The Descent Chapter 12: Hallowed Be Thy Name Part 1

Full Novel Synopsis: Sequel to 'The Spiralling', itself a sequel to the Kick-Ass (2010) movie. However, this novel can be read on its own. After Big Daddy died, Mindy was driven mad, subdued by Dave, and locked away in an Institute after killing all who she deemed responsible but Dave. Will she recover? What will happen next to a New York without her nor the Motherfucker? Elements of the Kick-Ass 2 (2013) movie and comic series will be taken in.

The Descent

Chapter 12: Hallowed be thy Name Part 1

18 June, 2011, Saturday

We went to the fair today. Daddy couldn’t, so it was just me and Dave. It was fun! Carousels, horses, the games. Dave wouldn’t let me take the rollercoaster though, not that I want to. I saw this boy puking after a ride. I really wish I could ride a bumper car though. It looks so much fun!

Dave and I had a talk after that. I could remember it very clearly. I am getting good at remembering things…

…

“Did you have fun, Mandy?” Dave asked. We were on our way out. I was holding his hand. I liked holding his hand. I didn’t get to do that very often nowadays. He was having a hotdog, while I was eating cotton candy! It was delicious! It was a cold day, so I had to wear my blue jacket over my dress.

“Yes! Thank you so much, Dave! The horse was awesome!” I couldn’t help but to exclaim when I remembered how I was holding on to dear life on the horse while a cowboy took it around the field. Horses were scary and beautiful at the same time. When I looked at him, I could tell that he wasn’t as happy as I was. His smile was odd. He sounded a little serious.

“I’m glad you did.” He replied. I didn’t know what to think. He sounded… far away, even when he was next to me. I’m always so concerned about him. What was happening to him? He wasn’t like this last Saturday.

“Dave, what’s wrong? Why are you sad all the time?” I asked. I had to. I didn’t care if he scolded me again. I’m worried about him. He was this way for days. We didn’t talk as much, and I didn’t see him as often.

“What makes you think I’m sad?” He denied and flashed a smile at me. It made me feel even worse. I actually felt… a little angry, “I’m not, Mandy.”

It felt as if he didn’t trust me. It felt like he was hiding something from me. I thought we were brother and sister – and brothers and sisters trust each other. I knew very well that not all siblings get along, but Dave and I were so close the first week I came back from hospital. It hurts inside when he started acting that way this week. “And I’m not stupid, Dave.” I couldn’t help but to say. It hurts inside and I needed to stay it.

“What? What did you say?” Dave looked at me with those wide eyes. He looked shocked. I regret saying that earlier. But it was still inside me. I felt… angry. I was angry. It was a feeling that didn’t feel familiar, but I was angry. I stopped holding his hand and stopped walking. He didn’t trust me. He wouldn’t even tell me where he had been going at night, “Mandy, c’mon…” I crossed my arms, because I was cross.

“You’re not the same anymore.” I told him what I thought. I had so much to say, but I was angry. It felt like I was never angry before. Yet the feeling felt familiar. I wasn’t just angry, “You’re always away and even when you’re with me, you… you…” I imagined a warm meal that became cold, or a fireplace that was put out. But I couldn’t put it into the right words.

“I know, Mandy.” I felt his hands on my shoulders. I liked it, but I was still cross, and so my arms were still crossed. I didn’t want to look at him. It’s like being angry made me that way, even if I don’t understand it, “I’m sorry. Just that… When I look at you, I kept seeing the old you, you know? From before the… bus accident. You’re right, I’m sad, and sometimes, it makes me mad too, at everything, sometimes at you. I don’t know, I guess I just wish you didn’t have to be this way.”

I was even angrier when he said it. It grew inside me, this feeling I never had before. It felt like he was blaming me. It felt strongly like that, “You think I like being this way!? I hate having nightmares! I hate it when I can’t remember things! I hate it! I hate myself! I hate you!!!” I shook his hands off my shoulder. People were looking at us, but I didn’t care.

