Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 9
Chapter 6: The Girl in the Well
(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Supernatural because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)
It had been three days after the storm hit Cordell Island as everyone was getting back to normal in which most of the people were busy tending to their homes, businesses, and fishing trawlers that were parked by the dock in the harbor. I oversaw everything as I was also writing to Reiko in which I would be there to see her soon on Skald Island. What I didn't expect was that Monica was busy getting her catch of the day that consisted of fresh fish that were caught in the ocean earlier. Still, she struggled, but she managed as she noticed her sons helping her out in which one of them was on guard in which he was very protective of her, for he didn't want anything to happen to her. Still, I didn't mind them doing their best to protect their mother, but she was there for a lot of reasons in which she relied more on the prosthetics that she had with her, for she was a lot braver than one anticipated.
"Good morning," I said.
"Good morning, Sam," said Monica as she was loading some of her catch into a cooler.
"Looks like you're early to start your day."
"If you're looking for your friend, he took off, but not without bringing his car into the loading ferry bound for Skald Island. He said he would meet you there when he saw you again."
"He's actually my brother and the captain of the Hunter Corps' seventh squad. He's also still reeling over Magda's death, but your older sister has been chosen to marry him at the behest of the Rakuen Priesthood. Sadly, he's more than likely to be facing some stiff competition in which he has to contend with his future mate's mother."
"About that…" Monica's prosthetic hands shake as she was feeling uneasy. "We don't talk about Mum that much…"
"I'm sorry about that…"
"Hey! You better not make my mom cry or else I'll kick your ass!" yelled Wyatt as he stood next to Monica. "She lost Dad to the drowners and I won't let anyone else make her cry!"
"Watch your language!" she said as she wasn't having it. "You and Demetrius need to study so you can start school in two months."
I never expected one of Monica's sons have a foul mouth before as he was the type to protect her at all costs. As for the other boy, Demetrius, he was a level-headed one for an Elf as he also wanted to make sure that Monica was alright, for she was all they had in their family. I didn't mind them as they were boys who would protect their mother from harm, for they were there on Cordell Island after all. When I left for the Grand Hill District, I was seeing everyone returning to their homes as they were also helping out their fellow neighbors. What I didn't expect was that there was a cemetery near the park as I noticed several of the islanders paying their respects for their fallen loved ones in which I noticed a grave with the words, "In memory of Derek Thibodeau; beloved husband and father," written on an obsidian obelisk in which I spotted some flowers and stuffed animals adorning it. What I didn't expect was that an Elf woman dressed in coveralls was there as she was bringing some fresh flowers to the grave, for she felt sad at the loss of the occupier of it.
"Good morning, Derek," she said. "Monica is doing fine, but I just wished that she moved on after what happened to you when you lost your life to those drowners last year. It's not fair that Margo forces those outdated ideals that our clan abandoned on Monica and she refuses to budge from them."
I watched the Elf woman pray in front of the grave as she cared about the occupier who lived in it. I later saw her leave the cemetery as I decided to follow her in which I spotted her going towards a market that catered to selling basic goods for those who lived on Cordell Island. When I went inside, I spotted some letters that were discarded as I picked them up in which they were addressed to Monica directly. What I didn't expect was that they had the McLaren seal in which I noticed Margo's handwriting on them in which she displayed her displeasure towards the occupant who lived and managed this market.
You should've died in the well! (It read):
It's been years since Lavinia took you in, but you've been a burden without limbs in which no one would love you like that. And to spite me, she used prosthetics on you over the years in which you functioned properly and even got married to that dock worker! I see that you had his children, but you lost your husband to a pack of drowners who swarmed Cordell Island last year! If you think about marrying another man after your husband's demise, then I will have your sons taken away! You were always incompetent in everything, even with your prosthetics! If you were born healthy, then I would've accepted you in our family, but my own sister kept you just to spite me! You've been a disgrace to the McLaren Clan in which I'll also keep Ravenna close so she would stick to our traditions into never marrying after she lost her beloved Rovadra to prostate cancer! For the record…, YOU'LL ALWAYS BE DEAD TO ME!
