Chapter 145
Fuck Mondays
Lily spent the week in bed, crying, going on the internet to check on Borko, and watching TV. She only left the room to eat and use the bathroom as she had a TV in her bedroom. Rosemary asked Tristan to let her work on her days off and work overtime. She didn’t want to be in the house as Lily smelled like a hot litterbox and didn’t want her dinner to taste like Lily.
Borko left Lily because he grew tired of her whining about Ivy, Deimos, and Tristan. Lily did whatever she could to get him to come back. She dressed like Lily, tried to learn Croatian, and tried to be more like Ivy but Borko said he wasn’t interested. Then a video on the internet showed Borko and Aunt Daisy having sex.
Lily then received an email from “OldMan69.” She opened it and let out a scream. The email had a link to a page titled, “Wolf Woes is Wolf Wangst.” The page went on to say Lily is a manipulative little shrew who spreads malicious lies about anyone who critiques her subpar artwork. The website explained that Lily’s art and writing are juvenile and she hasn’t improved in years because she refused to listen to critique.
It had a picture of a t-shirt Lily had made of Lilith with the captain, “She needs to get a shirt made that says, ‘I like to bang old men.’ ”
There was a picture of a plate Lily made in pottery class of Lilith with her eyes bulging out and the head was shaped like a penis. The caption read, “Why is it shaped like a dick? This is the plate you get to lose weight because you will throw up every when you see it.”
There was a picture of Lily crying about Larry next to a picture Ivy drew of her and Deimos at a masquerade ball. The caption read, “Good art doesn’t run in the family.”
Lily’s eyes filled with tears as she clicked on the link with the review for Wolf Woes.
Wolf Woes is a disaster. All this story is about is Lilith and that you should feel sorry for her. There’s nothing more. We’re not given a good reason why. We don’t even root for her. It’s poor Lilith with no context as to why she’s bullied or why she’s universally loathed. A person who is sweet and wholesome isn’t hated.
This is based on the author’s high school life and I theorize that these people hate her because she’s the problem. She is angry these people never made their lives centered around her and don’t bend over to kiss her ass. She always smears people who dare to tell her that her turds are not golden nuggets and they are indeed turds.
There is a myriad of spelling and grammar errors in this shitstorm of a “story” that she refuses to correct. Any time you give her gentle critique, she throws a huge tantrum and smears your name, not unlike what she is doing in Wolf Woes. Bear in mind, this person wants to be a published author. She will not make it as one if she cannot handle the gentlest of critiques.
She mentioned something about the “Wolf Wars”, which could have made for some interesting lore to this story. Lilith is the sole surviving green wolf (ignoring she has a sister named Iris, hooray for plot holes) but we get none of that and it’s just Lilith, people being mean to her for no reason, and Lilith wangsting.
I would like to address that Lilith is a “passive protagonist.” She doesn’t make things happen; things happen to her and she does nothing about it but cry and whine for others to fix her problems for her. This mirrors the author’s way of handling conflict, so no surprises there.
Lily bawled as she read this. She went to Tristan’s website. She clicked on the “About Us” page and saw a picture of Tristan with his credentials and a short bio. She gazed at him lovingly. She scrolled down to see a picture of Erin, Rosemary, Oliver, and one of Ivy. Her heart sank that Tristan had a picture of her up as his graphic designer. She then seethed. It should be ME, she thought.
She ran out of her bedroom to call for Rosemary but she wasn’t home so she went to the kitchen to dial Charlotte’s number.
~
Charlotte and Cedar were eating breakfast together. She was having vegan oatmeal with hummus, and Cedar had a piece of toast with kale all over it. I would rather drink poison than eat this, he thought. Charlotte down her salad smoothie.
Charlotte: “Are you going to eat that or am I going to have to force it down you?”
Cedar looked bleak. The phone rang and she went to pick it up. Cedar still looked at the breakfast and thought not even those stupid alien cockroaches would eat this shit, he thought.
Charlotte: “CEDAR! GET OVER HERE, YOU STUPID FUCK! THIS IS A DIRE EMERGENCY!”
She screamed. Everything is a dire emergency, he thought and rose from the table. At least I don’t have to eat that trash, he thought.
Charlotte went to the kitchen computer to look at the website that “OldMan69” had written about Lily. Cedar bent over to look.
