A Twist of Fate
What if Holly's father had never died? As a sinister plan unfolds, Holly finds herself tangled in a web of jealousy and betrayal. Then when she finally thinks she's made the right choice, she finds herself back to square one. Can Holly still believe in the power of friendship, and the power of...love? (Holly/Trouble/Artemis)
Author's Note: I realized I forgot the disclaimer the previous chapter. Oh well, you know it all belongs to Eoin Colfer. Only the plot is mine. (Yay! I own something! -_-)
Things may get confusing, so if you are, just email me at stardust_firebolt@hotmail.com or shattered_illusions02@yahoo.com and I'll try my best to explain without giving away too much :) This chapter, by the way, is Holly's flashback of seven years ago, where everything started. Everything from this chapter onwards will be her flashback, until I write up to the present. (In my story, that is, year 2013.) Sorry about the confusing dates. I figured I had to put the years there, so people could calculate how much time actually went by. Also, I tend to ramble while I'm writing, so bear with me if I give too much description and not enough action. I'm still a progressing writer after all. Please leave a review!
By the way, everything is in Holly's perspective unless stated.
Oh, and I didn't expect reviews! Thank you for reviewing! You're gonna make me cry...
Chapter Two: Reminiscence of the Past
Rural Area In Haven
Year 2006
"Holly, I think this is it," a male voice boomed out beside her, and Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit jumped.
"Geez, Commander! Do you always have to shout without giving me a warning?" Holly grumbled when she had recovered from her slight shock. She whirled around to face her superior officer, the one and only Julius Root, famed for his ruddy face.
She watched Commander Root flash a grin at her and retort, "What, do you want me to write out a notice for you? 'To Holly: Just to inform you that on Saturday at six in the evening I may very briefly shout at you outside the large dilapidated house in the rural area of Haven. Please be ready to anticipate such an event and respond accordingly.'" Root snorted with derision, before turning back to the house they were now at.
Holly fumed silently at her commander's witticism, and wisely decided not to reply, or they could be out here for ages. Instead, she turned to Captain Trouble Kelp, who was currently powering up his Neutrino 2000. She gave a glance at the house, which throughout the ages, had reduced to become a crumbling structure hardly appealing enough for anyone to stay in. Paint was peeling off the walls and ivy clambered up the walls for growth. Overgrown weeds were abundant in the deserted garden, and Holly felt a shiver pass through her veins before her fearless alter-ego took over. Even though she hated to admit it, the place gave her the creeps, but a job was a job, and the LEP had sent her here, together with Root and Trouble, to conduct their usual raid for criminals.
"Can't believe what we'll find in there," Holly muttered, making sure her weaponry was with her. Root gave her a contemptuous smirk. "Afraid, Holly?" he teased. Holly didn't trust herself to answer. Goading her was one of Root's ways to de-stress, and although she hated the idea, she had to admit that her commander became much more pleasant to be with after that.
Ignoring her commander, Holly turned to Trouble, who looked like he'd rather be anywhere but here. She had to empathize. Seeing the house had given her chills down her spine, but she knew that they had to barge in, as there was a high possibility that criminal activity could be taking place there. After all, no one would ever suspect that crooks would be hiding out in such a decrepit place like this. Gulping, Holly held her buzz baton for strength and waited for Commander Root to give the go.
"All right, Captain Short, Captain Kelp. Let's move in," Root ordered, before waving over the seven other LEP men who had come with them.
Holly followed close behind as Commander Root barged through the door. The sound reverberated around the house, and Holly tried not to look at the moth-infested sofa next to her. A foul stench hung in the house, and Holly had the urge to pinch her nostrils. The floorboards creaked as the LEP officers moved across them, and Holly felt the tendrils of trepidation creeping all over her body. Somehow she felt something was wrong in this house. Somehow she felt a sinister presence.
She watched as Commander Root trudged about the house for a while, opening doors and blasting fairy laser beams into empty rooms. Holly was on the alert for any strange behaviour as she ventured further and further into the dark house, the cobwebs eerily stretched across the doorposts and dusty windows adding to the scariness of the house.
She stepped on something and immediately aimed her Neutrino 2000 at the object and shot. The light of the laser lit up the object and she realized it was just a rat. Berating herself for her cowardice, Holly walked further on and came to a room that Root hadn't opened.
She knew there was no one behind her, but that's how Holly was - she loved to do dangerous things on her own. Breaking all the rules and getting into a tight fix were connotations with Holly, and as curiosity got the better of her, she opened the door and took a look around.
The first thing that caught her attention was the fact that there was a person sitting on the floor. As far as Holly could see, it was a male figure, and he sat with his head down, his facial features covered by unkempt hair. Dust gathered around him, and Holly wondered if he had ever moved, ever noticed that he was all alone in this spooky house.
No time to take risks. What if he was a criminal? Almost immediately, Holly heaved the Neutrino 2000 onto her shoulder and prepared to shoot, but something stopped her. Something was speaking in her mind.
