Stitch Heart: Volume 2--Chapter 4

This is the fourth chapter of the second volume to Stitch Heart. Please enjoy for what happens next! Madame Hulda is exposed and she blames it on Karen and others such as Mia Irving! Saruta, Dorian, and Jamie save Mia as they proved their friendship to her. And what's more, Madame Hulda got what's coming to her. Even Karen stands up to her and her lousy family. Plus, you guys get to find out the true meaning of 'Stitch Heart'. Thank you, have fun! --KatDon 

Chapter 4: The Stitch Heart is Invincible! 

The news was buzzing with excitement, it was oh so scandalous! Reporters got parts of the story from the journal that Ariadne had found and it was making headlines, there was other things they had found out from other people: Long ago; it was summer in Sunshine Town. A mother and daughter were swimming in the pool. But the mother got out as the young girl, who was her daughter, followed her out. "Oh you little fool, you lost again." Madame Trudy said with a laugh. "It's not fair, Mommy. You're bigger than I am." Young Hulda said. "Ah, ah, ah. but nobody ever said life was fair, Hulda. I'm bigger and I'm faster. I will always beat you." Mother Trudy said. She looked proud before laughing out loud. "Then I'm not gonna play with you any more. EVER! YOU DON'T PLAY FAIR YOU HAG!" Young Hulda cried, seething with rage. Her mother was upset to hear this, "Don't you EVER use that tone of voice with me, missy. WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE TALKING TO? GO UPSTAIRS to your room and you will STAY THERE until I tell you to come out!" She shouted. Young Hulda smirked, looking arrogant and folded her arms: "MAKE ME!" She exclaimed. Madame Trudy grabbed her by the hair and said, "You will go up... stay in There until you are ready to behave...AND APOLOGIZE!!!" She reached to Hulda's room and try to get her in. "I WON'T! NO, I WON'T! I WON'T!" Young Hulda said. Madame Trudy kicks her in, "Get in!" She locks the door and left while her daughter bangs on it. But Madame Trudy ignored her. In her teen years, Hulda got into a fit of trouble and became overacted by her hormones. After she got a call about her daughter, Madame Trudy felt something inside her. "Mother? Who was that?" Teenage Hulda asked. "You're a woman now." Her mother said. Madame Trudy strikes her over the head with her Bible and begins to read a verse, "And the King of Heaven made Ava from the rib of Damok. And Ava was weak and loosed the crow on the world. And the blackbird was called sin. Say it, the blackbird was called sin." Her mother lectured. Teen Hulda looked up with eyes full of tears, "Mother!" She begged. "Say it." Madame Trudy demanded. Teen Hulda shook her head, "No, Mother." She said through tears. Sometimes, Madame Trudy was on a mill like a lunatic about the 'end times'. "What are you saying? What are you proposing, Mother?" Teen Salome asked, trying to be empathetic.. "That we all prepare... to meet our maker...The End is coming!" exclaimed Madame Trudy. But Teen Hulda interrupted, "Oh, prepare to meet shit! Mother, your tongue must be really wagging with those claims!" Madame Trudy ranted on, "The end of times has come. We must be prepared." There were times when Madame Trudy was stressful and Hulda wanted to help her. "I just want you to know that it's okay, Mother. I know it feels of being scared. If you need a friend, someone to talk too...I'm here, Mother." Hulda said. Madame Trudy laughs at her, "Hulda, you stupid girl. Have you forgotten? I have a friend. God, up above. I talk to him everyday. Don't you condescend me, Holly!" Hulda was confused, "What?" She asked. Madame Trudy ignored her, "Not ever. You don't mock me." She scolded. Hulda was annoyed, "That's not what I was doing, Mother!" She said. "I'll tell you what. The day I need a friend like you, I'll just have myself a little squat and shit one out. You were very, very bad to wake Mommie up like that. Very naughty. You are thoughtless and selfish. You must learn to think about other people. You are bad, bad spoiled children!" Hulda was angry as she went away, she had a hatred towards her mother. 

