Layla
How can Abbey talk to me like that?
I shovel my burger down and eat my chips four at a time. I'm surprised that I have eaten all of it in such a quick time frame as usually I can't finish my chips let alone my burger but I just did in about two minutes. Maybe it's because I am fuming.
I eye the line of punching bags hung up by hooks and walk over to them. I know it's a bad idea to do any physical exercise after you have just eaten but I have so much built-up anger and frustration aimed at Abbey that it cannot be bottled up.
Circling around the bag, I lash out towards it. The bag violently swings in many directions as I keep on my toes and work up a sweat. Punch and dodge is the pattern I set for myself but soon grow tired of it and urge to hit the bag more, wanting to release all my anger onto it. My punches come swiftly one after the other with hardly a second break between each impact. My breathing is harsh as I keep my focus and continue to unleash enraged destruction all because of Abbey.
After two more intense punches that crease the material of the bag, I feel the strong unusual feeling inside of me again. It feels like something wants to get out and I now realise that it's familiar. I have felt this before.
There were many times back at my shack, even a time with the Bolton's where I felt something within me wanting to explode out - a force of raw power. I just don't know what it was. I also remember that it always happened at times when it was a full moon. I stop sudden from that thought. Oh my.
I was bitten by the monster of Folklore who is a werewolf. A werewolf! I slam my fists into the punching bag as my brain goes into overdrive. I think of my reflection in Maylock's bathroom. My eyes changed colour. They were glowing blue! I've had excruciatingly painful headaches, a very odd amount of strength and experienced an overwhelming sense of smell.
"You know littering is bad" Maylock's voice makes me jump out of my focused thoughts and actions. He's leaning against the wall near the door holding my rubbish of the burger meal I ate so quickly.
"How long have you been there?" I snap, curt as I hold the bag still. I catch sight of my hands. My knuckles have small slits on them. Blood seeps out from two and they throb constantly.
"Long enough to see your display of skills" he smirks. "You said you couldn't fight and yet what I just saw was very impressive, as well as seeing you in action up at Lakeintown with the Mavlins and with Abbey in Guardian of the ring. Where did you learn all that?"
"It doesn't matter but I never should have gone to Lakeintown anyway"
"Oh is that so? Do I recall a quote as to let's kick robotic arse? You said that right after you disintegrated a Mavlin which you timed to perfection I might add. You can fight Layla and you were enjoying every bit of it" he comes over to me.
"You don't know what I like"
"But we all would have found out as that meal was an introductory meal. Well, was supposed to be"
"It's not my fault that it didn't happen." I don't let him pin it on me.
"I'm not saying it is. It wasn't meant to go like that. I talked to Abbey about what happened and she's sorry"
"Yeah, did she also say pigs fly? Like I will ever believe that apology was genuine" I roll my eyes and his own dip to my hands.
"Your hands are cut"
"They are fine" I rebuff him and cover them.
"No, they are not. I've noticed that whenever you say you're fine or okay, you are the total opposite. It's like you don't want our help"
"I don't. I'm used to working things out on my own"
"You don't need to do that now. Come on." Maylock leads me out of the room and into the medical room.
I sit on one on the beds as he puts blue latex gloves on as he walks to one of the metal cabinets and opens both doors to take out a tray. He places what looks like a syringe and a white padded gauze into it.
"This is medilac in liquid form" he peels off the hygienic wrapper and takes out the syringe.
He squirts the liquid onto the gauze pad.
"This will most likely sting" he warns making a move to kneel in front of me.
"Well, it's going to add to what I am already feeling" I nonchalantly remark.
"See, you are in pain" he dabs the gauze onto the open wounds and I have to hiss out in discomfort because of the sudden rise of pain emitting from my hands.
"I'm going to ignore Abbey from now on. She is not my friend" Maylock continues to dab my hands and the stinging gradually lessens.
"So, does that mean I am" he looks up at me, his eyes are as blue as the ocean and I am lost in them for a moment.
"Uh, I don't know. Yeah, I suppose you are" I mutter and look at my hands to distract myself from him and this conversation.
"That's alright then" he says but I don't know whether he is talking about my hands or that I said we are friends. "I have something to show you. Me and Baymin need to explain it. I was going to do it after the meal but you know, Abbey." He huffs, rolling his eyes. "If you want, we can do it now?" he takes his gloves off and disposes of the contents of the tray into a bin.
"Okay, sure" I jump off the bed and walk out with Maylock.
Zack and Abbey are looking at a hologram of Lakeintown projected from the console. I note that Abbey is wearing a change of clothes.
"Sorry about Abbey" Zack whispers, patting me on the back as he walks past me. Abbey on the other hand keeps on alternating her gaze from me and Maylock.
Baymin comes up the stairs from the bedrooms with a picture frame and he places it down so that we can all see it. It's the painting that fell out of the door in Maylock's bedroom, the one with a young Maylock and other man whom I somehow recognise.
"Abbey, Zack take the day off. We'll notify you if anything comes up" Zack nods to Maylock and heads to the wide wooden door without any revolt but Abbey stays put and crosses her arms.
"But what about our date?" she narrows her eyes directly at me almost as if she is trying to make me jealous but that feeling does not cross me.
"It's not a date Abbey. We are trying to find out about Trixala" the annoyance in Maylock's voice is palpable. "Go now" she reluctantly turns around. "That's an order Abbey!" he raises his voice and she sluggishly heads towards the door, one step at a time, literally. God, can she go any slower!
"Now what did you say about this painting when you saw it Layla?" Baymin asks as Abbey eventually leaves the room.
"Well obviously that man on the left is you Maylock. How old are you?"
"Fifteen"
I glance back at the picture, focusing on the other man because he feels so familiar to me. His green eyes and freckles on his face.
"So, when did you start studying the monster?" I quiz, considering his age. "Did you wait until Zack and Abbey came along?" I look at Maylock to see him step back, like he wasn't expecting me to ask this. I mean I know it was random and not linked to this picture, but I'm glad I asked it because of his odd reaction.
"You're very clever Layla" Baymin praises.
"Thank you" I frown from his random compliment "but you didn't answer me Maylock"
"He doesn't need too" Baymin speaks for him.
"I think Maylock can talk for himself" I direct to him as I don't want Baymin to take his voice away. "So, when did you start Maylock?" I make sure that I just look at him and he runs his hand through his hair.
"I started the research on the monster but stopped until Zack and Abbey became Guardians" he replies after a while. "We had little bits, here and there, nothing concrete. We didn't focus on it as much as we are now..."
"...We are studying the monster in more detail now. The information you gave us has been a real help" Baymin interjects, again taking Maylock's voice away. "Now more to the point of this painting" he stops this conversation going any further and from it I know that this is a topic that they don't take lightly, a sensitive topic that they don't like to talk about and I want to find out why. "Does the man of the right ring any bells?"
"Yes, I recognise him" I answer straight away and Maylock and Baymin glance at each other.
"Layla, I should've told you before you got into any of this. You know becoming an angel and seeing the monster" he stops "I should have shown you this from the very start"
"What? Tell me Maylock!"
"Max, the guy on the right, is your dad"