BEYOND THE DEAD ZONE | COMPLETE

Forty-Two |

Forty-Two |

For a long while after Mom stopped talking, we were both silent. My head was dropped and my eyes were focused on watching tat blood stain dry. It felt like my soul had been sucked from my body, my mouth full of cotton balls and my limbs full of cement. Surprisingly, I didn't feel upset. There were no tears, and no dramatic sobs that I could have expelled to make this moment less painless—and there was pain, I just didn't know for what.

Was I mad that I was a lab experiment?

I mean, of course I was. However, there was no denying that without such an experiment I wouldn't be here. My entire existence depended on that fucked up "four baby" four virus shitshow. Even then, however, I hadn't been brought up the same way that Cora or even Persephone had--I had been loved and sheltered. Not once did I feel less than or an outsider. Of course, there were times I felt like a prisoner but looking back such a perception felt so silly.

Then was I mad that Mom and Dad lied to me?

No, that wasn't it.

I don't think I'd tell the truth to my kid either.

Maybe there was no reason for me to be angry--I couldn't understand it myself and yet, when I pulled my gaze up to look at Mom I had the foul urge to shake her shoulders and scream. Not to scream words, but instead, to just scream noises until my throat bled.

Why?

"Why?" I asked her, my throat tight with emotions.  

Tears fell from her eyes that she didn't bother wiping away. "Where you came from makes no difference to us—"

I fucking knew that. "Why?"

Those green eyes flecked with red widened. "You will always be our baby girl to all of us, and Rose's little sister. It didn't matter who or where you came from because the moment you stepped into our family, you were apart of it. Rose was only a baby herself at the time and she knew that too. She wouldn't let anyone else touch you."

That's when it clicked. Realization dawned on me, and I wished to go back to when I couldn't pin-point the anger in my heart. Suddenly, as if my throat had split a wail of agony left my body so clear I wasn't sure for a moment if it belonged to me. My legs shook as I moved towards her, tears blurred my vision.

"Why?" I repeated as if that was my lifeline. "Why?"

Mom shook her head wildly, "I don't understand what you want."

I looked up at her, desperation and panic clawing its way from the inside of my body. I let out another wail as the world seemed to darken. It felt like someone had taken my soul and shook it violently before shoving it into a box of ice-cold water. Then breathing wasn't so simple, and rationale thought wasn't so logical.

"Why?" I screamed, begging for the answers I needed. "W-why did send her and not me? Why did you send her and not me? It could have been me! I should have fucking died not her!"

"Oh. Oh no Bunny," she whispered.

Realization crossed her features as I continued to sob. Mom moved forward with the speed that only a mother had, and she grabbed me, shoving me into her chest and hugging me in such a way that made me feel entirely loved and protected.

"Look at me," she demanded, her voice soft but her words firm. "Look at me."

I whimpered, obeying. She sandwiched my face in her hands, her eyes boring into every dark corner of my soul. Gone were her tears, and instead there was only one emotion on her face and that was the heated emotion of pure determination.

"Rose did not die for you," she said firmly. "She did not die because of you. Her mission had nothing to do with you because you have never been anything but her baby sister. But I do know if it came down to you or her she would pick you without a second thought. You are her baby sister and if she knew you were having any doubt about her life and yours, she would kick your ass. Understand?"

I nodded weakly.

She let go. "Good."

But there were still questions I had. "Mom?"

"What is it?"

I hesitated, but only for a second. "My pedigree...why is it so important?"

Something flashed in those eyes. "Your genetics they show—"

"Hey love?"

We both looked down as her radio went off, Dad's voice echoed through the room. She picked it up with one hand, her other moving to be firmly planted on my shoulder as if preventing me from any escape or space.

"What is it?"

"So, the little cunt—"

Mom cut off the radio with a heavy frown. "That's a child you're speaking of."

A long pause.

"First of all, she's not a child. Isn't she Bunny's age? That's a whole ass young adult. Second off, she's a cunt. The cuntery of her actions ascends the realm of age. Adult or not, I said what I said."      

Mom rolled her eyes and I smiled slightly.

"There's reports that one of the boats, the one she came on, is missing but Ophelia is at the shore and acting strange. Based off what Bunny said about them Delta, we can assume the worst. I have a team surrounding her but not to go near her. We're waiting for your orders."

Mom nodded to herself. "And Dr. Lilith?"

Another pause. "She's uh, here."

Relief filled me—but only briefly.

"And there. And some over there. I think I see a tooth in the hall—"

"Jesus Christ," Mom snapped as bile rose in my throat. "Can you show some decency? That was our doctor. We lost a good woman today, possibly two."

"I think the doc would appreciate my lack of emotion. What was it she said after Rose died? That tears would undo the effects of death?"

My eyes widened and my face burned. It was true Lilith Brown was not a great person. Whenever I'd go for a checkup, she was always a mixture of calculated logic and bitter words, but I had no idea she had been so heartless with Rose's death. Dad's words had hate replacing any shred of empathy I felt for the now dead doctor.

"Eero is right beside me," Mom's voice was shard. An unspoken order.

"Hey Bunny," Dad chirped through the radio. "You ladies be safe. I'm going to wrap up here and meet you at the shore? I assume you're going after Ophelia."

Mom and I just looked at each other.

"Fuck--"

"--Yes." 

My lips twitched into a smirk. It didn't matter where I came from, it was clear as day that I was the daughter of Erin Mira Brooks through and through.