Lee

The dawn of a new day came with a symphony of songbirds singing away. Lee woke up feeling as if he didn’t sleep a wink. Bags accumulated under his eyes as he laid right next to a passed-out Monique. He had the chance to leave as soon as he awoke but couldn’t due to her ravishing sleeping face. The sweet scent of roses tickled his senses. As the skies were dipped in rosy-peach sunrise, he took it upon himself to utilize the opportunity to leave. He didn’t know if she’d wake up or not, but he didn’t want to chance her waking up with the situation as it was. Once he succeeded, he noticed her panicked state. Shit, fuck, shit. He saw the dark shroud that plagued her head last night. He hadn’t seen it when he woke up, so why was it there now? He quickly ran into his room, grabbing the softest, plushie, of a brown bear that stood about four feet tall that he apparently owned. He then ran to the living room and saw the bags that were delivered from the shop yesterday and plucked out his jacket that was in one of the bags. He proceeded dressing the bear in his jacket, the sleeves were too big for it as the bottom of the jacket practically covered all of it’s bottom parts. He then dashed back to her room, placing the bear in between her arms. When he glanced at the mirror, the dark shroud conjured all about her room. It swayed oh so close to her which caused her much discomfort. As swiftly as it came, it vanished, dissipating as the sun arose. The entire situation he had noted in the back of his mind, perhaps Lilith can give answer to what went on. Before he left the room, he took one last look at her. Peace once again reigned over her sleeping state. With a sigh of relief, he left, closing the door, and entering on his own as he prepared to get ready for the day.

Monique

Every corner of her mind plagued itself with eerie dark clouds. Everywhere she tried to run to, she was stopped by shackles holding her down. Stopped by the darkness all around. There were no walls, no ceilings, just a floor for her to stand on. She wasn’t initially afraid of the dark but being held down like this in a room filled with nothingness scared her more than anything. And Ezekiel knew it. He somehow always knew it. This is where they would imprison her if she did anything against the team’s wishes. Her arms would reach out, yet it was denied any form of comfort. Everyone would always look at her with a mixture of pity and joy as they felt she got what she deserved. As if they knew if she kept screwing up like this, she would no longer be the apple of Doctor B’s eyes. She would cry out all the time, yet no one would ever listen. Ignoring her was their pleasure. Watching her suffer filled them with such satisfaction it was indescribable.

Monique: Please don’t leave me!

Imagery broke away as she reached out for assistance. As if visions were blurring with one another, she saw distant memories. Were they hers or someone else’s? She saw people dressed in old fashioned dresses and scenery that felt as if they popped out of history textbooks. She felt as if she were watching an old movie flick with holes in it. Yet, all of it felt so surreal. As if all of these images were tangible with a touch of familiarity. When she reached out to them, they would run through her like water. Slowly, yet surely, evaporating. Dark spots in her past that she can’t seem to remember and all she saw was Ezekiel. Like signs were pointing to him. She called out for answers, yet no one responded. In the silence, she stood, until suddenly she too vanished from it all. She woke up to the sun rays blaring down at her face. In her immediate view, she saw something she wasn’t expecting. A brown bear that felt so soft to touch. She smelled the warm familiar vanilla scent with hints of cinnamon. She recognized that the bear had something quite odd with it: Lee’s jacket. Why does it have Lee’s jacket? She pondered her thought as she examined the thing. Soon the smells of breakfast leaked into her room. Heavily nostalgic for a past that slowly uncovered itself. It occurred to her that this wasn’t the first time someone had made breakfast. She couldn’t remember who it was or where it had happened, but she remembered the first thing she woke up to was chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs. She wandered around the hallways till she made it into the kitchen. Lee was in gym shorts, a raggedy t-shirt, and a black apron when he heard her approaching.

Lee: Good morning, sunshine. How are you feeling?

Monique: Uh? Good? Am I supposed to not feel good?

Lee: Well, I didn’t see you hydrate at all yesterday till you got home…so I wasn’t sure if you were going to have a hangover or not.