Angry with the emotional and mental torment as well as the force feeding fundamentalist tactics her mother is trying to brainwash people with these lectures; Hulda became a madame and got herself some servants. As the abuse cycles around and around; Hulda abused her servants so she decided to make her mother's wish of The End of the World to come true. What she did was unspeakable as she gathered sharp weapons. She also got a vat of acid and she poured an entire container into the beach as she was going to make things go to hell. The next day at the beach, everyone was having a good time at the beach: Swimming, sunbathing, and other great activities. Then, it all turned to horror on that day. One of the college students came out after her feet were dipped in the shallow waters of the beach. She emerged from the ocean to say, "Guys? There's something wrong with this beach." To prove her point; the skin of her feet was melted off and her bony toes were exposed. "It's burning," A little boy said, cupping some of the water in the palm of his hand. "Of course it is son," His father chuckled. "You know the sun is beating down." Then, the boy exclaimed: "The water feels funny, daddy!" and flung the offending liquid onto the sand. The father came over and knelt down, leaving my paperback on the beach chair. "Daddy! The water, something is wrong!" The father could see tears forming in his son's eyes. "It's okay, son." The father said, as he took his little hand and felt the wetness of the ocean water on my fingers. It was warm, and tingled. The tingling increased and the warmth turned to a heat. The boy began to cry. And then, from down the beach, the father heard a scream. "OH MY GOD!!!" The father exclaimed. The man stood and squinted through the bright sun reflecting off the sand. The scream was joined by others from all around me and he could feel the terror of everyone on the beach becoming one rising wave of panic. He saw a young girl run in with the surf, screaming, her skin melting over her bikini. A portly man in a swimsuit ran in the water and fell. When his arms came up they were bone to the elbow, with great flaps of dissolving skin hanging like cloth. A young man pulled his tiny daughter in by the arms, dragging behind her the stumps that had been her legs. The father watched them come in, running, thrashing, falling, all of their skin melting from their horrified faces and revealing the white bone beneath.  Worst, the salty water was burning and kids cried at how painful it was. Parents comfort their children but they are horrified when they discovered the burn against their skin. It all became chaos: People screamed, their arms thrashing as there was melted flesh, bleeding stumps of where hands and arms used to be, and bones were exposed. The medics arrived but they didn't look like any medics, they took all those with damaged bodies and others who didn't suffer the same effects. The people with no damaged skin try to escape but they were knocked unconscious. Inside, it was a horror scene: A man was in pain as metal bars against his chest yelled out and grimaced. A woman was screaming and blabbering something incoherently as needles were being injected into her. A room was filled with large portions of skin and muscle. Lungs, hearts, and other organs scattered the floor. Rib cages ripped open and seen with maggots feasting on the meaty matter of the body. In another window of a room; A female scientist bent over and picked up a hand saw from the left side of where she was sitting. She held it in front of her, showing it to the observers. Then, she placed the jagged blade on the side of the patient's cheek. Slowly, she began slicing into the patient's right cheek. Blood drizzled down the patient's neck as the scientist did it. The side of her teeth began to show after about ten seconds. As the saw went lower on the patient's face, more of her teeth began to show on the side. Blood covered almost the entire right side of her face. She eventually got to the bottom of her jaw bone, and sawed a tiny piece off of it too. Her cheek fell to the ground with a small thud, and the scientist put the saw in her lap and looked emotionless. Then, the poor patient screamed in extreme pain. She screamed, and put her hands over her now absent cheek. She continued to scream in agony for about ten seconds. She pushed the patient back on the autopsy table as the scientist then raised the saw up to her right shoulder, and began cutting just as slowly as last time. And so, this was the birth of the ghouls. These monster who were corporeally un-dead.

But it wasn't enough, Madame Hulda had to get more ghouls for the killing and cause her mother of an apocalypse so she got ghouls to kill more people or gather more 'test subjects' so she sent out more ghouls to catch them all and boy, did they found a lot: A boy lived in a rented two-floor house. Both his parents worked so he was often alone when he came home from school. One early evening when the boy came home the house was still dark. He called out, “Mom?” and heard a voice say “Yeeeeees?” from upstairs. He called his mom again, and again got the same “Yeeeeees?” reply. He felt she was calling back at him and climbed up the stairs. When he reached the first floor he called her once more and the voice “Yeeeeees?” came from the furthest room. The boy felt both uneasy, but also felt a strong urge to see his mother, and started to walk towards the room. But just as he was about to open the door into the room he heard the front door downstairs open and his mother come in, carrying a lot of shopping bags. “Sweetie, are you home?” The mother called in a cheery voice. Hearing her voice made the boy feel instantly better and he turned back to go downstairs at once… but not before he had a quick glance towards the room. While he watched from the top of the stairs, the door to the room slowly opened a crack. For a brief moment, he saw something strange in there. A pale face, staring at him. And attacked him and then his mother! Then, they become ghouls too! More people became ghouls. Madame Hulda got only three subjects who were swore to secrecy. The chemical was successfully administered to all three subjects. Within the first hour, all three of them started screaming in agony. After sedation, each subject had his left arm cut open with a scalpel and his right arm shot by a weapon. When the scalpel penetrated one of the subjects’s skin, it reacted with a dark amorphous solid substance filling the cut almost as fast as the skin was opened up. It sealed so fast that the scalpel was stuck in his arm. The injury caused by the blade was sealed by the dark amorphous blood within three seconds. After 84 hours, all three of the subjects started to act unusual. Instead of using the entertainment around them, they sat in their beds and groaned, as if they were sad or ashamed. After 110 hours, One of the subjects passed out. Blood tests could not be run because the blood was solid and amorphous. The only thing that was determined was the poison in their blood, which was at 5, was far more acidic than usual. The subjects were escorted to the test room. The three subjects looked far different from the beginning. The skin had turned to a shade of grey, and their skin looked noticeably thicker. Their eye colors have changed to pure black, and they were bloodshot. The experiment will continue as planned, but the chemical must be remodeled before repeating the experiment. Before opening fire on the subjects; the subjects showed inhuman strength. They immediately pounced on their attackers and used their teeth as a most effective weapon. Six armed men lost consciousness as their attackers touched their teeth to their skin. One arm was devoured by the subjects. Madame Hulda liked how her work was coming along and she got greedy when it came to money and more subjects. 