Sincerely without apologies,
Your mother, Margo McLaren…
I was beyond disgusted at Margo's behavior as she had so much hatred and vitriol towards her daughter. No wonder Ravenna was angry with the one who wrote that awful letter as it was the final straw to do better than just reject those who have been disabled. When I saw the Elf woman come out of the storage area, she was stunned to see me here as she prayed in reverence, for I was also the one who saved Cordell Island twice after all.
"You must've came here to marvel at our market, My Lord," she said to me.
"I take it that you run this market," I said.
"I run it, but I also have to watch over my niece and her sons after Derek lost his life to a pack of drowners last year."
"I take it that Margo still harasses Monica to no end, doesn't she?"
"For the record, I've been the one that's been tossing away those letters that my sister wrote to Monica in which she despises her for being born. I have better morals, but I won't condone my sister's constant ableism towards Monica."
"I'm back, Aunt Lavinia!"
I saw Monica and her sons coming into the market as they brought their catch just to sell in which they were also ready to start the day. With an influx of customers coming to buy their goods here, Monica was mainly cheerful through and through as she didn't let her mother's vitriol get the better of her. I didn't blame her as I also saw her selling some of the goods that were on the shelf in which the only thing left was a few cans of spam and corned beef. I didn't blame everyone for ditching the canned stuff, but I was about to buy it until I noticed Reiko coming here the moment she had her basket ready to collect it once she bought it, for she had her reasons to keep everything stocked up at the castle on Skald Island.
"I never expected to see you here," I said.
"Brother and his unit are in their home in the Inland District, but at least I kindly asked the ferrier bound for Skald Island to bring the Impala over there," said Reiko.
"Everyone knows that Dean never parts with it."
"Wait! Did you say Skald Island?" asked Monica. "My older sister's going over there, but she also has to contend with our mum. She…, she still hates me for everything in which I walk around with the prosthetics I have today. I know that I don't talk to her much, but it's for the best in which I hope that Ravenna gets with that widower so that my nephews can have a father to rely on."
"Margo's on Skald Island?" said Lavinia. "She's better off there after what she did to Monica when she was little. Thankfully, I did my best to raise her along with my older brother and all his collection of classic rock. She's a kind and gentle soul in which Derek loved her to the fullest, may the gods and the Matriarch give him peace, but she still receives hate from her mother."
Reiko saw the mess of letters that were in the junkpile as she sensed that Margo had so much hatred towards Monica in spades. All that she saw was a hard-working Draaza woman who went through the worst as she was also raising her sons while working at her shop, for she had too much that kept her going so far…
New Ballarat, Essos; Many years ago…
It was a hot day in New Ballarat as everyone was making sure that the town wasn't plagued by the numerous bushfires that occurred all over the southern hemisphere on Essos. Even though the planet was a warm one due to its inviting climate, the southern hemisphere of it was always plagued by blazing heat and the rampant bushfires that came and went during the summer down there while the northern hemisphere was enjoying its cooling climate up there. The McLaren homestead was active as ever as Lavinia was busy crafting so many prosthetics for those who lost limbs or in desperate need of walking or holding things. For the most part, she once started out as a weaponmaker as the craft of it was starting to get boring after all those years of making what worked into hunting down monsters. After finishing up, she was ready to call it a day until she heard a group of wild dogs circling the well next to the house, for she was ready to get rid of them if they went and attacked her clan.
