Daddy Dearest
1425 Words
We had returned to the school and Marisol had immediately brought me into my room.
"How did you do that?" She asked me.
"What?" I asked her, confused.
"How did you purge them?" She was grasping my hands tightly in hers and searching my face. "You really don't know what happened did you?" I shook my head slowly. She dropped my hands and walked away from me, before turning back around sharply. "You sent out a huge surge of energy. Whatever you did literally blasted out whatever the hell animates the zombies. They just dropped. I felt it happen. I could feel them all and then I felt a shockwave of pure energy and when it dropped, they did too. I can't believe you did that and didn't even realize it."
"I don't understand how that is possible. I didn't even feel my powers flare." I told her. I was shocked at what she was telling me but it made more sense than anything else did.
"Something is different about you now. I can feel your power, even though you aren't using it. Your aura is blindingly white. Like a beacon. It's like you unlocked something inside of yourself." Marisol seemed more confused than I did, if that was possible.
"I don't know how or why but I do feel different. Like my body is lighter somehow." She came closer to me and I realized I could feel her too. Though her power felt like a nightlight in comparison. Why was I so strong?
"What happened with you and Branson?" She asked.
"What do you mean?" I tried to play dumb but she had seen us and known immediately that something had happened.
"Don't do that. It was pretty obvious between his pants and your hair. He smiled at us when we got there. I don't think I have ever seen him smile before." She stopped suddenly before her face lit up. "That's what did it. Something about Branson and you unlocked something inside of you. How though? What's different about him?" She didn't seem to actually be asking me the questions anymore, just saying things out loud.
"That had to be it. Otherwise I would have noticed what I was doing right?" I said.
"I would imagine so. Power like that could only be masked by some intense feelings. Why didn't it work with Jimmy though? I know you uh...enjoyed yourself with him. So, why didn't it activate before?" She was asking me this time but before I could answer, another voice did.
"Because she don't love me." Jimmy said. Marisol and I both whirled to face him, shock plain on my face.
"Jimmy, I-" He held up a hand and cut me off.
"Laura, don't worry about apologizing. It's not like I'm in love with you either. I never had any illusions that this was gonna be some happy ever after. If Branson is who you want, I'm not gonna stand in the way. We're friends and this doesn't change a thing." He smiled at me. "Plus, I'll always know what you look like naked. I'm sure that'll help me sleep at night." He winked and we all laughed. I was very grateful that Jimmy was such a good friend. I had been worried about how he would take the news.
"So we know now." Marisol said. "You love Branson and something about it caused a power surge. I wonder if Scott has any answers. He's always researching, so he's gotta know something." She walked out of the room, presumably to go find Scott. This left Jimmy and I alone.
"I do want to apologize, Jimmy. I know you aren't angry but I should have respected you enough to talk to you before anything happened." I said to him. He waved a hand at me and scoffed.
"Honestly, I feel like I'm the one who was disrespectful. I knew how you two felt about each other and I should have stepped back sooner." He said this as he walked to the bin of movies I had and began to rifle through them. "So, what kind of movie are we in the mood for tonight? Horror, comedy, " He looked at me and wagged his eyebrows. "Romance?" I threw a pillow at him as he cackled and put a DVD in to watch. He grabbed the pillow and sat down in the usual movie spot. I joined him after only a moments hesitation.
"So, what did you pick?" I asked him.
"Hopefully it's not a s**t movie, I know you have the worst cinematic taste." Scott walked through the door with Marisol in tow. I caught her staring at his butt while he watched and raised my eyebrows at her as she locked eyes with me. She blushed and came to sit next to me. The four of us began the movie. Scott was right, Jimmy always chose really corny movies. I think this was one of those spoof movies that made fun of all the popular stuff that was relevant when it was made. It was truly terrible but we all laughed anyway and enjoyed ourselves. Scott and Marisol kept looking at me and I knew they had something to say but they weren't ready to say it.
Pam came in at some point and brought us snacks, she was like the mom to the entire group. After a brief popcorn war, we all settled back and relaxed. We each chose a movie but sometime during the third one, I fell asleep. When I woke, I found the others all passed out around me. Marisol had her head on Scott's shoulder and I couldn't help but grin and miss camera phones. This would have been a perfect moment to snap a photo.
"Well, it's time to face the music, I guess." I said to myself. I was trying to build up the confidence I needed to talk to Branson. I wandered into the hall and found that everything was silent. Strange considering that when the sun was up, there was almost always noise from the others.
"Hello?" I called out, walking to the community room. I checked rooms along the way and found them all empty. Something didn't feel right. I ran to the roof and looked around, finding nothing but a thick fog enveloping the school. As I looked around I realized I had seen this fog before, in a dream.
"I know you're here. Come out!" I shouted into the fog, knowing that the man whose voice I had heard before was here. With an evil chuckle, he emerged from the fog, to stand on the roof.
"Smart girl." He said. This was the first time I had seen him and I was shocked at how beautiful he was. He looked like a model. Perfect bone structure framed ice blue eyes and a perfect pout. He had long flowing blonde hair and perfect teeth. He was very tall, easily over 6' tall and built like a linebacker.
"Are you my father?" I asked him, remembering that Marisol had said that her father came to her in dreams.
"Your friend has taught you much I see." He said, gliding to stand right in front of me. "Yes, I am your father, Laura. You have surpassed my expectations in power though you do not follow direction well. I don't believe I told you to stop heading west." He told me.
"Well, your advice got two of us killed so forgive me for not wanting to take any more suggestions from you." I said defiantly. I did not get a good vibe from him and he made my hair stand on end.
"It wasn't advice, daughter, it was an order. Though you are quite wrong in thinking that Sheila is dead. She lives on, serving a higher purpose with your brother. He understands the stakes. He takes orders like a good child." As he spoke my mind whirled with this new information. Levi was my brother? Sheila was alive? What higher purpose was she serving and what were the stakes? There was one question that burned within me though and I dreaded the answer. I knew I was not going to like what he had to say.
"What is your name?" My voice was quiet with this question, as I was sure I knew the answer already. There was no way that Levi, my brother, was evil and twisted without good reason.
"Oh ,Darling, I am Lucifer. Please, do call me Dad though."
- Writer
