Hexad: The Ward
Page 23
Amanda stood in the kitchen staring out the window at the apple tree. That damn squirrel was at it again, creeping along the branch to get the seed that cost them a fortune. The robin watched from the ground, waiting for the bounty to fall, too scared to consider battling the squirrel in the tree, but ready to snatch a mouthful as soon as the food fell.
The familiarity was a comfort. Something real, tangible. But then she ruined it by looking at the ground, the spot where the message had been put and was probably buried in a million different versions of their past, just waiting to screw with them and the Universe in some sick and twisted way that was supposed to see her find a solution to the nightmare her life had become.
Maybe Dale's idea would work. It was worth a try, right? What alternative was there? Go back to a father and brother she didn't know, and live a life of impossible strangeness? No, she wanted to have a lie-in on the weekends, listen as Dale made a fry-up, make up names for squirrels, go to the pub and moan about crap beer, not dance through universes and be locked in asylums and chased by giants.
Would she ever see her kitchen again? Her beautiful kitchen with the lovely tiles and the few pieces of furniture she had so meticulously researched and sought out for bargain prices? Or was this it, the end of the line?
"Only one way to find out," she said out loud, the words giving her confidence.
"What's that, honey?" asked Dale, walking in from the hallway.
"Nothing, just thinking out loud. I love you, Dale, more than anything."
"Good, because if you don't then I gotta say I'm not too keen on my plan otherwise."
"Haha, come on, let's do it. Let's finish this once and for all."
"Okay, you ready?" Amanda nodded.
Meow.
"Oh, Wozzy, sorry dude, we'll see you soon, at least I hope we will. I never thought I'd say this, but I do kind of like you." Amanda bent and stroked Wozzy's back. He arched and pushed against her hand before waddling off in that arrogant way of his.
"See ya, Wozzy," said Dale, then he grabbed Amanda and went, "Whooooooooooooooooooosh."
Wozzy turned as they disappeared, then wandered over to the cupboards, jumped up onto the counter and started eating the HobNobs Peter had left behind. He felt a little funny, but shook it off and carried on munching.
Not You Again
8 Years Future
"Who the hell are you?"
Dale turned at the voice. Hector. He grimaced and held on tight to Amanda.
"Dale?" said the other Dale.
"Oh, hi, um, you won't like this. We have to be quick, and I'm sorry, but trust me when I tell you there is no other choice. Hi, Amanda, er, other Amanda."
"Um, hi. What's going on here? Amanda," said the other Amanda, "what are you two doing here?"
Amanda tried not to let the insanity overwhelm her. She had to stay strong, in control, be calm. "This is where it ends. Dale's right, there's no other choice, we have to do this. It should make everything all right, and we all want that. We want to be together."
"Laffer not like this, too many people, and people all the same."
"Stay calm, Laffer, it's all right," said Hector. "What is the meaning of this? How did you all get in here, and... Look, is this some kind of a prank, what is happening?"
For a moment Amanda actually felt bad for them. It must certainly be a little bit of a shock to suddenly find yourself confronted by four strangers comprising two pairs of identical people holding bizarre devices and talking gibberish in your living room. It soon passed. This was the man that would ruin countless lives. They had to do this, there was no other choice, was there?
"Amanda, you ready?" asked Dale, ignoring the other them and Hector and Laffer.
"Ready. And we're sorry, but you know how this goes, the craziness you're about to unleash. He gets a Hexad, then it's all over. Such terrible things, Amanda, I can't let it happen. You think it's been bad so far? It gets worse, a lot worse, and it never ends. This is the only way."
Realization dawned on their doppelgängers faces — she trusted herself, and Dale, accepted what was about to happen. "Okay, do it."
"What are you talking about? What's happening?"
Dale nodded to Amanda, and they both nodded to the versions of them that would be responsible for setting off the madness — them, in other words.
"Onto the rug," said Dale. "Set it for five seconds future. Ready?" Dale adjusted his Hexad, the other Dale nodded and did the same, knowing himself so well, knowing that if he said this was the answer then it was.
"No, Dale, you can't," screamed the other Amanda.
"We have no choice," he said. "It's us, we have to."
A Dale held Amanda's hand, and another Dale held another Amanda's hand. They smiled at their counterparts and slammed the domes into their chests. The two couples disappeared.
~~~
8 Years 5 Seconds Future
Five seconds of silence later, as Hector and Laffer stared open-mouthed at the empty spaces occupied by the people moments ago, a mass of twisted flesh appeared on the expensive zebra skin rug. It was impossible to make out what it was. Just a steaming mound of writhing meat.
Less than a second after it appeared it was gone, the paradox making the whole event a non-event — if Dale and Amanda had left a Hexad behind and escaped Hector's home as they had done in the past then it meant that in the future they jumped back and stopped themselves from doing it, meaning they had never escaped to be able to commit such an act.
Sometimes even the Universe just shrugs its shoulders, gives up and accepts defeat.
"Laffer not like that. Laffer want ice-cream."
"Hmm, eh, what? Oh, yes, ice-cream. Come on, Laffer, let's get you a treat."
Double Confusion
Present Day
Amanda woke in a panic, cold sweat all that remained of a dream already gone from her memory. The sheets were tangled about her legs and arms, wrapping her in a warm cotton straitjacket.
She turned to Dale for comfort from the nightmare, snuggled in tight and breathed his scent deeply. Her mind screamed at her as she recoiled in horror and her heart skipped a beat. "Who the hell are you?"
Dale woke with a start, staring about wildly as he focused on Amanda. Something was terribly wrong. He felt wrong, Amanda felt wrong, everything felt wrong. He rubbed his eyes to clear the sleep then felt nails claw at his face. "Ugh, get off me." He pulled back and stared in anger at Amanda. Amanda? Who was this? Something ripped inside of him, his reality torn apart. Nothing made sense. "Who are you? What have you done with Amanda?"
"What have you done with Dale?"
Two strangers stared at each other, both sure that the person next to them was not the person they should have woken up with, not the person they loved more than life itself.
Beneath the terror was the unshakable feeling that they were about to repeat something they had already been through countless times.
The door pushed open with a gentle squeak. A cat walked into the room with a swagger, stared at them in turn, then vanished.
The End
Sign up for the author's newsletter for new release announcements and flash sales at http://www.alkline.co.uk/