赤裸裸的滑稽故事

“Talis,� she called out.

There was movement.

“I am here,� Talis replied, slowly sitting up.

Lian saw her and let out a deep sigh. She closed her eyes, gathering her thoughts as she moved to sit beside her old friend.

“What have you done, my friend?� Lian asked softly as she looked over at the woman beside her.

Talis once the picture of a young woman in her late twenties with smooth chocolate skin and curls as golden as the sun. Now, her skin was wrinkled and old, the chocolate color dulled and spotted over time. The golden colors turned almost white, lacking their bounce and sheen.

Talis gave a weary smile. Her breaths were labored and soft.

“I did what was necessary,� she replied.

Lian sighed.

“Did you find a solution for the boy?� she asked.

“I believe so,� Talis smiled. “I listened and looked deeper than ever before, focusing on the smallest similarities and differences in their natural threads. Then, finally, a child echoed, like a bell ringing through time. I don’t know exactly what she will provide, but I believe it will be enough.�

Lian nodded and took Talis’s withered hand in her own.

“You have almost used yourself up,� she said. “That’s dangerous.�

“I know,� Talis replied. “But I couldn’t just stand back and watch anymore. I failed to help Irina all those years ago... and now... Spring has fallen.�

Lian swallowed and nodded sadly.

“Autumn as well.�

“We knew this day would come,� Talis whispered, clenching her teeth as she tried to give a weak smile. “Our lines were muddied almost from the start. It was only a matter of time before they destroyed themselves.�

Lian nodded.

“I am thankful that the last of my blood continues through Bell and her son,� Lian smiled. “Though Autumn is gone, they remain.�

Talis nodded.

“Then you should understand, more than anyone, why I needed to do this. Why I needed to save Myka.�

“He is the last of your line,� Lian said with a gentle smile. “I do understand, but without your strength, this place, our connection will become even more difficult to maintain.�

Talis smiled.

“We should have followed her orders from the start,� she said. “I have enough left in me to finish what I have promised, but it is time to honor the wishes of our Queen.�

“You might be right,� Lian sighed.

***

Sadie, the child from the lab, explained to Peter and Alice that she didn’t know exactly how long it had been, but she was kept away from all the others for a long time. Until just a couple of weeks, before Ashleigh and Alice freed the children, the only person she ever saw was Holden.

She said that he often took her blood and ran tests. She knew he had performed experiments on her, but she slept through most of it.

Sadie mentioned that they would have tea together before any testing or experiments. Then, after she drank her tea, she would fall asleep and wake up in her room.

“Do you know why he kept you apart from the others?� Peter asked. “Or what it was he was testing your blood for?�

Sadie shook her head and looked away.

Peter sighed.

Alice sat forward, smiling at Sadie. She took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Did you ever hear him talking? To another person, another scientist?� she asked sweetly.

Sadie thought about her answer for a long moment before shaking her head.

Alice smiled again, giving another comforting squeeze.

“What was that?� she asked. “Whatever it was you were thinking about just before you shook your head.�

Sadie looked up into Alice’s eyes. She felt Alice's warmth and reassurance, but she still hesitated.

“It’s ok,� Alice whispered. “You know that Holden is gone, right? He won’t come back anymore.�

Sadie swallowed and again looked away.

“Are you sure?� she asked quietly.

Alice smiled.

“Yes,� she replied. “Holden is dead. He never made it out of the lab the day we found you.�

Sadie looked back into Alice’s eyes. This time it was Alice that saw something, something she recognized.

“Did you kill him?� Sadie asked.

Alice smiled and shook her head.

“No,� she said. “He almost killed me. If not for Ashleigh, I would have died in there.�

“Then how do you know for sure?� Sadie growled. “How do you know he is actually dead? That he won’t come back again!�

Alice clenched her jaw.

There it was, that dark hope she recognized. This girl didn’t remember what she suffered at Holden’s hands, but her soul realized it was being pulled apart. She needed to know that he wasn’t just dead but that he suffered.

Alice took a deep breath.

“There was a video,� she said.