When she saw them bearing their teeth, she fired several warning shots in the air as the dogs scurried away in which she ran towards the well. What she didn't expect was that the rope that held the bucket was cut as she had a feeling that something was wrong in the well. Looking inside of it, she spotted a Draaza girl with no arms in which she also had no legs, either. The girl was crying as she had tears in her eyes in which there was no one to help her, but she was wrong. Lavinia recognized her right away as it was none other than Monica, who needed to be saved. Grabbing a ladder, she took it to the well as she climbed down and saw the girl on the ground with the bucket next to it where it was cut from the rope. She didn't want to abandon the girl as she also wanted to save her from death, for she had a conscience unlike her sister, who was the mother of the Draaza girl who was tossed aside like trash.
"It's alright, I've come to save you," she said.
"But the rope to the bucket's been cut," said Monica.
"There's a way up, for I'll bring you out of here. Trust me; you'll be fine, I swear of it."
Lavinia gathered up Monica as she got out a grappling gun in which she used it to pull themselves out of the well before the weather reached a fever pitch. When they got to the surface, Lavinia took the girl into her workshop as she was wanting to give her some of the prosthetics she worked on, for they would be useful to her in the long run. With the air conditioner running with the cold air all over the workshop, Lavinia decided to apply some of the prosthetic limbs on Monica as she carefully put them on so that she could use them to walk and pick up things, for she didn't want her to suffer without having limbs to do what was put in front of her.
"I'm gonna be using an anesthesia on you so you won't feel pain while I put your arms and legs on you," she said as she got out some medical supplies while she wore a hospital mask over her face and surgical gloves on her hands. "It's best that you have prosthetics than be trapped without moving for the rest of your life."
Lavinia used the medical tools necessary as she sedated and anesthetized Monica in which she was ready to put on the prosthetic limbs on her small body. The operation took about two hours as the application of the prosthetic limbs were a success in which Monica woke up to see what was done to her. In an instant, she saw herself with the limbs that were applied as she began to slowly move her arms and legs without further difficulty. She was happy that she was ready to walk, but Lavinia wasn't about to let her go freely in which she gave her a cane to walk on so she wouldn't fall over, for she had faith in the little girl who was saved from death.
"Thank you, Aunt Lavinia," she said as she was keeping her balance nicely.
"It's the most I can do for you so you could have a normal life," she said.
"I'm so glad to have an aunt like you…" Monica hugs her warmly with her new arms. "If only Mummy didn't throw me into the well to die… She only cares about my healthy sisters, Ravenna and Tracy, but not me."
"That's so sad, but I saved you from death in which you can walk like the other kids. You have a bigger potential to do anything you want and not let your appearance or disability tell you otherwise."
It wasn't long until Lavinia heard footsteps approaching in which she spotted Ravenna coming towards the workshop. She noticed Monica with her new prosthetics as she was glad that she was walking instead of being pushed around by their mother, for she cared about her little sister more than anything.
"Look, Ravie! I'm walking!" she said as she was standing on the prosthetics with the help of her cane. "As soon as I get better with it, I'll be walking with everyone here."
"I'm glad that Aunt Lavinia saved you!" she cried as she saw Monica smiling.
"I'll get the hang of it! You'll see!"
"Ravenna! What are you doing in your aunt's workshop?!"
Margo burst in as she grabbed her by the arm as she led her out of there in which Lavinia wasn't too happy with her for doing so. Anger filled her eyes as she stared at Monica in her new prosthetics in which she saw her to be an abomination to the McLaren Clan, for she wanted her gone from existence due to her disability that she had and corrected at the same time.
"What did you do to her?!" she yelled.
"I applied prosthetics to Monica because you refused to do so!" yelled Lavinia as she defended her.
"She was born limbless and I grew tired of taking care of her when she turned five, so I threw her into the well so that the wild dogs or the further elements can claim her! It would've been fine if you hadn't saved her, only to turn her into the bride of the Terminator!"
"She needed prosthetics in which she can have a normal life. It's best that she had that instead of being left in the well to die."
"You made her worse like Frankenstein's monster! You can keep her, but I won't let her near her healthy sisters whatsoever!"
