On strange trails

Chapter 10: Hand it over

„What do you mean this doesn't have to be it'?", Cora asked. Before Magenta could answer, Riff Raff said: "Magenta! We need to go back to Transylvania! Now!".

"My dear brother. You know that I love you but the things you just did weren't necessary! Not at all. You took my dear Columbia and you hurt Cora by killing Frank! How dare are you taking a young girls first love?! Now please. Leave without me. I shall follow you soon. But right now I'm needed here.", she hissed at her brother.

He looked at her confused and angry but than left the room without another word. Magenta turned back around to Cora, who was still holding Frank's dead body in tears. The water still dripping down from both of them. "Cora my dear don't you remember? Frank had the knowledge to create life! Why not bring it back?", Magenta suggested. Cora's eyes got big.

"You're right!", she carefully laid Frank to the ground and jumped up. She ran over to Magenta and kissed her cheek. "Magenta you're a genius!", she said and ran to Rocky. "Oh Rocky. Baby, stop crying. We know a way to help Frank! Please get up and carry Frank, will you?", she asked. Rocky looked up and nodded.

While he picked up Frank, Magenta turned to Brad, Janet and Dr. Scott. "Dr. Scott. I ask you to leave the mansion immediately! Brad and Janet, feel free to stay or leave. Whatever you like.", she said and left the room with Cora and Rocky.

Janet and Brad looked at each other and followed the three. Dr. Scott waited from them to go and would leave soon after. The group quickly arrived in the lab and laid Frank inside the tank. "Where are his notes?", Cora asked a little stressed. "I'm not sure. But I worked with him for such a long time I think I remember the order of the liquids he used!", Magenta said. Cora nodded to her and pulled down the thing which looked like a chandelier. "Lead me", Cora said and Magenta nodded.

"First the blue liquid and be careful! It's a bit caustic in wrong amounts.", she explained. Cora did as she told. 20 minutes passed until the tank was completely colored by rainbow colors again. Cora was scared. She was so scared it wouldn't work. Hell she really loved him. Now there was only a lever to be pulled and Cora was shaking. Magenta took her hand. "It'll work.", she said calm.

Cora smiled a bit as tears started running down her face again. She pulled on the lever and covered her face with her hands. The room was filled by white lightnings. As soon as the lightnings disappeared, Magenta and Cora ran to the tank. Rocky, Brad and Janet were standing across the room but came closer to see if it worked.

The excitement Cora felt in that moment was indescribable. She leaned over the tank to get a better view on Frank. But it seemed like it hadn't worked. He wasn't moving at all. Cora went away from the tank and ran her fingers through her hair. "Fuck", she said and started crying.

"Cora look!", Magenta suddenly yelled and they all ran back to the tank. Frank's chest was moving. He was breathing again. "He's breathing!", Janet said amazed. Cora leaned over the tank again and softly stroke his cheek as he slowly opened his eyes. "Cora?", he asked weakly. Cora nodded with tears in her eyes but still smiling.

„Yes it's me!", she said and reached out his hand to him to help him up. He set up straight and ran his hands through his hair. "My head is killing me", he joked as if he had woken up after being drunk the evening before. Cora giggled. "Just resurrected and already jokes aground. You're unbelievable, Frank!", she said jokingly. He chuckled weakly and tried to get up. Cora and Magenta helped him getting out of the tank.

As soon as he was standing stable, he got closer to Cora and kissed her. His already smeared Make-up was now almost completely gone so he didn't care if he was kissing her very passionate. "Dammit Frank. The moment you died I really thought I had lost you! I will never forgive Riff for that. That stupid son of a bitch.", Cora cursed. Frank giggled. "Baby but you haven't!", he said.

Magenta walked over to Janet and opened her hand. "Hand it over.", she said. Janet rolled her eyes and handed her some money. Cora looked over to them. "You bet on us?", she asked. Janet nodded and said: "I said you would become a couple in more than three weeks. She won.". „Since when are you two friends?", Frank asked. "Some hours", Magenta replied.
Cora shook her head and laughed.

The happy reunion was interrupted by someone stumping into the room. Brad and Janet immediately hid behind one of the statues.

It was Riff Raff. He was still carrying his silver gun. "Why didn't you leave?", Magenta asked as she came very close to him. "I still have work to finish. And I will now.", he said determined without even looking at his sister. He pointed the gun on Rocky and without hesitation he shot. Rocky screamed and tried to run away but Riff Raff shot him over and over again until he fell to the ground.

Cora didn't know what to do. She was completely shocked. The first thing she did was looking at Frank, who looked like he was about to faint. Magenta was the first one to move and pulled the gun out of her brother's hand. She threw it to the ground and broke it. "I'M SO TIRED OF THIS!", she yelled at him. "Go back to Transylvania! NOW!", she said. Riff Raff looked at her motionless and walked out of the room.

All eyes went to Frank again, who had sunken down on his knees next to Rocky's cold body. Everybody expected him to completely freak out and throw things around the room but he didn't. He just quietly started crying. He clearly didn't want to show his feelings. Cora and Magenta looked at each other and both went over to him. Frank softly stroke tears of hair out of Rocky's face and let his hand rest on his cheek.

Cora knelt down next to him on the cold floor of the lab and started hugging him from behind. "I'm so sorry.", she whispered and held back her own tears. "It's not your fault", he said under tear. Also Magenta had laid her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "Can't we resurrect him like you?", Cora asked. Magenta shook her head. "Unfortunately we used all of the liquids left. It would take years to make new ones.", Magenta answered.

Frank suddenly started to move and stood up. "Sorry girls. I appreciate what you're doing but I need to get out of here. Please excuse me.", he said and left the room in a rush.

The clicking of his heels could be heard all over the castle until it came to an abrupt stop. Probably on the door to his room. "Should we leave him alone or...?", Cora asked worried. Even though she didn't like to admit but Magenta knew him better than she did. "A bit. Only a bit. But not for long, he needs you now. Even though he'd maybe never admit it."