"What is that boy up too?" Cupid asked his wife as he stared at the fenced area and the newly dug pond.
"I have no idea but I can't wait to find out." Hayley said.
"Hayley...do you think this is going to work? I mean, if it doesn't it'll be very bad for all of us. And then I went and got my brother involved..."
"Don't do that, don't you dare start having second thoughts Cupid, we're too close now. This is going to work, it has to work."
Comet had been working none stop, he was close to seeing the creature he'd imagined come to life. At the back of his mind the thought of, if I mess this up I'm dead circled round and round like a mantra, pushing him to perfect his equations and chemical combinations.
Finally, after so many days of hard work, the final result was a green liquid, but the experiment was still incomplete. Comet needed machines and equipment that could only be found at the Science Lab in town, he doubted that they would let him wander in there and touch things. He could do one of two things, he could do an internship for his school or he could go on a tour and sneak away. He opted for the tour, with his mind manipulation abilities he was sure that he could convince everyone to leave him alone.
As soon as the bell rang to signal the end of school on Monday, Comet caught a cab to the Science Lab, the flask containing his concoction hidden away beneath his thick jacket, it was much too valuable to have broken in his school bag.
The sun was still high when Comet got home, a single seed was tucked away inside his pocket. He ran out to the backyard and got to work planting the seed with love and care.
A few days later he had some more age appropriate drama to deal with. Sheree, Chanel's daughter had a huge crush on her distant cousin and she couldn't see what he saw in that skinny, rough-necked Demetria. Chanel had called up Cupid and told him to have Comet take Sheree to the dance, of course Sheree was oblivious to this fact, the forward young woman thought that one dance meant that Comet was in to her. Somehow she and Demetria got into a huge fight at school the next day, Sheree proceeded to stalk Comet every day since.
"Did you leave the twig yet?" Sheree asked Comet.
"Sheree, I already told you, I'm not leaving Demetria for you, there's nothing between me and you, stop this madness."
"You'd better grasp the opportunity while it's presenting itself, because once this," She motioned at her body, "Walks away, it's never coming back."
"Really? It should get to walking then." The young man said this without any pun intended.
Cupid had been gifted a new car after he did a promotion for the dealership, he loved his new ride nearly as much as he loved his children and was glad when Justin invited him to a party so that he would have the opportunity to flaunt his new ride.
"My famous cousin Cupid's here!" Justin announced when he opened the door to allow his Cupid in. "I'm so glad you came Cupid."
"It's the least I can do." Cupid folded his arms. "So, how are you and your sister coping with..."
Justin sighed. "We'll always miss Dad and the madness he spoke, I'm sure it will be some time before we get over losing him."
Cupid pulled his younger cousin in for a hug, "Uncle Ice was an...interesting fellow but he's gone to be with Aunt Sharla now, I'm sure they're up there somewhere being happy together."
"Thanks man."
Shawn put herself between the two men. "Justin, I shall see you a bit later, for now your cousin and I need to speak."
"Sure Shawn." Justin gave the woman a wide smile which made Cupid shudder, she had her nails dug into another one of his family members, Cupid's eyes narrowed at her.
"That look you're giving me Winter, I do not like it at all."
"Good." Cupid sneered. "What is up with you and my family? I have no idea what you're plotting for Justin in your sick twisted mind, but you'd better leave him the hell alone."
Shawn grinned widely, showing off her fangs. "See Cupid, that is why I adore you! You're so strong, so passionate." Her eyes probed his body as if he were standing before her naked, soon she would have him. "Justin is one of my walking plasma packs, you would have known if you or your wife had made it to my last party."
"What do you want Shawn?" Cupid asked through clenched teeth.
"I'll be at your daughter's party, it's time I check up on your household, personally."
Justin had slinked back over to the vampires, he had a desire to be near Shawn.
"What do you want from my children?"
"Hayley never explained?" Shawn laughed, "Technically they're my children, they were born for me, to do my bidding just as everyone in this clan does. Your younger one, she is as useless as her cousins, the girls can be used for reproductive purposes though."
"My children are not livestock."
"No, the useless humans are, they are just above them. You seem stressed Cupid Winter, no worries, soon you shall be my mate and then all will be well."
