A/N: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! There are some fun twist and turns and a Jeepers Creepers reference! There are also some parallels within the story. It increases the headiness of the story if you can find them. But anyway, READ READ READ!
All the girl could do was passionately watch her prey, as a lion would do to a helpless little lamb. She longed for a bite into that flesh, that hook, and then falling deep into that unknown abyss. She couldn't help it. The madness was slowly sweeping into her system through her open pores. She wanted to scratch her eyes out most days until she bled blood of gold, and cried sparkling silver tears.
He wore ridiculous glasses that made her wish he had more fashion sense. His hair grew up and out, in an unbelievably curly way, kind of like a Jew-fro. In addition, she loved the way his voice had a low key to every word. It was like listening to a relaxing song and she couldn't get enough. But sadly, she could never talk to him without being outshined.
"Hey Walt!"
Walter turned in all different directions to see who was calling his name.
"Over here, dude!" the voice called from behind Walter.
Walter turned to see his favorite blue-haired ninja boy.
"What's up Black Star?"
Black Star scratched his head. "Eleanor wanted to talk to you. She's waiting outside."
Walter sighed inwardly. "Eleanor? I don't need drama this early in the year."
Black Star chuckled and replied, "Well, if you don't want to…"
"Not like I really have a choice, though. Will you come with me?"
Black Star smiled, "Why do you think I'm still here?"
Walter patted his shoulder. "Thanks, man."
Eleanor brushed her blonde hair behind cocoa brown sunglasses and puffed a long sigh. Turning to her darker, shorter friend she pouted.
"What if Walt just ditched?"
Minnie rolled her eyes. "Really, Elle? You honestly think he'd do that?"
Eleanor didn't reply. "Well, I don't really know."
Minnie leaned forward to emphasize her seriousness. "Listen to yourself! If nothing else he will come out of sheer politeness. Now, please stop worrying, you'll give yourself wrinkles!" Minnie squeaked giddily.
At that moment, in Minnie's moment of silliness, Walt and Black Star went out. Face crinkled in happiness, Minnie didn't notice the two boys come out until she ran into Black Star's torso.
"Wow, tell me this hilarious joke now." Walt said excitedly.
Immediately, Minnie smoothed her skirt and fixed her rectangular glasses. "I, uhh, it's an inside joke, Walt."
Walt grinned. "So? Have we not been friends since the beginning of time?"
Minnie did not answer. Walt decided to let it go. "She gets so shy."
Black Star nudged Elle. "So, what is it that you wanted to tell 'im?"
Eleanor took a long, dry swallow. She wasn't blushing so much that it seemed like she was embarrassed, but she was blushing just enough for it to look like makeup, and actually quite flattering.
"Well, I wanted to be alone, but I guess this is as alone as I'll get…so, Walt, do you wanna, maybe…?"
"What, like…?" Walt stammered, knowing exactly where her question was leading.
"Well I mean, if you don't mind…" Elle stumbled.
Minnie was at the very edge of her seat, trying not to laugh out loud. In all her years of friendship with Elle, she'd never seen her get so flustered. But then again, the only two running candidates for Walt's affections were Elle and Maka, so it made sense that she was quite shy when bringing up this question.
Minnie was younger than everyone in her grade, because she'd skipped a few grades. She was no genius like Maka, but when it came to wielding weapons, she was the reigning champ. She could wield every weapon that came her way, except of course, Walt and additionally, Soul. She figured her soul wavelengths were just too meek to handle Soul's domineering ways. Soul and Minnie were proof that shy types with strong types didn't always work.
Walt was as confused as ever. He wanted to tell Elle that he hated the way she treated other people. He wanted to tell her that clothes, boys, and appearance weren't everything, and that when she wore too much makeup she looked silly.
But he didn't want to break her heart.
And that's what scared Minnie the most.
Later that day, Minnie overheard Black Star talking to Tsubaki, Kid, Patty, and Liz.
"Wait, so the Ice Queen confessed her love?" Kid whispered fervently.
"Wha~t! That's crazy! You mean, like Eleanor the Ice Queen?" Tsubaki asked quietly, looking back to Black Star for confirmation.
Black Star nodded.
Minnie got up and tapped Black Star's shoulder. He turned around and immediately had a guilty look in his eyes.
"That's my best friend you're talking about." She said simply, without malice or anger.
"Yeah, but c'mon. You know how she is to other people." Kid said, as if her being a huge bitch was the obvious conclusion to deduct from this statement.
"Did you ever care to think that she is shy? And doesn't know how to express her feelings clearly? Why do you think she was blushing when she told Walt what she did?"
No one answered her questions. She as actually quite angry on the inside, but she kept a calm face and sighed.
"Whatever." She said and began to walk away, back to her seat.
"Hey."
Minnie turned to see Soul and Maka. "Hey."
"I understand that you are protective of Elle, but can you really say that she's not a huge bitch?"
Minnie clenched her teeth and replied, "Yes, I can."
Maka shrugged. "Well, that's a leap of faith there. Maybe if you saw how Elle treated others, you'd-"
Minnie slammed her hands on the table. Maka stopped talking. "You know what, Maka? I don't want to hear it! You're assuming the worst here, so please don't talk about my friends like that! Also, Elle is the nickname given to her by her friends, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't call her that!"