Then, at the dusk sky on an ordinary day, Alesia hated driving at night. She did her best to avoid it. Short trips to the store if she just realized she ran out of tampons or had nothing for dinner after getting home — that sort of thing happened now and then. But she did her best not to go out after dark unless someone was coming to pick her up. So, naturally, she found herself on the longest drive of her life tonight, with no moon, few stars, swirling clouds above her, and acres of forest on either side. As so many unpleasant things in her life, this was her father's fault. She hadn't seen or spoken to the bastard in fifteen years, but just after falling asleep tonight...no, that was wrong. It would be yesterday by this time. Out of the blue, her phone rang, and his voice was on the other end. "I need you, Alesia, help me...." said her friend, Darwin. Alesia went to find him however it was a trap as Madame Hulda kidnapped, drugged Alesia, and tortured her by cutting and sawing her limbs off, Alesia cried in pain and was terrified to find her friend was dead. Emerging from the doorway. Alesia try to escape. Her eyes were hollow, her face looked like a flayed mask, and her ruined, finger-less hands, reaching forward. Then it said, "Help me! Help meeee!" She was coming, The last thing they saw before the doors shut on her were her bloodshot, lidless eyes staring straight at them and there was a tear shed. She had crawled on her stumps, bleeding gallons, dying only inches away from the elevator door. Nobody knew what happened to her! The next day was chaos. Nearby, a cluster of ghoul children were tearing into a struggling mailman. With screams exploding all around like mortar fire, sprinklers washing blood down a neighbor’s driveway as a ghoul woman digging through an old man’s stomach. However those screams would last when Mia took on the children and ate their bodies, even eating the ghoul woman as well as the old man, who was going to be turned into a ghoul soon. Hans Ernan confesses that Madame Hulda had caused the people at the beach to have melted flesh, bleeding stumps, and exposed skulls and bones. The reason was Madame Hulda was trying to fulfill her mother's prophecy of End Times, her mother was the elderly dame name Madame Trudy Hildebrand, a force feeding fundamentalist pious lady who wants to bring the world into chaos before 'eternal peace' comes all over the world. The ghouls roaming there not just mindless animals intent tearing into skin and muscles. The ghouls had a mind though. One single mind. It was the mind of the virus, and it's far more intelligent than anyone could have ever anticipated. Then, Hans told them about how his wife was sick so much that she almost died as she became better as a ghoul. He loved his wife did and that's when, Madame Hulda had caused the beach to be polluted with acid that caused everyone who swam in it to have these problems. When the ghouls came along, they came like wild fire. One bite, one scratch, one simple transfer of bodily fluids would be enough to turn us into them. He turned and called for his wife, "Lalage, where are you? Come here." No response, Hans sighed and walked to the next room with Mia and the others following. The woman stood by the piano, her sundress radiant in the late afternoon light. Her face hidden from the others. Hans smiled while he took the woman in his arms and said to her, "Lalage, my sweet. You look so ever lovely to me as the day we met. Let the world go to hell, I have you." He held her close, brushed back her hair, and as she sank her teeth deep into his throat, he kissed her cheek. He didn’t mind as long as it was her. Only her. Only Lalage, his lovely wife. Then, Hans lie there dying with a smile on his face. Earlier, his wife was dying from a disease and Madame Hulda used a ghoul's blood to revive her as she admonished Hans for being a fool but he just smiled despite his pain. Denial he lived in and thought highly of Madame Hulda, despite her emotional oppression. 