She shook her head and to his delight, she looked fine. Acted fine. But something was off. She had felt some sort of intensity coming from Lee. Was it something she did? She couldn’t remember much after dancing with whomever and out drinking Ben.

Monique: Oh…well…d-did I do anything inappropriate last night?

Lee: What do you mean? Don’t you remember anything?

Monique: Last I remembered was Ben miraculously paying the band slow songs and dancing with you.

Lee blushed as she stood there reminiscing about last night as if she forgot one tiny little detail.

Monique: I feel like I did something else too…

Lee: NOPE. Nope. N-not at all. You did not do anything else.

Monique: Why do I feel like I did do something else?

Lee: I don’t know. How do you like your eggs, by the way?

Monique: Scrambled. But it feels like I do. You’re making it look really obvious I did.

Lee: Naaah. Here, eat something before we go to the hospital today.

Lee handed her a plate with exactly what she smelled in her room. Chocolate chip pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon.

Lee: I hope you like it.

She examined it with much curiosity. She’d never told him what she liked or disliked, so how could he know about this?

Lee: It to your liking?

She didn’t want to tell him about her favorite breakfast cause she didn’t know how to explain someone she couldn’t remember making it for her every morning. She took a bite and tried to hide her delight from him.

Monique: It’s better than eating stuff out of a dumpster.

He smiled.

Lee: I’ll take that as a compliment.

Monique: So, listen…I don’t do well with getting free handouts.

Lee: Even though you’ve been dumpster diving?

Monique: That’s different! People throw that stuff out! But you’re literally handing something you made and bought me something yesterday and you’re practically letting me live her for free so I’m trying to say what can I do for you in return.

Lee was taken aback. No one had ever asked what he had wanted. He’d always gave to people, yet no one ever gave back.

Monique: I’m really good at household chores...I think?

Lee: I don’t know if I should trust you with that…

Monique: I feel like you’re challenging me.

Lee: No, I just don’t trust a dumpster diver to know how to cook and clean.

She quickly finished her meal, taking her plate and the pans that were used. In a spiteful rush, she washed the dishes, cleaning every spec of dirt she could find. He

watched in amazement.

Lee: Where’d you learn how to be a busser?

Monique: Hell, if I know.

Lee: You are just full of surprises aren’t you? Just promise me you won’t burn the house down.

Ben: OY! Can y’all keep it down out there some people have raging headaches.

Ben cried out from a distant room as Lee and Monique laughed.

~

They both left the house, dressed in new clothes. Lee had gone with his casual polo shirt and beaten up jeans whereas Monique went with the clothes she wore yesterday before they had gone to the event. He took her to a small garage that housed itself just down the road and brought out a standard motorcycle with two black helmets. He put his on while Monique hesitated to put hers.

Lee: Anything wrong?

Monique: I’ve never been on a motorcycle before.

Lee: Well, a first time for everything.

He placed the helmet on her, causing her to readjust it to her head.

Lee: Just hang on tight to me, okay?

She nodded her head. As he started his motor engine, she hopped on the back, holding onto him as tightly as she could. They made their way to the hospital where they were supposed to meet Lilith at for a procedural checking. Passed the forestry, they headed towards signs that pointed to the city. She tried to distract herself the with the scenery all around her. Tree, shrub, tree, shrub, tree, more trees, lake, shadows that looked eerily like Lee and Monique…What? She did a double take with that, but it was too late, they disappeared. She didn’t know what that was about. This was her first time here. She only knew him for like a day or two, so why would they be there? Were things just getting to her head at this point? They pulled into the parking lot where Lilith and some grumpy doctor with dark brown dreadlocks, chocolate skin, and hazel eyes had been waiting. Are we late?

Lilith: Glad you both could make it! Hope the ride wasn’t too bad.

Monique: N-no not really.

Lee: Why so glum, sugar plum?

He had asked the doctor. Who doesn’t he know in this city?

Lilith: Oh, you know how Khan gets when he has to work when it’s supposed to be his day off.

Lee: Oh shit, that was today, wasn’t it?

Khan: Yeah, it was. But then things happen, don’t they?

Monique: I’m sorry I happened.