Maka obviously was steaming, but she didn't want to show it. "You know what, I'm just not going to have this petty argument with you."
"You think that because you're so smart that you have the right to tell me who my friends are? I don't think so!"
Minnie huffed, and walked away. She was mad at herself for letting her emotions get the better of her, but she couldn't help it.
Soul clapped his hand down on Maka's shoulder. "Let it go."
Black Star sighed, "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything?"
Walt was facing some serious challenges. He had to take a test in homeroom the next day, but he also couldn't focus on his studies because he was constantly reminding himself that Elle was waiting for his reply to her confession.
So, as always, he went to Black Star.
Black Star shrugged. "I am not the person to ask."
Walt sighed. "Are you still feeling bad about what went down with Maka and Minnie?"
Black Star didn't answer him.
"Dude, so not your fault."
"I haven't apologized to her though. I should, right?"
Walt stopped. "Well, yeah. You should."
Minnie walked out of the bathroom, wiping her wet hands onto her skirt, and grabbing her bag to go. Walt looked through the window. "Perfect timing. I think she's coming out here, too."
Minnie pushed the DWMA doors open and rays of sunlight hit her tanned, milk chocolate skin. Her dark mahogany colored hair shone glossily, and her dark eyes glittered innocently.
Before she made it but 3 steps out of DWMA, she heard her name being called.
She swiveled around, hoping it wasn't Maka and Soul.
"Oh! Hey Walt. Hey Black Star." She said, approaching them, "What's up?"
"Black Star has something to tell you." Walt said, while nudging his friend forward.
"Oh, okay. What's up, Black Star?"
"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have spread rumors about Elle. It wasn't right of me to judge her without knowing her and-"
Minnie took his hand and squeezed it. Then, while mumbling something under her breath, she walked away.
Black Star looked at Walt for an interpretation of what had just happened.
But Walt was no longer next to him.
"Elle! Elle! Eleanor!"
Elle turned to see Walt, running at her. She yelped in surprise as his arms, his scent, his everything, suddenly surrounded her.
"Uh, hey Walt, what's going on?"
"You're no Ice Queen. You're beautiful with or without makeup, and I hope you can forgive me for being such a complete ass."
Elle relaxed into his arms. "You weren't being an ass, Walt. I don't think you even know how to be an ass."
He kissed her like the world was ending. And she kissed back.
Minnie heard about it the next day, over the phone with Elle on the way to school.
She nearly dropped her phone down the stairs of DWMA when she heard that Elle had received her first kiss from Walt.
"Hello? Minnie? You still there?"
"I'm here, I'm here."
"Isn't it just wonderful?"
"Yes, of course it is! Elle, you realize that you've finally got the man of your dreams! How spectacular is that?"
Elle giggled. "Very spectacular!"
It was 3 weeks until graduation, and Black Star had noticed a change in Minnie's attitude. No longer was she Minnie Hornlow, but she was now, 'the-girl-who-hung-out-with-Walt's-girlfriend'.
So he confronted her about it.
"Minnie, you seem, different. Are you feeling okay?"
Minnie nodded, and in her new, more monotonous tone of voice replied, "Never better."
Black Star shrugged, but before he could leave her, she mumbled, "And the best part is that I'm freeeeeeee."
Black Star heard her mumblings and asked her what she meant.
"Dude, I'm finally done with it. We only have a few more weeks then Reality will come and devour alllll of you, but I'm safe and sound." She cackled.
Black Star almost recoiled from her words. "Minnie, you sure you're alright?"
Minnie turned to him and smiled, but in an animated, creepy way. Walt came over and before he could settle in with his two friends, she walked away, still smiling as creepily as ever.
Walt kissed her forehead and she relaxed into his body. Her thoughts weren't on him, though. And he could tell.
"Elle, what's on your mind?"
"Minnie."
Walt froze. It was a week until graduation and everyone had noticed by now that Minnie was slowly losing it. But no one knew why. And the weirdest part was that whenever someone couldn't find Black Star, it was usually because he was with her. And when Black Star returned from these secret meetings with Minnie, he seemed more confused than before.
Walt tried to relax his face when he said "So what about her?"
Now, Elle wasn't annoyed, per se, but she looked at Walt with a very 'Oh-come-on' face, and that made him slightly nervous.
"Well, I know she's been acting weird…" he started.
"Acting weird? Walt, she is the epiphany of crazy! She's lost it!"
"Are we talking about Minnie?" asked Maka, joining the conversation. Walt nodded subtly. Ever since the beginning of the year, Maka had been acting like Minnie was her arch nemesis, which made Minnie think that she couldn't hang around Black Star, Walt, Elle, or any of her old time friends.
Black Star, before Maka even began talking, ran into the conversation, with an accomplished look on his face.
"I know what happened."
When Minnie was a little girl, a cute little girl, her father promised her one thing: that if she were a good girl, nothing bad would ever happen to her. Weeks after he told her this, he shot himself, and her mother in the head. The entire community was thrown into chaos, and it was decided that Minnie and her older sister would move to Death City.
When Minnie and her old sister Lettie got to Death City, they were in for a world of surprise. First off, they realized that they had to be weapon-wielders. While Lettie was terrible at this, Minnie was an absolute natural. Lettie later realized that she was going through PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, and needed help. But before that could happen, she was captured by witches and never seen again.