And so, Margo stormed off as she grabbed Ravenna and left. With Lavinia staring at Monica, she didn't get angry at her as she vowed to raise her to be a kind and gentle soul and not judge others. She cared for the girl as she refused to leave her side, for she was more than just a recipient of prosthetics, but someone who needed to be loved more than anything…
Monica was in one of the rooms of Lavnina's house as she was sitting in a bed after getting a bath earlier. The notion of showering was useful as the prosthetics were sturdy and repelled the rust off of them in which she didn't have to worry about anyone tending to her while she took care of herself a little more. Dressed in a nightgown, she stared out the window as she saw the stars shining all over the moon in which she was grateful that Lavinia saved her life, but she missed her sisters due to the fact that Margo refused to let them visit her. She was very sad indeed as she wanted the company of both Ravenna and Tracy with her instead of her mother's insults, for she was also wanting more love than a past grudge. By the time she saw Lavinia bring her a tray of food that consisted of chipped beef on toast and a glass of orange juice, she was happy to get it in which she was very hungry and dehydrated after being in the well all day.
"This is what I made for you," she said as she set the food on the table by the window. "I'm sorry that your mother abandoned you, but you have me for a loving relative. It's beyond despicable that your mother threw you into the well for the dogs to feed on your corpse, but family never ends with blood."
"Mummy hates me, doesn't she?" said Monica as she had tears in her eyes.
"I'm so sorry that your mum did that to you… All she cares about are the traditions that have gotten stale over the years. At least you're here with me instead of being trapped in the well without prosthetics to guide you with."
"At least you're with me, Aunt Lavinia…"
"I'm with you always just like that housecat who was once Terran in the Elder Days. He lives with most of his family on Nekotani Island on Alecrast, but he also refers to most people as 'idjits.'"
"Then Mummy is one of what that old housecat talks about."
"You shouldn't talk ill of your elders. It's bad karma to do so. I know that your mum tried to kill you, but I don't want you to bear any form of grudges when you get older. You have a gentle soul and I want you to keep it that way."
Monica was happy that Lavinia was there to protect her as she felt more love from her than the one who threw her away. She loved her in return as she felt safe from the harm that she went through, for she also loved that she was walking instead of being without her prosthetics...
Meanwhile, back in the present…
Reiko and I were back at the Singer House as we were waiting for the ferry to Skald Island to get there. When we were sitting in the dining room, we were having our lunch as we waited patiently to get back to Skald Island once the ferry arrived. The lunch we had consisted of afternoon tea sandwiches that were made with cucumbers and tomatoes in which I didn't mind them due to my efforts as a "rabbit food" connoisseur all the time. There was also the influx of iced earl grey tea with milk in it as we were there to have it at our disposal, for we bided our time when it came to waiting for our ride home. After we finished up our lunch and washed our dishes, we were ready to leave as we went outside in which we noticed that everyone waiting to go to Skald Island have been stranded in which there was a delay in it, for we would soon wait for the afternoon one after that. There was no worry about it as we were used to seeing things running late, for we would soon catch our ferry home back to the castle soon enough.
"It's late again," I said.
"There's no rush, Sammy," said Reiko as she was carrying the basket of canned spam and corned beef. "Besides, there's the bunker you found when Brother carried you to the rotgut room that's there."
"Still, if we're stuck here for another day, we should see how Monica and her family are doing."
"She's been through too much just like her sister…"
"Margo has a dark heart towards her own daughter. I read one of the letters that were there at the general store that Monica manages with her sons and aunt. Still, Margo only cares about healthy children and grandchildren and not the ones with disabilities. Most people prefer either dumping them off in group homes and orphanages or abandoning them to die. Monica survived so much in which she made it in life with the prosthetics that she had. She may be dead to her mother and deemed a disgrace to the McLaren Clan, but she was loved by the one who saved her and gave her a chance to live."
