A Fishy End

Chapter 71

Holly came to lying on the floor of Lydia's living room. Looking around, it seemed the entire neighbourhood was there. Nicky huddled in the corner nearby. She looked cried out for the time being, but weary and uncertain. Maggie was on the couch, cradling her two girls close to her body.

Rick was there too. A normal Rick. He sat on a kitchen chair in the middle of the room. His head was tilted back, a thick raw steak across his face. He groaned and repositioned the steak, revealing the largest bruise Holly had ever seen. Rick's wife and kids were there, off to one side, watching the proceedings nervously.

Lydia was dabbing Caleb's forehead with a damp cloth, her face drawn. Ryan sat in one chair with a towel wrapped around his foot. Jack was in the easy chair, his chest tube at his side.

Everyone looked drawn, weary, and uncertain. Except for Zoey and Dr. West. They were in the dining room area. The table was covered with bottles and containers of all sorts. The two had their heads bent together as they mixed and brewed something in an electric tea kettle.

"I only took a couple of potion's classes," Dr. West was saying, "but man, tonight feels like old times." She smiled at Zoey.

"Yeah," Zoey said. "Thought I was coming home to get away from the excitement for a change." She too seemed in a good mood. She looked no worse for the fight, or for having turned into whatever the fell beast had been. Holly shuddered at the memory.

"I can't believe you guys are willing to forgive us," Rick said. "After all we did."

"No one said anything about forgiveness," Jack growled from his seat.

"Yeah," Justin said from his. "This isn't anything about forgiveness. When your time comes, you will have to pay for what you've done. I believe that."

"In the meantime, though," Lydia said, "we all agreed. Going to the authorities with this story will just get us all locked up in the looney bin."

"And believe me," the doctor put in, "that's the last thing you want."

"So what's the solution?" Holly asked, holding her groggy head.

"Respite, Respite and Nepenthe!" Zoey declared cheerfully, holding up a chalice. Smoke rolled from the top and spilled down the sides. "Quaff, Oh quaff this kind nepenthe."

"What's a nepenthe?" Esther asked, eyeing the chalice.

"A potion of forgetfulness," Dr. West said. "As to forgiveness, I cannot say. But know this, the old ones are clever and cruel. Stronger men than these have succumbed to their charms. Zoey is right. It is best to break the bond, forget their touch entirely."

Zoey came over to Holly, holding out the chalice. "What you saw, few can withstand. Few can stare into that darkness and not go mad. You are not one of them. Drink and forget."

Holly took the chalice uncertainly and drank. The liquid was warm and had a bitter taste, but soon a sense of comfort began to spread through her limbs. Nicky drank next and then, for the first time in months, put her arms around Holly. "We'll get through this, somehow," she said.