Static Reflections: Book 1 of The M... - Chapter 47: Chapter 47

All of the remaining animals from the Black Cross' attack sat still at the moment after Leah had greeted her father. The dead bodies were still slumped over the end of the table where Leah sat, blood continuing to drip onto the floor below. The wine glasses the vampires had left stood on the table as if waiting for the Black Cross to return to finish their feasts of scarlet ichor. A breeze blew in from the shattered windows with their jagged glass lining the edges, the creme-colored curtains moving in the wind. The candles around still burned brightly and the three chandeliers swayed slowly in the breeze.
Everyone was still reeling from what had just happened, still quaking and breathing heavily in fear that their assailants might come back at any moment. Molly, in particular, was highly freaked out, sobbing quietly, red splattered against her cheek. Gerald just stared at Marcel's cold open eyes, unmoving and forever gazing into nothing. His face was still beaten up from being slammed on the table, blood caked underneath his nose. Tyler was looking toward the door where Pierce had run to, confused about that entire situation. Boris was staring right at Leah, waiting for her to speak.
"Pierce, you can come out!" the young witch called, and all heads turned as they peeked out from behind the kitchen door, once again a lemur. They came out and sat down in their seat once more, quietly. "Is everyone okay?" Leah asked.
"N-no, Leah! We're fucking terrified!" Molly yelled, still shaking.
"Untie them," Leah told the other females around her, and they began coming over and working the knots on each of the animal's bondages. Once they were free, everyone moved their hands, opening and closing them as if they were testing whether they still worked.
"That was . . . f-fucking insane," Tyler stated, swallowing dryly.
"M-Marcel . . ." Molly whispered. "Oh, god, what the fuck just happened . . . ?"
Leah stood up. "Everyone, grab your chair and let's leave this room. Her friends didn't move, waiting for everyone to exit. "Girls, mind cleaning up?"
The victims all carried their chairs out into the foyer of the mansion, moving slowly and warily. They set them down in a circle formation and sat under the chandelier. Clockwise, the circle went Leah, Gerald, Molly, Boris, Tyler, and Pierce.
Gerald stared at the floor. "I can barely process what just happened. Have my kids been involved with demons this entire time?"
Leah straightened her dress. "Those weren't demons. That's a whole other fiasco."
"D-Demons aren't gonna come for us now, right?!" Molly asked, glancing around, messing with her hands.
Gerald placed an arm around her, holding her close.
Boris sighed at the sight of his father finally hugging one of his children after so long. Of course, it wasn't him. He was just thankful that his father was still alive, at least. "I'm sorry. This is my fault."
"I feel so shitty," Pierce said, their legs pulled to their chest, messing with their colorful shoes. "If I weren't here, this wouldn't have happened . . . ."
"It's not your fault," Tyler said. "It's . . . him. Boris told us that he told him to bring you here."
"Him? Him who?" Gerald asked.
Boris gazed at him, trying to find words. "I . . . can't tell you."
"If he's the cause of all of this, maybe we can get authorities involved-"
"No!" Boris almost shouted.
"Dude, did you not understand what just happened?" Tyler shook his head. "Those were vampires! What the hell are authorities going to do?!"
Gerald looked at Leah. "So . . . are you a vampire, too?"
"No." Leah shook her head. "I'm a witch. Those girls are part of my coven."
Gerald stood up. "I . . . I need to go lay down. Or something."
Leah raised her hand, her bracelet tinkling with its trinkets. "No, dad. You can't go. We have a matter to discuss."
Molly huffed. "How long have you been . . . this under our noses? Are you even our sister?"
"Ouch," Leah frowned, putting a hand on her chest. "I didn't choose to be a witch, Mols. I was born like this, and we're triplets, so I am for sure your sister."
Molly nodded. "Ah, yeah . . . How long have you known?"
"Since sophomore year."
"Wh-why didn't you tell us?" Molly spoke nervously and looked at her as if she were afraid Leah would cast a curse on her at any moment.
"Being part of a coven means you need to follow the rules," Leah explained.
"So, what's going on with Boris?" Gerald asked. "Who was he talking about?"
Boris looked down. "I . . . can't tell you, dad. I just can't."
The adult otter crossed his arms, seeming to play some sort of game in his head and deciding on which words won. "And this lemur here is a vampire?"
"I swear I just found out!" Pierce held their hands up. "I'm a good one!"
"I'm just confused about why they attacked us," Gerald said. "Scratch that. I'm baffled about everything and am starting to think I had a little bit too much to drink."
"We were attacked because they wanted Pierce to join them," Tyler explained. "I can't believe they found them so quickly."
"Well, remember they said they were watching me . . . ." Pierce explained. "It's all a series of unfortunate circumstances."
"It's horrible!" Molly cried out. "I've never been that terrified in my life! I thought we would never see the sun tomorrow."
"Well, I won't," Pierce answered.
"It's because we've never experienced anything like that," Boris told his sister. "Well . . . you at least."
"And just what is it you've been going through?" Gerald asked.
The younger male otter began messing with his hands, similar to Molly's actions from before. And he didn't know why, but it just came out. "I murder innocent animals to feed a demon that's using me as its vessel."
Gerald and Molly stared at him like they didn't believe it, then his father's face fell into one of great horror. "You're serious?"
"Yes," Boris nodded. "I'm even getting better at it."
It looked like Gerald's heart was about to stop. "Son . . . my boy. . . ." His eyes grew shiny in the light of the chandelier, and he buried his face in his hands. "I failed my kids . . . ."
