CHAPTER TWO: 26 HOURS 58 MINUTES
"Sweetie don't do that."
"Yes mom."
"Good," Diana Ladris stared out of the window absentmindedly running her fingers through her stringy, rusted hair. A fine day to be out really. She was the mother of a bright, cheery 10 year old girl who had a Whiphanded maniac for an uncle and an overly religious hick for an aunt, she had enough to eat and no one had attacked them in a long time. Life was good.
Even if it was all hollow.
But Diana couldn't find herself to care about trivial things like her own happiness. All that mattered was that she had her baby. Her little girl. Mommy's girl. "Gaia," she chided. "I told you not to-"
"Mommy look," her daughter Gaia had long brown hair and big bright eyes, she was also naked. At first it was odd, Gaia's strange aversion to clothing but soon Diana grew to accept it as a part of her life. She and Gaia even had some fun at Drake's expense and made him cover his eyes whenever she was around.
Just a funny joke that she and her daughter shared and laughed about. Gaia held out her hands, palms out and then held them above her head. "Rise!" a pack of wolves, seven total, stared at her for a moment. Then they all stood on their hind legs.
No, they weren't standing.
They were floating just an inch above the ground. They were whimpering and crying and the sound made Gaia giggle which filled Diana's heart with joy. Gaia moved to the left, the wolves did the same, she moved to the right and they did the same. Then Gaia pulled her hands down at her side so fast it looked as if she was hitting herself.
The wolves smacked the ground with enough force to crack concrete. Brains and organs splattered left and right. Gaia laughed loudly. "Gaia that wasn't very nice."
"I didn't need them anymore," Gaia said, then she turned and faced Diana directly. "Soon I won't need you anymore either mommy."
"What do you mean?" Diana fought the urge to run from welling up inside of her.
"The barrier is falling down," and then with emphasis she added "today."
"Today?"
"I have a plan. To end it all. But it's going to be risky…I don't…" she rested her head on Diana's shoulders. Diana placed her hand on Gaia's head.
"Whatever you do I support you. I love you honey."
"Thanks," Gaia wiped her nose. "Then I'm going to need something. A few things actually."
"Just say the word," Diana said "and I'll get Uncle Drake right on it." The two of them shared another hollow laugh.
"I need…things, building materials," Gaia pointed to the remains of the wolves. "Like that."
"Organs?"
"Flesh, blood, all of it," Gaia motioned to the entire shack and then the FAYZ itself. "I need more. A lot more."
"Ok," Diana licked her dry lips.
"You want some water mommy?" Gaia asked. "Drake! Water!"
"Yes master," Drake, the tall, grungy boy with a red tentacle where his right arm should've been trudged into view holding a pitcher of dirty water.
"Up up up," Gaia said. "No peeking."
Drake nodded and then handed Diana the pitcher with his eyes closed before stumbling. She laughed and Drake's tentacle coiled up. "I need something from you."
"What is it?" he got down to one knee. It was funny seeing him so enthralled with a little girl.
"I need bodies. Lots of them."
"You need me to kill?"
"Lots of people," Gaia said. "And bring them to me. The more the merrier." Drake stood up, threw back his head and emitted his strange mix of a laugh and a howl before snapping his whip in the air a few times. "Go. Quickly."
"Yes ma'am," Drake nodded sprinting off. Diana stared at her baby.
"Gaia, what are you planning?"
"Soon I won't need him anymore either," she said getting to her feet. "I'm about to not need anybody anymore."
Albert Hillsborough stared out the window of the mansion nervously. It was still in immaculate condition, despite being abandoned. They still had running water, the power came and went sure but that was his first concern. They still had a decent supply of food and for the 5 of them that was a pretty impressive haul.
"Morning," Leslie-Ann said.
"Hey," Albert didn't turn her way. He could see her hand just out of his reach; go for him and then stop. He was terrible around girls. He had been so focused on his greed he had forgotten them entirely.
He stared at the various helicopters just dancing overhead trying to get a glimpse of the them, the fish, living in this giant bowl. He had seen his mother and sister, Rowena; she was with a beefy man and had a child on her with her.
The family resemblance was still there.
Gangly arms, big feet, flat nose, the nerdy appeal that no one really noticed. He saw his various brothers and sisters and to be honest? Hated every second of it.
He hated it.
His time of reign was coming to an end.
The FAYZ had been the greatest gift to him. He could be somebody. Not just a little brother. And now it was gone. It made his stomach boil in anger when he saw his mother's tears.
This couldn't end.
Not yet.
"Albert?"
"Huh?"
"I asked if you wanted a glass of orange juice."
"Oh yeah, sure," he turned sharply. Leslie-Ann sighed, turned on her heel and walked off. Albert was deep in thought. He didn't want the FAYZ to end but he didn't want that psycho Drake running around, the gaiaphage nonsense he was fine with.
It never bothered him and he never bothered it.
He could manage.
They could co-exist.
Albert Hillsborough was creating a devastating plan in his mind and it began with finding Diana. He was about to walk into the lion's den and didn't have high hopes of coming back.
But then again did he really want to?