“Mandy…” Dave pleaded, but I didn’t want to listen anymore.

“No! I don’t ever want to speak to you again.” I couldn’t control myself, but when I said it all, it felt like the right way. I don’t know why, but I regretted it at the same time, but I was even angrier, “Just take me back home.”

“Mandy, c’mon…” Dave repeated himself. I didn’t say a word, and so he stopped a cab and we rode it home. When we were in the cab, we were both in the back seat, but I kept as far away from him as possible. I didn’t like him touching me anymore. I didn’t say a word. It was quiet in the cab. I kept looking outside the car window, but somehow, I knew that Dave was always looking at me.

I… sulked in my room for the rest of the night. It started as a happy day, but ended that way. My family didn’t feel like a family anymore. I didn’t feel at home anymore in my room. But the longer I stayed in my room, the less angry I became, and the more I regretted everything I said.

When bedtime came, I regretted everything. I remembered the good times with my family, with Dave. I remembered that he took care of me. He taught me my name, how to say it. He brought me back home, put a Hello Kitty bandage on my knee when I fell down while jogging. He stopped the bullies.

I was a little afraid at first to go into his room. I couldn’t remember where my idea for it was, but I pressed my ear against the wall, and I heard Dave in his bedroom. He sounded like he was crying. I was worried about him. I wanted Dave back.

So I went out of my room and knocked on his door. But when I did, there was no answer, and Dave didn’t open the door. I wanted to give up then – they’d taught me not to open doors without anyone’s consent. But when I pressed my ear against the door, I could definitely hear him crying. I couldn’t take that. It made me sad too.

I opened the door. At first, I thought I was going to get scolded – I was always afraid of that. But Dave was lying down on his bed, and he was crying. I could see him shaking like me when I couldn’t hold a knife. He hadn’t changed his clothes since the fair. He hadn’t showered, I know because I could smell it in the air.

“Dave?” I came up to him, around his bed, so that I could face him. Textbooks were scattered across the floor, some against the wall, some opened. It worried me even more. He was shaking and crying.

I sat down beside him. I didn’t know what I was doing. Everything came to me from nowhere. I stroked his dark hair. It was greasy, but it didn’t bother me. “I’m s-so sorry for everything.” He said. I had never seen him like this before. I was usually the one crying and not making sense. “I sh- shouldn’t have been that- that way.”

Leaning forward, I kissed him in the cheek. It was oily, but I didn’t care. He stopped shaking when I kissed him. “Oh Dave, I’m the one who should be sorry.” I consoled him, and meant every word, “I’m sorry I was angry. I didn’t mean it. I don’t hate you. I just wanted to be with you more.” I lied down beside him. It was drizzling outside, so it was colder inside. It was a little dark, because the lights were off, except for the table lamp near his bed. We stayed silent for a while.

“I have a… responsibility outside. It’s very-” He was still sniffling, but he had stopped crying. I was glad I could calm him down, “-important. I’m helping people.”

“Like how you’re helping me?” I didn’t really understand what he meant. What does he mean by helping people? Were there bullies outside of school? Were there people bullying others out in the city?

“Well, yeah, actually… yes.” Dave said, still sniffling. I could understand better when he explained it to me that way. Dave was a good man. He helped me a lot – when I heard the other girls talking about their brothers, it felt like Dave was even helping me more than he should. Maybe he was too good to help just me?

“Can I come too?” I asked. I wanted to go wherever Dave was.

“No. I’m sorry, Mandy.” He said, “It’s dangerous out there. It’s even worse than school. Like, the school’s nothing – the people out there… they’re willing to hurt each other over nothing. You’re an 11-year-old girl, you can’t help them…” I could hear him pause, taking breaths. It seemed hard for him to say that. “You should just let people help you instead.”

He fell asleep soon afterwards. I slept next to him in his room. I had never done that before, and when I did, it felt peaceful, and safe. I don’t remember having a nightmare. It was the first time.