Cedar: “What am I looking at?”
Charlotte slapped Cedar over the head.
Charlotte: “You MORON! What you’re looking at here is a crime. It’s a crime committed against Lily. This is slander and this constitutes harassment! This is the reason Borko broke up with her!”
She caterwauled. Cedar rubbed his sore head.
Cedar: “But I thought you hated that old man?”
Charlotte punched his arm.
Charlotte: “Cedar, FOCUS! You’re missing the fact that this is a CRIME. This is a harassment website against Lily! Her life is in danger and since Ivy is too busy being a fat slut, I will be her big sister protector!”
She said loftily and pounded her chest.
Cedar rolled his eyes and re-examined the website.
Cedar: “How is this a crime? There is no personal information published, and Lily published her book. Not everyone is going to like it, and some want to speak their mind like you do about people eating meat and talking about Gribirans are going to invade Reona.”
He said wryly. Charlotte looked at him with fury. Her fist slammed into his face sending him crashing into the houseplants. The pots smashed and strewn on the floor were the soil and the plants with the roots intact.
Charlotte: “YOU FUCKER! THIS IS YOUR COUSIN, AND YOU’RE ACTING LIKE IT’S NO BIG DEAL! THIS IS SERIOUS!”
She barked and kicked him while he was on the floor. Cedar shielded his face as blood dripped from his mouth and nose.
Charlotte: “GRIBIRANS ARE GOING TO INVADE REONA, YOU FUCKHEAD! I READ ON THIS BLUEIT POST THAT THEY INVADED EARTH! THIS PLANET IS LIKE EARTH!”
She barked and kicked him in the ribs.
When she stopped kicking him, he clutched his stomach and coughed, dropping blood on the floor. He slowly rose to the floor. Charlotte smashed a coffee mug with hot coffee across his face. He screamed as the coffee scalded him and clutched his burning face. He staggered over, and Charlotte shoved him down the stairs where he tumbled over and fell on his face.
Charlotte: “You’re worthless, Cedar. I thought you were above this.”
She went downstairs and walked by him as he lay on the floor with two black eyes, swollen lips, and a swollen face. She slammed the door behind her.
Cedar slowly rose to his feet and panted.
Cedar: “I hate her… I hate her… I hate my job… I hate those alien THINGS! I HATE THIS LIFE!”
He screamed and cried pulling his hair. He limped out of the apartment building, panting and wheezing.
~
He arrived at the facility and used the keycard to the room where the Xuprans were held and let them out.
Cedar: “Destroy it all, you braindead bastards! I am tired of this world! I am FED UP! GO! GO!”
He yelled as the Xuprans crawled out of the room and made their way out of the facility. He looked out the window and saw one Xupran began to chow down on his car. Have it all, you fucks, I don’t care, he thought.
~
Charlotte arrived at Tristan’s law office with Lily and went to Rosemary’s desk. Rosemary’s eyebrows rose. Lily came out of her room, she thought. But noticed she’s still dressed in her pajamas and still reeks like a hot litterbox.
Charlotte: “Rosemary, we’re here on a serious matter! Did you know there is a cyber abuse website on Lily that is connected to what appears to be Ivy and her boyfriend? Cedar found it after Lily mentioned something vague about Wolf Woes concerning what she and Ivy are arguing about. This is the page that has left a lot of comments on Lily’s page. The number of comments and their nature would constitute harassment. I don’t want to get involved in their fight…”
Rosemary rubbed her temples. Karam stayed in the back and put his shirt over his nose. She stinks but this could be good dirt for Veronika, he thought.
Rosemary: “Look, I don’t know what to tell you. Just block the page and delete the comments.”
Charlotte banged her fist on the desk, causing her to jump.
Charlotte: “She can’t do that, Rose! We’re reaching out to you so you will talk to Ivy and tell her to take this fucking site down or she has to make her boyfriend remove it! If not, we’re going to sue!”
She barked. Rosemary heaved a deep sigh.
Charlotte: “A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED AGAINST LILY!”
She screamed. Rosemary sat there rubbing her temples. Charlotte’s screaming and Lily’s stink overwhelmed her.
Charlotte: “Either YOU speak to Ivy about this or I will, but the page will be deleted!”
She snapped and shot her forefinger at Rosemary. Rosemary heaved a deep sigh, trying to keep her cool.
