"We all have a Monster within; the difference is in degree, not in kind."
~ Douglas Preston (The Monster of Florence)
~~~~~~~~~~
"Papa?" Blue whispered in disbelief.
The man in front of her tilted his head ever so slightly, studying her. He smiled but it only alarmed Blue. It was a cold, thin smile, nothing like what she had expected. There was not a hint of warmth in it. But his eyes held amusement in them, along with something like...victory?
"Who are you?" Blue asked, her voice choked. No, this man wasn't her papa. He looked like him, yes. But, no way, could this person be him. Where was the person who had written her letters in a diary? Where was the person who had yearned for her Ma's smile?
"I'm your father, Blue," the man said, his voice deep and grating at her like sandpaper. The glee in his voice was barely veiled and Blue knew he was lying. She shivered, not liking the way her name rolled in his tongue – more like a snake hissing than actual human words.
She hadn't seen a lot of her papa as a child but the few memories she did have...none could explain what he had become now. She vaguely remembered curling her hand on his pinkie as they went on a walk. Or the way he had smiled at her when he had entered through the door of their house, still in his uniform and clutching a small suitcase of his belongings, after long months in the sea. Blue had helped him out his shoes too.
Such mundane memories, and yet so precious.
"No." Blue shook her head vigorously. "No! You're not him! What did you do to him?!"
He only chuckled, sadistically pleased by her hysterics. Blue was ready to lunge at him and wrap her tiny hands on his large neck and maybe even tackle him to the ground – if only the man behind her would let her go! But, no, he held her tightly, making any sort of movement impossible.
"There's no need to fight, my Blue. Do not resist," the man-who-was-not-her-papa said.
Blue stilled when he said 'my Blue', her thoughts spiraling to Miracle. Where was he? Was he even safe? Abruptly, as those thoughts occupied her, all the fight disappeared from her body. Despair shrouded her. And she could only look at the man before her in sudden defeat.
"Where are you, Papa?" she whispered, tears forming on her eyes.
Maybe she imagined it but, for a split second, something flashed through his eyes – something almost human before the coldness took over again. But it was enough to give her hope.
"Unfortunately, Blue, you were right," the man began, sneering. "I am not your father. Although, I must say, he provides for an excellent host."
Blue's nostrils flared. "What did you do to him?" she screeched, her voice hoarse with unshed tears. "Who are you?"
The man threw her a chilling smirk. "Why, I thought it'd be obvious by now. I'm Evil, of course."
~~~~~~~~~~
It was the clammy, uncomfortable feeling of dampness that woke up Miracle. His eyes snapped open and he hurriedly sat up, looking down on his clothes that were soaking. He struggled to remember what had happened. The ship...they had separated...and then...then...he was drowning, wasn't he? He remembered the feel of it, the way his breath had cut-off, the way his body had screamed for oxygen as water vengefully cascaded all around him.
And Blue, where was she? What had Warren done to her? And Sherry! Those traitorous people he had thought of as friends! Gah! He should be ashamed of himself.
As panic flared in his chest, he knew he needed to calm down. He started to inspect his surroundings in an effort to clear his racing mind.
He was in a fairly mundane room with a bed -- on which he was sitting – and a desk and closet. It was only when his eyes fell on a picture frame resting on the bedside table that he realised where he was. The photo was of two girls. One distinctly recognisable with her eye-hurting choices of fashion. Sherry. Her arm was slung around another girl who looked like a carbon copy of her. Except, perhaps, the other girl's face was less frown-y and more happy and open. Good Luck.
"So, you're awake," a familiar voice said, brusquely interrupting his thoughts.
"Sherry," Miracle spat, his voice thin and crude, even to his own ears, as he turned to face her. She leaned against the door frame, her shoulders slumped with fatigue. If this was her home, then that meant they were back in Blue's hometown. Sherry must have teleported them here which might explain her fatigue.
For a moment, a silence descended as the either of them regarded each other, a new wall between them. But Miracle couldn't hold on to his pride. He needed to know where Blue was.
His defences broke down as he asked, his voice cracking, "Sherry, please, just tell me where she is."
Sherry's face crumpled. "You know I can't."