After that, with Minnie all alone, she had to learn to fend for herself, without a weapon. First off, she moved to a new town so that the memory of Lettie wouldn't be in her mind all the time. Once she moved, she tried to go out and find ways to train that were intuitive and tried to put herself in situations that could actually happen in real life.
That's when she witnessed an actual battle between a team and some kind of deformed monster, called a Kishin. This battle was between a kishin and Black Star (with Tsubaki, of course).
Minnie was in awe, when she saw Tsubaki eat the red soul up with delight.
"Excuse me?"
Black Star and Tsubaki turned in her direction. Black Star, cocking his eyebrow, said, "What is it?"
Tsubaki turned to her meister and replied, "Don't be so rude!" she then proceeded to turn back to Minnie and reply, "Yes what is it, little girl?"
Minnie smiled graciously. "I wanted to know, uh, how he did that."
"Did what?" Black Star asked, standing next to Tsubaki now.
"Well, you kinda just…killed that thing right?"
"It's just a kishin. And yeah, I killed it but all I have to do is use Tsubaki. She is a weapon."
"Oh! Black Star, this must be the outsider that Walt has been talking about!"
Black Star slapped his forehead. "Of course!"
"Walt? Like Walter Dare?"
Black Star nodded. "What are we famous now? Do you know my name?"
"Black Star."
"How did you…?"
"The star on your arm gives it away."
Black Star looked down and his arm and nodded approvingly.
"I like her."
For the next few months, Minnie was training and hanging out with Black Star and Tsubaki nonstop. She loved it, too. She learned how to properly wield a weapon, even though she had already been a genius at it.
Then she started school with them in the spring. She met Kid, Ox, Kilik, Kim, Jackie, Soul, Maka, Liz, Patty, Fire, Thunder, and Harvar. They had become like a part of her.
And that's when she saw Walt for the first time in about 4 years. She couldn't recall if his hair was long or short the last time she saw him, but now it was short and it fit his facial structure really well. She didn't want to just ignore him, but she didn't want to seem like a freak either.
She was stumped.
Finally, she met up with a new girl, named Eleanor Law. They became instant friends. And as soon as Minnie confessed her feelings about approaching Walt for the first time in years, Elle took her straight to the boy.
Elle wanted to seem a little blunt, so that Walt-or Minnie, for that matter-could back out of the conversation. So she went up to Walt and tapped his shoulder. Once he turned around, she pointed to her shorter friend and said, "Hey Walt, do you know this kid? She's been asking about you all day."
Walt blinked, adjusting his glasses. Then, there was a slight spark in his eyes and he grabbed the smaller girl in his arms.
"Minnie! Is it really you?"
Minnie struggled to breath as the taller, stronger man held her in his arms.
"Y-yeah, Walt. It's me…"
"Your hair! You cut it kind of short!"
"Kind of? Walt, her hair is in a pixie cut."
Minnie turned to Elle and thanked her with a huge smile. Eleanor winked at her and left her to her business.
"So what's up?" Maka asked.
"Walt, when you two were kids did you ever take her to a big blue bakery?"
"Oh, the Sky Bakery, you mean? Man, that brings back memories! We used to go there everyday to buy ourselves some delicious warm bread! Especially on rainy days or windy days…but what's that got to do with the price of cheese in Tokyo?"
Black Star took a deep breath and quickly replied, "And did she ever confess to you there?"
Walt froze.
"Walt. Answer his question." Elle said.
Walt looked at his friend. "Yeah, she did. The day right before I moved."
"And what did she say, exactly?" Black Star asked.
"Black Star! Those were the words of a girl in love! Those words helped me shed my insecurities for years! I'm not just going to-"
"I would like to hear it." Elle replied.
Walt looked at his girlfriend sheepishly. "Seriously?"
"It's not because we're nosy. I have a feeling that Black Star is going somewhere with this." Maka added.
Walt sighed and began to repeat Minnie's words from that fateful day 4 ½ years ago. "Hey Walt, I've been meaning to ask you if you would mind me loving you? No, I don't want us to become awkward, if that's what'll happen. I just want to free your heart from reality. Reality, it can be quite cold you know, and everyone needs a companion down that long, dark, and spindly road. It's crawling with people who would just love to break you. And I'm here to tell you that I'll always fight them off for you. When I said I want to free your heart from reality, I just meant that I want to shield you from the disgusting cruelties of this world. Is that so bad? No? Then let me love you."
Everyone remained quiet. After a few minutes, Walt spoke up. "So? What was your great epiphany?"
Black Star sighed. "Dude, I don't know how to tell you this, but she never stopped loving you."
Elle jumped from her spot next to Walt. "Impossible! She told me that it was a spectacular thing for me to get the man of my dreams! She couldn't have been in love with Walt!"
Black Star reached into his backpack, where he'd hidden a medium-sized leather notebook. "Here, look inside this."
Elle slowly took the book from him. Untying the strings on the front, she opened the brown book to see nothing but a mere sentences scribbled in the book, over and over again. She dropped the book with horror, as if it had burnt her.
Walt bent to pick it up and read the sentences out loud.
"Free you from these cruelties. Let me love you. If I'm good, nothing bad will happen. Daddy promised."
Maka and Soul shifted uncomfortably.