Rosemary: “I don’t know what this page is about and never heard of it until now!”
She fired back, her tone as firm as hers. Karam cleared his throat.
Karam: “Ivy is upstairs with Tristan.”
He smiled. Lily tugged on Charlotte’s arm.
Charlotte: “Your real big sister will sort this out, Lily!”
Karam smiled tightly. That’s it, just give me everything to hand to Veronika and I get to stroke her guns, he thought and grinned.
~
Tristan was in his office with Oliver on his lap and Ivy was with him. He filled her in on his visit with Andreas, and what happened, and he gave her the rose essential oil and peacock fan he bought for her last night.
Ivy: “Thank you, Tristan! I love these, they’re perfect!”
She smiled at him and thanked him with a hug. Tristan hugged her back.
Ivy: “I can’t believe you spoke to Andreas!”
She said stunned with disbelief. He nodded.
Tristan: “I did. He asked me about you. He asked if you were still with Larry.”
He leaned his head on his hand as he rested his elbow on his desk.
Ivy: “Oh…”
She bowed her head, feeling guilty over how Larry destroyed that friendship.
Ivy: “Yeah, Larry ruined my friendship with Andreas… When we first started dating when I was seventeen, he made me cut ties with him… and I did. I always felt bad about that and it’s one of my many regrets. Larry was my biggest regret. He caused most of my regrets.”
She explained with a long sigh.
Ivy: “Then when he tried to do the same to Deimos… I didn’t. I didn’t want to lose him too and in Deimos’ case, I loved him.”
She added. Tristan paused and nodded.
Tristan: “And when we met, you were pushing Larry away.”
He said as he twiddled his pen between his fingers. Ivy nodded.
Ivy: “That’s right!”
Tristan leaned back in his seat with Oliver in his arms.
Tristan: “Andreas mentioned if I wish to speak with him again, I should light ‘Muerteincense’ with a black candle under a full moon. I never heard of this ‘Muerteincense.’ I looked for it in my translation book and I couldn’t find it.”
Ivy: “Oh? You’re going to speak to him again? I’ve heard of ‘Muerteincense’ before, but I’m not sure where to get it or how to use it in this context. Brad seems to be into this spiritual stuff, so maybe he knows?”
She offered. Tristan nodded.
Tristan: “I intend to. I am speaking to him again.”
He smiled a bit.
Ivy: “Do you mind if I come along next time, too? I want to make peace with him over what happened between us with Larry…”
She asked. Tristan smiled and stroked Oliver.
Tristan: “No, not at all, I love having you with me.”
He said softly.
Ivy: “I enjoy your company too, Tristan!”
She smiled at him. Tristan smiled and his smile faded when he thought of that night in the funhouse. He recalled the vision he had before the housefire. He snuffed out Craig with the stupid teddy bear and thought of Deimos with Ivy and how he was sad but happy for them. Then he thought of Deimos and the comment Rock made about being his “short king protector.” What did Rock mean by this? I need to stop this, he thought. Not helpful, and it’s so hard to block this out, he thought.
Tristan: “Want to have lunch with me?”
He blurted.
Someone kicked the door open, it was Charlotte and Lily.
Charlotte: “IVY! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!”
She roared. Tristan’s demeanor hardened. Ivy froze, startled by the loud intrusion and shrieking.
Tristan: “Excuse me?! What are you doing here?!”
The stink pervaded the room and Tristan squeezed his nose.
Tristan: “Ugh, what stinks?!”
Ivy cupped her nose and glared at Lily.
Ivy: “It’s her.”
She groused.
Lily: “I didn’t bathe because SHE MADE BORKO LEAVE ME, CHARLOTTE!”
She cried and pointed to her.
Tristan: “No, she didn’t. What do you two want? Get out. I’m going to get sick from the stink and I am not interested in your bullshit ‘cases.’ ”
He spat and froze. I normally don’t swear… I sound like Deimos, he thought. Ivy quirked an eyebrow, thinking the same thing.
Charlotte: “Ivy and Deimos made a website harassing Lily and criticizing her artwork! A crime has been committed against Lily and I want Ivy to erase this immediately. I told her mother to do something but Rosemary is useless so I trust you will tell Ivy to do the right thing!”