During the time of her devious secrets; one of the co-workers that used to work for her was Karen Woode and things with her working for the madame were going to be stressful! Madame Hulda is being too nice! Her co-workers start rolling in late and blowing through deadlines, and Karen doesn’t get the feedback she needs. It could cost her a raise if she spends all year being praised only to find out at her performance review that she’s not all that impressed with Karen's work. She’s just nice. Then; her boss has no idea what her job is, or how to be a manager. So when she jumps in and tells you you’re doing everything wrong. Well, she wasn’t. The madame was alienating staff and customers. She can’t use Blind Carbon Copy. She can’t lead a meeting. She says things like “Let’s email it on the social media network.” She’s embarrassing. In awhile, things change in the madame: Madame Hulda was hurting Karen's career  by failing to provide feedback and direction and giving her negative performance reviews. Madame Hulda can be managed, manipulated, and massaged to her advantage. Madame Hulda wants to read every email she send. Madame Hulda doesn’t want her to carbon copy her—she wants to stand over her shoulder and dictate. She typed a schedule for washing coffee cups. She has strong ideas about the how toner should be replaced. She is driving Karen insane. Madame Hulda has no idea what any of her direct reports do for a living. Karen couldn't help but ask her a specific question about what she should be working on, and the madame replies with vague platitudes and off-the-wall suggestions. Stupid Madame, she has no idea what this job does. One of the staff members has a brilliant new idea, and Madame Hulda told her that the others can implement it by next week. Karen will do all the other projects as well, of course. She was just “fit it in,” maybe take lunch at her desk, and it’ll be fine. That's how the madame sees it. And when Karen makes a mistake at work; Madame Hulda takes the pleasure as she had told the whole office about it, loudly. Karen feels as if she is getting ulcers and losing her grip from the stress. And she is certainly not getting a raise.Then, it got even worse week by week later, Madame Hulda files a freedom of information request seeking the balance in the district's account. Because her family spends away money in such an account, she assumes that the school district does the same thing. She wants to approve every news release issued by the school district, and wants final editing rights on the school district newsletter. She votes to assign members of the board to district classrooms for the purpose of evaluating other workers. Madame Hulda begins her tenure by telling cooks what to serve in the work lunch program. She spills all the details of an executive session on negotiations to the union. She also requests a master key so that she can randomly visit rooms and offices at night and weekends. Even helping those special needs kids is where she doesn't show her kindness for them--As she claims she has a 'soft spot' for them: She shows little concern for the children, denies the existence of the child, blames the child for thei problems in school and the parents for raising them. She asks staff and caregivers to use harsh physical discipline if the child misbehaves. Madame Hulda sees the child as entirely bad, worthless, or burdensome. She demands a level of physical or academic performance the child cannot achieve. And looks primarily to the child for care, attention, and satisfaction of emotional needs. Even Karen notices the children are changing by the abuse and oppression that Hulda has done them: They show sudden changes in behavior or school performance, they not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parents’ attention, they begin to have problems of difficulty concentrating that cannot be attributed to specific physical or psychological causes. They are always watchful, as though preparing for something bad to happen and lacks adult supervision. They are  overly compliant, passive, or withdrawn, they refuse to come back to that place. Madame Hulda rarely touches the children or looks at them, the relationship entirely negative and states they don't like her. When Madame Hulda saw her story being on the news; she was filled with anger. But she was overpowered by people that she had victimized, reporters swarmed her like annoying flies buzzing in her ear, and an angry mob try to kill her. It was going to be disaster for her! 

Speaking of disaster; Circe really has done it this time! Because Mia watched from above as she saw Helena at the pier when Circe appeared, Helena was startled to see her. "Who are you supposed to be?" Helena asked. Circe took a step towards her, "My name is Circe, I am here to help you." She said. Helena gave her a suspicious look: "How? How can you help me?" She inquired. "To get rid of your pain. The guilt of your bestest friend that became a ghoul because of you." Helena replied slyly. Helena stared at her with wide eyes, "How did you...?" She started to say but Circe circled her as she said, "I know things, I know about you and I know what she might do to you if she finds out." Helena didn't know what to say, "I..." She stammered. Circe looked at her, "Be truthful, did you care about your friend?" She asked. Helena stuttered out, "I...of course I did! We knew each other since we were kids!...." She blurted out. "Did you want to live than be a test subject?" Circe questioned. "I don't get what you mean...." Helena said. "Well, they threatened you but you were in tears and looked at Mia's unconscious body before offering her like a child being offered for a human sacrifice." remarked Circe. Helena whirled her head back at her, her eyes glared at her as she shouted: "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT....." But stopped, she knew she couldn't deny it anymore, "....OK, I was scared. I was envious of Mia, she was blessed to have a good mother and a great family that cared about her." admitted Helena. "So, you did that because you were angry with her." Circe said. "I may have money, I was a wealthy rich girl but my parents treat me like I'm a good for nothing spoiled brat. That's not true! I was always alone, they never play with me or talk to me! THEY NEVER EVEN TOLD ME HOW MUCH THEY LOVE ME!!!!" Helena shouted. Hearing all this, Mia was shocked by this, she couldn't help but feel tears in her eyes and ran off. She didn't noticed that Circe had a smile on her face. Mia ran off, forgetting about the people that loved her and cared for her. She felt alone, so alone. Mia then had the flashes of memories inside of her head: "Ah, you finally came. You are curious after all." A voice said. It was that girl again. Looking at her with her hands around cheeks. Mia looked at her, "Yeah.....Um, you never told me your name." She replied. "Oh, where are my manners? Silly me. My name is Circe." said the girl. "Circe?" Mia said, then she asked: "How can I trust you?" Circe smirked and turned around. "I am Ghoul Eater like you, but I'm vampirism kind than you. I don't absorb the memories and I don't need to know the truth. I already seen what happened before me." Circe said. "Really?" asked Mia. Circe smiled, "Mmm-hmm! Come with me, I want to show you something." She said, holding her hand out for her. Mia took it and asked, "Where are we going?" Circe smiled, "You'll see." She said. They arrived at the same place of battling that one ghoul. "Why are we here?" asked Mia. "You've seen the girl, the ghoulish female with no cheeks." Circe said. "Yes, you know her? She was a subject and tortured." Mia said. "Yes, her name is Ginny Patch. She was also a classmate of yours once." Circe explained. Mia looked at her in shock, "What?" She gasped. "Is that funny? Strange?" Circe continued, "I understand you cannot accept that. That girl thought you were a freak. She spread those rumors about you and lied to your face but you should put the blame on Helena. She caused you to become like this." 