Khan: Oh, no. You don’t have to apologize for a thing, child.

She gave him a puzzling look. His mannerisms reminded her of someone, but who?

Khan: Now lets all get in. We’re going to go over the standard stuff. You going to be okay with two men inspecting you? By which I mean me and ya boy there.

Lee: We’re not dating…

Khan: Oh, I know, I’m just teasing.

She looked at Lee, then cautiously nodded her head.

Lilith: Don’t worry, I’ll be in there too. I’ll make sure they won’t do anything funny and I’ll also be asking some questions while Dr. Khan here takes your vitals and everything.

As they walked through the glass doors that politely opened for the four of them, Monique took note of every single thing. The hospital they were at was unlike the facilities she was locked in. Rather than there being stone walls with constant medical nurses and doctors having clipboard glued to their hands as they always examined each and every step you took, there were glass walls. Sunlight shined on through as people were coming to and from. Some were children in need of their yearly check-up, others were adults who came in for their usual (or unusual problems). The rest were officers of the Corps. Doctors and nurses were nicer to their patients and never held them back for anything. It was unlike what she had been used to. She had wondered if this was some form of a front or if people were just genuinely nice.

Lilith led her to the gowning room as the men were told to wait in the examination room. As Monique undressed, she felt the uncomfortable stares coming from Lilith. Lilith swiftly took her peepers towards the door.

Lilith: Ohmigosh! I’m so sorry! Please continue, I didn’t mean to stare.

Monique: It’s okay.

She tapped Lilith on the shoulder and was told she could leave her belongings on the side.

Monique: C-can you do me a small favor?

Lilith: For sure, what is it?

Monique: M-my back side isn’t too exposed is it?

Lilith checked and reassured everything was fine. She then led Monique to the examination room. Khan had done everything normal doctors had always done with Monique. Taken her height, weight, vitals, blood pressure, used dongles to check her eyes and ears. And as he was doing all of these things Lilith went through a series of questions the first being if she was okay with Lee being there.

Monique: Yeah, I do appreciate having someone I know for longer than a day.

Lilith: Excellent. So, these questions are designed to figure out what you life was like before, if you were aware of any health issues from your family and so on. This is to help us build a profile so the more details you can give us the better. We will also be asking questions concerning your time on Earth-07395. This is so we can get an idea of why you had the circumstances you had so we can further investigate what went on. Will you be alright with that?

Monique: I can try to be.

Lee: If you really can’t answer the questions, it’s alright.

Monique: But wouldn’t it be useful to answer as many as accurately as I can?

Lilith: Yes, but we also want to respect the difficulties it may come with and your feelings about it. This unfortunately won’t be a one-time check-up. For now, we’re just going to start off with the building blocks and hopefully overtime it’ll become easier. If you honestly don’t want to answer them now, you don’ t have to and you can choose to come back and answer them whenever you want.

Monique: Oh...alright…so how do we go about this exactly?

If this is what it takes to give myself a better chance, why not take it?

Lilith: Well first things first, I’m going to have to have you sit up straight for a while. Until Khan gives me the go ahead to lie you down as he checks for anything else going on back there.

Monique: Okay, then what? If you don’t mind me asking

Lilith: Oh, of course not. I am what you can refer to as either a puppeteer or a telepath. I can delve into people’s minds to help them remember things they are unable to recall themselves. I tend not to do any sort of manipulation; this is why we have third parties such as Lee or even Khan to ensure I don’t mess around with how you’ve remembered things. Now, what I’ll be doing is placing my fingers onto your head. We will essentially be sharing the same mind space. You’ll see as much into my memories as I will see into yours. I will then guide you down a trip through memory lane and you are free to see into mine afterwards.

Monique: R-really?

Lilith: Of course! I’d like to think we can establish trust between us.

Monique: Th-then I’m ready.

Khan gave her the signal to go ahead and allow Monique to lie down. As Monique lied down, Lilith happily placed her fingers in a spider like manner gently on each side of Monique’s head. The very tips of her digits glowed a white light. Monique instinctively closed her eyes. Lee readied the laptop and turned on the video recorder as he was going be the recorder for the session.

