Mystery Lake

[34] Aftermath

Everyone was silent for several seconds before the panting began, and they worked together to nervously open the lock and file out of the vault. Even though what had come out of Ross didn't have an immediate or lingering after smell, the dusty and musty air outside of the vault still felt better to immerse in.

Roxy swooped back after she took her breaths to check on vampire boy. He was still standing there, like a statue, his dark hair matted against his neck with a sheen of sweat. Miranda was standing nearby, but not far from the door. Having picked up the pipe, she'd hurled as close to the creatures as she could. Roxy had no idea why she'd retrieved it, but given the uncertainty of their encounters lately, she couldn't begrudge her keeping it as a comfort and insurance against whatever came for them next.

Ross remained as pale as usual, but his nervous swallowing suggested he wasn't done with whatever he'd spewed forth. He asked, just the two of them, a question Roxy knew he didn't expect an answer to: "What just happened?"

Miranda dipped the awkward pipe so that it didn't look like she was threatening Ross or anyone else before asking a question of her own. "Are you okay?"

Vacillating between coughing and swallowing more, Ross shook his head aimlessly as he brushed out his hair. "I'm sweaty. Gosh, I'm so sweaty. I don't... I guess. I'm alive. That thing is gone. Is... is everyone okay?" His eyes flicked up at Miranda in particular, but also rested on Roxy for a few moments before returning to the ground.

"I think so" was the best that Miranda could offer in her current position. "I think you saved us. Whatever you did."

"Oh... cool. Guess I'm a... guess I coughed up something good."

Roxy raised an eyebrow at the first hint of what Ross was about to say. The phrase "bulimic sorcerer" popped into her head. Whether that was close or far from where his head was going, Roxy had an inkling that whatever he was holding back was more interesting than his actual words. She wasn't going to offer up any possibilities to reignite his ire; she was learning her lessons in that respect. Not that she was or had the intention to walk around like on broken glass with Ross. But she would let him show his voice rather than chancing to step in his shit. God, he didn't want to be a quick study for the turns and twists of talking to those with rules and hangups.

Whatever. Ross didn't see himself as their friend, but he'd still saved them. Miranda did the leading, guiding Ross by the hand back over to the basement area. Jake had stayed behind while the old lady had gone upstairs to check on the state of things. Her son appeared tightly stretched between making sure they were alright and not leaving his mother alone to her task.

Brock had his arms tightly squeezed around Chiara, especially around her chest, not caring about the geography of her body, like pressing a rubber chicken until it became two-dimensional. That girl/boy absolutely deserved a simple return to smiles. He was working on a rudimentary version, wobbling like a slow top on his lips. Chiara seemed like she really would've preferred breathing, but she was willing to make the temporary sacrifice of being the lovey shark's tasty squeeze toy.

Oh, right, restroom. She should probably take care of that.

Ross didn't seem like he was quite back to normal, but she didn't really know what normal was supposed to be for the guy, before or now. At least he didn't look like he was going to keel over in the next few minutes. So, that was something. Miranda had him, although Roxy still had no idea why the girl even wanted him in the first place. Not her business.

It wasn't much, but Ross gave her another look that didn't express irritation or antagonism. Good enough for her. She went on ahead.

Eugene had picked up the spilled bottle. No water or even signs of moisture remained on the basement floor, having evaporated or done whatever fairy undead sex goo does when released. Roxy puzzled over the fact that her companion hadn't said or suggested much. Did the possible fairy princess lady know that Ross would take care of this by splashing the bastard? What, if anything, was she keeping from her? Invoking questions did not prompt a reappearance or an explanation.

Chiara was finally permitted to breathe again as Brock shifted to lifting her gently, her toes barely touching the ground, as if paused at the beginning of a dance or ice skating routine.

Roxy's trek up the steps revealed no remnants, damage, or residue of the beast that had hunted them. The lights were not only back, but a hint brighter than before, as if to push away all slivers of darkness. One of the couches and some of the wall mounts had been disturbed, but nothing serious, as far as she could see. Where the crash and fall should have been, the only victim was an end table with some scattered magazines, which the old lady and her son were already taking turns putting back in place. The start of dinner looked a little disorganized, but not messed up. She looked through the seasonings and assorted ingredients to be mixed. The temptation to activate chef mode tickled at her senses, but this wasn't her kitchen counter, though the old lady would probably welcome her assistance.

"Would you like to help me make dinner?"

Oh crap, she caught her off guard. Roxy retreated from the drainboard and informed her she was just tidying up. The old lady had watched her for several moments and sensed her experience. She welcomed her to help with dinner, but with no expectations or obligations.

Roxy found it sharply surreal to have to deal with matters of food so soon after Ross had belched black sewage and melted the monster. The world should not be so mundane at this moment, yet here it was. She accepted the invitation—something to keep her mind off the madness. First, though, she wanted to check out the rest of the rampaging path and help Eugene clean up. Not really necessary, but she wanted to do it anyway. The old lady continued where she had left off when the warnings came.

