Chapter 4
Lydia was still standing in her spot behind the glass menagerie, wanting to savor the moment for herself, almost oblivious to what was going around her or who went past her.
She couldn't believe that she was given a chance to see the one person she felt fate had so unfairly taken away from her. Seeing he person in front of her, made her think that her father's words of how she once looked paled in comparison to the real thing. Evelyn Deetz, the true mother of Lydia, was all of what she heard and more. The tears had ceased after a few minutes and she no longer touched he glass window, after she decided hat she had enough of her.
A logical side of her tried to remind her why she was here and what she had just given up for, but another aspect did battle with her rationale in an effort to persuade the teenager to stay a little longer.
And as she was about to turn he head to the right and see where Clotho was he whole time, she was taken back bu another surprise tha left her mouth open. A youthful version of Charles Deetz that had a mustache and didn't look a bit like the nervous wreck he was when they first moved to Winter River, rather a man who was confident of himself and thought that with a lot of effort and perseverance, one could still make it in the world.
He was wearing light brown ants, a sweater and he opened the door hat led to he room where his wife and her newborn baby were in. Closing the door behind him, he was greeted by the smile of his wife and he stood beside her to take a good look at her daughter.
For a second Lydia thought that she could the couple's dialogue and she hed the following:
"Well, how's the kid, Eve? I'm sorry that I wasn't here yesterday, but something important came up and I had to check out the things that went down in that Lower Manhattan I told you about the other day. Only hope I didn't miss anything important, did I?'', the blond man asked.
''It's okay Charles. I knew you had to be there, and I am glad that you could make it after all thee days ago to witness the birth of your little girl. Isn't our little angel so cute, so sweet?'', the brunette woman replied to Charles, who leaned his head to take a good look at their baby girl.
''Ah, yeah, yeah, she is...and as a matter of fact, I don't think I saw a more beautiful in the whole nursery than our own. I really think that.''
''I guess you are right, Charlie. Absolutely right.'', Evelyn said, a smile forming in her lips, turning her head to see the sleeping form of her infant daughter. ''And something tells me hat you''ll keep these promises to me...and to her. Don't worry, hon. I think I am gonna make it.''
''You mean the stain the birth put into you? You sure ou don't want to call the doctor to check you up in case of a...'', Charles said, only to be interrupted by his wife.
''It's alright, Charlie, it's alight. Even if it does happen to me, I know that someone like you will look after my angel, no matter what.''
Not wanting to hear and see anything further than this, Lydia turns her back against the while wall and sinks in, her behind meeting the floor, not even in the mood to talk to anyone, after it dawned on her that she could do anything about it. History would resume its course and she will be stuck with Delia and Dad the way they are now. Thee can really be another existence where she's alive, or at least, something that could make her see life and the world in general under a new light.
She didn't even care to pick up he black hat, as she noticed that it wasn't scratched a bit, as the doctors, nurses and hospital personnel passed through it as though it was made of air.
She became once again lost in her thoughts, staring at the opposite end of the hall room, although the reality was that her mind was travelling through the endless possibilities and weaknesses of trying to repair her life, with or without her biological mother in the picture, but she didn't want to shed more tears over this.
As if she was on cue with the inner working of her thoughts, the mysterious woman only known as Clotho reappeared beside her, waiting for any sign or response the little girl would display. Thinking that the silence went on for a ridiculous amount of time, she thought it best to resume her talking from when they were still in the darkness moments ago.
''I really don't know now if you are distressed or maybe or you don't want to all to me after all this dram hat went in front of your own eyes. However, we have to continue with our search and see where you failures in this lifetime lie, before you are prepared for the next step in reincarn...''
''Can't you see that I am not in the mood for your riddles, Clotho lady? Only now I got into my head there is not a damned thing I can do to bring my mother back into my life, or somehow affect change in the course of my own history, because this is only a past recreated by, by someone's memory, right? Not an actual travel through time, but a recreation from some one else's memory. How did you...''