"I don't understand, why didn't you just make me your mate from the beginning? Why didn't you just have my babies?"
Shawn smirked, "I am an ancient vampire, my time for having children has long past. I've given up the ability to reproduce for immortality and the ultimate power." She winked and strode away.
Cupid watched as Justin scampered off behind his clan leader, he was ready to go home now. As Cupid was preparing to leave his eyes rested on an elderly woman, for a second he was confused as to who she was, after a quick prob of her brain he was shocked when he realized that the woman was Coco, it hardly seemed like time had passed at all, yet his daughter would be a woman soon and everyone that he had grown up with were reaching or already at old age.
Comet tended to the plant as if it were his child, he spoke to it, watered it and used the best fertilizers. He couldn't wait to see the creature that would emerge, or to see people's reactions to it.
But with one experiment growing in the backyard, Comet had already begun research on another one. He's thought that he'd discovered a way to bring people back to life, but it failed miserably, apparently, bringing people back to life did not work the same way it did with bringing imaginary friend to life. While he was exploring the Science Lab he had happened upon a book by a certain Snowie Winter, Theories of Aging, Immortality and Rebirth, he had also found a sloppily put together manuscript by Rudolph Winter called Thin Lines: Life & Death. Both theories were centered around Noel Winter and his accelerated aging. Snowie's book had cross references to a book by Agnes Crumplebottom-Winter Dear Snowie. Snowie, in her book spoke mainly about giving her mother a second chance, this second chance for Agnes Crumplebottom-Winter had been a big part of Rudolph's manuscript as well. Apparently Rudolph's uncompleted mission was to find a way to bring Agnes back to life.
Why stop there? Comet thought, why not work on the Space Time Continuum and allow Agnes to do her entire life over? If he was going to meddle with fate, he was going to do it right.
Comet and Demetria sat on the balcony, each lost in their own thoughts. "Do you love me? Or are you just fascinated by me?" Comet asked, he could get in her head and find out but from the moment he first laid eyes on Demetria he made up his mind that he would not invade her privacy.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean most girls are fascinated by me, my appearance."
Demetria grinned, "Well you are pretty damned sexy. But I love you for your brain, the other guys at school, they're idiots, with you I can actually have a conversation and you get me in a way that nobody else does. You're easy to talk to, and for me that's an added bonus, I can go on and on with reasons why I love you."
"Thanks Demetria." Comet said.
"Outta my way!" Angel shouted at the aged paparazzo, "I'm at school why are you stalking me here you old bag!" She stomped down the stairs.
"Angel Winter is pretty boring." Sheree told the woman, "If you want a good story you should consider following Comet Winter around. He's a heart-breaker, in fact he broke my heart. If you want any dirt on him I'll be happy to give it."
A story on Comet was published that same evening and rumors began, but Comet was not bothered by trivial things, he was overjoyed that his plant had finally sprouted.
"We're nearly at the end Cupid." Hayley sighed, "It's nearly over."
"You're exhausted." Cupid observed.
They moved closer together, Cupid's mind was locked on the future that got nearer and nearer with every passing day, Hayley's was on the past.
She had a rough childhood, she and Amelia had different mothers, their father abused Hayley's mother mercilessly, driving the woman to alcoholism and an early grave. Hayley had carried a few scars herself, after her mother died she was stuck taking care of a drug addicted father who beat her as bad as he did her mother, he downgraded her, telling her that she was ugly, useless. Hayley had known nothing but hurt and pain and anger. She started drinking when she was twelve years old and started using drugs when she was fourteen. She'd been used and abused by boyfriends and other men, abuse was all she knew. She and Amelia met when she was eighteen and Amelia was twenty, her sister was the first person who had ever shown her love. Amelia taught her that if someone truly loved her than they wouldn't put their hands on her, but by that time Hayley was pretty far gone. Her wrists and arms bore scars from attempted suicides and recreational cutting, she partied hard, got wasted so for a few hours her sorrows were forgotten.
As much as she hated to admit it, it was Shawn who had seen potential in her, it was Shawn who saw a beautiful face and a beautiful body, both lethal weapons. It was Cameron's bite that had healed the physical scars and it was Shawn's greed that gave a broken woman a second chance.