She snapped. Ivy blinked mutely taking all this in. You gotta be shitting me, she thought.
Ivy: “...I’m having deja vu. Haven't we done this rodeo before, Tristan?”
She stumbled over a laugh.
Tristan: “Yes… This reminds me of Jaclyn coming to me demanding I remove reviews written by her fans that you allegedly made them write.”
He chuckled.
Ivy: “Look, Deimos and I have nothing to do with this. It’s probably just some random troll.”
She shrugged.
Charlotte: “I think NOT! This person knows details about Lily’s life and says she should make a t-shirt that says she wants to bang old men! They made this to be mean to poor Lily and compliment you and Deimos! So take it down or get him to take it down!”
Charlotte bared her teeth and slammed the paper with the website address on it. Tristan looked down at it. He was curious about this, as well. He typed the address into his computer and saw the page by “OldMan69.” He snickered at the name and cupped his mouth.
Charlotte: “Some lawyer you are… Laughing at this poor girl being cyberbullied.”
She growled. Lily sobbed into her hands. Tristan rolled his eyes.
Tristan: “You are so ignorant about the internet and internet law.”
He scoffed.
Tristan: “To be ‘cyberbullied’, Lily has to be a minor and she is not one. Her name and where she lives are not posted on this website. I believe almost everyone knew of her and Borko being an item. There are mockery websites about bands, movies, and books. This stuff happens. May as well deal with it. My advice is to ignore this.”
He said noncommittally.
Ivy: “Deimos and I did warn Lily about this happening if she published Wolf Woes. We advised her not to publish it in its current form if she can’t handle criticism. What we knew would happen, happened and she didn’t listen to us, of course.”
She shrugged, unsurprised at the outcome. Lily bawled.
Lily: “LIAR! YOU’RE STEALING TRISTAN FROM MEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I SHOULD BE THE ONE TO DESIGN HIS WEBSITE!”
She bawled and stomped her feet.
Ivy: “Oh, please. He was never yours and he’s not an object.”
She huffed, thinking of how much this mirrors her arguments with Jaclyn over Deimos.
Charlotte: “The least I expect you to do is to delete the website, Ivy, or get Deimos to because he will listen to you.”
She sneered at her. Ivy rolled her eyes.
Ivy: “Well, I can’t because I didn’t do it, and neither did Deimos. It was probably someone else Lily slighted. Do you think we are the only ones she hurt?”
She countered.
Lily: “I didn’t hurt anyone!! You all hurt me!!”
She howled at Ivy through tears, getting close to her and stinking right in her space. Ivy backed away from her. She smelled her bad breath.
Ivy: “Gregory thought the world of you and you were horrible to him and made false rape and stalker allegations against him. You claimed cousin Alice bullied you and turned me and the family against her. You claimed our high school teacher was murdered by her husband when she died of The Red Nile Virus. You claimed Roxanne Majors slept with all the boys in school and she had to move schools because you damaged her reputation. You claimed the neighbors were bullying you, yet they were the ones who moved away. You spread rumors surrounding Andreas’ murder that he was a Satanist who burnt the church. You claimed the other neighbor pulled a gun on you and he was arrested; I figured that one out myself later. The list goes on. Oh, and let’s not forget what you did to me and Deimos, too.”
She relayed these events as her voice rose. Tristan gaped at Ivy and then at Lily.
Tristan: “You are a TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE PERSON! You have NO redeeming qualities! Charlotte claims this website is a crime against you?! You committed crimes against people! You committed a crime against humanity!”
He flared hotly and pointed at Lily. Lily threw her head back and bawled, running out of the room with her tail between her legs.
Lily: “WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! Y-YOU’RE BULLYING MEEEEE!”
She bawled. Ivy smirked when Tristan snapped at her and drove her away.
Ivy: “Finally, I can breathe.”
I think we all can, Tristan thought.
Charlotte: “All of those are LIES from HER! I want IVY to delete that website!”
She stomped her foot.
Tristan: “You believe what you want. She didn’t make it and why should she? She’s not asking you to delete your silly Blueit posts where you whine about the family being sick, whine about people eating meat, or claim you saw flashes of light from Gribians visiting your apartment. Anyone who studied life outside of the Peleus Star System or went to a museum knows that Gribians never tried to invade Earth; they visited dry, desert areas of the planet but they stayed far away from Reona. …After the Earthling invasion of 1792, most other planets fear us.”
