The Scroll of Knowledge

Chapter 25

Diego stepped towards her. Thomas stood between them. He wasn't above murder in public and apparently neither was Brennan whose hand was where his gun was.

"I told you to stay away," Diego growled.

"I did," Shay said. "I had no idea you'd be here."

"You told her to stay away?" Dennis asked. "Why would you do that?"

"Because she's dangerous," Jeannie Curtis said. She looked down her nose at Thomas. "Who knows what she gets up to with that servant of her. You don't want don't know the things she's done."

"The things you forced me to do!" Shay shouted. "You're the ones who locked me in a prison for sixteen years. You're the ones who gave Samuel control over me. You're the ones who let him turn me into a killer!"

Dennis and Leroy looked horrified.

"And don't you dare call Thomas a servant," Shay said through her teeth.

"What?" Dennis asked softly. "They did what?"

"You heard me," Shay said. "And I would still be stuck in those tunnels if I hadn't escaped."

Dennis took a step towards her.

"Stay away from her!" Diego shouted. "She was the one who killed Samuel, your brother."

"He was my brother as well and I wasn't the one who killed him. He died as a consequence of hiring someone to kill a man's wife and unborn child," Shay said. A tear ran down her cheek. "Even after everything, I couldn't kill him. I didn't kill Samuel!"

Dark clouds formed in the sky.

"That's not supposed to happen," Amber said.

"Shay, we need to leave," Thomas said.

"No. I'm not leaving yet. I'm not done talking to the sperm donor, the incubator and my replacements," Shay said. The clouds got darker. "Why? That's the question that has been on my mind for almost two decades. Why? Why did you abandon me? Why did you leave me in those tunnels? How could you do that to me? You're supposed to be my parents! Did you hate the fact that I was a girl? Was that it? If it was, then why didn't you just abort me? Why didn't you just kill me from the beginning? Why let me get to know my brothers and then drag me away from them? Why?"

Lightning crackled above them. Amber, Brennan and Axel backed away from her.

"Shay," Thomas said, more urgently this time. "We have to leave."

"I want to hear their answer." She ripped off her shades. "Look me in the eye and tell me why you did that to your own flesh and blood."

"Shay, your eyes," Dennis said. "Are you sick? Are you going blind? You were feeling cold. I'll take you to the hospital."

Thomas would not kill Dennis, or Leroy who was still looking confused. He was still considering murder for the two parents.

"No. This is something they allowed Samuel to do to me. Something I wouldn't wish on anyone," Shay said. "But they did. Samuel would not have done it without their permission."

Dennis reached out and held her arm. "Shay, I'm sorry. I knew you were real and I didn't look for you but you're here now and if you're sick then we can find someone to help you."

Shay turned to Dennis. "Denny, for your sake, I'm glad you never came looking for me."

Thunder crashed.

"Shay!" Thomas shouted. Small pieces of ice fell from the sky.

"They haven't answered me yet!"

The pieces were getting bigger.

"You'll kill us!" Jeannie said. "Stop this!"

"Answer me!"

"Brennan, go back to the house," Thomas said. He grabbed Shay around the waist with his metal arm.

"Let me go!" she yelled. She kicked and pounded on his arm. "I have to get an answer. I'll make them give me an answer!"

Thomas typed in the coordinates for Easter Island. The hail stones were falling even bigger now.

"Dennis!" Diego shouted. He tried to pulled his son to safety. "You have to get away from her."

"No! I just got back my sister. You're not taking me away from her again!" Dennis shouted. "Shay!"

Thomas pressed the teleport button. She struggled and kicked at him. His entire arm was frozen solid and ice was traveling up his chest to his neck. He tapped his tattoo on the stone and dragged her through the portal.