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Despite the dispersion of the monster, lingering tiredness followed her as she made her way back through the most obvious path it had taken. None of the bed-and-breakfast-style bedrooms had been disturbed or damaged. Not even delicate sections of the floor appeared cracked or dented. The same was true of the weathered steps.

It took a little more effort to unlock the secret door from this side as fatigue crept in, but she managed. As she inspected the cramped, cluttered store for any obvious changes, it continued to amaze her that not a single thing was out of place, despite how far the damn thing had stalked, their brief tussle, and it breaking free.

Following the last trace of its movement to the entrance and then down the steps to the outside revealed no proof of their encounter. Nothing on the street, nothing in the area, and nothing as far as she could scan. The oppressive blackened mass had cleared. Normal evening reasserted itself. The approaching sunset trickled through the trees. Still so normal.

She fussed with her itchy inverted dress and scanned the narrow side street for some sign of actual disruption. The traffic, not much when they arrived, still slipped past, but at a languid drip pace. She scrutinized the front of the building, and all the cited businesses that Eugene said they shared the space with went about their common routines.

It would have been nice to take a walk around the downtown neighborhood, but she didn't want to do it alone. Upstairs, Eugene was already taking a closer look at the room, looking around with visible relief. They talked for a while, sharing each other's confusion and blank uncertainty about what the experience meant, what the creature wanted, and what had happened. Eugene stretched out on a chair and pantomimed holding the nearly full two gallons above his lap.

"If I may ask, what has your experience been like? Your life and everything since the lake. How do you parse it?"

Roxy found a place to lean and talk. "Not great, but it's complicated because we've run into so many terrible things since the lake. Terrible, and not so terrible too. Like all that. No idea why someone or something is after you. But that's not all. I used to be a big guy with ripped muscles, a big, embracing smile, and a love of fun. Shrinking is a huge trip. It puts you in a completely different place. I've changed so much in just a few hours, and yet I am still the same person. Everyone has a different opinion of what the body, the mind, and all the rest represent. I don't know. Either I am now a guy with some physical oddities, or I am a girl with some mental hangups. My experience has been an absolutely wild trip I never expected to take during spring break. But you wanna know what you should do, right?"

Eugene opened his mouth to provide a nuanced or uncertain answer that he held back longer than either of them expected. "I've experienced more supernatural, amazing, and terrifying phenomena in such a short time than I ever expected in my entire life. I would've been totally fine if that creature had strolled up, ignored us all, and gone straight for that miraculous, horrific water. But it discarded it. It could've done the same thing with everything you brought. And seeing and feeling that, with a rush hour of impending harm barreling down at me, made me really think about who I am and what I want. Somewhere in all of this is an aphorism etched in silver. Don't try to lie to your mirror..."

Roxy felt that she understood the meaning of that statement, but she let Eugene continue, in case she was wrong, or he had a particular elaboration in mind.

"To thine own self be true. I want to splash myself with that water. But I've seen the craziness that its mere presence has brought. I can't rely on some guy in black to offer me the same deal you all received. He'd probably try to silence me instead, if he even bothered to darken my doorstep. But I can't hide the light, life, and truth of all that I am in possibilities, probabilities, speculations, postulations, and uncertainties that stretch to infinity. I can say sour grapes like a soured fox for the rest of my life. I can skip every opportunity and continue on the path I have well-trodden...." He paused and took a breath to collect his thoughts before continuing.

"And I know it's nuts to drop all this on you or any of the others, since you've obviously had to tolerate it rather than celebrate it. But I have in mind a clear and bold adventure that I want to undertake beyond any realm I've imagined for myself. I've been inspired by the possibility for ages and ignited since I met your friend's professor....It's so stupid to think, but so brilliant to feel. I know I should talk to the quiet one in your group because I can see everything I feel reflected in her eyes. I don't know why I am asking you, and I hope you don't feel offended or bewildered, but I was just thinking, with how you are different and yet the same, is there anything you would offer me?" Eugene had spilled forth plenty of words in the short time they had known each other, but this patch felt the most fervent, necessary, and honest.

"Do it. But don't swallow. The water, I mean. I did, and it feels like more complications have followed me. But you know what you want; you know who you are and who you want to be. Don't make it any more complicated for yourself than it has to be. Screw what I think; screw what anyone else thinks. Be yourself, even if you don't know if it's a terrible mistake. Don't fight yourself. You know truths before you realize them."

Roxy marveled that such words had come out of her, probably originating from her companion, whom she almost alluded to but left unmentioned for now. These were words that also vaulted far above her head with advice that she had to cling to and ride as far as it would take her.

Soon. Maybe after supper.