Chapter 11: The Loser
Michelle was lying on the floor with her feet on the couch. She had water on the table and a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She felt sick. There wasn't any denying it. The infection was ripping at her insides and making her nauseous. She and Skips had been dating for two weeks now. The heat of summer was still evident, but there were gloomy, cold days that betrayed the oncoming cold seasons of fall and winter.
Skips came into the living room and sat on the couch. He ran a hand up and down her leg, trying to comfort her. "Don't do that," said Michelle. "I think it might be getting me excited."
Skips rolled his eyes playfully. "Everything I do gets you excited," he said.
"This is true." Her right hand was holding the cloth to her head and her left hand was clutching her stomach. "It's not going away and I'm afraid to go any further than this."
"Come here, let me try something." He helped her into his lap. He had her face away from him while he tried certain pressure points. She tensed a few times before running upstairs to the bathroom to throw up. Skips came after her and petted her back soothingly.
"I think you're losing your touch, Skips," she said sarcastically after she finished. She shakily got up, flushed the toilet, and threw water in her face. She was visibly shaky, particularly in her arms and legs. Skips brought one of her arms over his shoulder and helped her to her bed down the hall.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't help you," he said after he had the blankets over her.
She shivered and asked, "What are you talking about?"
"I'm just so used to being able to fix stuff... it's kinda disconcerting." Michelle laughed and coughed harshly. She shivered harder and brought the blankets up further. Skips put a hand to her forehead and felt how warm it was. "Hang on, I'm gonna get some things." Skips went off to get a bucket, a fresh wet cloth, and fresh water. He came back up and put the bucket beside Michelle on the floor, the cloth on her forehead, and the water on her nightstand. He sat on the bed next to her and she gave a red-eyed glance at him.
"Why are you here?"
"Michelle, I want to help-"
"Michelle doesn't like being helped when she's sick," came the voice of Renae, who had entered the room with a cream-filled doughnut in her hands.
Michelle groaned. "Go away, Renae," she said.
"Why? I thought you didn't get sick," said Renae.
"Shut up," said Michelle, too sick to get up and punish her for her snipping. To Skips, she said, "Some time ago, I said I never got sick. It was a generalization on my part. It wasn't two weeks after I said that when I got sick and Renae wouldn't leave me alone. It's been like that since."
"All right, all right, out," said Skips, guiding Renae out.
"Fine, fine," said Renae. "I'll sleep downstairs until Michelle's better. It's not like I care." Skips closed the door on Renae and went back over to Michelle. The bird in question had her hands in her face, exasperated.
"It'll be okay," said Skips comfortingly.
"Yeah, whatever," replied Michelle. Her mood had drastically declined upon becoming sick.
"I'm going to be with you as much as possible. You'll get through this."
"That's what people say when they themselves are in a state of doubt."
Michelle didn't hold high hopes for her recovery. Skips didn't either, but he did at least have hope. It turns out, hope reaches people better when more than one person is hoping.
Upon the next morning, Michelle was in a coma. Skips didn't know what to do (and that was a rare thing for him). He dialed a number on his phone and called Gary, thinking he might be able to help.
Gary came out of the sky in his El Camino. He wore a white suit this time. He followed Skips to Michelle's bedroom. There, Michelle was asleep and looking very pale, but nonetheless beautiful. Gary put a hand to her forehead and came to a conclusion: "The infection inside her has spread to her mind. It is corrupting her memories and instilling fear in her."
"Is there anything that can be done?" asked Skips.
"No normal methods can be used to help her," replied Gary.
"Well, what about abnormal methods?"
"There is a way."
"How?"
"We can travel into her subconscious and fight the infection that way. It's the only way I'm familiar with in which she will live through." Skips sighed. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Skips nodded. "Very well." He snapped his fingers and they disappeared from the room.
The world they showed up in was a strangely familiar one. They stood in what looked like a lobby. There was a woman typing on a computer at a desk. She was a Caucasian with a boy's haircut. The color of her hair matched Michelle's feathers. Her suit was a woman's business suit that was gray with a white shirt. She didn't take her eyes off the keyboard nor her fingers as she said, "Skips and Gary?"
