Delirium Worldbuilding: Alternate Endings

Original (the girl interrupts the confrontation between the masked man and the mother):
“Mommy?” she said again, voice trembling, and that did it. He could not in good conscious doom the child to his life. There were other ways.

He released his mother and agilely went to the window. With a crash, the glass burst outward and he jumped out, rolling onto his feet and vanishing into the night. The woman quickly sprang from her bed and clutched the child to herself, shaking. There was a monster out there tonight and all nights now.


Alternative One:
“Mommy?” she said again, voice trembling.

He stared at the tiny child, piercing her ice blue eyes. There was only silence until he shifted subtly, causing her to run away. Turning back to his query, he grinned underneath his mask. She trembled under him, and he relished in her helplessness.

“What shall I do with you, I wonder…” he said lowly.

She answered his own question by trying to break away, driven by terror. He quickly moved and stopped her by slamming her head into the headrest, producing a sickening crack. Blood trickled into her hair as she fell unconscious. He let her go, her body falling limply onto the floor with a dry thump. He simply looked for a moment before climbing off the king-sized bed to check her pulse.

“Hmm…A pity.” He straightened and glanced out the window. He hadn’t gotten what he’d needed.

Nothing he could do about that now. It was his own fault for being careless. He spit on the floor next to her and left, going back the way he came. On his way out, he passed the quivering child and the stench of urine, stopping for a second to just look at her. Maybe he’d be back.


Alternative Two:
“Mommy?” she said again, voice trembling.

He froze, realizing he should have planned better for this. Everything started to fall apart as the crunch of gravel and the flash of headlights came from outside. The girl ran off to get help. He should run. He really should run. But he couldn’t help but need a glimpse of his other torturer.

Footsteps thudded up the stairs as the two of them watched the door. The woman was still pinned beneath him, too frightened to try and escape. He held his breath until the door opened and a man stepped inside, the little girl behind him and holding his hand. “What the hell!”

He stared back, trying not to tremble. “You got lucky this time,” he hissed before suddenly departing from the bed and heading to the window. With an enraged thought, he shattered the glass, causing the man to stagger back in shock. He turned and gave a little wave before jumping out, rolling off the impact and getting back onto his feet. He quickly ducked into some shrubbery, trying to regain his senses before he could head off to his hiding place. He wasn’t done, not at all. There would be another plan.


Alternative Three:
“Mommy?” she said again, voice trembling.

He stared at the girl and her little pink nightdress, his former idea resurfacing. Well, why not try it? He’d never murdered someone in cold blood, but there was a first for everything. “Don’t move,” he told the woman and climbed off the bed.

He stepped toward the girl patiently, keeping one ear out for any movement behind him. She looked like she wanted to run, poor thing, but couldn’t do more than clutch at her rabbit. He was standing over her when he heard the whisper of fabric from the bed. He whirled and caught the girl in a hold, one arm snaking around her neck. She dropped the stuffed animal as she raised her hands up, trying to pry the choking arm away. The woman was caught halfway in motion, starting to spring to rescue.

“Didn’t I tell you not to move?” he said, letting annoyance seep into his voice. “Not that it matters. What better way to make you hurt?”

His mother realized what he implied and started sobbing. “No! Not my baby! Please, no.”

“Oh, I’m trash? And my replacement is not?” he snarled, tightening his hold. The child was crying as well, letting out harsh little gasps. “This is your payment for all my suffering.”

“No!” Crack!

Without further hesitation, he twisted until something gave. He let the body fall to the floor as the woman convulsed. He breathed out and looked at her, insides writhing. He turned and left the way he’d come in without another word.