He explained coolly.
Charlotte: “How dare you?! Ivy is a manipulative liar and bully but if she deletes that stuff and reads my Blueit posts and AGREES WITH ALL OF THEM, we will welcome her back with open arms.”
She said loftily.
Tristan: “That is not happening. I fail to see why Ivy would want to be near such dreadful people like you and Lily.”
He countered.
Ivy: “No thanks. I left for a reason.”
She said flatly. Charlotte’s eyes burned like hot coals as her anger soared.
Charlotte: “She is this way because she’s a typical woman like that woman Moss is with! She wipes his butt and Ivy wipes your butt and Deimos’ butt! I AM NOT LIKE THIS! CEDAR KNOWS WHAT I SAY GOES AND I RULE THE ROOST!”
She screamed at him and pointed at herself with her thumb. Tristan’s face twisted with disgust.
Tristan: “Why are you mentioning this? Ivy doesn’t do this. Is this something you want to see?”
He asked and gagged. Ivy glared at her when she accused her of being a doormat. Another of her berserk buttons.
Ivy: “I am NOT a doormat. Not anymore! You are an ABUSER.”
She fired back at her.
Charlotte: “I am not done with you two. I will go to a lawyer who knows what they’re doing and they’re going to be vegan, too! This isn’t the last of me!”
She snapped and stormed out of the room. Tristan rolled his eyes.
Tristan: “Spoken like a true bottle redhead with too much make-up and feet that stink.”
He muttered and cupped his chin, thinking he was sounding like Deimos. Not a bad thing, but something, he thought.
~
Deimos was on his backyard patio sitting on the table reading a book and sipping on his lemonade. He paused when he thought of the other night when Brad and Lazaros spoke to one another. He was talking to Tristan about when he asked Brad about his cult. He recalled laying on Tristan’s lawn with him afterward and gazing at him. Then he thought of the times they spent together, gathering remnants of the white kitten teacup to be tested for iseolite, having dinner together, talking for hours about anything. It’s the same thing he felt for Ivy.
Blake was laying sod around the yard. Deimos stared at him.
Deimos: “Blake? Can we… talk?”
He asked slowly. Blake nodded and went over to Deimos to sit down.
Deimos: “Did you know your brother made a batch of muffins for Maxx as a peace offering?”
He asked him. Blake grumbled. He was angry but not surprised.
Blake: “No, he never told me. But I am not surprised. This is the ‘Sunshire Way.’ ”
He heaved a deep sigh. He took out a cigarette and lit it up.
Someone stepped out on the patio. It was Tristan. He waved at Deimos and Blake. Deimos said nothing. He looked away. Tristan quirked an eyebrow. Did I say something to hurt him? He thought.
Tristan: “Blake, I wish to speak to you.”
He sat down with him.
Blake: “Yes?”
Tristan: “I was speaking to Brad about your old cult you two grew up in. He doesn’t believe it’s a cult and I asked about the rituals. He mentioned ‘mystical water’ to deal with negative emotions. What exactly is that?”
He asked him. Blake paused.
Blake: “Of course, he doesn’t. It was.”
He rolled his eyes.
Blake: “Oh no, he’s taking that stuff again?!”
He groaned.
Blake: “I’m not quite sure what it is exactly, but spiritual magical powers? No. I think it’s some kind of hallucinogenic drug.”
He stated, pulling out a crystal vial necklace from his pocket.
Blake: “I thought I had taken it away from him, but he must have had more on him.”
He huffed.
Blake: “Would you find out for me what chemical substance this is? I want to know if it’s anything deadly or dangerous long-term.”
He said, handing it to Tristan and Deimos. Deimos took it. I can heal myself, so it shouldn’t harm me too much, he thought.
Deimos: “How do you take it?”
He asked, unscrewing the top of the crystal.
Blake: “You take a drop under your tongue.”
He explained.
Blake: “Then the sun’s spirit powers will be with you and shed light on the path of brightness for you, burning away the darkness!”
He said sarcastically, mocking what they would say in Sunshire. Deimos pursed his lips and Tristan gazed at him. Deimos shot him a glance and took the liquid under his tongue. He screwed the top back on.
Tristan: “Feel any different?”