"Yes," replied the two together.
"Head through the door on my right for memories or the door to my left for dreams," said the woman. Skips and Gary went to the door for memories. "A word of warning, gentlemen... Evangeline is a hurt individual because of her memories. What do you think that will make you?"
"Thank you for your concern, madam, but that's not what we're here for," said Gary.
"Very well." The woman took a key from her hair, turned it in a mechanism, and with a hissing sound, the door dragged open as if being run by old metal gears. "Good luck." Skips and Gary stepped through the door. They fell into a river and sunk deeply into it. They had to swim up so that they wouldn't drown. When they made it to the surface, they found a little girl sitting on the bank of the river. She looked like a young Michelle of about ten years old. She was plucking petals off of a flower and tossing them into the river. She had a sad expression on her face. Then, she looked over at the two.
"Who are you two?" she asked with an adorable British accent. Gary and Skips both looked around, sure that she was talking to somebody else. "Yes, I'm talking to you two in the river." Skips and Gary swam to shore and, once they saw the girl was indeed talking to them, Skips brought a hand down for her to shake.
"I'm Skips," he said as the girl shook his hand. "This is Gary," he pointed to his friend, who also shook the girl's hand.
"Pleased to meet you. My name is Evangeline. I know that you aren't giving me your real names since you're Walks and you're Gareth," she said pointing to the two in order of introductions.
"How did you know that?" asked Skips.
She giggled. "Silly goose, I am Evangeline's consciousness, the innocence that keeps her a good person. I know why you're here too. You're here to help fight that meanie, Adam. After all, he and the infection are linked together."
"Do you know where he is?" asked Skips.
"I do. He is corrupting good memories of times with you so that when Evangeline wakes up, she'll see you as an enemy. He is also mending bad memories of him by making them good memories. If mending is what it is to be called," young Evangeline replied, frustrated. "Come along, then." She waved for them to follow her and she took them to a house in the distance. She went through the door and Skips and Gary followed her. They immediately turned around and went back out the same door.
"This is the memory of the day everyone Evangeline cared about got killed. It was the day she left Adam," said the little girl. "Look at that! Adam is crying over little Abigail's body. That's not what happened!"
"No, indeed," came a reply in a dark voice.
"Walks..." little Evangeline squeaked as she hugged his leg.
"Why your subconscious is a weak little girl is beyond me," it was Adam. He came toward them in a different form. His top half was the same, but his bottom half was red and black ooze. There was a sound of boiling oil as he moved. To Skips, he said, "What say do you have in Evangeline's memory anyway? You have no magic."
"I do," said Gary. He opened his hand in Adam's direction and shot out a blast of energy. Adam was taken aback and hissed his discontent. He went off and Gary repaired the memory to go back to the way it was. Skips watched a shocked Evangeline witness her daughter being murdered. Everything was just as she said... and far worse. Little Evangeline hid behind Skips's leg, crying. Skips went into the room with Evangeline, looking at her expression and looking at the girl in the bed. "This memory is repaired. We should move on." Skips sadly moved on. Little Evangeline closed the door to the room, then re-opened it to another location.
"This is the memory of when Evangeline first fell in love with you, Walks," said little Evangeline with a blush on her face. It was night-time and they saw Evangeline walking up to a weeping Walks. Skips gasped. He remembered this night. Desdemona had just died and he was going to attend her funeral on Sunday, which had been the following day. He had been devastated, but he certainly wasn't recalling Michelle's presence there.
"Young man, why are you crying?" asked the past Evangeline. Her British accent had faded, but was still somewhat evident.
"I just lost someone I cared for very much," replied the past Walks.
"Well, then, why not let me help you? I am quite good at forgetting the dead."
"What if, pray tell, I do not want to forget?"
"I can help with that too. I can help you move on."
The past Walks finally looked up at the one addressing him. The past Evangeline gave a smile. "I have a friend with a farm that could use some work. He is too slothful to even look for workers himself. Perhaps you would like to?" she asked.
