Mad As A Hatter (Completed 2015) [WATTY AWARD WINNER *Featured Story*]

chapter twenty one - eno ytnewt retpahc

More memories zipped ahead, filling my brain with realizations and emotions that drowned any control I had tried to gain. 

Suddenly the man released his power over me, and I gasped awake, my knees buckling to slam into the ground.  God—with the amount of contact happening, the floor and I should just make out already. 

Violently shaking my head to regain my eyesight, I glanced up and saw the man now standing.  It all made sense.

I failed to shake the nervousness off.  Looking at him made my chest hurt.

"Dad," I croaked.  Furiously shaking my head, I launched myself into his arms, and buried my face in his chest, arms hugging his neck.  "How—"

He soothed, "I can get into your mind and you can get into mine.  We're connected.  We are family."  

I felt his body heat transfer to mine, a grave power sinking into my skin.  This strength inserted itself into my mind and muscles.  The energy seemed much stronger around me, senses heightening to limits I thought couldn't be reached.  I heard the clang of metal outside, sensed the skin ripping back and teeth digging into flesh. 

"The Purge has no family," I whispered.

"But you're not the Purge anymore.  You're stronger than that."

The fatherly role shining brighter than I wanted, triggered another wave of emotion and I buried my face deeper into his chest.  "Dad."

He held me close, stroking my head with a soft whisper, "I know sweetie.  I know."

Blinking back the stinging up rise in my eyes, I sniffled and he held my gaze.  "What are you doing here?"

"Doing what I should've done years ago."  He tucked a strand behind my ear and cupped my cheeks in his calloused hands.  "To finish the Cold Bloods."

Questions fired off like alarms in my head and I became frantic, fisting his white shirt.  "What about my mom?  Is she okay?  Aren't the Cold Bloods hunting you?  Will they go after her?!"

He took my hand and ushered a quick, "C'mon" pulling us out of the tent.  I quickly snatched the knife off the floor.  The demon screeches were louder than before and an arrow nearly missed my face, hitting the tent beside me.  I picked up my two machetes, retracting them from dead demon skin.  I whirled around and saw hundreds of men, the good Cold Bloods, fighting the demons, setting fire to the tents and taking over trucks. 

"Are they your men?" I asked, still holding hands with my dad. 

"They're with me," he confirmed.  "We are the greater good of the Cold Bloods. Not like the ones with Lord Death."   

The fight instantly bringing me back to the mission, I let go of his hand and hustled beside him.  Emotions weren't for me.  I wasn't that human in the memory, they only have me knowledge and a drive.  I was whoever I am now.  "Do you know where the camp leader is?" I asked him.

My dad pointed ahead and there raged a wall of demons, protecting the large canvas made tent. 

Grim and the dark angel were already trying to battle the demon guards but there were too many.  The power from the tent sharpened and the presence of my father set fire to every living cell in my body.  "I got this, dad," I said, and readjusted the ring on my finger.  I felt the warmth of the liquid flow through my fingers, the heat seeping into my skin.  Charging ahead, I allowed the heat to take over and divided myself into three bodies.  The clone on the right broke a demon nose with a kick and retracted her machete, spinning to slice the skins of demons around her.