He asked with concern.
Deimos: “No. I guess it’s more of that idiot’s hippy mumbo jumbo…”
He huffed.
Blake: “It usually takes a few minutes. If you don’t feel anything, I guess you could take another drop. But don’t take too much. Like I said, I don’t know how dangerous it is.”
He explained. Deimos took another drop and slowly he felt his muscles relax and melt into the chair. His focus shifted to his breathing and the leaves blowing in the breeze as if they were breathing in synchronicity with him. The colors around him brightened and the grass and plants around him formed geometric patterns. There was a strong luminescent glow around the moon. Tristan’s white hair blowing in the breeze captivated him as it resembled silk snow. His green eyes sparkled under the moonlight, and his features were exaggerated with great beauty. He glanced down at the cuts on Blake’s skin and his mind focused with concentration on that.
Deimos shifted in his seat and a blue glow surrounded Blake and sparkles spiraled around him. Blake’s jaw dropped when this happened and he felt tingling in his arm as the cuts he got from tending Ivy’s rosebushes healed before his eyes.
Blake: “What the fuck?”
He asked breathlessly. Deimos could hear the faint jingle of an ice cream truck drawing nearer. The sound distorted around him.
Blake saw Craig running down the street and his face contorted with disgust. Great, he thought. He was ready to beat him if he came close.
Craig ran up the street toward the ice cream truck and stopped when he saw Tristan in Deimos’ backyard. Deimos recoiled at Craig as his features exaggerated into something dog-like with his big blond curls and ferocious, snarling face.
Deimos turned away from the unpleasant horror and turned to something more comforting and pleasant. He looked at Tristan and gazed at him. He reached out and took him by the shoulders. Tristan shifted his eyes, looking confused.
Deimos: “I think I’m in love with you.”
Tristan blushed and his eyes widened. Deimos leaned over and kissed him deeply. Blake looked bewildered. Craig’s jaw dropped and he barred his teeth at him. Suddenly, Deimos was overwhelmed with Craig’s barking snarls of anger and hurt echoing around them.
Tristan was taken aback. His eyes widened, his heart hammered in his chest, and he felt warm all over. Deimos threaded his fingers through his hair.
Craig: “TRISTAAAAAAN!”
He wailed through sobs.
Craig: “NO! HE’S MINE! YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! I HATE YOU!”
He rasped, charging at Deimos and knocking him onto the lawn. He pinned him down onto the grass, raising his fist to deliver a powerful blow. Blake saw red and charged at Craig kicking him off Deimos.
Blake: “Fuck off, Craig! Leave us all alone!”
He snapped at him. Craig tumbled over.
Craig: “ARGH!”
Craig punched Blake across the jaw, causing him to fall back onto the lawn. Craig then turned back to Deimos, socking him repeatedly with furious adrenaline.
Craig: “Back off from Tristan!”
He roared between each punch. Deimos wheezed and bled.
Tristan’s jaw dropped as he was in a state of shock.
Tristan: “STOP IT, CRAIG!”
He screamed and shot an ice blast at Craig sending him crashing into the fence. Tristan formed an ice ball in his hand and threw it at Craig’s face. Craig rasped as he slammed into the fence, rubbing his face.
Craig: “Wh-What the fuck?! HOW COULD YOU?!”
He cried. Tristan formed ice in his hand and slapped him hard.
Tristan: “I. DON’T. LOVE. YOU!”
He slapped him again as he screamed. Blake was rendered speechless as he saw Tristan making ice out of nowhere.
Craig: “WHAT?! You want HIM?! He’s with IVY?! He’s a fuckin’ two-timer like his slut brother and that fatass!”
He fired back at him. Tristan didn’t want to tell him he had feelings for Ivy, that his feelings for Deimos were unclear, and that Deimos was taking drugs.
Tristan: “I don’t have feelings for you! I AM NOT ANDREAS! ANDREAS WAS DONE WITH YOU!”
He screamed and formed an ice sword in his hand pointing it at Craig. Craig froze and his heart shattered into a million pieces with that double whammy.
Craig: “...This is all YOUR fault! You AND your brother!”
He screamed at Deimos. Deimos cupped his ears from all the sensory overload of having someone shout in his face.
Tristan: “No, Craig, this is YOUR fault! You haven’t changed since you met Andreas! Andreas was done with you because YOU are YOU for the same reasons I am!”
