The Oddities of Grand Marquis - Book 3: Elegant Armageddon 🪼✔️

Third

A/N: there is A LOT of talking in this because it's a lot of explanations. it looks like a lot but it actually doesn't take that long when said out loud. just forewarning. i apologize in advance

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MAX

I heard the door open to the bedroom after hearing Dawaen yelling in there. Kole was trying to slip past without talking to me but I couldn't let it go. I looked at Mars, who had fallen asleep at the console and then at the door where Kole had gone to. I sighed, knowing I was going to have to confront him. I got up and went to the bathroom, opening the door. Kole was brushing his teeth and I thought he heard me, so I stood there waiting for him. He spit out the foam and stood back up, yelling at my reflection in the mirror and turning around. I didn't really know what to say so I tried to find something to talk about. I found my eyes gravitating to his stomach and I remember Dawaen telling me the aliens had done experiments on him and Kole.

"Dawaen said you guys got impregnated on the ship."

"Y-yeah..."

I thought he'd have more to say but I guess me being alive and having to face your demons was still shocking to him. He seemed nervous and fidgety and finally I knew that I was going to have to pull the confession out of him.

"Kole, we need to talk."

He knew what I meant and he turned back around, finishing brushing his teeth and turned the water off. He brushed past me and left the room. I blinked in confusion and then followed him.

"Kole."

"What?'

"We need to talk."

"No, we don't."

"Yes, we do. Don't you dare ignore me."

"You're not real. You're just another figment of my imagination. It's just like it was on the ship. You're not Max. You're an alien pretending to be Max."

I watched him go around the kitchen, looking for something, and then he snapped his fingers, realizing he had to go to the replicator thing.

"A plate of Twizzlers, the red ones."

A plate of Twizzlers appeared and he moved around the island again, trying to avoid me. I breathed in and grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Kole, stop."

"Let me go."

"Why did you let him do that to me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Stop avoiding the question! Kole! Answer me!" I yelled, starting to get angry and still very confused.

Why was he doing this? Why couldn't he just answer the question? I mean, even Dawaen apologized for what he had done but Kole was my friend... or so I thought. I needed to know why he didn't try to help me. I put my hand to my head, trying not to remember that night, but it was slowly coming back to me. I could see him so plainly... the way he looked at me, the way he didn't move...

"Kole, please... Please just tell me why you didn't help me?"

"I don't have an answer." He said, keeping his back to me. "I can't give you an answer."

"You have to have one!"

"No, I don't!" he yelled, turning to me, his eyes wide. "I don't have to tell you anything and I don't have to have an answer for you."

"I don't understand..." I said, feeling those old feelings come up within me.

I know it's been two years, but for me it hasn't changed. I haven't been able to grow as a person like everyone else has. I've been stuck in a tank with nothing but my own thoughts and wishes to contend with. To me, Kole was still a friend... even though he did what he did.