I'm afraid I had to search though the memory of your father so that I could recreate this place and no, I cannot travel through time. Even if I could do, nothing really good ever comes out of it. The only thing I could was to extract a memory of your Dad, a few friends, some of the staff that were there those days so that everything would be in place for the two of us to visit. I only did that so that I could earn your trust. You may not forgive me at the end of this, but that is my job as the last surviving Fate.''
Now the teenage girl's was somehow picked at the name the old woman chose to describe herself. Feeling a bit confident that she could face the person herself, Lydia slowly stood up and picked her hat along the way, putting it back to her head. With not any tears to blur her vision, and with a serious look in her face, she opened her mouth to ask, but Clotho was too quick to respond to that, happy to see that the girl was finally accepting her situation and thought it was only to oblige and help a bit with her curiosity.
"'In case you wonder what kind of ghost I am, well, we could say that I belong to a rare family of beings that for one time were really ruling people's fates and the destinies of countries and nations rested safely in our hands. The same, for a while, was true for the afterlife. I am not allowed to say more for the time being, but I could tell you this: me and my other two sisters are what in few mythologies of the world refered to as ''the Fates.'' Have you ever studied Greek Mythology in that school of yours, even a tiny bit?''
Lydia tried to recall when it was the last time she ever heard of that term before, and she ended up remembering a time when a history teacher she had in her earlier days in New York made several references to it, but any real memory regarding that area really came from another time at Miss Shannon's' School for Girls, when their history teacher wanted to point out that there were some instances in ancient times where people couldn't really tell truth from myth, with one example being the myth about the sister of Alexander The Great being turned into a mermaid, asking the sailors she met if her brother returned home from his many adventures and expeditions beyond Asia Minor and Persia.
The legend was that if the sailors were to answer negatively and say that he died, the mermaid would attempt anything to sink their boats and ships to the bottom of the ocean, but if they said to her that he was still alive and well, despite of an infection that took his life at the age of 33, thus ending an astounding military career and the last great chance to unite the world by uniting two alien continents together, the mermaid would let them go their way and thanked them for giving hope that she'd be reunited with her brother once again, after all the time they were apart.
Trying not to mumble her words, Lydia did her best to relate to Clotho whatever she ever heard on that subject.
''I am not really sure, but I heard an awful lot about the Greeks and their mythology, and I, I remember a bit about the Gods and the Heroes they had, like, how their choices would affect the people around them, but only bits and pieces of stuff, not the actual myths.''
Clotho was not hesitating to show a bit of disappointment at the girl's answer and so she went to explain the thing herself as detailed as she best could.
''Shouldn't be surprised that modern folks don't give a damn about their heritage or the legacy the stories carried for more than a millennium, but we will try not to get too deep into that. Tell me, though, have you ever heard of the goddesses that controlled the destinies of both the Heroes and the Gods by spinning what they referred to as the ''Thread of Life'', and they would often try to veer the course of the mortal's lives when they felt that it was the best they could do to make sure that life and history will resume their own course. And they happened to be three sisters.''
Almost realizing where her answer was leading to, Lydia tried to process it in her head and exclaimed her speculation.
''Then what are you trying to see is that both you and the figure I touched in that model was one of your sisters, and you are the Fates, the ones of Greek legend?''
Clotho nodded her head, hoping that Lydia wouldn't say anything stupid about her revelation, but she hoped way too much for her own good as a little giggle escaped the raven-hired girl's lips, only covering her mouth when she remembered how rude this must have been for the redhead woman.
''Oh, God, I'm sorry, but I can't really believe any of this crap that you just said. For all I know, this could be one of the many tricks either Juno or Beetlejuice would do to impress me and fall for their antics, like any good prey with not enough brains would fall right into the ''mousetrap'' of any skilled predator. I mean, you are nothing like they described you in the books, where they show as this young girl, if I remember correctly from that one book I read for glass. Not the type of subject I was interested, but it was intriguing, in its own way.''
The woman was still standing and undisturbed by how Lydia saw all of this as one big joke, though she was slightly irritated by how oblivious this young person, like many of the girls her age, in spite of thinking that perhaps she was more smarter than them. It turned out that that wasn't the case at all, and made her mind to retain her calmness and explain certain aspects of her history to the teenage girl.