He snapped at him. Blake tended to Deimos.
Blake: “Get him out of here or he will deal with me next.”
He commanded in a growl. Tristan pressed his ice sword against Craig’s face.
Tristan: “Get your ice cream, Craig. I am done with you.”
Craig swallowed hard and pursed his lips.
Craig: “I HATE YOU!”
He barked at Deimos, kicked his plant over, and stormed out of his yard.
Tristan watched him go and his ice sword shattered in his hand.
Blake: “My cuts were healed. You made ice… Who are you all?”
Tristan: “Deimos and Tristan, Blake. We just can do things with our minds.”
He bowed his head and looked at Deimos. Was he looking at me or did I hallucinate Ivy? Deimos thought and healed himself as he lay on Blake’s lap. Blake looked at him with sadness in his expression that he couldn’t tell him about this.
~
Charlotte and Lily were walking out of the vegan grocery store. They walked through Glocek Town passing by the dumpy houses and the large garbage was placed on the curb for pick-up to be shipped and dumped off on Xupra. People put dressers, couches, tables, toys, et cetera. on the curb.
Lily spotted a blue tartan couch.
Lily: “OOOOH! It’s a couch we had at our old house! I must have it! Let’s get it, Charlotte!”
She sang. Charlotte smiled.
Charlotte: “Sure!”
She went to pick it up on one end and Lily went to the other and screamed.
Charlotte: “What’s wrong?”
Lily fell backward and scuffled away.
Lily: “THAT! IT’S EATING IT! STOP IT!”
She howled.
Charlotte: “Who is?”
She went over and saw a Xupran picking up the couch with his forearms and putting it in his mouth. Charlotte pulled it off.
Charlotte: “Hey, stop it! Stop doing that! That’s a crime!”
She snapped. The Xupran picked up the couch with his forearms again and put it in his mouth. Charlotte tried to pry the couch away from the creature and he kept holding onto the couch clutching onto his meal. He let it go, hissed, rubbed his forearms, and lunged at Charlotte biting her on the torso, legs, and neck.
Charlotte: “HEY, GET OFF!”
He kept biting until she threw him off. Charlotte staggered up and felt dizzy. She then collapsed on the ground and began convulsing and twitching. Lily screamed and ran away as the Xupran began devouring the couch whole and left Charlotte behind.
~
Brad was walking down Spring Garden Lane with a paper bag with his cookie stall design on them. He baked peanut butter cookies, macarons, snickerdoodles, fig rolls, sugar cookies, and chocolate cookies with mint chips. He was feeling confident in himself and baked some cookies for Lazaros. He noticed Lazaros’ greenhouse was opened.
Brad: “Hey, Laz?”
He poked his head in and saw all of the fruits and vegetables he grew were gone.
Brad: “Laz?”
Lazaros stepped out onto the patio.
Lazaros: “What do you want?”
He sneered. Brad bowed his head and looked hurt. He then saw the Xupran place a box of bell peppers into his mouth and devour it whole.
Brad: “NO! DON’T! THAT’S TOTALLY HIS! STOP IT!”
He went into his greenhouse to pry the creature from the veggies. Lazaros quirked an eyebrow and went down the steps to his greenhouse.
Lazaros: “What is going—”
His jaw dropped when he saw a three-foot cockroach in his greenhouse with Brad trying to pull it away. What the fuck is that doing here? Lazaros wondered.
The Xupran hissed and rubbed his forearms and began to bite Brad all over. Brad cried in pain. Lazaros gasped and rushed in.
Lazaros: “LEAVE HIM ALONE! GET OFF HIM!”
He took his glove off and grabbed the Xupran by the head. It caved in. The Xupran backed away, and shook his head, as it formed again. Lazaros grabbed a pair of sheers and stabbed the creature over and over. It cried out and hissed as its wound sealed up before their eyes. Brad lay on the floor watching this. The Xupran crawled over to Brad. Lazaros grabbed the Xupran’s legs breaking them but the Xupran formed his legs. Lazaros put his glove back on and tried to pull Brad out of there. He dropped the cookie bag out of his hands.
Brad: “The cookies!”
Lazaros: “Don’t worry about those, Brad! I am trying to save you!”
He cried.