"Don't do this. I can still save her. You know I can. You just need to give me some place to start. You don't even have to help--"
"Stop!" she said harshly. "You think this is easy for me? I'm doing it for my sister. But you wouldn't understand. I don't expect you to. And, guess what, Miracle? As much as it pains me, I'd do it all over again, if it meant I could save my twin. I made a deal and I intend to keep it."
"And what about me, Sherry?" he yelled, losing his calm. "What about us? Do you not owe us anything? Were we not friends?!"
She flinched. "Forget it, Miracle. You can't save her. It's too late, anyway. You could never fight him."
Miracle wanted to throw something at her. Or maybe just throw her. Out of the window, preferably.
"Who?!" he demanded one last time.
Of course, he had never expected her to answer. So, when she did, he almost jumped out of his skin.
Sherry walked inside and collapsed on the edge of her bed, as if the burden was becoming too much to bear. Or maybe she had just decided that it no longer mattered whether she said anything or not. Maybe she truly believed it was too late. "It's..." She swallowed and Miracle couldn't help but think if this were a movie, this was where the music would dramatically increase into a crescendo.
"It's Evil, Miracle. He has returned," she finally blurted.
A shocked silence ensued as Miracle gawked at Sherry. The world seemed to tilt at his feet and he had to blindly reach out and grab hold of the bed frame to steady himself.
"E-Evil?" he breathed, his face drained of colour. Sherry nodded miserably.
"What...? How...?" he murmured, tugging on his hair as he sat down heavily on the floor. "I thought he was locked up on the sarcophagus!"
"It's a long story," Sherry said, gazing out the window wistfully, looking as if she wanted to fly away – away from all this mess.
Miracle spluttered, unable to form coherent words before he finally blurted, "And y-you made a deal with Evil?!"
Sherry glared at him. "I had no choice! He had captured my sister!"
Miracle glared right back. "And what about me? Why didn't you deliver me to him?"
"You were never part of the deal, Miracle. I'm sorry about what I did to you on the ship but it was only because I couldn't have you interfering. But you're free now. You can go away. This isn't your fight."
Miracle almost laughed. "Not my fight? Are you really this dense, Sherry? Blue is my friend! She's just a kid, you cruel witch! And unlike you, I protect my friends!"
"This time, Miracle, you cannot be the hero. Give up. I beg of you."
Miracle flinched. "I'm going to save Blue," he said, mustering courage and grit into his voice, but more in an effort to convince himself than Sherry. "What I don't understand is why does he want Blue?"
Sherry raised an eyebrow. "You still haven't figured it out? You know Evil cannot take on a human form, like us. So, he had taken possession of Blue's father, Markus Jennings. He is using him as a host."
Oh.
Oh.
Miracle felt like he had been punched in the gut as Sherry's words sank in. She started to say something else when there was a thud from downstairs. Someone was knocking. The duo exchanged a quick, almost reflexive, look. But Miracle hardly cared anymore. His thoughts were whirling. If Markus was Evil, that only further increased the danger for Blue. He had to find her.
Miracle knew this was his opportunity. While Sherry was distracted, he needed to find a way out. He could climb out the window, he supposed, but they were in the second floor and if he fell, he would definitely break a rib or two—
Miracle's whirling thoughts came to an end when he heard Sherry rush downstairs and unbolt the door. She called out, frustrated, "Who is it?"
Curious, he trudged down a few steps and spotted Sherry standing at the door's threshold, her back to his. A cold draft of wind was blowing through the open door, making Miracle shiver. When he inhaled, he could smell a sting in the air. It seemed like a storm was approaching.
"There's no one here--" Sherry started to say in annoyance but stopped short. She bent down to pick something up from under the 'Welcome!' door mat, her eyebrows drawn together. It was a piece of paper with something scribbled in it. When Sherry read it, her face drained of colour.
"What is it?" Miracle asked, snatching the letter from her.
His eyes skimmed through the words and he finally understood the distressed expression on Sherry's face.
The letter was short, to-the-point and almost bitterly laughable:
You delivered Blue to me like you promised. And, for that, you shall be generously rewarded. But, unfortunately, our deal had a time limit. Since you were unable to complete it within the deadline, our bargain is valid no longer.