A few hours later, Melanie was balancing herself on one leg, showered and clothes changed into a gray cotton-knit dress that reached her knees. Her hair was pulled back into a pony-tail and she was reading from the Book of Hebrews in the Bible.
"…Let us hold firmly to the faith we profess," Melanie read out loud. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin."
Melanie looked up from her Bible and prayed, "Lord, I'm in a tempting environment right now and I know I've been less than kind to my captors. Please help me resist as you did…"
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Melanie came out of her crane stance, hopped on her bed, and quickly hid her Bible in her duffel bag.
When she was sure her Bible was hidden in her duffel bag, Melanie said, "Come in."
Flug opened the door with Dementia giggling excitedly behind him. As irritated as Melanie was to see them, she was also relieved that she had hidden her Bible in time. Thankfully, the irritation melted away when 505 appeared behind them.
"What's up?" Melanie asked.
"Your family's here and waiting to see you," Flug said.
"I thought you said it wouldn't be until 5," said Melanie. "It's almost 3:30."
"Your oldest sister flew on her broom to meet your parents halfway," Flug said. "So, it saved them some time."
"Ah," Melanie said standing up to put on her sandals, pulling on her black shrug cardigan, and picking up her knapsack. "Let's go then."
The trio moved out of Melanie's way and let her walk on ahead of them.
The three lackeys then escorted Melanie to Black Hat's office.
Melanie was both eager and not so eager to see her family. There was Lunet, the sister she could talk to. There were Iliana and Dita, the two sisters she couldn't really talk to. Then, there were her parents, the ones who decided to leave her in that place.
Melanie entered Black Hat's office with Flug, 505, and Dementia following behind her.
Black Hat was there sitting at his desk, as usual. Standing right next to him were her parents and her three sisters, Iliana, Lunet, and Dita.
Melanie smiled weakly and said, "Hi, guys. Please tell me you're here to take me home."
"DITA!" Dementia yelled at the top of her lungs holding her arms open as the excited 8-year-old ran toward them.
"DEMENTIA!" Dita yelled jumping in Dementia's arms and being spun around. "I missed you so much!"
"I missed you, too," said Dementia. "Want to play with my weapons?!"
"YEAH!" Dita squealed in response before turning to the rest of her family. "Hi, Melanie. I'll see you guys later. I'm going to play with Dementia!"
"Alright," Faucheuse replied. "Have fun and stay safe, you two!"
"Dementia, make sure that our little guest doesn't get hurt," Flug said.
"I'll be careful," Dementia said. "You worry too much."
Dita jumped on Dementia's back and yelled while Dementia ran away, "Come outside with us when you're done getting yelled at, Melanie!"
"How's it going, Melanie?" Lunet asked. "Mom and Dad told us what happened in the limo."
"Okay, considering…" Melanie said walking over to her sister. "I'll tell you more after I'm done getting yelled at."
"You look pretty good for someone who has just disgraced the family, Melanie," Iliana said. "I still can't believe it. You stopped a robbery as a hero. But why?! Why would you disgrace the family like this?!"
"So, I guess I'm not going home, huh?" Melanie said in a wry tone.
"I always knew you weren't as evil as the rest of us, Melanie, but I never thought you'd do something like this," Lunet said attempting to sound disappointed.
"Well, sadly, it is so and Melanie must stay here until school starts in the fall," Black Hat said sternly.
"But why here?" Melanie asked boldly. "Why can't I just be re-educated at home?"
"Melanie, we've been over this," Flug chided. "Black Hat thinks that you will have a better chance if we take care of your re-education."
"Black Hat, are you sure we cannot just move Melanie in with me and Mama Muerte?" Iliana asked. "We'd whip her into shape."
Melanie scoffed and muttered under her breath so that only Lunet could hear, "That'd be worse."
"I'm sure," Black Hat said. "I want to take care of this personally."
"We understand, sir," Senor Santa Muerte said.
"So, tell us," Faucheuse began. "What will this re-education involve? What will her schedule look like? When will we be able to see her?"
Flug looked over to Melanie and said, "Uh, Melanie, why don't you go join Dita and Dementia outside? You can rejoin your family for dinner after our meeting."
"No," Melanie said stubbornly crossing her arms and standing in place. "I want to hear this."
"You are in no position to make demands!" Iliana snapped angrily. "Go outside!"
"But…" Melanie started to protest.
"Melanie, let's go outside," Lunet said holding out her hand to her sister.
Melanie relented and held onto her sister's hand. Lunet summoned her wings prompting Melanie to summon hers and the two flew up to the ceiling where Lunet phased them both through to the roof.
Iliana flicked her long black hair, strutted over to the chair in front of Black Hat's desk in her high heels with her parents following behind, sat down in the chair on one side while her parents took the other two, and smoothed her purple and black dress as she said, "So, Black Hat, sir, how will you be re-educating Melanie?"
Black Hat sat down at his desk and said, "It is in Dr. Flug's opinion that Melanie has been given too much freedom, so here, she will have the opposite. If she ever wishes to leave Black Hat Island ever again, she will pass our re-education program."
"Do you have a lesson plan we can look at?" Senor Santa Muerte asked.
"Yes," Black Hat said. "Dr. Flug?!"
Flug was staring out the window making sure that Dementia and Dita didn't destroy anything.
"Dr. Flug?!" Black Hat called.
"Oh, right!" Flug said rushing over with a binder in his hands. "O-Of course. I've written everything out in this binder."
Flug handed the items to Senor Sante Muerte. Being in the middle, he laid the binder on his lap and opened it so that his wife and daughter on either side of him could read it.