Lilith: Alright. so, without further ado, let’s get started. Lee will be recording us just so we can look back for future reference.

Monique: Alright.

Lilith: This is officer Lilith, executive assistant of Dragon’s Nest with Patient #00466662 Monique whose last name will be omitted. Now, tell me Monique, what do you see?

Monique: Darkness…really pitch-black darkness.

Lilith: Now, concentrate. Can you find me?

She looked everywhere throughout her mind. After twenty or more steps forward, she found Lilith surrounded in particles of what seemed like a beach. Sand covered both their feet as waves were crashing nearby.

Monique: Yeah, you…you’re in front of a beach. I-I don’t think I’ve ever been here before. Is this part of yours?

Lilith: Yes! This city is gifted with many beaches and lagoons nearby. This is the first beach I got to go to when I was very young on this world. Has the clearest of waters and the best of sunsets. Now, let us focus onto you a little bit more. Do you see a door behind you?

Monique: Yeah.

Lilith: We’ll now continue with our first question. These doors will appear as we go throughout this journey down your memory lane. Go ahead and open the door.

Monique: Okay.

She pushed open the door to find another beach scene, something that felt as if it were from her past. It was then immediately distorted to her time at the institution. Lilith had seen this distortion and immediately noted it. As she made notes in her mind, the laptop nearby would then record them as if she were typing them herself. If Lee were not used to this, he would’ve wondered if he had gone insane as notes he had never written were appearing before him. He then reorganized them into what Lilith noted and what was said throughout this conversation.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Lilith: How odd.

Monique: I-is that supposed to happen?

Lilith: Worry not, we’ll still continue. Can you recall the first day you noticed things were different? Like when you heard the screaming or the distorted noises?

Monique: I-I think. I was thirteen at the time…I-I just re-remember suddenly waking up to constant screaming. I thought I was going dead in the ear.

They watched as Monique, no older than thirteen, crouching in pain. Putting herself in the fetal position. Doctors came in, panicking about what to do and what it meant while the CEO just calmly stepped inside. He crouched by her side, whispering something into her ear. The younger Monique had then calmed down, eyes noticeably sullen. As if there were no light coming out. As if she were hollowed out.

Monique: And then, everything stopped.

Lilith: Do you remember what he whispered to you?

Monique: No. This…this is the first time I’m even seeing it all happen. This is exactly what happened that day, correct?

Lilith: Yes. I specifically specialize in reawakening and tracing memories. Do you remember how old you were when you came here?

Monique: I was six I thi—

She tried prying open a door they saw right before them, yet it would not budge. Darkness had crept all around it, barring them from entry.

Monique: I-I-Is this a common occurrence?

Lilith: It certainly is not. Someone’s trying to keep you away from the truth.

Lee

Panic started ensuing. He had seen the sweat drops on Monique’s face.

Khan: This isn’t good. Her heart rate is going way up, something’s going on.

Lee: Is there a chance I can get patched in?

Khan: Yeah, just put your hand on Lilith’s shoulder. She’ll probably act as a conduit between the two of you now, but it’ll be better for her to have a familiar face in there.

Lee nodded in agreement then proceeded to place his hand on Lilith’s shoulder.

Lee: Hey, patch me in.

Lilith: Monique, Lee will be joining us now, can you open the door adjacent to the one blocking us?

Monique: Y-yeah.

With much ease, she opened a wooden door nearby. Lee was on the other side.

Lee: You, okay?

Monique: No, everything feels wrong. I don’t understand why…why can’t I remember this? Why can’t I go look into my own memories?

Lilith: There’s a lot of questions we may not be able to answer. But for right now what is best is answering the ones we can.

Lee: Besides, we’ll find out sooner or later, right?

Monique: I-I’m just so afraid.

Lilith: Of what?

Monique: What if it’s blocked for a reason? What if I really am a monster?

Lee shook his head as Lilith did the same. Both disagreed and said no matter what, they would still help out someone in need. That they wouldn’t turn their backs on her.

Lee: You’ll be okay. I’m right here with you and I’m not going anywhere.

