M3gan: Phoebe's Story

Part eleven

"Look, I don't want you to be thinking about this too much tonight before you go to bed." Gemma has no clue what happened . All she saw was M3gan holding a temporarily unconscious Phoebe, and Brandon's remains on the road. She's grateful Cady saw none of it. She'd actually met up with two other pairs of kids and had a great time.

"Obviously, what happened is a terrible, terrible tragedy. But just know that that boy is in, um... That boy is in a better place now. Okay?"

"Ok." Phoebe, even at eight, knew that she didn't believe in heaven or hell. But she didn't know what she did believe just yet.  "Anyway, if there's anything that you wanna tell me that you didn't wanna tell the police officers..."

"I didn't see anything.  M3gan just said Brandon took her and ran off."

"From the toy table?"

"Duh. Right, M3gan?"

"In a nutshell."

"Ok." Gemma is satisfied. For now. Cady is suspicious. Her sister always adjusts her glasses when she lies.

There's a knock at the door. It's the cops.  "You haven't seen her dog by any chance?" Celia called the cops?  "No."

"Bullshit!" The woman is convinced Gemma was responsible. "Ma'am, you need to stay on your property like we agreed." Turning back to Gemma, he continues. Nobody's seen him since the incident with your niece's dog."

"A little suspicious, Gemma, Don't you think?" Celia wishes she'd just admit it already. "Are we really gonna go with her story? Have you been inside her house? She's probably keeping him inside to stir up suspicion."

"You should talk to the other girl that she's got staying here. The one who's always looking out the window at 3:00 A.M."

"It's not a girl. It's a toy."

"That's a toy? Are you serious?" Looking at the three girls, the officer finds it hard to believe."Yeah. I'll let you know if I see anything."

"All right. Thank you for your time." 

"Does she think we took Dewey?" 

"Oh, who knows? I... She just needs someone else to blame, but she'll get over it." Not anytime soon if her banging on the window is any indication. "I know it was you, Gemma! I know it was you! You just wait and see what happens." 

The officer sees what's going on and intervenes. "Hey. The hell is wrong with you? I just said not to come up here. Come on. Come on. Shouldn't be banging on people's windows." He tries to lead her away from the house. "Do I have to put a court order or something?" 

Later that night, after Cady had fallen asleep, Phoebe was still awake. She closed the manga she was reading and turned to M3gan. "M3gan? Did you push Brandon onto the road?"

"I think we both learned a valuable lesson today. That no matter how hard we try to avoid it, there will always be forces in this world that wish to cause us harm. But I want you to know that I won't let that happen. I won't let anything harm you ever again." The girl got the message. M3gan would do anything to protect her, even kill. She was disturbed and comforted by this realization at the same time. "Do you think what aunt Gemma said is true? That he's in a better place now? Cuz I'm not too sure."

"No. He's nowhere. If heaven exists, it wouldn't be for boys like Brandon now, would it?"

"No." She said simply. Seeing Phoebe was still uncomfortable, M3gan began to sing. The song "Titanium" was one of Phoebe's favorites. 

"Good night, Phoebe."

"Good night, M3gan."

"Dewey?" Celia is out looking for her dog. She rattles a bag of treats. "Dewey?" She shakes the bag again. He loves these. If hears that sound he comes running. Not tonight. Celia heard clattering and wintering in the shed. "Dewey?" More simpering. Is he hurt? "Dewey?" More crying. She opens the door to the shed. No dog, but that creepy doll from next door  "What's going on? Where's Dewey?"

"He's 34 feet southwest and approximately five feet deep." Came the matter of fact reply. This thing killed her dog? "What are you?"

"I've been asking myself that same question." A nail gun and her own pressure washer finished Celia off. 

The cops were back the next morning. "Jesus Christ. I Don't know anything about the dog, okay? Can you just ask her to leave us alone?"

"That might be difficult. Can you tell me your whereabouts last night?" The officer has seen some odd things in his career, but this turn of events is bizarre. Killing someone with a pressure washer? 

"I was here."

"All night?" 

"Yeah."

"Anyone else we could talk to that would verify that?" 

"Um, it's just me and my nieces. So, no, not really." He already knew that of course. 

"My colleague pointed out this is the second statement we've had from you in a week. You were in the park where that boy was killed?" Killed?  "He was hit by a car. Are... are you trying to make a connection?"

"Huh? Oh, no, no, no. God, no. I only mention it 'cause we figured it was an accident. Then I found the kid's ear up this bank 200 yards from where he was killed. Entire thing was ripped clean off." The officer laughs, earning a questioning look from Gemma. "Sorry, I shouldn't laugh. Point is, we're also treating that as a potential homicide. If you remember anything out of the ordinary from that day, we'd sure appreciate it." The missing dog, Brandon's supposed accident, Celia's death. How did this puzzle fit together?