Black Star took the book and waved it in the air. "See, even the impossible is possible."
Minnie was on the verge of death. She wanted nothing more but to plunge herself into an abyss of sin and insanity. She wanted to forget this burning pain in her chest. She felt like her lungs were on fire, and her heart was beating abnormally. She thought on many occasions that she was having a serious heart attack, but if that was so, why was she still alive the next day? Unless this was all a dream, and her father didn't really shoot himself and her mother. Unless Lettie really hadn't gotten kidnapped. Unless she and Walt were still in the Sky Bakery, on that fateful day 4 ½ years ago, when she confessed to him. And instead of leaving her to fend for herself, he'd stayed in Las Vegas, and she was so giddy about his decision that she'd fainted and dreamt this alternate reality that couldn't be real.
But reality was a huge, merciless bitch and none of this was a dream.
That made her scream and clench her teeth and curse her fate.
Black Star walked in on one of her screaming fits.
"Minnie. Minnie! Calm down." He said, and sat next to her. "What's wrong?"
"My notebook. You have it, correct?"
He handed her the book without hesitation.
"Man with the star."
"Yes, Minnie?"
"Why do you come back to this cursed girl's room? Why not hang out with our-err, I mean, your friends?"
Black Star wrinkled his brow. "Minnie. They're your friends, too."
She cackled softly. "I don't think so. But thanks for the moral support."
"Minnie, you're driving yourself into a corner and-"
"Where I belong. People like me don't belong in a world with people like you!"
"And what does 'people-like-me' mean?"
"It means people who are talented, smart, beautiful, witty, brave, lovely, and everything you could ever want in a friend."
"Minnie, you are beautiful and smart. You're witty and lovely! You're a talented meister who can wield almost any weapon! You are a brave girl and lovely at that! And why do you think I come here everyday? Because you are everything I could ever ask for in a friend." He said and hugged her for the first time ever.
She couldn't hold back her tears after that beautiful speech. She cried into his muscular chest until she fell asleep, and he put her on the Infirmary's bed.
The next day, Black Star walked into the Infirmary with a bouquet of flowers, tulips in particular, with Elle and Walt. It was Minnie's birthday and they figured that she'd want her three best friends with her.
She was gone.
Black Star dropped the flowers instantly and sped in the other direction. Yelling her name all over campus like a madman and running to the point of collapsing, he searched the entire campus for her.
But his search was in vain.
He dragged his feet back up to the Infirmary only to happen to see her on one of the big red spikes of the entrance to DWMA. He ran out onto the balcony closest to him and saw Walt and Elle across from him on the opposite balcony.
"What are you thinking, Minnie? Get down?"
Black Star waved his hands so they could see him.
"Black Star?"
"I'm coming over there!"
Black Star ran into the hallway, running down the hallway, trying not to trip.
"Black Star, what are you-"
"Don't yell at her!"
"She won't be able to hear us, Black Star!" Elle argued.
"Let me do it!" Black Star said.
He stepped onto the edge of the balcony and jumped onto the spike closest to him.
"Hey, Minnie."
Minnie slowly turned her head toward him. He saw that she had scratched her face with her impossibly long nails.
"Black Star, you say I'm lovely and talented, but why doesn't he think so?"
"He does, Minnie! He only doesn't have as strong of feelings as-"
"I only wanted to protect him!"
Black Star winced. He hated when she got hysterical.
"I understand that, but-"
"I don't need your understanding, Black Star!"
Black Star got angrier. "Listen, Minnie, he does love you! Just not in the way you love him! Do you understand?"
"I sense no love nor compassion in that man!"
"Well, Minnie, which is that you want? Do you want his love or not?"
"I just want to protect him!"
Black Star jumped off his spike, reaching for hers. Minnie turned, seeing that he wasn't going to make it and almost slipped off her own spike retrieving his open hand. With much effort, she pulled him onto her spike.
"Don't you dare do something that dangerous again!"
Black Star smiled softly. "I only want to shield you from the disgusting cruelties of this world. Everyone needs a companion down that long, dark, and spindly road. So, please, let me love you."
Black Star saw hope in her face.
She smiled for the first time in weeks. "You may love me, Man of the Star."
10 YEARS LATER
"Black Star!" Minnie called. "Lunch is ready!"
Black Star ran into the kitchen and almost ran into his pregnant wife.
"Sorry, honey!"
Minnie giggled. "No problem. But will you call Ocean? He's probably out with his friends again."
"Let him be. I want him to have a bit of free time."
Minnie sighed. "Whatever you say."
"Oh I invited people over, too!"
"Oh god, Black Star I would've gotten a bit more dolled up if you'd told me that!"
"No matter. You're beautiful the way you are!"
Ding-dong.
"Oh, and there they are!"
Minnie removed her apron and smoothed her skirt. "Coming~!"
She threw the door open and smiled.
"Hi there, Minnie!" Elle yelped as she latched onto her best friend.
"Hi Elle! Hello, Walt!"
Walt gave her a quick hug. "You smell like ramen. Is that what we're having for lunch?"
"Yes actually. Your nose never ceases to amaze me!"
The four friends laughed as they sat down to have lunch.
A few hours later, Elle and Walt took their leave.
"Hey, Black Star, where is Ocean? He should be back by now, yes?"