Mia felt sweaty, "NO!!!! SHE NEVER PLANNED IT!!!!" She blurted out. "Well maybe, she was threatened. She was forced to give up your body as a test subject." Circe explained. Mia was stunt by this, "No....It couldn't be...." She said. Circe spoke out, "She was held at gunpoint, she was then threatened and she said, 'TAKE HER! DON'T KILL ME! TAKE HER INSTEAD OF ME!'" She was trying to hide a smile. "No, she did that? It's not possible...I....Helena....." Mia replied. "Why don't you find out from her family?" Circe suggested. In reality, Mia was trembling in fear. She clutched at her sides. "Why? Why would she....Helena, this can't be true!" She had to get her mind off things so she went to the blood cache. There, Mia found the blood bag that was labeled with Scatha's name on it and drank from it: The first thing that came to mind....There was a dark gym and Scatha was walking around when she heard her mother's voice so she went there but found there was a recorder. Then, Scatha was bruised and broken by all the beating! It was with those people--Lleu and the others from Anarchy Elite, except Donn and Olwen who watched helpless. There was another memory that shows Scatha lead Anarchy Elite to a warehouse but it turned out to be a trap. Scatha got her revenge and try to kill them but couldn't as she somehow had something special, like some sort of closeness towards them. The memory faded, yet it didn't change things for Mia. Mia left the cache and she was walking. Then she heard it: "Sweet smell....Are you also a ghoul eater? A human?" One of the ghouls said. Mia hissed, "I knew it, I knew it....They're coming!" The ghouls were persistant, "Come to us....come to us....Come to us....." They chanted. Mia panicked, "No, get away from me!" She said loudly and went away, she looked around as she didn't know what to do! "Help me! Saruta....Dorian....Jamie....!!!!" thought Mia, thinking of her friends. Meanwhile; Saruta, Dorian, and Jamie has been an hour since they've start searching for Mia but there is no sign of her! They were really worried about her. They hoped nothing bad happens to her, they hoped she’s safe…maybe Saruta should have payed more attention to what was going on with her, I don't think she really meant all Then he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck! Saruta could feel Mia was shocked, hurt and she wants to run away from all of that! They have to find her right now, but another sharp pain makes Saru stop in his tracks! She is scared, really scared. Jamie and Dorian could see Saruta fell on the ground shouting from pain. Asmund lift him up then they heard the last thing they wanted to hear: "G--g--ghouls.....g--g--ghouls......M--Mia.....We have to.....we have to find....her...." and Saruta faints. The only thing Jamie and Dorian could feel was a really terrible pain in their chests. Back with Mia, she was running from the ghouls that try to beckon her but she won't do it. It was just like what happened before.  She ran, and ran until she felt her lungs would burst. It felt like her heart wanting to leap out of her! Everything inside of her was making her feel that hunger, but she fought it. She doesn't want to eat ghouls anymore. She was done with being a Ghoul Eater, she already knew what happened to her and she was scared out of her wits by every memory inside of her head from devouring all these ghouls. It was too much for her. She hated being like this and wants to be human again. But she wanted to be with her friends, she didn't want them to disappear before her! That's when, Mia found a dead end in an alley and looked behind to see the ghouls had cornered her. She had to do something so she jumped up and managed to get past them but felt their hands grabbing her! She heard their uncanny laughter behind her, it was rather disturbing. Mia struggles and squirmed but she felt a pain in her back as the ghouls were opening their mouths, she was terrified that she fainted. Everything in her vision went black. Again! 

