Freak Island

Chapter 42

I opened my eyes to see an empty street with shops lined up on either side of it. The trees lining the walkways had orange, red, and yellow leaves. I saw Fox sitting at a table at the cafe to my left, staring at the only other living person here. It was a young man, he had a laptop in front of him and he was on his phone. He kept glancing at Fox occasionally. I walked closer and saw it was a young version of Molniya, probably about seventeen years old.

"Is this a memory?" I inquired as I came up behind her.

"Yes, it is." She smiled, focusing on the image. "He looks so young, doesn't he?"

I looked at the image before me. She was right, he did look young. Being in a position of power added thirty years to a person. You mostly saw it in the eyes, the extra years. As I thought of the current Molniya, his image appeared next to the younger version. He was leaning against empty air, staring at us. Then a third image of Molniya appeared, he seems to be two years younger than the one I conjured.

"He's aged so much these past two years." She whispered. Concern taking over her features.

Seeing her like this, it was easy to forget. To forget everything that happened and just see a scared, young girl. I wiped my face off all expressions and sat down across from her at the table.

"You said you had information that might change my mind?" I asked coldly.

"I believe so. If not, you're a bigger monster than I thought." She remarked.

"I'm not the monster here." I corrected.

"No, you're a monster here. The other one is me. We are the same, Frederick. The only difference between us is that I know it."

"Is that you're argument? That I don't recognize I'm a monster? Trust me, Fox, I know what I am. It takes a monster to stop a monster." I sneered.

"No, that was to get you to shut up. My argument is that if you start a war with me, you will lose the only family you have left."

"I have no family left. My wife and my daughter are dead. You don't get to talk to me about family because I've seen how you treat "family." I snarled.

"What happened between me and my sister has nothing-"

"I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT YOUR SISTER!" I slammed my hand on the table. "I'm talking about my daughter! She was there for you, she thought of you as a sister! But you weren't there when she died! You didn't even come to the funeral!"

"I was following orders." She answered stiffly.

"Don't lie to me! I know you're the one in charge of your entire people!"

"I was following Selene's orders!" She yelled. "Her dying wish."

"What orders would my daughter have give you that prevented from being there as she died? From going to her funeral?"

"Do you remember the first one of my kind you killed?" She asked softly.

"Answer my question." I demanded.

"After you answer mine." She retorted. I stared her down, willing her to break under the pressure. But after several minutes, I gave in and leaned back in my chair.

"His name was Victor, wasn't it? You were close." I answered. "He was close with you and Molniya."

"Yes, he was. He was very dear friend. He was family." She whispered, staring at the table.

"Look where being your family got him." I sneered. Next thing I knew, she was holding me up out of my chair by my throat.

"Don't disrespect his name." She growled. "You forget you're in my mind. I make the rules. I could crush you and destroy your mind. I have the power here, don't forget that." She let me fall back into my chair and sat down in her own, taking deep breaths. "The reason I made you remember Victor is so I could explain Selene's dying wish." She continued. "Selene and Victor were married, and had a child."