Chapter #41The Consequences of Meddling Blindly to the Unknow by: Nostrum   Lucy's hug is warm and soothing. You'd have done anything to get one from her; something that showed that she appreciated all the shit you did for her – at least, what little you did. Taking her away from Blackwell's basement. Hide her in your own. Give her some of your mom's clothes –
That's when you notice the blouse she's wearing – definitely out of fashion for at least ten years, and a bit large on her body. The jeans are even older, but you also recognize your mom wearing them. In a way, it feels like if your own mom was hugging you, and it makes you long for her embrace. Your mind struggles to register the conflicting emotions.
“You can cry if you want to", Lucy says. "I know I would.”
You didn't know you were waiting for permission. But apparently you were, for you immediately crumple into tears and bury your face in her shoulder.
"Shh, shh", Lucy says, and rocks you gently. "Let it all out."
--
"I'm so sorry", you tell her afterward, when you're huddled in the corner of the sofa, and she's sitting in the easy chair across from you.
"For what?", she asks.
"All this crap. All this shit." You shudder. "You were right. About magic."
Her gaze goes thoughtfully distant. Then she says, "You know, I'd've given anything, Will, to have stopped all this shit from happening to you."
"That's what you were trying to do, wasn't it?", you mumble. "By trying to get me to stop playing with this stuff?"
She winces slightly. "No. I was trying to get you to stop, period. I didn't have any idea that anything like this could happen."
And what is "this"?
When you and Frank returned to the living room, it was to find Lucy and Taylor and Joe unconscious. Frank, snapping like a Marine sergeant, told you to try waking them up while he went to find your mom and brother. But though you shook and slapped Joe and the others, they were in a deep sleep. An enchanted sleep, the awful thought occurred to you.
Frank returned a minute later, to report that your family's SUV was gone and that there was no sign of your mom and brother. He took over from you and got very rough with Joe, smacking him harder across the face than you've ever seen anyone get slapped before. When that did nothing, he dove into your kitchen and mixed up a vile concoction of various herbs, vegetables and juices, and forced it down Joe's throat. His brother woke, vomiting and spewing all over the carpet and furniture. The stench still lingers.
The story Joe related, as Frank woke the others with the same concoction, was chilling, bewildering, and frightening. While you and Frank were in your dad's office, Joe became aware that Robert was acting strangely, but before he could do anything, your brother hauled something out of his pocket and blew a dust into his face. That was the last he knew. Taylor and Lucy, when they had recovered, confirmed Joe's story of a dust, but hadn't noticed anything else.
Robert, when he revived, had a similar story to relate. He was in his room when his father got home and summoned him down into his office. He too had a dust blown in his face, and knew no more until he woke behind his father's desk in his father's clothes.
In a matter of minutes, deductions were made and shared. As you had feared, someone (the warlock-professor, mostly likely) had infiltrated your house in the guise of your father. After surprising your brother, he switched disguises with him, probably with the intention of surprising you in turn. When he found himself over-matched by superior numbers, he fled, taking your mom with him.
Frank and Joe quickly swung into action, and took Taylor with them and left for the professor's villa. Robert has gone up to his bedroom. And you and Lucy—
"You knew something like this could happen", you tell her. "It happened to you. Worse."
She smiles through a small wince. "And you've been trying so hard to do something about it", she says. Then she sighs. "I don't think I've told you how much I appreciate it, Will. How grateful I am to you."
It's a nice thing to say, but some of your old, sullen resentment surfaces: No, but you've had an easy time telling Taylor how much you appreciate it. But aloud you reply; "You were too busy trying to save me from the shit I was getting myself into."
She argues with you a little about that. "You're not the one who did anything to your family", she reminds you, "and you didn't hurt anyone else with your stuff."
You don't argue back. You don't say anything at all. After a long silence, Lucy gets up and goes upstairs. She's gone to talk to Robert, you realize. I should go up there too. But you don't stir.