Monique: O-okay. Let’s continue!!

Lilith: Alright then! Come follow me.

They followed Lilith out of that room and proceeded to another door, this time made of mosaic glass.

Lilith: How often were you in and out of that facility.

Monique: I remember running away when I was ten. I can’t say I remember where I was, but I do remember I was brought back at thirteen ran away the following year and was caught two years afterwards.

Lee: So, ran away again at fourteen and brought back at sixteen.

Lilith: Who brought you back?

Monique: Ezekiel.

She slid open a sliding glass door that led into a partially lit living room. The light shined, showing Lilith and Lee a fourteen-year-old Monique beaten to shit. Scars everywhere. Her lungs were having a terrible time giving her oxygen. She was cautious. She ensured no one had followed her. The floors were painted a grainy gray. Pewter gray couches faced the wall with a flatscreen TV that looked like it had been turned off. Young Monique stepped in quietly, hoping no one was home. This was the first time she had ever entered somewhere so fancy and luxurious. God was she hoping no one was home. As she tip-toed across the living room floor, she heard someone causing the glasses to rattle. She stopped midway, sweat bullets formed.

Lee: Where are we?

Monique: You’re about to find out.

Stranger: I know you’re out there! Your thoughts are fucking loud.

fuck shit fuck shit. Thoughts not only echoed around young Monique’s mind but all around the scenery. Notably, they were loud enough for present Monique to hear them as well.

The stranger stomped into the living room. The moonlight hit his figure, revealing a scrawny looking kid with unruly long black hair and white eyes appeared. He was holding a kitchen knife like it was a bat.

Stranger: Who the fuck are you and what do you want?

Young Monique: My…my name is Monique and I just need a place to stay the night.

He looked her up and down, scanning each and every corner of her.

Stranger: Aren’t you one of those things that work for the government?

Young Monique: I wouldn’t say that Twilight Baleful is ran by the government.

Stranger: So, you’re with them?

Young Monique: No. I am not.

Stranger: And how do I know you’re telling the truth?

Young Monique: I wouldn’t look like I’ve been beaten to shit now would I?

Stranger: Fair point. Why’d you come in here?

Young Monique: I was really hoping no one would be home. It seemed abandoned from the get-go. I’m sorry, whatever your name is, can you please put down the knife?

She tried to hold back how much she wanted to laugh at his failed holding of a knife.

Stranger: Apologies, I suppose. My name is Ezekiel.

He placed down the knife, then cautiously walked towards her.

Ezekiel: For a person with superpowers, you oddly don’t seem to want to show them off.

Young Monique: Well, I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.

Ezekiel: Couldn’t you hear me before? I could hear every thought in your head. It literally screams at some points.

Young Monique: Sorry. Is that all you can do?

Ezekiel: ‘Fraid so.

Young Monique: Then why do I feel like you’re hiding something from me?

Ezekiel: It’s all in your head.

Young Monique: Haha, very funny.

She pulled out a lighter, one she always had kept handy at the time and flickered it on. She allowed the flames to engulf one of her hands. She then proceeded to the kitchen and turned on the faucet. She then placed her other hand in the sink, letting the water wrap around her hand. All at once, just as the fire engulfed her hand so too did the water. Ezekiel stared in amazement. She snapped her finger, the flames extinguished. She shut off the faucet and no droplet of water was left on her arm.

Ezekiel: Whoa! That’s so cool. But wait, why would you be running away from them? Why not use that to join that organization? Or any organization for that matter? Wouldn’t they help you direct that to good use?

Young Monique: Hah. What sort of lies were you fed to, kid?

Ezekiel: Well, tell me why wouldn’t you stay?

Young Monique: For what? To be misused. Abused? To be lied to at every turn. Them saying of course you can go home, go back to your family but in reality, you can’t. You can never go anywhere without their permission. You’re their prisoner because they can do whatever they want since you’re a minor and no one else will care for you. Because you’re just some unwanted orphan. You exist for their purpose. Their amusement.

Ezekiel: Okay…but wouldn’t it just be easier to live for that? To serve them?