"You say it will help me move on?" asked the past Walks, standing.
"Work oftentimes keeps one's mind off of things one would rather forget... at least, that is what I am told."
"Where does this friend live?"
"I shall take you there. It is naught but a short walk from here."
"Thank you, miss...?" He asked as they started walking.
"I shan't give you my name now. We have been acquainted twice before and I still do not make a mark upon your memory. Why is this?"
"Did you give your name then either? Beg pardon, miss, but I truly do not remember you."
Past Evangeline looked at him up and down, as if searching for a lie. She let out a sigh. "I believe you. That does not change my mind though."
They walked on for a bit, then past Walks asked, "Would it make you more comfortable if I told you my name?"
Past Evangeline laughed. "And what if, pray tell, I already know it?"
"Then you shall know it again. My name is Walks."
She smiled. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Walks."
As Skips, Gary, and little Evangeline watched, they searched for any sign of Adam. They didn't see him until they saw something strange in the bushes. "Oh, my! A snake!" cried out past Evangeline.
"It is naught but a small garter snake, miss. We shall be fine to simply pass over him," said past Walks.
"No, it isn't!" cried out little Evangeline. Just then, the snake came up in an attack. Skips subdued the snake while Gary changed the memory.
The new memory showed Walks not just acknowledging the snake was there, but also that it wasn't just a garter snake. It was a rattlesnake! He took it in his hands and headed for the bushes. He returned unharmed.
"Walks! What happened to the snake?" asked past Evangeline.
"I killed it," replied past Walks.
"With your bare hands?"
"Aye."
There was a pause. "Well, thank you, Walks. I see you truly are a gentleman."
"What did you think I was before?" Evangeline replied by giving him a playful shove. Walks replied with another shove. The contest went on until Walks shoved too hard and the two wound up on the ground.
"Oh, beg pardon, miss, I did not mean to-"
"Walks... do you ever notice how bright the stars can be sometimes?"
Walks got off of her and onto the grass on his back. Then, Evangeline jumped on top of him. He was surprised to say the least. They laughed a little. "Why is it I cannot remember you from before?"
"I regret to say it is my fault. It is all so that everything may be preserved. The natural order is not ready for this. I have agreed to wait as long as it takes."
"You cannot possibly live forever though."
Evangeline gave a sad smile and replied, "I must make you forget again. I am too much of a nuisance in the lives of others to become one on yours as well."
"What are you not telling me, miss?"
Evangeline smiled. "It does not matter. Perhaps I shall see you again in a few years. I shall be observing your progress in the meanwhile." With that, she took out the necklace she was wearing and showed the gem to Walks. The gem shone brightly for a moment. During that moment, Walks was mesmerized by it. When it faded, he seemed dazed. Evangeline picked him up carefully and guided him along.
"That was how you got your job at the farm. From there, it became another thing entirely," said little Evangeline.
"Michelle made me forget everything... to protect me?" asked Skips.
"One might say that. One might also say she did it because she didn't want to fall in love at the time. It might have been better for her if it had turned out that way... but I suppose we'll never know," said little Evangeline. She took Skips by the hand and guided them to a tree. They went around the tree a few times before winding up elsewhere.
It was the park. The year was 1879. Skips knew this because of the park house being built and the park ground looked especially fresh. It had come a long way since its groundbreaking in 1876.
"Where is Mi- Evangeline in this memory?" asked Skips.
"She really does like it when you call her Evangeline, you know," said little Evangeline with a giggle. She said no more as she ran off.
Skips ran after her yelling, "Wait! Stop!" Gary followed Skips through the park. Just as they were catching up to her, they saw Adam ahead, making his way to a past Skips. Little Evangeline tried to intervene, but was swatted away. The memory got fuzzy a moment before it got really bad. Gary wasted no more time in righting the memory.
The righted memory took place at about the same time Skips had changed the wheel on the carriage of the park owners: Mr. Maellard and his fiance. The past Skips reached for the new wheel, but when he looked around, he found it gone. He scratched his head in confusion. "Pardon me, young man, but is this yours?" It was the past Evangeline speaking.