"I'm here mom~!" Ocean yelled as he tackled his mother from behind. She fell backwards onto the carpet. "Wow you're getting strong lil' man!" she squealed with delight and ruffled his hair.
Ocean was Black Star and Minnie's son. He had his mother's impossibly grey-green eyes. Around the iris was a darker grey and closer to the center, the grey faded to a moss green-ish color.
Everything else about the boy resembled his father. He didn't have his mother's lean body. He had his father's shorter, more muscular build. His hair was a darker blue than his fathers, but it was still short and spiky. His skin was a bit tanner than his father's, but not too much. He wore a bro-tank and a green and red plaid button up over it. His jeans were a dark blue and rolled up just a bit, so they didn't touch his ankles. He wore white loafers most days that matched the white scarf his father gave to him when he was just 6 years old. He was now 8 years old. But the one feature that was undeniable about the boy was his mark. It was on his left arm, which he usually kept hidden.
It was his clan mark. His very own mark of the star.
"How was your day, boy?" Black Star asked his son, as he grabbed him and placed him on his lap.
"It was great! Me and Bentley and Justice played meisters and kishins! Justice was, of course, the kishin!"
"Why of course?" Minnie asked.
"Well she's a huge bitch!"
Black Star whipped his head toward his son. "What did you just say?"
"That…that Justice is a-"
Minnie took her sons hand and slapped it hard. He winced. "You are not to say such things! Who taught you that word?"
"Bentley."
"Why would Bentley teach Ocean that vile word?" Minnie pondered while she got dressed for bed.
Black Star shrugged. "More importantly, who taught Bentley that word?" He paused and then continued, "Well, Walt and Elle are his parents…"
"But they would never do such a thing!" Minnie protested.
There was a soft knock on their door. "Come in!"
Ocean walked in, clutching his teddy bear. "Sorry for saying that word, Mommy."
Minnie picked her son up and set him on the bed. "Honey, where did Bentley learn that word?"
"He told me he heard his dad call his mom that! He told me it was the best compliment someone could give, because when his dad was telling his mom, he was yelling at her with lots of passion!"
Black Star ruffled his son's hair. "Well, Ocean, that word is actually a really mean insult. Now, you wouldn't want your little brother to hear you in your mom's tummy right?"
Ocean groped for his mom's stomach. "Of course not! Not if it's as bad as you say, Daddy!"
"Good. Now go to bed, you little rascal!"
"Okay!"
Once Ocean left, Minnie turned to her husband. "So, tomorrow, we'll go talk to them."
Black Star and Minnie arrived at the pristine white house with their son and knocked.
"Coming~!" squeaked a girl's voice.
Justice opened the door and smiled. "Hi guys! Hi Ocean!"
"Hi Justice!"
Elle joined her youngest child at the door. "Come on in, guys."
Black Star and Minnie told Ocean that he could go find Bentley and play with him.
"So what's up?" Elle asked as she walked into the kitchen. Before Minnie could say anything, Black Star slammed his hands on the table. This caused Walt to come into the kitchen from the backyard and simultaneously catch Elle's attention.
"Your son taught Ocean the word bitch!"
Walt's eyes were wide. Elle's mirrored his shock.
Elle locked her left hand in Walt's right one. "H-how is that possible?"
Minnie spoke up, with a calmer more monotonous voice than Black Star's. "Well, according to Ocean, Bentley heard Walt yelling that at you, Elle. And he mistook it as a compliment."
Walt was about to speak, but Black Star cut him off. "Listen well, you two. If you're going to fight, don't do it in front of your kids! Because now, Bentley got Ocean calling Justice a bitch!"
Elle gasped. "B-but, Justice loves hanging out with Ocean and Bentley! We can't just tell her not to play with them!"
Minnie, still in her creepily monotonous voice, walked up to the taller woman and looked her straight in the eye. "Then tell Bentley to stop using that word."
Elle was extremely frightened by her friends right now, but she nodded, her legs becoming shaky and her palms getting clammier by the minute.
Black Star calmed down and looked at Walt. "What was so bad that you called you wife that, Walt?"
Walt bit his lip and let go of his wife's hand, leaving her to hold herself up with the counter.
"She's pregnant again."
Minnie pointed at her belly. "Welcome to the club." She said cheerily and smiled the most distorted smile ever.
"Is it okay if Ocean-"
"Yes, he may sleepover."
"Thanks a lot!"
Once they said goodbye to their son and to Bentley and Justice, they took their leave.
Walt turned to Elle and hugged her. "I'm sorry I called you-"
"No, Walt, we already decided this was both of our faults."
Walt nodded.
There was an awkward silence.
"Hey Walt?"
"Yeah?"
"You think that Minnie could be…?"
Walt shook his head. "Of course not."
Minnie was screaming in he sleep. Sometimes it was extreme pain, or a terrible nightmare.
"Honey! Minnie!" Black Star yelled.
Ocean was crying outside of his parents' room.
Black Star felt helpless. He could never wake her up from these fits. He could only sit as he watched his wife writhe in incredible pain.
When she finally woke up, she was sobbing.
Black Star wrapped his arms around her burning, sweaty body.
"You're in a safe place, you're safe…" he murmured over and over.
She continued to sob all over his bare chest, and he, in turn, sat with her in his lap and tried to calm her down until dawn.
"So I was screaming again?"
