Forlot: Welcome to the Dummy House - Book Forty-One

Chapter Forty

I blinked rapidly. I was shocked. Then confused. Then returned to being angry. I knew that Jack was fibbing. No way would he want me to end his life. How could I trust the guy who pretended to not know where Alexis was? Who transformed her into a doll against her will?

He turned them against their wills - right? The victims did not choose to be lifeless puppets. Never would I be a doll.

I snatched the gun so he could not shoot me and Owen and pointed it at him. My blood was boiling. "You truly think that I am stupid."

Jack raised his hands and tilted his head to the side. "I do not think that you are, Janice. I never figured that a bright person like you was an idiot. I wanted to be your friend. I still do. And I know that you feel the same."

"Shut up. Just shut up. I am done with you. Done. Just turn my sister back so I never have to see you again."

"That is impossible, Janice. My house is next to yours." He walked past me and into my house. "We will always be neighbors. We are bound to run into each other. Let us not forget school."

"Not another peep - or I will not hesitate to shoot you." I closed the door and locked it. "I do not want to. But I will."

"May I say one more thing?"

I gasped when Owen ran to him and punched his face. Jack fell on his back and covered his face. I did not feel sorry for him. Sort of. I put a hand on Owen's shoulder and told him to relax. He glanced at me and took a few deep breaths and let them out slowly. No need for him to do anything that he will regret. Jack had to work his magic first.

Owen's fist was clenched so tightly that I saw the veins. His face was redder than a tomato. "I want to beat him up for everything that he has put us through."

"I know. But fighting solves nothing. It will never undo the past. Best that we call the police so he will suffer as much as we did. Maybe more."

"You will do no such thing."

Goosebumps covered my skin. The hairs on the back of my neck stood. Owen and I turned around. I aimed the gun at the person and said, "You."

Standing at the bottom of the stairs was the mafia doll. He was pointing a gun similar to mine at us and played with his hat on his head. He laughed and ordered us to step away from Jack and threatened to kill us if I never dropped my gun. I should have known that Jack would bring reinforcement.

I managed to remain calm somehow and got in front of Owen. I was not scared of him or Jack. I was too angry to be. I just wanted Jack and living dummies out of my life.

"You want Jack? You can have him," I said. "He can go after he turns my sister back to normal."

The mafia dummy put a finger on the trigger. "Jetzid is coming home - and so will you."

"'Jetzid'?" Owen repeated the strange name. "What is a Jetzid?"

Jack stood and dusted off his suit. "It is me. Jack is not my name. It is Jetzid."

Why am I not surprised that he lied about his name?

"I changed my name so nobody would get suspicious. I befriend students to see if they are worthy. If they have a good heart like Janice here, I spare them. If not...you know the rest."

I kept my eyes on the dummy. "Did it ever occur to you that their families would miss them? They love them - just like that my parents love Alexis."

"I did it to help kind people like you and this world. I-I hate seeing evil getting away with its crimes. I...I could not sit there and do nothing. Please understand. Please tell me that you forgive me. I did the wrong things...for the right reasons."

I raised my voice. "Two wrongs do not make a right. I-I know that you want to make the world a better place. I hope every day that folks would better themselves. But it will only get worse and worse. It will never get better no matter how much we try. Take God out of the world and watch it crumble."

Jack - Jetzid - gripped my hand. "Folks like you should not be related to the evil, let alone deal with them. It is unfair. I feel bad that Alexis is your and Olive's sister."

I glanced at him and jerked my hand free. "I will knock you out if you touch me again."

"Sorry." He took a step forward. "Matita. Put down the gun. Janice and Owen are not threats. I will return in a minute. Did you bring Anita?"

"Now why would I bring Anita?"

"We agreed to free her when her memory was erased."

Owen bumped into me. I managed to keep my balance and trained the gun back on Matita. But he was gone. I stayed close to the boys as my eyes darted around.

Where did he go?

Owen grabbed Jetzid's collar. Their faces were so close that their noses touched. "You erased her memory?!"

Jetzid grasped my friend's shirt. "Just the memories of me and my family. She will remember you and Janice."

"I want to see her. Now."

"I will fetch her after I tend to Alexis. I promise."

I suddenly felt this sharp pain in my stomach. I uttered a horrified gasp and held my stomach. I dropped to my knees and glanced at my hand. Blood. Bright red blood on my hand. I was bleeding.

The boys got on my level. Jetzid checked my poor belly and gasped.

"She has been shot."