“What was wrong?” he insistently asked again.

“Don’t treat her like that,” I demanded in a firmer tone. That wasn’t what he asked, but it was the most pressing wrongness.

He considered and countered, “I’m yet to see you address each of your fingers before utilising them.”

I brushed his perfectly sound argument away, “She’s a person, not some flesh puppet! Don’t treat us like dirt to be stepped upon.”

He gave it a couple of seconds more, which probably translated into a much deeper consideration than necessary in that alien brain. Instead of arguing, monster just provided, “She was going to run.”

“Smart chick,” I sighed tiredly and sagged down onto an unmade bed. Whoever left this place was going to be back momentarily - months ago. There were glasses on top of an open book. Cup of evaporated something. Shook my head free of the insignificant issues.

Running from a place you’ve no recollection going to was a right choice. Citrine must think we’ve drugged her.

“I can’t fix her if you don’t talk to me.”

I looked up into a contemptuous stare. Didn’t hold it against the alien life-form. It wasn’t his fault but that’s precisely why I’d rather he didn’t have a face to make all those unbefitting expressions. Sighed again, “She… appears fine. What can you even do if that’s all you’ve scraped off off your intestines?”

“Rearrange cause and effect recollections. Create stimuli. Adjust chemical reactions.”

“Yea… Tha… That’s beyond me. I didn’t know her that well in first place. She’s a combative one. Maybe if we get others and they hear what’s happened…” I blanked out for a moment imagining such an orderly event, “they can help sort each other out.” Yeah, that plan needs some touch-up.

“How many do you plan on hosting here?” monster inquired like a diligent secretary. No judgement or reservations. And yet, that question struck more fear into my veins. It was a good question. One I hadn’t even begun considering. Three? Ten? Twenty? And what then?

I started gnawing on a nail. Truly, what’s next? I’d hate to ask monster to put them back into his jail pocket. Marching an entire band of hookers and thieving children who’ve never been outdoors through the monster infested wilderness, in winter? How do I even begin to explain materialisation of this ragtag party to the mountain townies?

“I have to see him,” I muttered, blind to all the obstructions.

“I’m searching,” monster replied as if knowing exactly who I’ve meant. He probably did.

“Do you… think it’s a good idea to be doing this all, here?” As opposed to where? Our hometown, which is by now hostile plot of rubble with no food or warmth, overran by beasts or frequented by violently inquisitive military men? And getting there would probably take too fucking long. It was too important to dillydally. I needed to put this ordeal behind me.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“You don’t need to worry about that. This settlement is too insignificant to even hope to interfere.”

Well, we can’t all be mighty sea polliwogs! Instead of biting back I clarified, “So you do think it’s a bad idea, but nothing a mass murder wouldn’t solve.”

“It won’t be a problem if they don’t make it one,” monster stated simply. After I stared for too long and too hard, still expecting a nonchalant shrug, he figured he had to elaborate, “This place is mine now. They’d do well not to contend that.”

I ended up shrugging, content to leave otherworldly overlord to take care of the little details. It wasn’t a bad feeling to not be the one in danger of getting trampled for once. For some reason, I just couldn’t muster up any fear towards this perilous existence, regardless of everything he’d done.

Somebody would inevitably be getting underfoot, especially upon seeing the influx of strange foreigners, but I could get behind his reasoning anyway. Frankly, wellbeing of strangers was not something that kept me up at night.

I tapped the little nightstand with the mysterious book on it. “Right… as for how many. Depends on who. Citrine was close with Amber, Olivia, Mia. Can you find any of them?” Getting a circle of close friends together might end badly for me. They would undoubtedly conspire, but then again – if I convinced one, other dominoes would fall in line. And likeminded people would be easiest to convert by saying the right things just once.

Statuesque rock star’s silence was heavy as he perused his vast archives. I waited patiently for a favourable reply. No, not that patiently – I nosed around in the tiny drawer. Medicines, another pair of glasses, a scarf. Which reminded me I should be looking for clothing and took a dive into a bigger cabinet.

As I dressed myself in thick woolly pants, knitted socks and several sweaters, my attention kept falling on the dark smears all over my skin. Even if my friends got restored – which appeared to be harder than advertised - there was one more who’s owed justice. Even if I did not feel fear or anger as intensely anymore, even if my grief was dulled by faint hope - I shouldn’t let go of the animosity. The copy still died most gruesomely. By my hand. That’s not something that can be undone.

I suspected answer before it came. Lull has been way too long. “Well?” I asked, because my lifespan was after all limited.

“Right now I’ve located just one, but individual’s nervous system has been taken apart and retrained. Wouldn’t even understand speech if restored without sections from somewhere else. Which isn’t a problem.”

Not a problem at all, just a missing lifetime. Cold, detached delivery of this nonchalant butcher instilled a much missed hate in me. I knew he tried his best to undo what he has done, but it didn’t erase the fact. Nor, it would seem, the results.

“Who?” I dared ask, because value of some lives was greater than those of others.

“She might be Mia. Do you wish to confirm?” So it might not even be her. Even the monster couldn’t tell for sure. Still, I felt relief for I did not know that particular girl all too well anyway. Or at all. Was it better that Amber was still missing? Would her condition be acceptable if found? And if she wasn’t? My confused heart had no answers for me.

I shook my head. “She is of no use, then. Who else have you got? That are whole,” I replied just as distantly.

Three more blobs started growing and turning into people balled up on the floor. A bit pre-emptive of him. And all at once? Dealing with one bewildered girl has been near disaster. Moreover, it was too dark to figure out who they might be.

“I can’t see. Are there any candles?” I said, squinting around. Instead, floor lit up in twisting vines. Not brightly. Bluish and just enough to see. I glanced back at dangerous, yet considerate creature, appreciating the fact it weren’t the people who glowed. He held my gaze and I felt he was about to misinterpret it again. Turned away.

Knelt between two of them and tentatively reached out to tilt a head. A bit damp, but definitely warm, alive people. The touch still gave me goose bumps.

Body was male, but it didn’t have the face I was looking for. One of the older guys. He made burglary his main business, right until somebody caught him and beat up so badly he lost vision. After that, took up knitwork but branded thieves didn’t get a lot of business. Demon must have fixed up his eyes, so he will undoubtedly be happy about it, and yet that was just another oddness for me to promptly explain away in this overall mess.

Girl on his left was Isla. She looked just like Citrine and Tom - same short feathery pixie cut, scarless skin and healthier musculature than before. And same age, which was a problem in this case.

“Can you not read their minds all that well, or is it that our meagre lifespans might as well be over anyway, by your standards?” I asked with genuine wonderment.

“Both. What’s wrong?”

“She’s eight. A kid. You’ve shaved off at least a decade of her life,” I said and considered if a child would be appropriate to have for the conversation. Not that she could be folded up and put back onto a shelf anymore.

“I lament your as a species inability to self-repair,” demon commented as girl’s features and build softened. “But then again, you’d be too terrifying unchecked like that.”

“Life beyond thirty? Truly scary,” I concurred with the sentiment.

I scooted over to the last one. Dentist. It was a genuine relief to see this surly mope. Body was also older than in actuality, but not by a lot and I figured he’d absolutely love this change anyway. Seeing how he’d look grown up gave me a dopey smile too. This was a healthy young musclehead, not a bag of stunted bones like before.

I sat back on my heels and exhaled deeply. Hell, getting that one to trust two shady men will be impossible. But great for morale of the team, if there would be a team. Everybody loves them some vicious mini Ruby.

Not a lot to work with, however.