The October Amaryllis

Chapter 95 - ????

"When I find Maynard, I will personally wring his neck like the rabid dog he is," Audrey's husband growled as we walked towards the address Maynard gave us. I had never seen someone as angry as he was at that moment; his lips emanated pure hatred.

"I don't want to be a downer, but he's far too strong for each of us. Last time I tried to fight him, he threw me across the room like I was a pebble. He turned off his pain receptors; I saw the madman catch a knife by the blade without flinching. How are we ever to beat him?" I nearly cried.

"Nothing is stronger than the love a parent has for their child, Clive," Audrey replied with a look of apprehension and anger all at once.

We walked for what felt like forever but was really only five minutes, and in that time, I saw more fighting than a man should ever have to see. I turned the whole town against each other like a pack of rabid dogs. No words could describe the agony I felt seeing all that I had created by experimenting with time. It would be even worse for the kids who lost their parents in all the fighting. Am I an antihero or a tragic villain? You tell me cause I don't know myself.

Once we finally arrived at the specified address, Audrey's husband knocked angrily on the door. My heartbeat was at around two thousand beats per minute at that moment; I feared what Maynard would do to Castor. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

Maynard finally opened the door after around ten seconds and, with a bored look on his face, said, "So you all made it. Your son sure has been waiting... I've given him a decent dose of phenobarbital, so he shouldn't be too scared; aren't barbiturates the greatest?"

At that moment, Audrey's husband landed a blow to his nose, and I heard the most horrible cracking sound as his fist hit him. Blood rushed out of Maynard's nose, but his expression didn't change. It was like he wasn't even aware of what happened, or at the very least, didn't care at all. I'm telling you, he was the textbook definition of a psychopath, especially with how he showed absolutely no empathy towards anyone. And to call him narcissistic would be the understatement of the century; I mean, he viewed himself as some sort of deity. In his deranged mind, everyone was crazy but him.

"You're mad, Maynard; you don't just give kids barbiturates! What is wrong with you?"

Maynard ignored his question completely and gave possibly the worst response of all time. This was when I knew he was officially insane.

"How pitiful, you only solve things through violence... That is the sign of someone who's not yet developed into a mod; mods don't commit such pathetic crimes. Whether or not you agree, I've made this world a better place. Generations in the future will thank me for making humanity something special. Humans were suffering before me; I'm their prophet. History will vindicate me someday."

"And you don't solve things through violence?" I asked incredulously.

"Good point. Now your son is waiting for all of you inside. Get him before I change my kind ways," he said, going inside. We followed him and saw the child who cowered in the corner.

"Daddy, I'm scared," he whined.

"We're getting you out of here soon," he replied assuringly.

"Says who? Did I ever say I'd let him go?" Maynard asked with a smirk on his face. I have no idea why he led us there just for him to change his mind so quickly.

"You said you would in your letter!" Audrey roared like a lion.

"Every man lies, madam. I'm no different," he replied, shrugging his shoulders. I hated Maynard so much at that moment I nearly launched myself at him; I wanted to snap his stupid neck like a twig despite being nowhere near strong enough to do so.

At that moment, I noticed a vial of some neon pink liquid next to Maynard and, without thinking, grabbed it and threw it at him. It landed near his feet and cracked with a mighty sound. A smell similar to bromine followed this.

"You moron, that was monotriside! You're screwed now, kid!" Maynard screamed out in horror.

"What?" I asked, confused.

Instead of replying him, Audrey, and her husband started screaming and scratching their skin as if trying to get rid of bugs. I realized in horror that I had unleashed poison upon everyone. Even Audrey's child was having a horrible reaction to it; he kept looking all around him and ducking as if being attacked by something or someone.

I was the only one not affected by the poison. I still have no idea to this day why I was immune to it, but I certainly did not waste the opportunity to save everyone but Maynard. I grabbed Audrey's husband first, and he attempted to bite me in the shoulder. His eyes were so constricted you could barely see the pupil, and I had to try my absolute best not to get attacked by him. I pushed him out of the room, and once we were outside, his condition quickly settled, and he coughed violently.

"What was that stuff?!" I asked in horror.

"Monotriside, one of the most dangerous nerve agents in the world, makes sarin look like a joke. Please save everyone else before it's too late!" he practically begged.

I ran inside and grabbed Audrey next, who had her head cupped in her hands and was attempting to smash her head against the wall. I got her out before she could hurt herself and walked her to her husband, who hugged her tightly and thanked me.

I last ran for the child, and while inside, I noticed that his skin, along with Maynard's, was turning pale as a sheet of paper. Whatever was happening, it was rapidly killing them both.

I picked up Castor and ran out at top speed, leaving only Maynard inside. I heard him let out a bloodcurdling scream, and out of curiosity, went inside to see what happened to him. To my horror, he bled from every single pore in his body and lay in a pool of red. I almost felt bad for him at that moment, but I knew that I had to get on with my adventure. Besides, he wasn't exactly a great person while he was alive.

I ran outside to get the gang, and together we all rode back to the Byzantine wall.