It wasn't long until we heard a loud commotion outside as we rushed out of the Singer House and noticed Lavinia near a burning barrel in which she was armed with the letters that Margo sent to Monica. She was never on good terms with her sister since she abandoned her daughter as she refused to let her face the shame of having prosthetics after being born limbless. Even though she was getting fed up with Margo sending further letters, she was stopped by Yavanna as she didn't want her to cause an uproar, for she was never on terms with her estranged sister to begin with.
"You can't be burning those letters!" she yelled.
"And why not?" asked Lavinia.
"If you burn the letters of the estranged, then you'll be suffering from a curse that will continue to afflict you until you offer forgiveness to your sister."
"I have nothing to say to her! You don't know what she did to Monica, do you?!"
"I studied Elven lore and you're basically from the McLaren Clan. From what I know is that if one refuses to forgive the oppressor in their family, he or she will suffer an affliction that will eat away at the body very quickly."
"My sister is beyond forgiveness and I've read those damning letters that were addressed to Monica in which she still views her as a disgrace to our clan. My sister left her own daughter in our well to die in which she preferred the presence of her healthy daughters instead of her. I saw Monica in the well that day in which she was helpless while born with out limbs to walk, climb, or pick up things. If the elements on our homeworld on Essos didn't try to kill her, then the wild dogs will do it and they prefer 'the other white meat' that's been rendered helpless. I raised Monica because she is never a lost cause, for she is much more braver than her cowardly ableist of a mother!"
Lavinia continued to burn the damning letters until she felt a burning sensation in her arm. Horrified at what she saw, she was yelling in pain as she ignored Yavanna's warning even after she declared that Margo was beyond forgiveness for abandoning Monica in the well that day. I spotted it directly as I used my raw power to heal her in which the burning affliction went away. Still, I may not have condoned Margo's frequent hatred for Monica, but I also didn't want Lavinia to bear a further grudge, for she also had her reasons to burn the damning letters that were about to be burned forever.
"You can't be nursing a grudge forever," I said.
"Why can't you tell that to Margo?" said Lavinia. "She's been with Ravenna ever since her husband passed away in which she still doesn't want her to marry again. The same thing goes with Monica in which her husband was killed by drowners a year ago. Margo never cared about her daughters or siblings. All she cared about was herself and those outdated traditions that we abandoned."
"She won't cause further harassment ever since Sister kept haunting her too much in which she didn't want Brother to be sad too much," said Reiko. "There was a point that her haunting of Margo was too much in which I threatened to use salt if that happened again."
"Margo is too proud of our clan's heritage in which she upheld another tradition that forces some of our family members to abandon or kill their children if they were afflicted with disabilities. I couldn't let that fate happen to Monica in which I did the right thing to give her prosthetics."
"Monica's had prosthetics for years, but that didn't stop her from marrying Derek and starting a family" said Yavanna. "She's more braver than you think in which her aunt and sons care about her in return."
It wasn't long until I spotted Magda near the dock as she spotted the burning barrel where Margo's letters were being destroyed in. She was disappointed that the latter would write harsh letters towards Monica as she vowed to continuously haunt her until she bent the knee and allow Ravenna to marry Dean. Even Reiko spotted her as she wasn't about to let her cause trouble too much, for she didn't want her to lose her humanity in the process while in spirit form.
"You shouldn't be haunting people too much," she said.
"I heard about Margo writing harassing letters to Monica," said Magda.
"And I wanted to throw salt at you for haunting her too much."
"You don't know what Margo's capable of. For years, she hated her daughter because she had no arms or legs in which she got prosthetics from her older sister instead of letting her die in the well. I know that you would throw salt at me, but hear me out. I only haunted her a little longer in which I caught her writing the letter in which she continued to harass Monica and views her as a disgrace to the McLaren Clan."
"Monica has a caring family in the form of her aunt and sons that love her so much," I said. "I'm also glad that people like her thrive instead of being shoved away in which there are those over the centuries that have overcome their disabilities while giving us plenty of what they could do. We're born flawed, but different in which most of us are unique that way, flaws and all."