''The books, honey, at least the ones that got into your hand were not always trying to capture the true nature of our ''job'' and purpose, for lack of a better word, nor did they intend to enlighten the likes of you into the vast richness that our own stories had. But the reality is that I am not the Clotho of legend, but I borrowed her name when it was time for her to retire and thought she and her sisters wanted to live like normal humans, and feel what it was like to be a mortal being and die with the knowledge that someone else had thought that their time came from them to move on, and whatever mysteries they would encounter once there, that was their problem to deal with. In the end, only the original Clotho wanted to go through the process and she let her sisters aged a bit back to where she wanted them to be. Care to know the rest, dear?''
That was when Lydia fully realized the mistake she made and thought that maybe she shouldn't try to enrage her anymore than her last blunder. Following some serious pondering, she nodded her head and waited for the next storybook lecture that the older woman would be giving to her, in the hopes she will eventually get this thing done and be back home before her father and step-mother knew that she wasn't around.
By the time she reluctantly answered to Clotho about wanting to learn more about her, the surroundings once again changed to the utter blackness they had been moments before they entered the hospital emergency room.
'I think it best to have a proper change of scenery before I go on with my stories.'', Clotho commented upon the sudden change of their surrounding environment, waiting for the voice of the teenager to go straight through her ears, but after watching her with another layer of confusion spread across her features, she gave a heavy sign and attempted to be straight about this, regardless of the fact that Lydia might all the rest as part of an unusual joke, though she wouldn't tolerate her obliviousness to things anymore, and didn't hesitate to show that in her own words.
''The reason I am surprised to hear all that is not because that you don't have a clue, rather the fact the school system, let alone the entire educational system in America, had gone to hell, and instead of helping young people to know what it's out there, it actually more ''living dead'' whose sole purpose is to go and satisfy their own immature cravings rather than trying to see the beauty in stories and legends. Sure not all folklore is based on fact, but it would have been wonderful to see youngsters like you to have the urge to look at the stories that their ancestors once believed in; in fact, it reminds me of a old good saying that goes like, ''If you don't have your wealth, were are you.'' I have never been the model civilian, with my smoke and cigars, but I try, kiddo, and I try real hard to make a difference in the lives of million others, even at the cost of changing a life like yours.''
Now Lydia was left with so many questions instead of answers, and it was her turn to give Clotho a hint of her new found confusion with her last speech.
''What the fuck was all that about, lady? Why can't you just give me a straight answer, or why does those million other lives matter so much than my own?'', Lydia exclaimed, not seeing the anger that accumulated in Clotho's blue eyes.
'And I had enough of you, your nasty disposition and your mouth, girl. Maybe the best way to show things as they truly are is to give you a nice picture in your head on what life for you will be tomorrow night, with what your affair with him will be like.''
''What affair, you old bitch? And if you try something funny, I swear you are gonna regret the minute you entered my ro...'', Lydia's sentence was cut short when Cloth touched in her forehead with her right hand, now screaming as a new sensation flooded her vision and made her feel numb at the force that was coursing through her body.
The minute she opened her eyes, Lydia found herself again in the attic, still clothed with her black attire. Not wanting to waste her time, she rushed to open the door that lead to the staircase, only to be met by Clotho wearing a grey blue robe and a hood that partially covered her face.
''If you thought you'd be rid of me, dear, think again, because there's one last thing you need to see for yourself. Follow my lead, honey, and you'll be ready to enter your next plane of existence, a doorway for a new chance and a new lifetime, only if you keep my mouth shut and your eyes open, along with your ears to hear the sounds of the scene that is about to unfold...in a month from now. Okay?''
Lydia momentarily rolled her eyes and when she opened them again, she said the only thing that gets to her head in a situation like this, accepting the fact that it will be a bit difficult to be rid of Clotho for good if she didn't go along with her plan.