Hayley rested her head against Cupid's shoulder, her rested his cheek on top of her head and she opened her mind so he could know just how happy he made her, how much she loved him and how she would do anything to hold onto this happiness, this peace, this love.
The entire Winter family headed to the school the next evening, there was a ballet recital and they hardly ever spent any time together as a family.
Star stood outside the doors of her school and took a deep breath, she frowned when her own body odor filled her nostrils. Her mother had told her to go take a bath but Star hated having to stop playing for anything, and lucky for her this evening, Hayley and Cupid were out back being distracted by Comet's stupid plant.
As soon as the doors of the school swung open and the Winters emerged, a single paparazzo fell upon the family. He would be paid millions for his pictures, it was rear to capture the entire family together and even more uncommon to catch a glimpse of Comet and his younger sister.
Hayley whipped out her guitar and started strumming away in order to distract the man and turn his attention away from her family so they could make a break for the car, the kids ran to the safety of the waiting limo but Cupid refused to leave his wife.
As soon as they got home, Comet ran out back to his plant, Cupid and Hayley had been having such a good time with their family that they they decided to sit and have dinner with their two girls.
"Can you actually eat human food?" Angel asked.
"Yeah...it just doesn't taste the way it used to." Hayley answered.
"We should do this all the time!" Star squealed.
"Your mother and I have our first gig tomorrow." Cupid announced, "It would have been so good if you could come see, but you'll be in school...and I don't think you're allowed in bars anyway."
Comet's plant had gotten significantly larger, and he was so pleased.
But Comet would never feel the way he felt three months later when he had a fully grown Cow Plant. He named his creation Mama because, despite it's deadly nature, it was a sweet heart. Mama enjoyed playing with the Winters who showered her with attention, she was not the family pet, she was the baby of the family.
Cupid and Comet were Mama's favorite people tough, they spent the most time with her, they fed her, they played with her. Cupid though was quite confused by the thing, was it a plant or an animal? Was it male or female?
He never asked Comet about the nature of the beast, Mama had plant-like characteristics, but she responded to the Winters like a family dog. He also decided that it was a cow and cows were female, and the name was female, therefore Mama was a female animal.
On a darker note, the basement was the dwelling place of the butler, but the Winter parents had a prison installed downstairs. How they would get the clan leader down there though, well, that would be all Comet and his special abilities.
Cupid stared at the cell, suddenly things were real. After months of plotting and planning and dirty talk, everything was coming to life. Now there were closer to failing than coming up with a flawless plan. In a few days, it will all be over. They would succeed or fail.
"Well goodnight Cupid." Shawn said, she frowned when all she got from Cupid's mind was banana, cat! Cat, cat, banana! "Are you feeling alright?"
"Sure, it's my daughters' birthday, I'm fine." Banana, banana, cat, cat, banana!
Inside the house things got even more weird. The two girls' minds were filled with unimportant child and teenage junk, Shayne's daughter had cake on her mind while Shayne himself was preoccupied with his wife's illness and his eldest daughter's new boyfriend., Shawn couldn't read Comet's mind, in fact he seemed quite annoyed that she was even trying, Cupid was fascinated by bananas and cats lately apparently and after listening to two minutes of Hayley singing Bird is the Word, she didn't even want to be in Hayley's head.
Angel grew into a beautiful woman with a questionably round head, her thoughts of music, sex and poison caused Shawn to retreat from her mind as well.
Star grew up as beautiful as her mother and sister, Shawn immediately found another use for Hayley's younger daughter, rather than reproducing, she would follow in her mother's footsteps.
The front door slammed and a brown skinned, teal eyed, purple and red haired young man entered the kitchen. What Shawn gathered from his mind made her mouth water, the man, Puzzles had been Angel's imaginary friend until he drank a potion created by Comet and became real like Comet's imaginary friend Giggles who the boy had made real with mind power alone!
Comet started, the family had not counted on Puzzles coming home in the middle of the party, idiots, they should have planned for everything. Comet though, decided against telling his parents that Shawn knew, the last thing he needed was for them to panic and mess things up more than they already were. It didn't matter Shawn didn't know the depth of his power, soon she would be his puppet.