"Oh, thank you, miss...?" the past Skips asked, just as before.
"I shan't give my name. It would only stay with you and make it harder for you to forget me."
"Would it put your mind at ease if I told you my name?"
"What if I already know it?"
"Then you are about to be re-acquainted with it. My name is Walks." He changed the wheel and set the carriage going again.
Past Evangeline had been looking at the couple in the carriage and finally commented to the past Walks, "You know, Walks, if they do are not wed within the year, I shall be very much surprised. 'Tis a shame that love shall become corrupt with vanity though." She sighed. "Ah, well, 'tis life's way, I suppose."
"Aye."
There was a silence before past Evangeline broke it. "Well, then, I shan't have you remembering me. 'Tis not time yet."
"Time for what, pray tell?"
"Time for anything." She took out her necklace and the effects were the same. She took the dazed man to the shade of a tree and said, "You know, Walks, you really ought to have your name changed. It hardly makes sense to call you Walks when you always skip." She said it with a little contempt in her voice. "Ah, well... it is time I move on. Fare thee well, Walks." She left.
"We have one memory left, but I'm afraid it shall be a bit more painful than anyone would care to see," said little Evangeline.
"Take us there," said Skips resolutely.
"Very well," said little Evangeline. She took them around a tree and they found themselves in the park. It was raining... it was recent... it was the night Skips saved Michelle from suicide and confessed to Skips. "This is the turning point, you know. If it hadn't been for you, she might have lost all hope, along with her life."
Skips and Gary followed the past Michelle inside, but, instead of the same memory, they were shifted elsewhere. Adam appeared in a huge monstrous form. "ENOUGH! I am the ruler of her fate! I am the one who is supposed to be with her! 231 years have passed, but she is still my wife! What say you to that, intruder?" he asked, referring to Skips. The yeti replied by charging him. He missed and Adam laughed. "Do you really think you are a match for me? In here, I am stronger than I am out there! I am everything that no one wants, but everyone craves: fear."
"What made you this way? You can't have always been like this!" said Skips.
"No, but I was just a young man, forced into a marriage I didn't want. Then, I had a child I didn't want. Fear came to me and offered me a job, but I would have to inflict fear upon the one who was closest to me. That person at the time was my wife. It is a curse, yes, but it is also a blessing. Haven't you ever wanted to decide someone's fate? Now, while I cannot write someone's fate, I cannot decide where they'll end up, nor can I bring about opportunities to bring them in the right direction. I am the influence who brings them in the wrong direction. You have no idea how pleasurable it is to screw with someone's fate! Mortals are push-overs, swayed easily by fear, but you immortals are the fun ones. You challenge me and make this existence bearable. I thank you for that. Now, I must finish what I've started. Watch the memory closely, Skips. Watch it and know that there is nothing you can do about it." He laughed and faded away.
The memory was back. Michelle was outside, knife in hand and looking very sad. Skips pulled his hair. This was more nerve-wracking than that night. While Michelle wouldn't really die, she would think that she had... if that was how this worked. Skips came forward and tried to stop her, but he went right through her.
"These are memories. You can't influence memories unless you're magic," said little Evangeline.
Skips looked at Gary desperately. "I'm trying, Skips, but my magic isn't working as well as it was before. Adam might be stronger than me," said Gary. There was a loud laughter heard and they looked to the top of the park house. Adam was there, looming over them.
"This will not stand," said Skips, his tone determined. He gave a running start, then jumped for Adam. The spirit of Fear knocked him away.
"Is that the best you can do?" asked Adam.
"Skips! My dreams often collide with memories. Concentrate and you'll see them!" said little Evangeline.
"How does that help me?" asked Skips.
"Dreams are magic, Skips! You can defeat even your greatest fear in dreams," replied little Evangeline. Then, a large knife appeared in the air. Skips grabbed a hold of it, but it was hard to keep up since it was heavy. He lugged it toward Adam. Adam laughed again.