''Alright, lady, alright, I will play along, my Gosh, Just give me one moment, please.'', Lydia said, catching her breath from the little running she gave to get to the attic door. Once she regained her breathing, she looked again at the older woman who eyed her with blue orbs that seemed to be filled with empathy and understanding for the girl, and yet they indicated how much of her anger she repressed and how threatening it looked like if it was left unchecked, and Lydia knew that she shouldn't make any screw-up this time, or she would buy the barn, for all that she cared. Without wasting another second, she cocked her head to her direction and said what she wanted to know how this whole affair would be over and be left alone before both of her parents came home.
''The truth, Miss Clotho, is that I want this to end so that I don't have to let my parents pick up a bone with me, having to explain that it had nothing to do with the wedding incident all this time ago. And you have to understand that I am around you for almost an hour and I still don't get where are you going with all this shit, so how about we start over and see where we can go from that, okay?'', Lydia retorted, watching Clotho still staying in her spot, her face showing that she was willing to listened whatever the youngster had in mind for her, as Lydia continued with her own overlong response.
''The whole point is, I don't need any of your complex riddles at all, just the basic facts you planned to tell me about, and you could, at the very least, let me think it over for a while, and I come back to you with, with a...a reasonable offer, if you try to sell me the idea that my life can be even better, or be improved from what I am going through at the moment, but I don't see what were you trying to achieve by making all these mentions to Greek Mythology, the way our schools work in the States, and so on and so forth. So, what do you say to that right now, Miss Clotho, and don't think I didn't have a good reason for yelling when you just going over in circles.''
Lydia waited to hear Clotho's answer to it, but she tried to wrap this up as best as she could when she saw her just standing there with the same expression in her features, looking like she was processing in her mind the best argument she could think of and not be embarrassed that a teenager could actually beat her in her own game.
''I am really sorry for letting those coming out of my mouth or jumping the gun at you, but I am really, really tired and I want to go to sleep and wake up in the morning with the knowledge that perhaps all this was...a nightmare. I don't say I know much about the kinds of subjects that you study in whatever library they have in the other side, or that you are probably a former caseworker who needs some serious help, a therapy, maybe. But don't worry, though, because I'll go with you all the way. And I'll go only if you promise me to get me back here and let me in peace. Is that much to ask of you?''
It took a good two minutes for the old redhead to make any movement, but once she was sure that Lydia Deetz was speaking from her heart in her own way, and that the goofiness she displayed at the old hospital room had somewhat disipitated, her lips curved to a smile and she removed her hood, revealing her shoulder-length ginger hair coming out, eyeing her less menacingly than before.
''Congratulations, Lydia, that's pretty much all I wanted to hear, and I promise it will be over much sooner than I expected, now that you want to work with me on this for real. Not quite sure you'll get back home the same person like you are now, but I could give you a way out of this life, but only if you want to. Only if you want to.''
Without wanting to say a word, Lydia silently nodded her head, and the redhead woman checked her with her blue eyes before commenting on her decision.
''Very good. Just be aware that this is going to be a long night. Will you come now, downstairs, I mean.
''Yes, yes, I will...even though I have a feeling that I'm not gonna like the things that I am about to see there.''
''You'll be the judge of that, dear, not me. In the meantime, though, while you are watching the scene that will unfold once we are there, I could give you an idea of what I originally planned for you. Any detail that I wasn't able to illustrate the best way I could regarding the nature of our job with the living should be a lot clear at the end of this journey. Come on, now, because we ain't got all night.''
And with that last sentence, Clotho slowly descended the stairs that would lead to the main living room, with Lydia following her without making any fuss or protest this time around.
Once they reached the door, Clotho gestured her right hand and staring speaking a few words that Lydia couldn't really understand the language of origin for what appeared to be some sort of a spell or a charm, as the door opened in a rather eerily manner, and when it was fully opened, all that Lydia could see was that it was early in the night and that the place was dominated by an uncomfortable silence, and her eye got something that made her spine shiver at the mere sight of it.
What appeared as letterings written in...blood were painted in one of the walls, and it read as following:
''Hope your time in hell will be more rewarding than your shitty life in W.R. ever was.