Black Star nodded. "Ocean was outside of our room crying like a maniac until I got up and told him that you'd be okay as long as I was with you."
Minnie nodded. "I don't even know why I'm having these nightmares."
"What was the latest one about?"
"No, no, no. You are not going to coax this out of me again! I refuse to tell you what-"
"Did I die?"
Minnie turned away. "Fine, I'll tell you but it's not pretty."
"I'm ready."
Minnie was running through fields of corn. She was laughing and sweating, but nothing was more fun than this. The sun was just starting to set, and she knew Black Star was somewhere out there in the fields, lying in wait for her.
"Black Star! Come and get me!"
Suddenly, it was night. Black Star hadn't found her, nor had she found him.
"Black Star? Where are you?" she yelled. She was beginning to become frightened. She clutched her round belly for security as she walked forward, trying to at least find her way back.
Something rustled behind her. She turned to see Ocean, with blood streaming down his face and onto his white scarf.
"Ocean! Where is daddy?"
Ocean giggled and ran away from Minnie. She chased him fervently. When she turned her millionth corner, Ocean was gone. Instead there was a taller boy, who looked like Ocean, but with more teenage features.
"O…Ocean?" she whispered.
Ocean swiveled around. He had bags under his eyes and he was holding a necklace that he was given by Justice on his 7th birthday. He clutched his scarf in his other hand, which was still smeared with blood.
"Mom? Mom is that you?"
Minnie ran to her boy, but he disappeared before she could reach him.
She heard the insane giggling again, and decided to follow it.
This time it was Justice, as she soon found out. Justice turned a corner. Minnie stopped, afraid to see what was behind it this time.
She took a leap of faith and turned the corner. She saw Black Star, Ocean, and Justice huddling over something. She breathed a sigh of relief.
When she exhaled, something happened. She felt like she was being pulled into a black hole. Justice, Ocean, and Black Star looked up at her in horror. They were screaming obscenities at her in a language she didn't recognize.
She had a sudden realization that whatever Ocean, Justice, and Black Star were huddled over was her. She began to cough up blood, from the body she had just been transferred to. Her stomach was in agonizing pain and she groped for anything that might make the pain go away. She saw the older Ocean, crying silently next to his father and a girl that had to be the older Justice. Suddenly there was something cold and wet in her hands. She brought down to her stomach, relieving her of that pain for milliseconds, until she realized that she had just stabbed herself. Her eyes rolled back in pain and she couldn't stop crying from pain.
Then, she woke up.
Black Star gaped at her in horror.
Minnie clenched her fists and protectively covered her belly.
"I think it's an omen, Black Star."
"And if it is, that means that, that our…"
Minnie nodded.
"I won't let it happen, Minnie."
"Black Star, please don't try to fight for my sake."
"Excuse me? I just promised our frightened little boy that as long as I was with you, nothing bad could ever happen to you. And I plan to keep my word to him."
"Black Star, bad things happen when you try to oppose the Fates!"
"I won't stand here and let our unborn baby die! I'm sorry, but that's not the kind of person I am!"
Minnie opened her mouth to say something, but closed it quickly.
"Do whatever you want."
Black Star got out of his seat and walked around his table to massage his wife's shoulders. He knew it'd calm her down because it always did. She was quite stiff and once his hands began to press down into her muscles, she relaxed.
"Black Star."
"Yes, Minnie?"
"In my other nightmares…well the other one that reoccurs the most…Ocean, he…well, he dies."
Black Star froze. "He what?"
"And…I don't kill him."
"Who does? Me?"
"N-no…We're both protecting him. So are Justice and Bentley."
"Bentley is in your dreams?"
"Black Star, Ocean is killed by Walt."
Black Star was gone before she could even tell him not to go confront them.
"You bastard!" Black Star yelled.
Ocean was out in their backyard with Bentley and Justice when he heard his father.
"Black Star, stop it!" Elle screamed.
"Calm down, dude." Walt said, trying to reason with his best friend.
Minnie stormed into their house and grabbed Black Star by the arms. "Stop it, Black Star! We don't even know if…!"
Black Star turned around to face his wife. "What do you mean?"
"We don't which of them is the actual omen, or if either them are omens at all!"
"And if they're both omens?"
"We'll deal with that later."
Ocean walked into the kitchen. "Daddy, you're not going to hit mommy, are you?"
Black Star's eyes widened as he heard his son utter those mortifying words. He grabbed his son's hand and sat him down on the couch.
"Ocean! Why would you think I'd ever do such a terrible thing to your mother?"
Ocean shrugged. "Bentley hits Justice when he's angry at her."
Minnie was appalled. "He does what?"
"He hits her. Like, on the face."
"Bentley!" Elle yelled.
Bentley and his sister came into the room, giggling together.
"Yes, mom?"
"What's this I hear of you hitting your sister?"
Bentley's smile went away. "Only when she makes me angry!"
"That's not acceptable in this house! Not in any way, shape, or form, do you hear me?"
"Yes mother."
"Now go get cleaned up. Take Ocean with you."
"C'mon Ocean!" both of the kids rallied. Ocean smiled at his parents and left the room.
"Mind telling us the whole story, Minnie?"
Minnie sighed. "Fine, but you're not going to like it."
7 YEARS LATER
Ocean snuck out of his room with his scarf around his neck.