"No." Boris's fists tightened in anger. "You don't get to do this. Not now."
Gerald looked up. "What?"
Boris stood up. "You don't get to care all of a sudden. This whole conversation has shown what kind of father you are. And apparently, you're no father at all. You knew none of these things were happening to Leah or me, and yet you favorited Molly for no reason. Why? What does she have that we don't?"
"It's not like that . . . ." Gerald shook his head.
"Really?! You have so many chances to hug or spend time with us, but you choose to drink instead, calling it 'business.'"
Leah looked at Gerald. "What?"
Molly gazed at him as well. "You went back to drinking?"
Gerald knew they were cornering him. ". . . . Yes. I'm not going to lie, kids. Being a single parent is challenging, and I'm not completely well in the head. Often, I'd rather have my head in the clouds than be grounded, dealing with my emotions."
"You're not a parent," Boris hissed. "You didn't even try. You let mom manipulate you into being someone you weren't and didn't even realize she was having an affair. You don't notice anything."
Tyler and Pierce sat, simply watching the family drama unfold with widened eyes.
Leah stood up, now. "Boris, now's not the time. You both just got attacked . . . ."
But Boris couldn't help the anger he felt. He shook his head. "He doesn't get to care all of a sudden now that he watched a bunch of animals he didn't really care about die. He doesn't get to look now. It's not fair."
Gerald sighed. "Look, Boris . . . After all of this, I just want to protect you. Maybe we can spend more time together, as a family."
"No," Boris said. "I'm a killer, and that somehow didn't fully get through to you. You should be terrified of me, and you can't even do that!"
"Because I'm in shock!" Gerald argued. "I can barely process what's going on . . . I need a drink."
"Oh, great, yeah. Turn to the alcohol," Boris spat. "That's just like you."
Molly sniffled, listening to the exchange. "Boris . . ."
"No! I'm not going to feel sorry for him after years of this! I just can't! Maybe I'm still on edge from earlier, but these feelings have been building up for a long time!"
"And you wanted to make a show of it in front of your friends?!" Gerald asked.
"I would have made a show of it if we were alone or surrounded by a hundred people. Did you even know I hate crowds? Do you know anything about me besides the things you picked out for me or what I've just told you?!"
Gerald's mouth opened, then shut.
"Guys!" Leah stepped between them. "I know this is, like, a moment for you and all, but we need to focus on moving forward."
"H-how do we do that?" Molly asked. "Therapy?"
Tyler threw his head back. "I don't think I'd ever forget something like that. That was insane."
Pierce sighed. "Maybe if I'd just gone with them, you'd all be okay. I didn't want to get in the middle of anything . . . ."
The witch shook her head. "No. Now we have to protect you after seeing what the Black Cross is like. So you don't end up like them."
The lemur shuddered. "Wh-what if they come back? They'd kill all of you, then!"
"We could learn how to fight," Tyler suggested, scratching his cheek.
"I'll put a protection spell on the house," Leah told them. "Immediately. They won't be getting back in. That means, Boris, on your little excursions, you need to be careful."
"You're fine with him killing animals?!" Gerald gasped. "And you're gonna keep this vampire in my house?!"
Leah sighed. "If you want to forget what just happened . . . our coven has a way. We got it from the Mortal Guard. It's the same spell they use to modify their clients' memories."
The older otter's form perked. "Modify?"
"Yes," Leah began. "I can modify your memories so that you forget any of this happened or that the caretakers died. It won't live with you for the rest of your life, and you'll go back to knowing nothing about Boris and I. You too, Molly."
"I want it," Molly told her, standing up quickly. "I don't want to deal with this forever. I'm not strong enough."
Gerald looked to his so-called "favorite" daughter. "A-are you sure? Are there any dangerous effects?" He looked back at Leah.
"No. Only that it's very effective," Leah explained. "You won't remember a single thing."
Gerald looked at the animals around the room, then toward the direction of the dining room where the tragedy occurred. "I . . . wouldn't know how to proceed from here if I didn't."
"That's how life is!" Boris groaned. "Things happen, and you just have to learn how to deal with it. I've been doing it my whole life! Are you really going to run again?"
A sad gaze crept across Gerald's face. "I'm sorry . . . ."
Boris turned around, looking at the floor. "You know, it's better this way. We were doing just fine before all of that happened, and we'll continue to do it while you live your merry alcoholic life. And once I'm cured, maybe you'll hug me by choice."
"I can hug you now," Gerald offered, stepping closer.
"Don't," Boris muttered. "I don't want you to."
The older otter's arms lowered, staring at the turned back of his boy. "I see how it is, then." He faced Leah. "I don't know what the hell any of this is or if I ever will, but . . . I'm ready to get back to business and leave it behind. I think it's better for everyone."
Tyler gazed up at Boris, both of them staring at each other with pain in their eyes. Pierce stared at the floor, continuing to pick at their shoe.
Leah nodded, her sad gaze spread across her face at everything that had happened. She was willing herself to be strong. "And you're both sure? I can't reverse something like this."
Molly nodded. "Just get rid of the memories, please."
Gerald looked back at Boris, then nodded slowly. "Yes, Leah. I'm ready to forget."
"Come with me to the dining room, then." Leah waved the pair along, and they followed. The door swung shut behind them, and the remaining group could hear only faint mumbling as the trio spoke.
Boris dropped to his knees, simply staring forward in dismay at the turn of events. Now he truly knew what kind of man his father was.