know I wouldn’t have even kept her in the car.”
“Had you not stole the light from me in the first place we probably would have ran into her eventually, all soul mates meet at least before they die,” Barry remarked. “I mean, come on! Had I seen her at the mall wearing that hideous clash of clothes she was wearing I myself would have bought the poor girl something to at least make it look less like a mess on her. She’s naturally pretty but even she looked like she needed a bit of fashion advice when she first arrived!”
Of course Hedwig had something to say to Barry about that. “Shut your face Barry! You’re gay, you don’t even like girls! You wouldn’t talk to them if one smacked you in the face, etcetera! Besides, if anyone would have talked to her like normal people I would have come up to her and started talkin’ about my Kanye West music and dancin’ and all that other stuff that girls like, etcetera.”
At this point the Beast had heard enough to tune them out and return his focus on the girl trembling in front of him holding a shot gun. While the others talking would seem like it took several minute realistically it was merely a matter of seconds that had passed as he continued his staring. The fear in her eyes was understandable for she did not know who he was to her and she to him. Besides the obvious desire to live which he found quite admirable in survivors he also noted that had he been a typical “man” like Kevin or even Dennis, he would have found her to be quite beautiful. Her scars of survival and abuse only made her much more attractive to him as he considered his words to his soul mate.
Deciding that it was best to say something he decided on something he hoped would comfort her. She clearly didn’t realize she has met her soul mates. He chuckled lightly as he began. “You are different from the rest.” Deep breaths went through her body as she tried to understand him. “Your heart is PURE! REJOICE!” he laughed a little more as he revealed the good news to her. For him it was indeed a joyous occasion of their meeting. He did however understand he was going to have to answer to trying to kill her but that could wait. He NEEDED her to know that she was indeed special and different, if not at least in the way that they belonged together at this second. “The broken are the more evolved.” The fear still remained but she shook less now at his words. The knowledge that she was no longer in danger seemed to be sinking in now that she noticed I was no longer trying to attack her, no longer trying to get inside that cage and harm her as I was mere moments ago. “Rejoice,” I repeated more gently.
Those beautiful brown eyes let tears escape their clutches. Understanding that she was indeed pure and broken and had been abused he understands that under normal circumstances she probably would have kept those tears inside in front of an attacker, trying to hide any weakness that threatened to be revealed. Kevin surely had when his mother had hurt him over and over again, especially if his tears made a mess on his clothes and gave her more excuses to harm him. Dennis was the strong one in going up against Kevin’s mom. He would make sure no weakness was visible if he could help it. Casey’s shivering finally seemed to stop now as he smiled at her in the most honest way he could.
Then he uttered words that made HER suck in air and stiffen. “You have my name, Casey Cook. You have all our names.” The shock on her face said it all. She didn’t quite believe it but after a quick glance down she saw that she had, indeed, gained a new name that hadn’t been there earlier when she had been in the bathroom looking at all the names of the people she never thought she’d meet. All the people that had been something to make her uncle think she was a perfectly good whore if she had enough names to be shared around. The names he’d try and scar out as he used her and abused her but never quite seemed to reach.
Of course his next words scared the crap out of her.“You are mine, and we are yours Casey, all of us. Rejoice. You no longer have to suffer; the others and I will protect you. REJOICE! We are evolved and we will rid the world of those who are untouched and impure. We will be together forever.” There was no way she was escaping now; she felt it in her bones. Oddly, as frightened as she was, something inside her understood now that he meant no harm to her in any way. Something in its eyes said that even though it wasn’t ever letting her go she would be safe and cared for.
The End.