"Justice! Where are you?"
She ran out from the snow, her long curly brown hair flowing from behind her. He noticed she was wearing a cute blue striped hat.
"Hey Ocean! Did you wait long?"
"Of course not!"
"Then c'mon!"
They played in the snow for hours, and laughed and kissed.
Walt woke up and heard a lot of noise. Getting out of his bed and walking to the window, he saw that his daughter and Ocean were outside.
"Fuck!" he cursed loudly.
Elle peeled her eyes open and saw her husband putting on boots and a hat.
"Walt? Where are you going?"
"To teach our daughter a lesson."
"What? What does that-"
She saw the glint of a knife.
"Walter! What are you doing with that?"
"Teaching her a lesson. I'm not going to hurt either of them, Elle. Have a little faith in fear."
Elle sighed, following her husband.
In the kitchen, Bentley was making himself a late-night sandwich. He woke up from his sister and her boyfriend, his best friend, making so much noise.
He saw his parents suddenly rush down into the kitchen. They stopped when they saw their son.
"Hey guys. What are you doing?" he asked.
Elle responded calmly, "We're going to go get your sister."
Bentley chuckled. "Oh, so they woke you up too, huh? Well she'll be frightened if I don't bring her back. Let me go get her."
Elle nodded before Walt could say anything. Bentley wasn't but 3 seconds out of the door, when Walt followed after him.
"Walt! Let Bentley get her!"
"I'm just going to stand in the doorway. If everything goes smoothly, then that's perfectly fine. If not, I'm at least ready." Elle sighed exasperatedly.
Bentley walked into the cold snow and saw his sister frolicking, getting her beautiful head of hair very wet.
"Oh hi Bentley!" she giggled as she walked over to her brother while holding hands with Ocean.
"Hey man."
"Justice, you-"
Justice suddenly threw a soft ball of snow at his face point blank. She burst into laughter with Ocean when she saw that she'd actually hit him.
Wiping the snow off his face, Bentley continued, "Justice, you need to come back inside!"
Justice stuck her tongue out. "Hell no! Stop having a stick up your ass and let go!"
"No really, Justice, we need to go! You guys can always play tomorrow!"
Justice whined. "But it's so much more fun when we can get caught!"
Walter opened the back door and cleared his throat. Justice's smiled faded quickly.
"You are caught, young lady. Now come over here with your brother. While you're at it, I don't ever want to see that boy near you again."
"Daddy!" Justice yelped. "You can't do this!"
Elle grabbed her husband's arm. "C'mon Walt. It was a first-time screw up. They weren't doing anything!"
Walt turned to his wife. "Today it's a first-time screw up. In a week it's two. Now that she's broken the rules, there's no going back for her."
"Dad, she obviously has learned her lesson." Bentley said, taking his mother's side.
Ocean rolled his sleeves up and pushed Justice behind him. "I'm sorry sir, but I can't let you separate you from her. I respect your opinions, but I won't let her go inside if it means that I'll never be able to see Justice again."
Walt broke free of his wife's grip and she screamed. "Ocean, run!"
Bentley turned to his mom, frightened by the panic in her voice. "What is it, ma?"
Elle ran to her husband and held him back with all her strength. "You kids, run! He…he has a knife!"
Justice's eyes widened in fear at her mother's statement. "Daddy, were you going to stab Ocean?"
Bentley grabbed his sister and dashed off with Ocean right next to him. Walt pushed his wife to the ground and sprinted after them.
"Hurry, guys!" Bentley yelled. He pounded into Ocean's house and slammed the door once he, Justice, and Ocean were inside. Then he locked and bolted it. But it didn't stop there. He went upstairs and ran into Ocean's parents' room, slamming it and locking it.
The slam woke Minnie and Black Star up.
"What the hell are you guys doing? Why are you wet?" Black Star asked.
Justice was on the brink of tears, so Ocean decided to explain. "You guys can be as mad as you want later, but I snuck out to meet Justice. Her parents caught us and now her dad wants to kill me!"
Minnie stood quickly. "Black Star, my…!"
Black Star nodded. "You go get Argyle. I'll stay with them."
Minnie opened the door quickly. Seconds later, she was back in the room with her youngest child.
"Mommy, what's going on? Oh, hi Justice!"
Justice ruffled the small boy's dark brown hair. Minnie looked at the kids. "All of you get in the closet this instant."
Walt broke through the front door. Justice yelped quietly.
"Walter! There is no need for this!" Elle screamed as he pounded up the stairs.
Black Star and Minnie stepped out into the hallway.
"Hello, you two? What's wrong? Why are you here this late at-"
"Don't bullshit me! Where is Ocean?"
"If I told you that, how would you react, Walt?" Black Star asked calmly.
"I need to teach that boy a lesson!"
Minnie interjected. "Actually, Walt, that's our job. So if you could please leave, that'd be great."
Walt shook his head. "No, actually I can't! Because my son and my daughter are somewhere in here!"
Black Star cocked his head. "What kind of shit are you spewing? Our two boys are here. Along with us, those are the only people in the house."
Walt charged at Black Star, knocking him to the ground. "Don't lie to me, you fuckass!"
Ocean cursed to himself. "I'm leaving them to you, Argie." He whispered.
Argyle nodded. "You can count on me!"