The Xupran pried the bag out of his hands and shoved it into his mouth, swallowing it. The Xupran stopped. It then let out a loud caterwaul that shattered the glass in the greenhouse. Lazaros got on top of Brad, shielding him. Brad clung to him tightly. Then the Xupran flipped over and died.
Lazaros panted heavily. His eyes slowly veered to Brad.
Lazaros: “Are you okay?”
Brad glanced up at him on top of him and his heart pounded in his chest.
Brad: “...I am now.”
He said softly. Lazaros smiled as his eyes filled with tears.
Lazaros: “I’m sorry, Brad… for everything.”
He cried. Brad’s eyes filled with tears.
Brad: “Wh-Why did you do it?”
He sobbed.
Lazaros: “Because I fell for you and I thought you moved on with someone else.”
He declared. Brad’s eyes widened, taken by surprise.
Brad: “...You have feelings for me? How could I when I… fell for you, too.”
He smiled at him.
They heard the glass crunch under someone’s shoes. Lazaros slowly turned around. Brad clung to him tightly, looking afraid as he got a bad vibe. Men in hazmat suits came in, taking pictures, and one picked up the dead Xupran to put into a biohazard disposal bag. One other hazmat suit came and grabbed Brad’s arm.
Hazmat suit man: “You have to come with us.”
Lazaros: “What is going on?!”
He asked sharply. They grabbed Brad out of his arms and shoved him out to a black van.
Hazmat suit man: “Get in the van.”
He commanded. Lazaros came out and one of the men shocked him with a taser. Lazaros screamed out and slammed to the ground, twitching.
Brad: “LAZAROS!”
He cried out as they took him away. They threw him in the van and slid the door shut as they gathered inside. Lazaros lay on the ground, helpless and unable to move. He cried when he watched the van drive away, further and further down the road, taking Brad away.
~
Brad was in the facility in a room with a mirror. Dr. Duerr folded his arms behind him and watched him through the two-way mirror. Blood dripped down Dr. Duerr’s gloved hand as he sneered at Cedar who was beaten to a pulp in the corner. This is what you get for defying orders, Dr. Duerr thought.
Ellis: “Sir, the other Xupran has not been accounted for.”
Dr. Duerr nodded and went into the room using his keycard. He stood in front of Brad, his folders behind his arms, smiling at him. Brad swallowed hard and trembled with fear. Even though he was smiling at him, he got an ominous feeling about this guy and this place.
Dr. Duerr: “If I get my results, you and I are going to know each other very well and your life will change drastically, but you will like it.”
He grinned.
Brad: “Wh-What do you mean?! What about Lazaros?!”
He cried, looking around, worried about him. Dr. Duerr smiled tightly and put his gloved hand to his mouth.
Dr. Duerr: “Ah, my creature screamed about ‘Filly-babe’. You are already coming along.”
He said breathlessly. Brad froze and he twisted his mouth.
Brad: “...Maxx?!”
He growled with resentment in his tone. Dr. Duerr smiled.
Dr. Duerr: “Yes, that is my magnificent beast! I have never been more proud of him.”
Brad tensed up with bitter emotions.
Brad: “There’s nothing magnificent about him! How could you be proud of him? His music totally sucks!”
He huffed. Dr. Duerr’s face lit up the room.
Dr. Duerr: “You’re exactly like him. I love it.”
He said in a breathy tone and left the room. Brad’s heart dropped when he compared him to the person he hated the most, triggering one of his berserk buttons.
Brad: “WHAT?! I’m NOT like that carrot clown jerk!”
He snapped and sobbed.
Dr. Duerr left the room. He turned to Ellis and nodded. Ellis pushed a button and the room where Brad was being held captive was filled with purple smoke. Brad panicked and moved to the corner to get away from it. He started to lose consciousness and fell to his knees. He collapsed to the floor as his eyes fluttered.
Brad: “L-Lazaros… H-Help…”
He whispered and blacked out.
Dr. Duerr inhaled sharply and nodded. He folded his arms behind his back.
Dr. Duerr: “Collect skin samples, hair samples, blood samples, et cetera. If he has Xupran DNA, we’ll keep him longer. We’ll see if he’s more powerful than my magnificent creature.”
He said that glint in his eyes. Ellis nodded.
Ellis: “Of course, Dr. Duerr.”