When the guests had left Cupid and Hayley retired to their room. "That went well, Cupid observed."
"I'll say. Now we have to start clearing everyone out so they'll be out of harm's way. Star will go to boarding school, the imaginary friends will move out and hopefully so will Angel, she's so stubborn."
"Everything will be fine." Cupid said as he flung an arm around his wife. "Now, show Cupid some loooove!"
"Oh my God!" Angel gaged the next morning when she stuck a piece of toast in her mouth. "It's horrible."
"No it's not, fight the power!" Cupid shouted.
"Dad, what are you talking about?" Angel frowned.
Cupid shrugged, "I don't know, I just thought screaming very loudly would somehow make you less of a vampire stereotype."
The good mood that morning soon dissipated. Hayley found herself alone at the bar, drinking gallons of alcohol and not even getting a slight buzz. She sighed, only a few more days left, it was crunch time, the make or break moment was nearly upon them.
"Mrs. Winter, we're closing soon, you've completely finished our stock."
"Oh...sorry." Hayley rested the glass back on the table and prepared to leave.
At home, her husband was having a similar moment. Cupid's biggest fair wasn't failing, or even the consequences if they failed, his biggest fear was losing his family, he loved his wife and his children so much, the thought of anything bad happening to them made a lump in his throat so large it nearly suffocated him.
The doorbell rand and he nearly jumped out of his clothes. Through the glass door he could see Shawn standing there. Where was Hayley? He didn't want to be a lone with her. Cat, cat, banana, cat! What was Shawn doing here anyway?
For a long while it was just Shawn and Cupid. "Would you like something to drink?" He asked for the millionth time.
"No, I want to see your son."
Things happened so quickly Shawn's head didn't even spin. She was knocked out completely, as she started to come around she was aware of a cocoon of warmth and the metallic smell of plasma fruit.
"Wake up Shawn!" Hayley snapped, her voice sounding a hell of a lot more confident that she actually felt.
Shawn sat bolt upright, for a second she was confused, even moreso when she realized she was in her underwear.
Pleased by Shawn's moment of venerability, Hayley prepared to leave. She was at the stairs when Shawn caught herself. "Metal bars? You must be an idiot these will never hold me!"
"Oh, that's not metal. That is a special UV generating material created by Comet and installed by our butler Delvin. Once your locked inside your powers won't work, well, long range at least."
"I have a cell phone, wait until I contact my mate, you will all be sorry!" Shawn roared.
"There is no service in here, and I hardly believe the old goat will be of any threat to us."
Shawn growled and gnashed her teeth at Hayley.
Hayley went to the bars. "Thank you." She whispered, this confused Shawn even more. "Thank you for giving me my second chance, thank you for forcing the most loving man in the world on me, thank your for my wonderful children. I want you to know that my family, I love them more than I do myself, I value them more than my own life and I'll be damned if I let anything happen to them. Your biggest mistake Shawn was threatening my family and underestimating my hate for you."
"Hey girl, hey Mama." Comet cooed to his cowplant. "Are you hungry? Huh? I've got something special for you girl."
Mama snorted and wiggled her entire body, she had no idea what Comet was saying to her, all she knew was that she liked the way he was petting her and the sound of his low voice.
Gio had come back from school in time for his and Comet's birthday and he was quite confused. The Winters had a woman locked in their basement and just what the hell was that thing Comet was playing with?
The Winters had another guest, this one they knew nothing about. Jagger the Gnome lounged by the pool, he was aware of everything and nothing at the same time. This family was the most interesting thing he had seen in a while, his only regret was that he had come here to die.
"Damnit!" Shawn roared when her call had again given her nothing but a busy signal. Her idiot mate probably hadn't even missed her, figuring that she just ran off again, she did it so often. She had tried reaching Cameron, the call had actually gone through, a groggy sounding Cameron had answered the phone only to hang up when she told him who she was, she deserved it after what she had done to him.
Shawn had given up on trying to contact anyone, she was at the bookshelf, she couldn't read Comet's mind and his footsteps were silent, she jumped visibly when she turned around and he was standing there.
"What do you want?" She spat.