Young Monique: Hah, says the fucking rich kid who’s mansion I just broke into. You get to eat whatever you want, never worry about your next meal and you probably get some freedoms.

Ezekiel: It’s not what you think.

Young Monique: Oh? Then enlighten me. Cause from where I’m standing you seem to have it all.

Ezekiel: I mean…you are right…I’m just some rich kid whose had everything handed down to him. Silver spoons and all. But you wanna know why no one else is home besides me? Because no one cares about me. Can’t live up to their expectations why bother caring about their wellbeing.

Young Monique: So, it seems were on a similar boat here. You can’t live up to your parents’ expectations and I’d rather die than live up to the figure heads at Twilight Baleful’s expectations of me.

Monique

As her past self-talked with a shifty, younger, Ezekiel, Lee had a zillion questions running through his head.

Lee: How exactly did you end up in this kid’s house?

Monique: Look when you’re on the run, you don’t really check who’s rich house is whose.

Lee: Were you planning to stay there forever?

Monique: No, just until the coast was clear. Clear enough for me to leave New York City…I-I think I wanted to go to Louisiana.

Lilith: Form our records of any Earth. Well, most Earths those two places are quite a ways away. Why did you want to go there?

Monique: I honestly don’t know. I just knew it was better than being there. In a big city.

Lilith: How did you find yourself there?

Monique: We were supposed to do a mission for the US government. Twilight Baleful prides itself for being a mercenary for higher. Even if it’s for the big wigs in Washington as long as everything is kept under the table. It was to keep people in line. Many were protesting about the unethical use of children with powers being kept in private armies. We were forced to shut them down. But I took the opportunity to split. Most missions, I was supposed to be kept under lock and chain with a chaperone. However, chaos erupted. I don’t know how it started but I do know, Angelica, the girl with pink pastel pigtails and what we called our sister Annabelle were having too much fun with the protesters. They were supposed to keep them inline. What they did instead was caused a massacre. Killed anyone who got in their way. I tried saving the ones I could, but I was told to stay put until they got back. I broke all communication devices I had on me, anything that could trace me, and I ran. Cowardly, I ran.

Lee: You saved who you could.

Monique: Fair, I guess. As I was running, Angelica and Annabelle were attempting to capture me. I fought them and obviously won.

Lilith: May I ask how?

Monique: They rely so much on their powers that they hardly know how to use a weapon. Even though now, Angelica’s a gun specialist and Annabelle can use small knives and daggers…Angelica relied way too much on her telepathic powers whereas Annabelle relied so much on her ability to slightly see into the future and her inhuman dexterity. Icing them where they stood and rendering any tool useless using a sword was really easy for me. Also, constantly confusing Annabelle helped too.

Lilith: Oh! So, you’re a swordsman?

Monique: Sort of? I’m not really well trained. But I can use it. Anyway, I used that opportunity, created a thick smog, and ran. Found what I thought was an abandoned mansion out over in East Midtown, New York. I was just trying to hide long enough till everyone was gone.

After she was done talking, Ezekiel had asked Young Monique something.

Ezekiel: So, do you intend to stay the night or how long? Not like it really matters to me.

Young Monique: With any hope, the people who are looking for me have left the area already and I can make my way to New Orleans, Louisiana.

Ezekiel: What’s out there?

She mumbled it out, but it felt fuzzed out. Like if a redacted statement could be read, that’s what she said.

Ezekiel: Well, what would you say if I propose we go together?

Young Monique: Why would you want to come with me?

Ezekiel: I don’t have anything better to do anyway. Besides, it does me no harm bringing a pretty girl like you halfway across the country.

Young Monique: Yeah but what about your parents. I know they don’t care but…

Ezekiel: They won’t even notice I’m gone. Plus, you’ll get all the perks that come with knowing a rich kid. So, why not?

Ezekiel extended out his hand as a way to shake in agreement. At first, young Monique was hesitant to take it. It was moments later that she “thought” it would be harmless. That nothing bad could ever happen from this small encounter How wrong she was. Her current self shook her head as she watched her younger self shake hands with a devil.