"Holly....Holly...." the voice whispered.
"Who are you?" shouted Holly wildly, the Neutrino 2000 balancing erratically on her shoulder.
The voice in her head croaked, "....You know me...I am who you are. You are who I am. You are my life, my blood..."
Holly stared at the male figure before her. Was he speaking to her? Irrationally, and thoroughly spooked out, she began to shoot around the room, everywhere, trying to kill off that voice, and pulling the trigger, she aimed at the figure.
"....Are you sure you want to kill me?" the voice spoke again, taunting her, mocking her.
"Get out of here!" she yelled, a gnawing sense of dread creeping into her mind.
Then, the man looked up, his eyes giving off a strange glow in the shadow of the room. Although it was light outside, darkness reigned the house as the lights failed to work.
The man stared at her, and Holly dropped her Neutrino 2000, almost as if the man had made her do it. Holly's mouth dropped open.
"Remember me, Holly?" the voice spoke again, yet she only heard it in her head. The man's lips twisted into a precarious smile.
"No....no, it can't be you...It can't be!" Holly screamed, tears springing to her eyes. She fell to her knees, overwhelmed with emotion.
"Believe it, Holly....believe me....I loved you....you loved me....believe me..." the voice whispered.
"No...." Holly shook her head furiously. "This is unbelievable...NO!" she shrieked.
The voice got angry. "Believe me, Holly...believe me..."
Holly clutched her head, trying to get rid of the voice. Shaking her head furiously, she refused to see the man, and refused to hear the voice. This couldn't be true...it couldn't be true..
"You fool!" the voice was screeching now, "I am real!"
"I SAW YOU DIE!" she shouted hysterically, gathering up the courage to look into the man's face and scream. He still sat there as still as stone, his face beaming away like a lamppost. There was something contemptuous, and weird, about his smile though. It didn't seem welcoming.
"Am I dead, Holly? Am I dead?" the voice screamed back. "Now, believe me...Come to me.."
Holly felt herself being pulled towards him, but categorically refused to believe the man. It couldn't be true....this was too spooky....what was going on?!
"Let me go!" she screamed.
"Holly...don't fight...."
"Let me go....let me go...."
"I love you, Holly...don't you?"
"I do...I do....you're just not real..."
"Trust me...I am real..."
"Let me go....stop reminding me of the pain....stop...stop...stop!!"
Then everything went black.
~*~
"Holly? HOLLY! Wake up! Don't scare me!"
Someone....someone's calling me...
"Holly....can you hear me? Holly!"
...Must...get up...
"Holly! D'Arvit, let her be all right....please...Holly...! Holly...answer me!"
Holly felt her eyelids gently flutter open. A shaft of white light blindingly hit her in the eyes, and immediately, she shut her eyes again, her eyes unused to the brightness. She felt someone gently nudging her, and tentatively, she tried to open her eyes. Soon, an image of a concerned Trouble swam into view, standing next to a very red-faced Root.
Holly tried to speak. Her throat felt as dry as sandpaper. "Where...where am I?" she asked.
Trouble sighed with relief. "She's awake."
The crimson in Root's face gradually faded. He must have been worried about her. Funny that. "Holly...do you have any idea how brainless you were to enter a room alone?!" he screamed.
Holly sighed. Trust her to think that there was a touch of humanity in Root. She had to expect that from her commander though - a scolding the first thing she was conscious.
"Don't yell at her, she's only just woken up," Trouble retorted. He helped Holly to sit upright. "Feel better?" he asked, smiling.
Holly groaned. Her head felt so heavy, and not to mention, groggy. "I feel like my head's been stuffed full with squashed flies," she replied.
Trouble laughed. "Oh, Holly," he remarked.
Holly managed a weak smile. She knew Trouble was just trying to make her feel better. After all, he believed that laughter is the best medicine.
Commander Root tried to disguise his concern for Holly again, and merely demanded to know what had caused Holly to be in this state. "You know, Holly...when we found you, you were unconscious. I want to know, what happened in the room, Holly?"
Holly's face fell at the question, and her head began to throb as memories came rushing back. She looked at the ground, suddenly fascinated by it. She realized she was back safely in downtown Haven, in her house to be precise. How they had gotten there, she didn't know.
"Commander....she's not well. Couldn't you have left your questions for later?" she could hear Trouble protest.
"No...it's okay, Trouble...it's just...I'm not sure myself," Holly whispered.
Commander Root looked curiously at her. "Maybe if you discuss with us...we could figure it out? No one else is here, only Trouble and I."
Holly shook her head gently. "It's hard to explain...maybe...maybe I'm going crazy...maybe I'm seeing things..."
"I don't think you're going mad, Holly," Trouble said seriously. She felt Trouble squeezing her hand gently, encouraging her, and a sense of comfort filled her senses. She knew she had to tell them. It wouldn't be right to keep it to herself.
"Well?" Root prompted.
Holly took a deep breath to steady herself.
"Well...Commander...I think...I think I saw my father."