"If Margo continues to write those awful letters, Sister can have her fun and haunt her if she does," said Reiko. "Still, I don't approve of her involuntarily shielding Ravenna, but harassing Monica for her prosthetics is vile."
"I know," said Magda. "I just wished that Margo would leave Monica alone and focus on other things instead of the outdated traditions that she clings to. In life, I heard stories about how Daddy ran into the McLaren Clan once in which they even condemned their family members for marrying again after the deaths of their spouses. There isn't much left in it after most of them have either died from illness, suicide, monster attacks, battle, and everything else. Margo is an egotistical bitch who has no shame for her actions, including that of harassing Monica for living and forcing Ravenna to end her courtship with Dean. As for Tracy? She lives with her wife and children in Mirhuin, but she hasn't spoken to her mother after she came out to her in which she was disowned and living on the street until she found happiness to the one she loved. As for Dean, on the other hand, I hope to the gods that he hooks up with Ravenna and heals the hole in his broken heart. He shouldn't be wallowing in self-pity after my demise and I hope that he finds the asshat who killed me."
"And I hope that he does so," I said. "I'll make him see that he needs closure to move on instead of spending his misery in bars. It's the most I can do…"
Magda disappeared without a trace as I vowed to make sure that Dean had the closure that he needed in which he would also want justice for what happened. Still, I would be ready to play matchmaker soon enough as I also had to deal with the frequent harassment of Margo of all people, for she refuses to give up Ravenna and allow her to move on after the loss of her husband two years ago…
Ravenna was busy taking care of the patients in the hospital who were getting medical attention after they braved the storm on Cordell Island three days prior. Still, she didn't want anything bad to happen as she continued with her work in which she cared about her patients after all that they went through. Just as she was about to call it a day, she heard her vidphone ringing as she took it out of her pocket in which she knew that Margo was calling her without warning. Still, she refused to answer her phone until she reached her breaking point with her mother in which she finally answered, for she was getting tired of her whims on a daily basis.
"Finally, you pick up," she said over the phone.
"Stop harassing me!" yelled Ravenna as she was ready to throw her vidphone against the wall.
"Is Dean Winchester with you? If so, I suggest that you break off that ridiculous engagement to him or else you will be forced to go into a coffin while it drifts to the bottom of the sea!"
"He left for Skald Island in which he has his unit with him. I may not know much about him, but I know that he lost his wife at the hands of the Zenith Vectors. Furthermore, I like him a lot, but I can't pull a fast one and get married to him yet."
"I won't have it, you hear me?! I won't let you marry Dean Winchester even after he lost his wife. If you marry him, then you're committing adultery behind your husband's back!"
"My husband has been dead for two years in which he succumbed to the illness that claimed his life! No, marrying again will never signify adultery, for I'm hurting just as much as the one I'm paired with! Now, if you'll excuse me, Mum, I have work to do!"
"Ravenna, it's best to listen to—"
At that point, Ravenna hung up on Margo as she refused to listen to her whims any longer. She was longing for Dean as she couldn't get enough of him after she saw him going through a loss just like she did. Still, she moved on after the death of her husband, but she was always under the thumb of Margo in which she wasn't about to let another man take her in which she was forced to bear her late husband's wedding band even after his passing. She wasn't letting her mother get to her this time as she focused on tending to her patients as usual, for she was eager to toss her out on the street as she continued to cause her misery when it came to her desire to fall in love with Dean after the loss of Magda.
By the time she finally finished up her rounds, she was ready to call it a day as she noticed a Jack-in-the-Box on the floor. When she picked it up, she gently wound it up as a creepy clown figure sprang up with a note hanging off of it the moment she dropped it on the floor. When she took the note off of the Jack-in-the-Box, she saw the words, "You have been warned," written in ominous red letters as she had a feeling that Margo would ruin her happiness after the loss of her husband. When she turned the note over, she saw the word, "adulteress," in red letters as she tore it up and threw away the Jack-in-the-Box in the trashcan. She didn't want Margo to destroy her happiness as she would soon be ready to have her going back to Essos so she wouldn't have to harass her and her sons any longer.