Justice turned to her boyfriend. "That's like suicide!"
Bentley shook his head. "Not if I go with him."
Ocean nodded. "You just-"
"I won't sit here and listen to you two fight! I'm going because if not for me, none of this would be happening!"
The three teenagers left the closet, and locked it so that Argyle couldn't get hurt. They walked out together.
"Daddy!" Justice exclaimed. Minnie hit her head and tried to tell them to leave quickly. They stayed put.
Walt lifted his head and twisted his hand around Black Star's neck. Minnie tried to rip him off her husband, but to no avail. The two men were equal in power, and she just didn't match up. Elle sat in the corner, pulling at her hair and sobbing.
"Get off my father, you scumbag! The one you wanted was me, right?" Ocean said as he stepped up.
Walt let go of Black Star's neck.
"Run, Ocean!" Minnie cried.
"Mom, I've decided to defend her. Please respect that."
Walt walked up to him slowly.
"Daddy, please let him go…" Justice whimpered.
Walt reached for his daughter, but Ocean slapped his hand away.
Quickly, before any reaction could happen, Walt pulled his knife and stabbed Ocean in the side. Ocean winced from pain, but continued to stand in his path.
Minnie jumped up and pushed Walt to the ground. "You stay away from him you monster!"
Walt flipped her over and scratched her face with his knife as she rolled from underneath him.
Black Star stood up, and punched him in the back, shooting his soul's wavelength into Walt.
Walt fell to the ground in pain. Ocean retrieved the knife from his hands and threw it out the window. His scarf was bloodied and his mother was clutching him as if dear life depended on it.
"Mom…?"
"Yes honey?"
"Did your blood always look so…gold?"
Minnie gasped and released her son. Black Star carried Elle to Bentley, who cupped her in his arms and motioned for Justice to get their unconscious father. Justice nodded and then took her leave, along with her brother.
Ocean unlocked the closet so that Argyle could get out. He flopped into his bed and winced every time he moved. But eventually, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber.
The next time he opened his eyes, everything would be different.
Ocean's green-grey eyes opened to what he thought was the day after his best friend's father tried to kill him.
But it wasn't.
He got out of bed and rubbed his eyes. Walking down the hall, he knew something was wrong because there was no blood on the carpet.
However, there was breakfast being made, and he could smell the delicious batter of pancakes being fried. He walked downstairs and noticed that the kitchen doorway was much smaller than he remembered, because he almost hit his head on it.
Sitting at the table was Justice, Bentley, his dad, and Argyle. Argyle looked bigger than before and Ocean was sure that he was still half-asleep.
"Hey mom."
Minnie dropped her frying pan on the floor when she heard his voice. Everyone directed his or her respective attention towards him.
"O…Ocean?" Minnie asked.
Ocean nodded. "Yes mother?"
"Oh my goodness." Black Star said as he stood and saw how tall his son was growing.
Justice stood up, walking to her lover. She took his hand and sat him at the table.
Without saying anything whatsoever.
"What is up with you guys today?" he asked, looking to Bentley for support. Bentley was in just as much of a trance as the others.
It suddenly dawned on Ocean. "Oh! I get it! You guys are worried about my injury! Look, I slept it off!" He said, revealing the short, ugly scar.
Minnie rubbed her temples, setting a plate full of pancakes in front of Ocean. "Justice, I think you should tell him."
"Tell me what?" he asked as he turned to his girlfriend.
"The reason we're all so…shocked, is because…well, you have been gone for a while."
"Gone? I was in my bedroom!"
Bentley put his hand on Ocean's shoulder. "Yeah, but you weren't actually there, dude."
"What are you talking about?" Ocean asked.
Bentley sighed. "You've…you've been in a coma for three years, Ocean."
Ocean almost choked on his pancake. "What?"
Justice nodded. "Yes, after that day, we came over and tried to wake you up, but you wouldn't budge. After a few days of this, your parents took you to the hospital. The doctor said you were in an unshakable coma. Which basically meant you were a goner. We couldn't believe it. Bentley and I told our parents and, ironically, mortified our father. We both sensed that he didn't want that guilt on his shoulders so we tried to comfort him. A few weeks passed and our father decided that the only way to condone was death, so he shot himself in the head. But before that, our mother begged him not to go through with it. He shot her, too. She narrowly survived for two nights. The third night, she died from shock."
Ocean put his fork down. "And this is all because I was in a coma…"
Justice shook her head. "Our father had been crazy from the get go. He married the wrong woman."
"Wait, what?"
Black Star cut in. "Walter wanted your mother."
Ocean turned to his mother. She said nothing.
Bentley continued the story. "Having nowhere else to go, your parents invited us here."
Ocean nodded. Argyle slammed his fork and knife onto the table.
"Big bro…I thought you were dead!"
Ocean got up and picked his little brother up. "Don't worry, Argie. I'd never leave you alone."
Argyle cried helplessly in his brother's arms.
Minnie accidently cut herself on her razor blade. She yelped in pain. And right before she wiped it up, she noticed something. She realized her blood did look gold-ish.
She continued to cut herself, this time on purpose. She was mesmerized.
Black Star walked into the bathroom to see his wife surrounded by a pool of blood.
He snatched the blade from her. "Minnie!"
Minnie giggled. "I feel it, Black Star. Oh, how I've missed this freedom."