Then, Mia woke up and saw the ghouls were slaughtered, she was carried by Saruta. Then in her blurred visions; she saw four figures....Dorian, Jamie, Asmund, and Esmee. "Is she OK?"  Dorian asked. "Mia!" Jamie said, reaching for her but Asmund pulled him back. "Don't touch her, she's in pain!" They were all looking at her in horror, Mia was confused. "What...? Why are they looking at me, what happened?" She thought. Saruta looked at her with a pained expression, "I told you not to know the truth....I told you....." He said. Mia begins to cry, "I'm sorry, I..." She said. "Shhh. Relax, I know. I know what happened." Saruta answered gently. Then, another voice spoke out while laughing: "You didn't want her to know, do you? You really are stupid, aren't you?" Mia was shocked by this, "You knew? W--Why didn't you....tell me?" She asked. Jamie's voice spoke out, "Don't listen to Circe, it's not what you think!" He said. Then, Mia felt pain insde of her, "AAAAAHHHH! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!" She screamed. Then, everything went dark again. Mia was still screaming! She tried to walk the path to stop this horrible pain but before she could go any farther she hear someone calling her name! "Mia! Stop! Don't......cross.....the line" Mia stopped as she felt arms wrapped around you! "SARUTA!!!!" Dorian shouted. "Saruta! You idiot, it's getting worse!" Asmund called. "Saru......Mia......" Esmee whimpered. And Jamie was too shocked to say anything! "M--Mia.It's not like what you think! Mia, I will always be there for you, I always was!"  He said, then Saruta coughs before continuing while still wheezing a bit: " You were never lonely! You are so much better than this! You shouldn't be like this!" Mia was stunt to hear this, "Saruta....!" She gasped. "It's not what you think Aria! Your past......It i s not what it seems! Your past doesn't matter anymore! Because I would never let you be alone ! Because I would never let you feel the same pain because..............because you are my best friend and you always will be! So just let it go and come back!" Jamie said. Dorian felt tears in her eyes, "WE'LL ALWAYS BE FRIENDS FOREVER MIA!!!!!" She cried out, the she said: "I'm sorry I didn't protect you when I should but I promise I will always protect you from now! You are not only the ghoul eater.....you are my....best....friend....!" Mia was stunt, "Dor...ian....My friends......" She said. Then she felt herself crying and hugged them, all three of them! 

"My........Best..........friends........!" Mia thought. It all turned white and Mia was on the cot of the medical room, she was surrounded by her allies and friends. They were going to help her out but they needed a blood of a human to cure her. "Excuse me? Perhaps I can be assistance." A voice said. Everyone was shocked to see who it was, "Karen Woode?" They said in unison. Karen smiled, "I have the cure, I have cured myself and I am willing to cure Mia." She said. Mia backed away in fear, "NO!!!! I DON'T WANT THEM TO DISAPPEAR!!!!" She screeched. Karen assured her, "They're not, they will never leave you. They're your friends. Your best friends." She said. Mia was angry by this, "Why do you want to help me? After everything you've done to me, to people and to those that were my friends....WHY?! WHY DO YOU WANT TO HELP ME?!" She demanded. Karen was thoughtful as she looked at her. "I can’t make a big impact because of my reputation but you are more popular and people will listen to you. I heard someone said this once.....Some people come into our lives to make an impact, whether it’s good or bad." She said, "I know that I caused pain but I learned something truly from you. How you have impacted my life. Because I knew you, I've been inspired and influenced in a good way." Mia and the others are shocked by this. "Me? I taught you something?" Mia asked. Karen nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. "Yes." She replied, "I will still remember and always hold you dearly in special places of my heart." Mia was touched and she let Karen cured her. When Mia woke up, she was surprised to see her friends and embraced Saruta, Dorian, and Jamie. Karen smiled and left. 

