[Wednesday Addams POV]
The ropes were tight, but not tight enough.
Pugsley kept squirming in the chair, even though I had warned him not to. It wasn't the pain I was worried about. It was the aesthetics. If you're going to conduct a proper electrocution, your subject must remain still. Otherwise, the performance loses its elegance.
"I told you not to move," I said, adjusting the straps on his wrists. "If this leaves uneven burn patterns, I'll be very disappointed."
He whimpered something. I didn't listen. I had just finished taping the wires to his ankles when I heard it.
"Wednesday, dear," my mother called sweetly from the hallway, "we're expecting guests. Come down and say hello."
Guests.
Perfect timing.
I exhaled sharply. I was five minutes from having fun and now I had to entertain strangers.
To express my feelings, I grabbed the nearest axe from the wall and brought it with me. A silent protest. And perhaps, depending on the nature of the guests, a backup plan.
I walked down the stairs slowly, with deliberate steps, the axe hanging loosely at my side and stood at the top of the stairs, listening.
The door creaked open. Voices floated up—familiar tones: my mother's refined warmth, my father's theatrical enthusiasm. And two new ones. One soft. One older. Guests.
I waited, not out of politeness, but because I needed the right moment.
The moment I fully saw the guests, I threw it straight at the figure standing in front of the door. A child.
For a fraction of a second, I thought I'd finally added something meaningful to an otherwise dull afternoon, and a smile began to creep across my face.
But just before the axe could complete its noble task—it stopped midair. Something stepped between us.
A blur shot out from the book the boy was holding. Something dark, ink-like, almost human. It moved like smoke and shadow with just enough shape to seem real. One hand snapped up, catching the axe with mechanical precision.
It didn't flinch. Didn't make a sound. Then it spun.
Faster than I had thrown it, the axe came hurtling back toward me. I tilted my head a few inches, just enough to feel the wind as it sliced past and buried itself into the stairwell behind me.
A few strands of my hair drifted down in front of me. A clean cut.
While all this happened, I looked at the boy—who seemed entirely unfazed. He didn't even blink.
Just calmly closed his book as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.
I said nothing and just stared.
And we both didn't blink, like two people quietly acknowledging that we'd just played the opening move of something far more interesting.
Maybe this visit won't be such a waste of time after all.
My father just laughs and waves it off.
"The children are just having fun."
Then, with his usual unnerving cheer, he adds, "Wednesday, would you be nice and bring this child to play with you and your brother?"
[Perseus POV]
I follow Wednesday up the stairs.
Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect after that axe situation.
For a second, I thought I was dead. But then the impossible happened—a figure that I had drawn came out of my sketchbook, caught the axe like it was nothing, and sent it flying back like it was trained for it.
So, I guess my power also activates when I'm in danger? Nice! At least now I feel a bit safer…
I'll probably still encounter near-death situations, but I won't die right away. My sketches might protect me at the last moment. Hopefully?
I mean, it's a bit messed up to think that I'm risking my life every moment and just hoping their reaction time is fast enough to save me. Still, what can I do? Just suck it up and treat this like an experience, seeing things I only saw in films.
While following Wednesday, I look around. The mansion is exactly what I imagined. Creepy, dramatic, perfect. And this room? Oh, this is the cherry on top. Wires everywhere. A car battery. A chair that looks like it was custom-made for medieval confessions.
Pugsley climbs into it.
Wednesday gestures toward the setup. She's calm. The kind of calm that looks like it could kill you if it wanted to. Sexy goth — cough, cough too young, I am not a pervert.
"This is where we test conductivity, nerve response, and fear tolerance," she says. "Would you like to participate?"
I glance at the chair, then at Pugsley, then at the wiring.
I laugh a bit, not quite a grin, more a small and curious curl of the lips. I can't help it.
It's like I'm back in my room, watching the movie. Only now, I'm in it.
"You're missing the wet sponge," I say.
She turns toward me.
"If you don't use it, the smell gets worse. And the current won't flow properly. It's inefficient. Also, why not tie some metal cables through his balls so the electric current goes through there and not the head? I mean, it would be more fun."
I say it casually, like I'm talking about something mundane. I mean, I'm not an expert in this stuff, but I've read enough and seen enough horror movies to know how these scenes usually go. People getting electrocuted isn't exactly rare content.
Pugsley looks at me, his face slowly shifting from proud to horrified.
Then he runs without any warning and sound. Just a full sprint out of the room.
I call after him, confused, not understanding why he's running. I just suggested a few optimizations!
"If you don't like that idea, I have a few others! Why are you running?"
Come on, I'm not the crazy one here... I thought you liked this kind of stuff.
Why are you giving me that look, Wednesday?! You're the psycho, not me...
[Morticia POV]
After the children went upstairs, I brought Amely into one of the smaller parlors. The fire crackled gently. Shadows curled in the corners. The room was as it had always been.
Gomez had stepped away, leaving us in quiet company.
Amely sat down and looked around with familiar eyes.
"It hasn't changed much," she said.
"My mother would be pleased to hear that," I replied.
She smiled faintly. "She always did have strong opinions."
I nodded. "And she still checks in to make sure everything stays in place."
We shared a brief moment of silence. Then Amely's tone shifted. Her expression turned more deliberate.
"I came to ask a favor," she said. "Not for me. For my grandson."
I leaned forward slightly, listening.
"His name is Perseus. You saw it yourself. Something has awakened in him. I believe it's only the beginning. I've done my best, but this is beyond me. He needs someone who understands what this world truly is."
"You want him to stay here."
"For a short while," she said. "Just long enough to learn what he is. What he can do. I don't want him afraid of it. And I don't want him lost."
I watched her quietly for a moment, then gave a small nod.
"You don't need to ask," I said. "Your family once protected mine, when no one else would. They hid us when it was dangerous to be different. We haven't forgotten that."
Amely gave a soft, grateful look. "I'm glad."
"He can stay," I said. "We'll see what he's capable of."
She stood with me, and we walked back toward the front.
Gomez returned just in time to say goodbye and walk her out.
As the door closed behind her, I glanced toward the upper floor. I could already hear the sound of something heavy being dragged across the wood.
The boy would be interesting.
And in this house, interesting never goes to waste.
************
Author Note:
I'm publishing tomorrow's chapter today because I'll be playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends all day tomorrow… so yeah, have fun reading it!