The Zookeeper

Ch. 18: Anderson or Blight

Inside a small shack, Amity woke up, tied to a chair.

"I'm so glad you're awake." Odalia said, "I had my... business partner leave us so we could catch up."

"Catch up on what, exactly? I already figured you were my birth mother, but I haven't the slightest clue on why you're suddenly back." Amity said and couldn't care what she had to say.

"Why, to bring you home of course." Odalia said, "You don't need to be in this disgusting realm, working a disgusting job, surrounded by disgusting people. I already got rid of that one girl that you were with."

"So, it was YOU that shoot Luz!" Amity said as she glared at Odalia. "And what do you mean by "realm?" Are you some kind of witch from another dimension?"

"Actually, yes. I am. And so are you before you left. You stumbled into this filthy place almost twenty years ago." Odalia said as she gestured to the shack. "Haven't you ever wondered why you have pointed ears?"

"It's a rare genetic trait here." Amity said.

"Wow, you have forgotten everything." Odalia said, "Well, let me show you what I'm capable of."

In the woods, Luz was looking with the dogs, but the scent disappeared.

"What kind of magical bullshit is this?" Luz asked.

"You aren't far off." Eda said.

Turning to the voice, Luz and the pack saw Eda leaning against a tree.

"Is she the one who hurt you?!" A member of the pack asked.

"No, she's new but stay on guard." Luz said before she addressed the woman. "Who are you and where is Amity?"

"Well, before you sick your dogs on me, I'm the one who brought her here." Eda said, "But, now that I got paid, I don't care what happens to that bitch. I can help you find her."

"Help? Really?" Luz asked, confused.

"Yep. See I was paid to watch your girlfriend for some time now and I can see that she is WAY happier here than she can ever be back in the demon realm. I'm not the kind of monster that would take that away from someone, even if I was paid to do that." Eda said before she got off the tree and gestured for them to follow her. "Now come on, if you want to save her, she's not far from here."

Luz didn't know if she could trust this woman, and the dogs seem to notice that two.

"Should we attack her?" One asked.

"No, let's see where we get brought to."

Agreeing with Luz, the pack follows her and the strange woman to find her mate.

Meanwhile with Amity and Odalia, they had a nice, long "mother-daughter" talk about where she originally came from. The demon realm, a place where all things fairy tale related are real. Witches, demons, potions, spells, monsters; all of it was real. To further her evidence, Odalia had drawn a spell circle to show Amity a simple light spell, something that honestly amazed her. But it wasn't until Odalia began telling Amity about the "Blight" family and a life she could've had, that made her favor Earth more.

"I think I prefer the life I have. I am loved, I have friends, I have everything I want." Amity said, "All you would do is make me some little puppet that you manipulate, then you would have me married to some guy who could never love me. You would control every aspect of my life. I am Amity Anderson; I will NEVER be Amity Blight."

Odalia frowned at Amity as she stood up and walked towards her.

"You would choose to live her instead of being someone of importance? A common HUMAN?" Odalia asked her.

"That's what I JUST said. Also, I haven't cast a spell in twenty years, I'm pretty much inept at using magic. So, becoming a powerful witch is off the table for me." Amity said with a smirk at the end.

"Do you have any idea how much I spent trying to find you, trying to get you home?!" Odalia asked.

"Do you have any idea how much my REAL parents have spent on raising me?" Amity asked.

"Those humans are not your real parents!" Odalia screamed at her!

"Just because they didn't BIRTH me, doesn't mean they didn't love, care for me, and raise me. You did none of those things and waiting for a long time to come get me, but I think I know why." Amity said as she glared at Odalia. "I RAN from you as a child because you are a horrible woman. A woman that only sees me as a tool instead of a daughter."

Amity felt a hand smack the side of her face.

"You ignorant child! You could never understand the price I paid for this!" Odalia said, "My husband divorced me and ran with your older siblings! I lost millions! I refuse to lose the one thing I need to get my life back!"

"I am not a thing, and I am not your daughter! I am Amity Anderson!" Amity shouted at Odalia.

Odalia growled at her daughter as she pulled her hand back to hit her again before the door to the shack was kicked open!

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY GIRLFRIEND!"