Human Nature (Book 4): Human Nature IV by Borthwick, Finlay (book recommendations website .TXT) 📗

Elliot are a lot more alike than they realise. When she mercy-killed me, she performed an act of pragmatism; a trait of Elliot’s. When Elliot allowed Sonia to live, he performed an act of forgiveness; a trait of Annabelle’s. You see, they branch out into each other’s virtues, and that’s what brings them together.”

Gwen looked back to the forest she had run out from, now hoping that her children would catch her up.

“You’re special, Gwen. To everyone. But to no one more than those two. You’re the third and final piece to the puzzle. You’re the balance between them, and by being away for so long, you gave them a chance to realise that… They need you, Gwen, but for a time, they needed for you to not be around. But that time ended. You went back, you made peace with the past, and you saved their souls.”

Once again, Gwen looked back over to the forest, desperate for her children to join in on this tender moment.

“The reason why you can’t find redemption, Gwen, is because you already have it. You want to know where you’ll find it? You’ll find it in the past, and now, now that you’ve made peace with it, you can go back there.” Andy wiped the next tear away from Gwen’s cheek for her.

Gwen closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her mouth still jittering from emotion. Now, she knew what she had to do.

Tina watched Annabelle from the other end of the pew.

“You gonna be okay?” Erica whispered to her.

She nodded, “I’ll talk to her. You just make sure Adela and Oliver know what exactly they’re getting into.”

“Got it.” She smiled. “Oh, one more thing…” She quickly kissed her lips before hurrying out of the church again.

It took several seconds for Tina’s love-induced grin to fade away before she could move across the pew to console her friend.

“I’m fine.” Annabelle answered before the question could even be asked.

“No, you’re not.” Tina said carefully and caringly. “And that’s okay. You don’t have to be fine.”

“I do… They’re both going to need me.” Annabelle said boldly as she attempted to smile, but quickly frowned in solitude. “Taking care of Elliot for the past year has been… Challenging, to say the least. He’s my brother, my best friend, and I love him, but… He’s hard work.”

“Yeah, he’s a pain the arse sometimes.” Tina joshed, prompting them both to laugh.

“But that’s okay, because I know he will always love me a thousand times more than I could ever love him. That’s not because I love him less, it’s because his emotions are just far stronger than mine.” Annabelle explained. “And because of that, taking care of him every single day isn’t a chore, it’s a leisure… Whatever injury mum now has though, I’m going to have to take care of her as well.”

Tina looked away awkwardly, feeling more negative about Gwen.

“I need to be strong for both of them now. I can see for Elliot and run for mum. I won’t ever give up on either of them.” Annabelle nodded, reassuring herself.

“Erica and I will be more than happy to help; you guys are our family too. Ever since London.” Tina nudged her gently. “I mean that. We will always be here for you, for Gwen, for Elliot, whatever you need.”

Annabelle smiled and nodded thankfully. “They’ll be back soon…”

Gwen ran back to through the forest to the open space. Both of her children was still standing there, as though they had waited for her to return.

“Mum?” They both asked unanimously.

Gwen nodded and smiled. Then, she passed the two of them and straight over to the tree which Vincent was slumped up against.

“T-thank, t-thank you… For c-coming b-back.” He tried to smile at her, but the blood surging from his throat halted him.

“Don’t speak. Bite down on this.” She grabbed a stick from the ground and quickly wiped it with her jacket. Then, she put it up to his mouth.

Though confused, Vincent complied, and rested his teeth on the bark.

“You can’t be serious!” Elliot protested.

“Thank you, mum.” Annabelle gainsaid.

“This will only hurt for a second.” Gwen mumbled to Vincent. Then, she pulled out her knife, and gently slid it into his heart.

Immediately, Vincent winced, and the stick rolled out of his mouth. But he had bled out so much that the stab killed him almost instantaneously.

Elliot smiled sadistically.

Annabelle looked shocked.

Gwen swayed momentarily before quickly regaining her breath and standing up. There was an ominous look on her face.

But then, as she slowly turned around, this ominous look evolved into a smile.

“It was too late already.” Gwen informed them. “The damage was done. If I’d have left him, it could’ve taken hours for him to die. This way, his death was far less painful.”

Elliot and Annabelle stopped for a minute. Rather than rebutting and arguing, they too began to smile.

Gwen looked to Elliot first, “He can’t hurt Olivia again.” Then, she looked to Annabelle, “He’s not suffering. Nobody deserves to die painfully.”

Then, the three of them all rushed into a family hug.

“I love you two so very much.” Gwen told them as she embraced them tightly.

“We love you too.” Annabelle answered, looking up at her mother.

Then, an applause resonated out from the forest.

The three of them slipped out of the embrace and then all turned to face the direction of the noise; Andy walked towards them, also with a smile.

“You did it, Gwen.” He confirmed to her. “You found it… You made peace with the past here. You satisfied both Elliot’s certainty as well as Annabelle’s humility.”

Elliot and Annabelle stepped back.

Andy stopped just in front of his friend. “You saved their souls, and now you saved your own as well.” He held out his hand