"To offer you your freedom, but you'll have to promise to stay away from my family and their generations." As soon as he said it he delved deep into her mind, the evil thoughts, the lies and deceit that rested there told him that his offer was pointless, her thoughts of saying yes and then killing the all brutally confirmed his suspicions.
"Absolute power corrupts absolutely." He told her.
"What?"
"You have been a vampire so long, in a position of power for so long that you thought yourself untouchable and that is how you ended up here. You've destroyed so many lives, out of greed or lust until your own desires backfired. You do not see yourself as evil or even understand or remember how you have come to be so. It is rather sad."
"Comet, what the hell is going on? Why is this woman here?" Gio had followed Comet downstairs, he stood back watching the exchange, but now he just had to know. Wordlessly Comet rested a hand on his best friend and allowed images to flood Gio's mind. Shawn's memories, Hayley's memories of Shawn and his plotting with his family to finally destroy her.
She is an evil person Gio, and although I hate to sink to her level and take a life, I would feel worst to know I have a means of ending her tyranny and instead I let it pass so that she may torment more people.
The pair went outside, Gio tossed a baseball to Comet, he halted the ball in midair and gently pushed it back to Gio. "My biggest fear is that I end up corrupted like Shawn is."
"What do you mean?" Gio asked as he caught the ball.
"I mean that by allowing Mama to kill Shawn I am proving that evil does reside in me, and my powers are endless, my complete understanding of how everything functions allows me to manipulate anything. How long will it be before I become selfish and greedy, using my gift for evil."
When the ball came back to him Gio spun it around in his hands, contemplating Comet's words. "You're not evil Comet, far from it."
"Now. But time changes people. With my knowledge the world around me becomes rather boring." Comet sighed. "Do you believe in second chances?"
"That depends...what are you talking about?"
Comet pulled the ball away from Gio. "Everybody comes from somewhere, you came from my mind and apparently I came from a mixed matched couple. Jack Winter should never have met Agnes Crumplebottom and Agnes Crumplebottom should never have lost her husband, Erik Darling on their honeymoon. I am going to change the course of things Gio, I am going to give Agnes another chance with Erik, I am going to protect the world from what I will eventually become and for the vampires, I am going to make sure that they are given a chance to be free of secrecy." His mind went to Demetria. "But not until I try my own hand at true love and happiness."
Shawn. His voice echoed inside her head, she knew that he was standing behind her again. It is time Shawn.
Like a zombie Shawn strode out of her cell, up the stairs, out the back door and into Mama's pen.
She snapped out of her trance when Hayley called to her. Shawn resisted the urge to scream in horror at the creature she encountered. "What the hell is this?" She got zapped painfully when she tried to hop over the fence.
"Oh that's just Mama, she's a monster and she's sweeter than you. You can make it quick Shawn, all you have to do is take the cake. This is more mercy than you've ever shown anybody." Hayley walked away.
Shawn looked at the ugly creature and then at the cake hanging out of the creature's mouth. The cake smelled like the most wonderful thing in the world, but Shawn resisted the urge to eat it. She was being treated like an animal, there was no way she could die with dignity, but she would not die the way they wanted her too.
Comet had a birthday without a party, with what he and his family were doing it was impossible to have a party now.
He turned into a Winter man, sharing a strong resemblance to his father and grandfather.
"Happy birthday kid!" Cupid sang as he spun a noise maker.
"Dad, how can you celebrate at a time like this? We're killing a woman." Comet said and walked away.
Shawn had been locked in Mama's enclosure for days, only moved to be cleaned up and fed, but she refused to eat. It was clear that Hayley and her family wouldn't stop until she was dead.
With Shawn finally gone there was no celebration, Hayley was overcome with relief but like her son she felt terrible, she was a murderer. "She's gone." Hayley said to Comet who had come to check in with his mother even hour.
"Did Mama...?"
"No. She had been weak for days, she wasn't feeding."
"How does that make you feel?"
"I'm relieved, but am I happy? No, I just killed a woman."
At least Shawn can't hurt them! Comet was so wise. He didn't want to take a chance on becoming corrupt like Shawn.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't see the bonus video. It said it was blocked in my country!
I really enjoyed this legacy, Pixx. I hope you start something else soon!
Oh thanks for telling me about the video because I couldn't get it to post into this chapter.
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