"I won't let you ruin my life further, Mum," she said to herself.
It wasn't long until she saw another Jack-in-the-Box on the floor as she saw it winding itself up in which she saw another creepy clown toy with a note on it. When she picked up from the Jack-in-the-Box, she saw the words, "Being single is better for you and your children," written in black letters. Picking up the Jack-in-the-Box, she tossed it out the window as she didn't want anything to do with Margo's mannerisms or control due to the fact that she once used toys to get to wayward relatives who didn't obey the outdated traditions that the McLaren Clan followed over the centuries. When she was expecting another Jack-in-the-Box being sent her way, she spotted Monica as she was bringing some supplies to the people who were in the hospital to begin with. It had been years since she talked to her younger sister as she also wanted to do more than just wallow in self-pity, for even her fallen loved ones would want her to be happy as well.
"You're hard at work today, Monica," she said.
"Were you playing with toys earlier?" she asked as she saw the Jack-in-the-Box in the trashcan.
"I never liked Jack-in-the-Boxes. All they did was pop out with all their clown faces in which they still scare me to this day."
"What's with the notes?" Monica sees the torn note on the floor as she picked it up. "'Being single is better for you and your children?' Did Mum send this note to you?"
It wasn't long until Ravenna saw a scrawny man dressed in a disco suit running for his life in which he had to get away before getting caught. When she spotted him in a storage room, she saw him not moving out of there in which she spotted a Devil's Trap on the ceiling. When Monica caught up to what was going on, she saw the scared man cowering in fear as he was up to something, for he also didn't want to face further wrath from outside of the Skalvarg Archipelago.
"Damn it! I screwed the pooch this time!" he yelled as he ended up wetting himself.
"Who are you?" asked Ravenna.
"My name's Sergio and I happen to be a Crossroads demon who was hired by Margo to convince you not to marry Dean Winchester."
"So, it was Mum who put you up to it by sending those terrible Jack-in-the-Boxes with the notes! She stooped so low this time in which I'll never forgive her once I return to Skald Island to confront her about her meddling!"
"For the record, all children must listen to and trust their parents, even you of all people, Ravenna."
"Mum never trusted me in which she left me to die in a well," said Monica. "Therefore, I lived with the prosthetics that I wear to move around with. As for what you're doing to my sister by sending her -those infernal Jack-in-the-Boxes to scare her, you should be ashamed of yourself for doing it."
"Look! I only did what Margo wanted me to do, but I don't wanna go back to my place! I don't wanna be under that ginger-haired bitch and her explosive temper when things go sideways and she enjoys hunting down renegade demons who see her as a threat to everything even Heaven and Hell!"
"That's far enough, Sergio!"
It wasn't long until Jack appeared as he wasn't having it. Even Monica and Ravenna spotted him here as he was dressed in old-fashioned clothing that was similar to what was worn in the 1950's while he was standing in front of Sergio. Still, the Crossroads demon was at the mercy of the King of the Grey Havens as he was more than likely to be sent back to Hell, but there was an other option in mind, for he had an idea to keep him in his place after all.
"You're in trouble," he said to him. "You can't interfere with the love life of Dean and Ravenna any longer after what I heard from Magda earlier."
"C'mon, Jack! I was only following Margo's orders!" cried Sergio as he was on his knees.
"I won't return to your place in which you're afraid of Abaddon, aren't you? You also can't get away from punishment directly in which you'll be given a fitting role after you ended up having to deal with Margo and her machinations to force her daughters to follow the same outdated traditions that her clan abandoned due to the fact that there isn't much left in it before it goes extinct. Therefore, the only beacons of hope to restore it reside in the forms of both Ravenna and Monica respectively, for they will take new spouses that were made for them to bring more children to honor the McLaren Clan into a new direction instead of forcing it on the verge of extinction. Everyone deserves to be happy. Everyone deserves to chart their own course and make their own decisions, for it is what makes all of us human to begin with."