Lee

Lee: Why did you let him go with you?

Monique: Because, at the time, I thought I found a bit of myself in someone else. Someone who understood what it was like to have to live up to someone else’s expectations of you.

Lilith: What about all those perks?

Monique: I wouldn’t even count it as a bonus.

Lilith: Why not?

Monique: We were fine at first. But I guess we were never fine to begin with. Everything I saw between us was viewed rose-tinted glasses. And I guess its because I thought this was how friends were supposed to treat each other. And what’s more…he…he…he really made me believe we were more than just friends. He would flirt with me, constantly. We shared our first kiss in a small hotel in Berryville, Virginia. We shared everything together.

Lilith: Where do you think it went wrong?

Lee tried to keep his mouth shut. He watched as Ezekiel and young Monique interacted with each other. Watched as Ezekiel always acted as if he had hidden motives. Always looked as if he was embarrassed to be around her. But why? Her beauty was barely sprouting at that age. Why would he be embarrassed to be around her? He distracted himself by listening in on the conversation between Lilith and Monique.

Monique: Must’ve been that phone call he got back in Knoxville, Tennessee. His mood swings violently went from one end to the other. When he asked me to teach him how to control his abilities, he’d explode on me when it came to his short comings. He began to control every aspect of my life. Always told me what to wear, how to act, how to be. Saying it was for my own good.

Lee: And you let him!?

Lilith: Lee, please.

Monique: Yeah, I did. Because if I didn’t, he’d threaten to call them. Threatened to send me back.

Lee: Then why didn’t you kick his ass and leave him??

Monique: B…because I…I was so convinced I loved him. Because I thought he was the only one who could save me. Because I didn’t think twice to the way he treated me.

Lee’s fists were shacking.

Lilith: Lee! Don’t.

Lee: How could you be so stupid?!

Monique: I—

Lee: Why didn’t you leave?

Ezekiel: Because she knew she couldn’t.

The memory of Ezekiel peeled itself from the scene. He made eye contact with the three of them. They looked back in shock.

Lilith: How?

Ezekiel: She needed me. Just as much as I needed her. We were two peas of a pod. She wanted to run away from dear old dad, and I wanted to piss him off so bad. Show him the one thing he couldn’t do.

Lee: What the fuck is going on?

Lilith: I-I don’t know. This has never happened before

Monique cowered in fear. Was he really here? She looked as if she had an idea why but as she was about to open her mouth, Ezekiel stared her down, putting a finger over his lips. She tried so hard to get any words out of her mouth, but she couldn’t.

Ezekiel: Now, now. Don’t spoil the fun for everyone.

He teleported over to her, caressing her cheek as he held her hand.

Ezekiel: Wouldn’t want an accident occurring like it did in New Orleans. Or that accident that occurred in Baton Rouge.

Lilith: What happened?

Ezekiel: I’m sorry, peasant. I’m strictly speaking to my girlfriend here.

He tried using telekinesis to push them backwards, yet they didn’t move an inch. He quickly turned to Monique. He tried to rush her.

Ezekiel: Now, now darlin. You’ve been pulling away for far too long now. You wouldn’t want another accident on your back, now would you? You know you have to let me have power in your head in order to rid of the trash in your mind.

Monique shuttered.

Lee: Get. Your. Hands. Off. Her.

Ezekiel: Or else wh—

A loud growl came from Lee. Enormous, monstrous claws formed on his hands as he bared his fangs. Monique stared at him with wide eyes. She peeled away from Ezekiel and slowly but surely tried to get away.

Ezekiel: What the fuck are you?

Lilith: Lee! Keep control! Don’t kill him!

Lee: Don’t w o r r y. I’ll just maim him.

As Lee leaped towards Ezekiel, a flash of light appeared, blinding the both of them. Monique had disappeared in the chaos as Ezekiel ended up behind iron bars, he tried hard to escape from but couldn’t. Lee’s demon form halted. When they finally took a breather as Ezekiel rioted, attempting to release himself from the prison created for him they looked around and couldn’t find Monique.

Lilith: Where did she go?