At least you will get to know what the fuck I'd been through, hon, and you will be my one and only wife. Those Maitlands, your good buddies from the old times, won't be there for ya, kid.
That's my promise, babes, and your folks should be careful, 'cause you are gonna be next if you try anything funny, and there ain't a damn thing you can do for her, so you better sit your ass down and watch the show... because there ain't gonna be more than two shows this night. Won't do it, and never will.
With all my love, your little laughing husband from the hereafter itself,
Betelgeuse...
Betelgeuse...
Beetlejuice.''
The black-haired girl really couldn't tell if this was the most horrible prank the poltergeist could have ever pulled to sick her deeply in her guts, or it was a fair warning that the next time their paths get crossed, it won't end well for her, her family and anyone in this house, maybe even the town.
''How could this bastard go to that point? It's not him, not really him to pull a stunt like this, could he?'', Lydia thought to herself, eyeing with her brown orbs the red lettering again and again, trying to figure out what is the real meaning behind these words. She was sure Beetlejuice could go totally berserk if pushed too far, and be totally impartial and indifferent of the consequences of his actions towards people, especially the living, which was really what frightened her the most at the moment.
''If you wonder if it's him, well, in a way, it is. But then again, it's only an image of what he'll become if something goes horribly wrong and not dealt with right away, and at the right place at the right time.'', Clotho said after watching Lydia clued to the letters and seeing how uncertain she was of the whole scene. Nevertheless, she continued with her explanation of the situation at hand, feeling uneasy over how much she should reveal to her without giving too much.
''Like I said, he is already dealt with, and both of my sisters and associates will look into his case soon enough. Our job tonight is to piece together where could everything go so wrong and perhaps a way to avoid the...punishment that will be imposed to the both of you, if you won't learn to make amends and move forward, in any way that you can and see fit.''
Now having more difficulty to believe what she just heard, Lydia turned her head with a rather disgusted look and not looking as if she could agree with all of that.
''You really have to do some serious explaining, before I allow this asshole back into my life. How do you suppose things can get easier for the both of us, after a sick joke like the one in front of me, huh? Tell me.'', Lydia replied to her.
''I wouldn't presume to tell you how you can work things out with a greaseball excuse of a ghost like this one, but I want to believe there's still a chance and a way to make things right. I am aware you can't believe any of these things, you simply have to trust me. And before I will go any further than that, a little overview of our history will be the more insightful, what do you think?''
Following some serious pondering, and never really wanting her search for answers to go unnoticed or incomplete, she decided that finding the answers to what this Clotho woman really was could have been the best way to start.
''Yeah, sure, I wanna know all you could tell me about you. Don't forget, though, why I agreed to stay for the ride, okay?''
After hearing Lydia's acceptance of the way events had gotten to grow even sketchier and complicated than before, she looked the red words for herself as future reference, and then turned to the teenage girl to confirm what was going in her head at the moment.
''It is just a short overview of what we had done to benefit mankind in both aspects of life here and the one beyond death. Keep in mind that life is sometimes able to become a interesting phenomenon to study and think about, an intricate jewel, if you will, that you humans only insist on viewing one edge at a time, when the whole design is visible in every facet. One can notice these differences after some time has passed and know where certain events can lead to without having to make constant referring to such things. Would you mind if I use several examples of you life from earliest memories and such? It will not take longer than a minute.''
''No, thanks, but I won't mind if it will be quick, but let's just get on with it, please.'', Lydia said with a hint of tiredness in her voice.
''Have patience, Lydia Deetz. You will find out. You will find out as everyone does, in the end.'', Clotho said before gesturing both hands to make the room go dark and have several images projected over a white clean wall, hoping that she will grab the girl's interest by the end of a session like this. She also worried whether her sisters will have trouble guiding Beetlejuice from the inner darkness that still consumed him, but only time will tell if they were worthy of something like that.
All she could do was hope, and hope that things will go on as planned, and that the nightmare for both people will end before the night's out.