Earlier, Karen thought about before about encountering her friends' killer's father: “You---You? You are the father of the man that killed all 12 of my friends?!” Karen yelled. The man cowered in fear, “Yes, I—I’m sorry, I am so sorry.” He whimpered. “You’re sorry? Why couldn’t you stop him? From killing my friends? What did they ever do to him?” screamed Karen. But she was restrained. Later in the present, Karen decided to forgive him and he didn't mean to. However, she came across Madame Hulda was angry by how she is now exposed for causing the ghouls and denies any intentions with them. "I granted my mother's wish of the End Times! I did it all for her so she could love me! I HATED HER! I HATE MY FATHER AND EVERYTHING THAT I'D HAD TO GO THROUGH!!!!" She said. "Maybe you should've thought of that before you did all this shit, you bitch!" Karen retorted. But she was slapped by Madame Hulda, Karen was upset however some sort of magic force that pushed Madame Hulda who then was pushed away and got her guards to catch her! But Karen escaped and went to a building of a big house as she went up the stairs to a chamber with a huge window upstairs with light shining down. "I knew I'd fine you here!" A voice said. Karen whirled around, "Olwen!?" She gasped. There was Olwen, hands on her hips and she looked at Karen angrily halfway but there's a bit of fragile-like innocence to her. "What the hell? Why couldn't you be a good girl for once instead you had to go and act stupid?" Olwen scolded. "Why are you so stupid? Trying to be someone that you're not. People learns from their own mistakes and that’s exactly what I'm saying to you. You gotta be honest of who you truly are and not go be an idiot!" Karen got mad, "I don't care what you think of me. I'm my own person and I don't need you to control me! You think you're all that, don't you? You think can get any guy you want? I'll bet you'll end up hurting them and breaking their hearts! Just like you broke the heart of the friend you trusted! We’ve all got the right to stand up for ourselves and state what’s on our mind! But you want me to repress my mind?! I'll bet the Anarchy Elite are trying to chaste you so people would think you're a harlot!" She spat. Olwen gasped in terror and glared back, "You don’t know me!" She yelled. "You have no idea, Olwen!" Karen shouted. At the same time in perfect unison, "You have no idea what I'm going through! Because of you, I don't give a damn if I look stupid!" They turned their backs from each other but they look back with nervousness and apologetic. Olwen then asked awkwardly, "What did it feel for you?" Karen looked at her, the she thought about it for a moment before she explained, "It's like going through into the presence of God, when you can feel him come so close to you, and the anointing comes down upon you. It's a good thing for me...I always hide myself because that’s who I am. I don’t know how to tell everybody how I feel, or express my opinions, without feeling scared or afraid. I have this gut-feeling inside me. My dream is the gut-risk because of how afraid I am. Because I was the type of girl who hid myself, I now wants to let my opinions and feelings out. We all have specialized knowledge pertinent to our lifestyle and worldview. Being outside of our element can reduce us to a state of ignorance. So, why can't I?" Olwen wasn't sure what Karen was saying and believe she might be possibly delirious. All these emotions, it was making her talk crazy. She had to do something to knock some sense into her. 

"Karen, listen....All you got to do is just apologize. It'll make it better, you want to be with Madame Hulda, don't you? You want her to stop alll this? Tell her, you should really deserve better than her." Olwen begged. Karen nodded, "I know that. But I...I don't want it." She said as she looked away. "I don't want it...No, I don't want it anymore!" Karen admitted, much to Olwen's horror. Concerned, she came beside her. "Are you scared? Don't be." Olwen said. Karen shook her head, "I'm not scared." She answered. "Then who should be?" Olwen inquired. Karen's eyes flashed. "It's Madame Hulda who should be petrify of me!!!" She exclaimed. Taking a deep breath, Karen then said: "I don’t feel the same about something morally anymore, here I'm through with Madame’s ways. She wants her help in strengthening her control over her stupid country club style business and I won’t do it." She walked up the stairs to a room with the sunrays bathing the chamber in its light of the shining orb in the sky. Karen looked at the sun and smiled, pretending the heavens were shining upon her, "I'm going to attempt to use my powers to fly!" She said. Olwen scoffs at her, "You flying, that's not..." She said but then she saw Karen begins to fly around. "You're flying, that’s impossible!" Olwen gasped. Still levitating, Karen smiled: "Anything is possible if you believe. Olwen, I want to raise you high for I believe everyone deserves a chance to fly. Literally!" She answered. Olwen looked at her as Karen looked out the window after getting back on her feet, "I think you need some help, you're talking  crazy over things that don't matter." She said. Karen spun around, startling Olwn as she said to her, "OH NO! I'm tired of trying to be like everyone else!" While saying this, she jabbed a finger in Olwen's chest. Then turned away and continued to wave her hands happily at the idea in her head, "Because others are expecting me to follow someone else’s way of life. Maybe I can't change the past but I can change what I can do now." Then she bowed her sadly as she said, "I never really had anyone who has loved me. I always been shunned, my mother was the only one. Madame Hulda and Madame Salome, who both should have loved me, but did not. I rather believe in rising on the top than the idea of repressing myself for the sake of 'love'. I’ve just got to show who I am. I will ignite my inner self and inner beauty. Let everyone know who I am. Be weird or wonderful; be who I and never be ashamed." Then, she jumped up a little and went over to Olwen, "Let's go! Get on!" She said. Olwen was surprised to hear this, "What? Me?" She asked. Karen looked at her, "Olwen....Come with me, Imagine what we could accomplish anything ... Together. Let’s go down the rabbit hole--Just you and me! I can take you on an adventure, the world you don’t know exists is more beautiful than you can imagine! No authority, no masters holding leashes, free to live as we chose and the only real limitations are those you impose upon yourself. And you can leave your friends behind, we will be unbreakable like elastic, titanium, no even better--Bulletproof! Like a firework!" ranted Karen with excitement. Olwen considered this idea, "Yes, it's sounds wonderful." She remarked. Karen smiled widely, "Yeah, it's so exciting!" She squealed. The two girls begin to dance around happily and stopped as Karen whirled to the opened window and looked out but she glanced back at Olwen with a pleading tone, "So....You coming or what?" asked Karen. Olwen was nervous as Karen knew what she was about to say and bowed her head in sadness. "Don’t have any regrets, all right?" She said. Karen nod, "I won't. This is right, isn’t it? Even though we don’t know the things that lie ahead never have regrets because this is the path you've chosen." She said. Olwen smiled at her, "I hope you'll never grieve. And have no regrets later on. I wish you all the luck in the world and a friendship holds." She said. Karen was touched by this, "You know, I heard that you can't choose your marks but you can pick your friends. You're my best friend, you're the only friend I've ever had." said Karen. Olwen nodded, "And I've had so many friends... but you were the only one that mattered." The two girls embraced each other but Suseri gasped and says, "Oh no! Hurry you need to get away!" Realizing this; Karen said: "Oh, right!" She ran to the window and leaped out before flying away! "Goodbye Olwen, I can't wait to see you again!" Olwen nodded with a watery smile, "Me too!" She said. Karen flew out of the window and into the sky but heard that trouble was taking place and decided to find out what it was. Mia and her friends were walking back when Madame Hulda and her guards confronted them! 