“Alice, I don’t think she needs to know about this....� Peter said quietly.

“She does,� Alice replied, still looking at Sadie. “Don’t you?�

Sadie swallowed and clenched her teeth, then nodded.

Alice nodded with a sad smile.

“When Ashleigh spared him to save me, he hid in a hole like a rat. He waited there until someone else came to set him free. Someone that didn’t like him and that did like me,� she said. “This person... made sure that Holden’s last moments were filled with regret and pain.�

A tear rolled down Sadie’s cheek. She swallowed, her jaw still clenched tightly.

“I want to see it,� she said.

Peter gasped.

Alice took a painful breath. Sadie reminded her of long-forgotten pain.

“No,� Alice replied. “You don’t.�

“Yes, I d–“

“Sadie,� Alice whispered, reaching up to touch the girl’s cheek. “Whatever Holden did to you, it’s over now.�

Another tear rolled down Sadie’s cheek.

“Watching that video will stay with you,� Alice continued. “Once you’ve seen something like that... it never goes away. But, right now, you have a chance to move on. So, just know he is gone and leave him behind you.�

Sadie sniffled, silent tears still falling; she looked away from Alice.

“I think,� Peter interjected softly. “It might be best to send Sadie back home.�

Alice nodded.

“Yea,� she said. “Thank you for coming, Sadie, but we don’t want to make you remember what you went through. We don’t even know if it will help.�

“Come on,� Peter said, placing his hands on Sadie’s shoulders and pulling her gently away from Alice. “I’ll take you to get a snack while we wait for someone to come get you.�

Sadie looked back over her shoulder as Peter pulled her away toward the door.

“Alice,� Sadie called.

Alice looked up.

“I never heard him talking to anyone else,� Sadie said. “But, sometimes, he would talk to himself.�

Alice furrowed her brows.

“Tea for two,� Sadie continued. “I heard him say that every time as I was falling asleep.�

***

Peter took Sadie to the cafeteria. They chatted a little as she ate a sandwich until a young woman Sadie recognized arrived and took her back to the safety zone.

He had been gone for about twenty minutes when he returned. He was surprised to find Alice still in the lab, on the computer.

“You’re still here?� he asked as he closed the door behind him. “I assumed you would have gone back to check on Myka... what are you doing?�

Alice didn’t reply. Her attention was focused on the screen. Her hand at the mouse was clicking between folders at a rapid pace.

“Alice?� Peter called again.

Suddenly she stopped, and Peter could see her shallow breaths, the pulsing in her throat, and the hard clench of her jaw.

“Alice, what’s wrong?� he asked, hurrying toward her.

“Tea for two...� she whispered.

Peter furrowed his brow. He had heard Sadie say that Holden repeated the phrase after they drank tea. He assumed it was another of the Alice in Wonderland references Holden was known for making. But the look and overall reaction that Alice was having seemed to imply something much graver to her.

“Does it mean something?� Peter asked.

Alice clicked the mouse, and suddenly a loud scream came from the computer's speakers. Peter covered his ears at the sudden volume.

“What the hell is that?!� Peter shouted.

Alice clicked once more, and the sound stopped. Peter pulled his hands away slowly.

“Alice, please, what is happening right now?�

Alice turned to him, her eyes red from the tears that flowed. She licked her lips, and in a shaky voice, she replied.

“Tea for two....�

“What...?�

“He said it while she was falling asleep,� Alice continued. “When he would experiment on her.�

Peter swallowed.

Alice turned back to the computer. She typed a few keys and clicked on another file.

“Tea for Two,� Holden’s voice came from the speaker. “Experiment seventy-three, increasing iron levels by ten percent per yesterday’s results.�

“Iron...?� Peter whispered.

Peter moved closer and looked at the screen.

He was able to see Sadie lying on a hospital bed. She was connected to an IV and appeared to be sleeping. Behind her, a short man with curly hair was adjusting the IV.

“Sadie’s levels indicate that she still carries the temporary fae cells in her system. Beginning experiment.�

Holden pressed a button. A dark liquid moved through the IV line into Sadie’s arm. Within seconds, she screamed.