"Come on!" Adam made the gesture with his fingers. Skips let out a battle cry as he jumped and sliced at Adam. The knife got absorbed by Adam, making him bigger. "You fool! Nightmares are fears! You can't defeat me that way!"
"Look!" called out little Evangeline. They all looked and saw many images of green and what appeared to be memories. "This is when she saw her life go before her eyes. Grab the memories!" Skips jumped up and grabbed the memories. He hurled them at Fear and, because they were good memories and because they were coming at him so quickly, he began shrinking. It was working! Adam fell onto the ground in front of the house. Michelle had the knife to herself. There wasn't much time left.
"Now what?!" asked Skips.
"Throw me!" said little Evangeline.
"What?!"
"It'll be okay! Just do it!" Skips came forward, picked up the little girl, and chucked her at Adam. A bright light appeared and Adam shrunk down until he was in a normal form.
"He's weakened! Gary, right the memory!" said Skips.
"I'm on it," said Gary. The memory was righted and Skips watched as he stopped the attempt and the two went inside to talk.
Adam groaned from the ground. He shakily stood up and tried to move forward, but he only succeeded in falling. "Why did you have to throw her subconscious at me? Don't you know that's where all of a person's courage comes from?" he asked.
"I do now," said Skips. Gary laughed and Adam snarled at it. Then, Adam began laughing again. It was weak laughing, but it was laughing nonetheless. "What do you have to laugh at now? You lost!"
"Oh, really? If I am the loser, then why is it that I feel so much like the winner? After all, isn't it curious you haven't met Michelle in here?" asked Adam.
"What do you mean by that?" asked Skips. Adam didn't answer. Skips pulled the man up by his collar and said, "Tell me."
Adam laughed. "I gain power through fear. Nightmares are fears. Just what do you think is going on with Michelle's dreams right now?" he asked. He answered his own question. "She's having a nightmare." He laughed again. "So, unless you think you can defeat me before I get there, you're sorely out of luck." His form melted and made its way into the distance. Skips ran after it and Gary followed. The ooze went past the park gate and disappeared. The pursuit was on.
Once past the gate, they were back in the lobby. The ooze made its way down to the other door, but found it couldn't get through the cracks. "Do you have a ticket to get in?" asked the woman at the desk. Adam responded by thrusting a part of him at the woman, taking her key, turning it in the lock, and going in. "Well!" Skips and Gary followed Adam into the dreams.
Adam found himself reduced to his common form again. The robin was frustrated with himself. "I am truly useless," he said angrily. Skips, Gary, and he were in a large black space, floating. "Where are we anyway?"
"My dream," came a response in the distance. The one who spoke came forward and they all recognized her as Michelle. Unlike them, she appeared to be walking on solid ground. She had the feathers on the top of her head dyed pink on the ends and she had a summer dress and a flowery, pink apron on. There were bags under her eyes and she looked more like she was in her late 30's then her early 20's.
"No! This is impossible! You were having a nightmare! I felt it!" protested Adam.
"Yeah, well, with all the conflict going on in my head, how couldn't I have a nightmare? It's all over now though. Besides, all that happened was the usual ending: Skips comes in and saves the day, then we run into the sunset together, hand in hand," said Michelle with a smile.
There was a roaring and banging in the distance. Michelle turned to it, looking nervous. "It sounds like another nightmare coming," said Adam.
"I'm sure it's nothing," said Michelle quickly. The banging and roaring only got louder. Michelle turned to the group. She was smiling slightly, but fear was still evident in her eyes. Then, the thing that was making the noise came forward and started coming at them full force.
"Now, that's a nightmare!" said Adam, pleased. He tried moving toward it, but was held in place. "What is going on?!"
"My dream, my rules," said Michelle, her voice strained. She was obviously holding him back somehow. The creature still came.
"Aren't you afraid?! FEAR ME!" said Adam. Michelle shuddered and collapsed. Adam came forward and started running toward the beast. Skips and Gary became level with Michelle as well.