"THERE THEY ARE!!! ARREST THEM!!!!" Madame Hulda cried, pointing to Mia and the others. The guards apprehended them. "Get away from me!" Mia cried. "Unhand me!" Asmund shouted. "Keep your hands off me!" Saruta shouted. "Let go! Ow!" Dorian exclaimed. Then the guards were being thrown backwards and Mia and the others got away and looked up when they heard a voice above. "LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!! They had nothing to do with it! I'M the one you want! TAKE ME INSTEAD!!!!" Karen bellowed. She could hear them all calling her from below: "Karen?! KAREN!!!!" Outstretching her arms out and she shouted, "TAKE ME!!!!" She levitated up and then she said, "When you think you are ready for me, come and get me if you can. As I recalled what someone told me once: 'There’s so much honor and integrity and beauty in being able to be who you are. It’s important to be brave because by doing that you also give others permission to do the same.' Right? Am I right or what?" She laughed and continued to rant, "And if others decide to stay behind and I'm on my own. In return for my choice, I get the freedom I value most. To those who can’t accept me, tell them what I chose and what I achieved. Tell them what I done that they thought was impossible for me. I will find success and rise above, higher than the skyline of a city! Someone can't take my passion away, that's how I am. Overall I am a stronger, better person! I now have the ability to think and defend myself, and is not somebody to be messed with anymore!" She glared at her enemies who were down there too and said, "And nobody--Not Madame Hulda, nor Fourbin, or Madame Salome will never take away my passion. Everybody loves me. They can physically hurt me, but mentally, I am unbreakable." She felt the emotions in her and she shouted, "I am INVINICIBLE!!!!" From afar, Olwen cried out: "I just wanna see you be brave, Karen Woode! You can do it!" Madame Hulda was furious and turned to her soldiers, "Don't just stand there, you fools! Kill her!" She ordered them. Pumping her legs, she then flew and she shouted, "You can't stop me now!" Flying, she flew and wasn't going to stop her! "GET HER! GET HER! GET HER!!!!!" Madame Hulda cried out. They fired a cannonball as it explodes into smoke, "NOOOOOO!!!" Everyone screamed. "KAREN!!!!" Mia shouted. All seemed lost....NOT! Just then, Karen flew out of the smoke unharmed. "HAHA, I AM INVINCIBLE!!!!! HEAR ME ROAR!!!!" She exclaimed. Everyone cheered at Karen, she was stronger and happier than she was before. The next day, Mia was visited by the reporter Ariadne who asked if she was the Ghoul Eater but Mia says, "Used to be. Not anymore." Ariadne nods, she explains of finding the journal and apologize for she didn't return it but Mia smiles as she said: "It's OK, I don't care anymore. Thank you, though." Ariadne is confused, however she then said: "I just want to say sorry but are you sure you're OK?" Mia said, "I'm cool. Thanks a lot! Madame Hulda had to expose for the truth." Ariadne left and Mia knew things were normal for her. No longer she was going to feast on ghouls. She looked around her neck, it was a pendant with a charm of a heart with stitches. Stitch Heart, a gift from her three best of friends. She would never take it off because it was important to her. 

No matter how much she has her heart torn apart, it would be stitched back up again and again.