--
Taylor texts while Lucy is upstairs, to report that there is no news. They haven't found your mom or fake brother, and the professor's house is dark and there's no car outside. When you ask if he or the others have broken into the villa, he replies in the negative. They say there's a monster or something guarding the premises and they can't risk it till morning.
You pass the news on to Lucy when she comes back down and goes into the kitchen to finish fixing those hamburger patties. She nods, then tells you that you should go up and talk to your brother. "I know", you say. Then you rub your eyes. "God!"
"Will?"
"I just don't know what to say to him! Jesus." You start to tremble all over. "He's all I've got left. And it's all my fault!"
"No it isn't. I told you—"
"But it is! I—" You almost break down. "I knew there was something wrong with Dad! I felt it! I knew it could—" You hiccup. "It could be the professor disguised as him, but I didn't do anything about it! And I sent Bo— Robert home anyway! I didn't even warn him!"
"Why not?"
You flinch at the hard tone in her voice. "I didn't want to scare him. I was scared, and I figured if I was scared, then he—"
"Well, he's scared shitless now, Will, and he needs you", Lucy says. "You're right, he's all you've got left. And you're all he's got left. Go upstairs and take care of him." She doesn't yell, but her tone is very firm.
You wince and nod and trudge to the staircase. You pause with a groan, then mount them.
Robert's bedroom door is open, but the hall bathroom door is shut, and there's a light underneath it. You hesitate, then knock at it. "Robert?", you call.
"Just a minute", he calls back. "I'm busy!"
You can't stop your lips twitching as you hear the spin of the toilet-paper holder, and you step back from the door. The toilet flushes, and water runs in the sink. Robert gives you a look of dull hostility when he emerges.
"Robert", you say.
"Yeah?"
You hesitate. Brotherly affection is not something either of you is used to expressing.
Impulsively, you grab him and pull him to yourself. He struggles briefly, then as you embrace him, he sags. Eventually, as you continue to hold him, he hugs you back.
"How are you doing?", you ask when you part.
"I'm okay." He makes a face. "I liked it better when it was your boyfriend's girlfriend hugging me."
"He's not my—!" you start to yell.
Then you choke. Laughter bubbles up inside your chest. Robert gives you a puzzled look as you gasp and snerk. But when you fall back against the wall, and sink to the ground, giggling helplessly, he smiles and starts to laugh along. Soon you are both on the floor, howling.
You end up sitting side by side in the hallway, shoulders touching. "I'm sorry about all this", you tell him. "How much of what's going on do you understand?"
He chews his lip. "That wasn't Dad, was it?", he says.
"No."
"And he took Mom and Dad away, didn't he?"
"Yes."
He chews some more on his lip. "So I guess we can stay up until three in the morning if we want, now, right?"
You sigh. "Yes."
He sighs in turn. "I'd rather have Mom and Dad back."
"So would I."
He digs the heel of his hand into his eye. "So who were those guys who were here? With Lucy and—"
"Don't call him my boyfriend."
"—Taylor?"
"A couple of guys from Eastman. They're, like, experts in this stuff. They're warlock hunters or something."
"And they go to Eastman? What, do they have classes in—?"
"I don't understand it all. I met them just after I—" A lump forms in your throat. "After I sent you home."
Robert is silent for a long moment, and you tense. "You didn't know that Dad wasn't Dad, did you?", he says at last.
You suppress a groan. "No, I didn't. But I wondered. I thought I was just being paranoid. I wanted you to be careful, Robert. But I didn't want to scare you or make you paranoid too."
Again, he falls silent. "I get it", he says at last.
"I'm so sorry. We were coming back to check on Dad when—"
A door slams downstairs, and you hear a muffled voice. Lucy answers. Then there's a long silence. You listen hard, and tense.
There are footsteps across the living room, and on the stairs. You scramble to your feet with a beating heart. Frank appears, his eyes hard and filled with a fell light. Before you can speak, he grabs you by the throat with one hand, and by the face with the other.  You have the following choice: 1. Continue |
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