"I haven't much strength left. You must help me. I'm only being able to prolong the monster's coming. I cannot stop it," said Michelle.
"There has to be something that can be done," said Skips insistently.
Michelle got up, panting. "There is. Skips, are you ready to make my dream come true?" He gave her a confused look at first before she pulled him forward and locked him into a kiss. It was a strange kiss, being lips to beak and all, but it was a kiss nonetheless. Skips brought her closer and she held onto him.
Suddenly, things weren't as they were. When Michelle pulled away from the kiss, Skips found himself in shining metal armor. Michelle giggled like a little girl and looked at him with shining eyes. She liked what she saw. Skips looked for a weapon and saw a sword in a hilt. While he had no shield, he doubted he needed one. "Good luck, Sir Skips," Michelle said, excitement in her voice. Skips smiled and charged toward the monster. He soon passed Adam in his not so progressive progress.
"NO!" called out Adam. Skips leaped toward the monster and, in one slash of his mighty blade, beheaded the monster. The nightmare was over. Adam fell to the ground, reeling in pain. "This... isn't over... you cannot destroy fear..." he said.
"No, but we can overcome it," said Skips. He made a stab for Adam, but Adam vanished before he could make a wound. Adam appeared at the other end of the dreamscape. He opened the door and left. Skips made to go after him, but was stopped by Michelle.
"He's gone from my mind now. There's no need to chase after him. He will probably try one more time, but that is for another day," said Michelle. "Skips, I consider this a win. Death has banned him from me physically and now you have banned him from me mentally. I thank you for that."
"So, does that mean you'll wake up now?" asked Skips.
"Only one way to find out..." Michelle leaned forward as if to kiss him, but got away just as Skips's eyes closed. He almost fell forward, making Michelle laugh. "Why don't you stop dreaming and kiss the real thing, Skips?" She walked off.
"Where are you going?"
"Oh, a dream is starting. If you hurry, you might be able to get a seat." Michelle winked just as a door appeared in front of her. She opened it to a bright light. "See you on the outside." She winked again and the door closed behind her. The door was still there and it said, "Michelle's Greatest Dream" on its front. Skips lingered for a moment, curious.
"I guess you'll never know," came a voice. It was little Evangeline again. "I have my orders to not let anyone on the outside see the dream. I'm sure if you ask, she'd tell you though." She giggled and grabbed his hand, leading him to the door out of the dream world. From there, they were in the lobby. "This is as far as I can go. I think you two can let yourselves out. I'm not being pushy, but it would be bad to be in here while Michelle's awake, because then you can't get out until the next time she falls asleep."
"Thank you for helping us," said Skips.
"It's kinda what I do," the little one replied with a wink. "Now, go on, get outta here." She smiled and Skips and Gary left Michelle's subconscious through the front door.
Skips and Gary returned to the real world, gasping for air. Skips went to Michelle's side and saw color returning. She would wake soon. He smiled as he leaned in and kissed her lips, just as Prince Charming did for Briar Rose. Michelle woke up, shocked at first, but soon kissed back. She brought up her arms and wrapped them around his neck, deepening the kiss. He pulled away and the two panted a little from how long they held on.
Michelle smiled. "My hero," she said, glee in her tired tone.
Skips blushed. "Ah, it was nothin,' " he said. He picked her up and put her in his lap. She still had a hold of his neck with her arms.
"It's never gonna be normal for us, is it?"
"Probably not, but the best thing we can do for that is to try and enjoy the moments that are normal." Michelle looked off and it was obvious that something was on her mind. "What is it?"
"Adam will come back. I'm sure of it. He'll try to take away someone I truly care about."
"I'm not going anywhere, Michelle, you know that."
"Actually, I wasn't talking about you." Michelle didn't have premonitions, but Adam had told her he was going to take someone away from her, someone more precious and dear to her than Skips. It was set in her mind to do everything she could to stop it.
Yeesh. It never quits, does it? Sorry about the length of the chapter. I had to fit everything in and leave it at a nice place. I couldn't bear to leave this one on too much of a cliffhanger. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)