Sergio noticed his clothing change into that of a peasant's as he was also there at Jack's mercy. Still, he was saved from the duelling wrath of both Abaddon and Margo respectively, but he was also at the mercy of both Ravenna and Monica as well. When Jack left without a trace, both sisters were ready to keep him under a tight leash in which they noticed a collar around his neck before they decided to take him away from the Devil's Trap and ushered him out of the hospital, for he would soon know his place when it came to not dealing with interfering with the love lives of others. What the Crossroads demon didn't expect was that I was there as I was busy assessing what was going on after what happened here on Cordell Island three days ago, for he was at the further mercy of me as well.
"Oh, no…" he said as he was on his knees.
"You're new around here, aren't you?" I said.
"He sent those horrendous Jack-in-the-Boxes at the behest of my mother," said Ravenna.
"Is that so?" Sergio nods as he tries not to wet himself. "You're like the other renegade demons who went into hiding from Abaddon, aren't you? I also see that you have a collar just to keep you in your place after what I heard from Jack about you meddling in Ravenna's affairs at the behest of her mother."
"She doesn't want her to marry again in which it dishonors the memory her late husband."
"Ravenna hasn't dishonored anyone in which her late husband would want her to be happy instead of living in sorrow. She already has someone who suffered a loss and he's more than likely to be hunting down his late wife's killer."
"Didn't your past self experience loss before, Sam? I know so much about him when he got suckered back into hunting when his girlfriend was dead and pinned to the ceiling where the dorm caught fire. He didn't just experience loss with one, Sam! He lost the likes of Madison, Ruby, Sarah Blake, and so on and so on. Therefore, I know a lot about your past self in many ways than—"
It wasn't long until I saw Monica kick Sergio in the crotch as he felt the hurt that paralyzed him due to her prosthetics that she had on her. The blow caused him to writhe in pain as he was staring at the one who did it in which he was scared to death of her. Still, Monica wasn't having it as she didn't want Sergio to air any more of the dirty laundry that my past self had, for she also didn't want him to mock those who lost someone close to them as well.
"How dare you?!" she yelled as she was standing in front of Sergio. "How could you make a mockery out of loss when you do nothing but make deals for those who are desperate, only to have a hellhound take them to where you live!"
"Oh, no…" he said as he was reeling from the pain from that kick. "I got kicked in the balls by the bride of the Terminator!"
"You don't know loss like I did! You don't know loss like my sister did, either! And as for what comes next, I hope that you don't meddle in everyone's affairs like our mum! She never even cared about me when she left me in that well to die! Thankfully, I was saved with the prosthetics that I have when Aunt Lavinia took me in and raised me to be a good person. As for you, on the other hand, you'll be spending the rest of your days becoming more like a hen instead of a rooster after I gave you that kick earlier!"
"Don't be vulgar, Monica," said Reiko as she appeared out of nowhere. "This Crossroads demon has learned his lesson in which he won't be coaxed by Margo to meddle in the affairs of her daughters and their families again." She sees Sergio still reeling after he got kicked in the crotch earlier. "I hope you don't send any more Jack-in-the-Boxes again with threatening notes again, is that clear to you?"
Sergio didn't say another word as he scurried away in which all of us weren't having it. Still, Reiko and I were more than likely to be playing matchmakers to both Ravenna and Monica in which they endured more than just losses, for they also had courage to move forward instead of being held back. I didn't blame them for standing up to Margo's meddling as they would soon confront their mother soon enough, for she would soon learn her moment of defeat if she didn't abandon the outdated traditions that the rest of her clan did. In the end of this debacle, we all had to move forward as we also endured losses, for that was what made us human to begin with...
To be continued...