Time After Time (Book 2)

Chapter 15

The twins both startle awake. They both quickly check on their mom to see that she's still sleeping peacefully. Andrea looks at Marshall, worry written on her face. "Mom will be fine. She's going to get Ma back. We both know it. I just wonder why they never mentioned this to us before." Marshall sighs. "Well, this time in their lives was probably something Ma didn't want to revisit. I mean, she killed Alyssa, sided with the necromancer, nearly merged with aunt Lizzie. I'm pretty sure she probably suppressed it, even. Or who knows, maybe she asked mom to erase the memory when they turned." Andrea crouches down and brushes a strand of hair out of their mom's face. "Come on, we need to be meeting with aunt Lizzie anyways."

Hope wakes up in the middle of some throne room? She sits up and sees that her outfit has changed as well. "Well, this is unexpected." She stands and looks around the room. "Josie? Your subconscious is weirding me out, love." She turns around and sees bread crumbs leading outside the door. "Literal bread crumbs. Subtle." She opens the door and walks outside, following the trail. She follows it until she spots a castle in the distance. A twig snaps behind her and she quickly turns around. "Wait, it's ok. You don't have to run." She follows the shadow into the woods. She hears noise behind her and summons an orb of light. "You don't have to hide either, I'm not gonna hurt you." The figure turns around. "Would you shut your pie hole, lady?" The pig tells her. "And put out that light, before you get us both killed." Hope looks up in the air, as if talking to no one. "Ok, now your subconscious is really starting to freak me out, love."

"Chad, get the robes! We must have ceremony!" The necromancer shouts as he enters the tomb. "With the phoenix vessel no longer a threat to our plans, today's the day we raise Malivore!" He looks around to see Chad and Alyssa decorating. "What have you done to my crypt?!" Josie then walks into the room. "Hmm, classing the place up a bit. Which means no more robes. It's tacky." "They're iconic." Chad finishes hanging the chandelier. "I was skeptical at first too. But, look. I think the curtains really do tie the room together." "Shut up Chad! You're out of your element." The necromancer scoffs. "You were all supposed to be preparing the pit." Josie nods. "About that, I know that I said we'd raise Malivore after the Merge was done. But if the Merge was successful, I would have absorbed my sister. And I can't feel her at all. So something's wrong." Josie turns to look at him. "We're guessing it's Hope, it's always Hope." Alyssa scoffs. "Easy, Alyssa. She's still my wife, and a part of me still loves her." Josie warns her. "Sorry." She whispered. "How were you planning on fixing that anyways? I mean, you know Hope is just gonna try and get the good you back." Chad asks her. "I know, which is why I'm going to try and kill her. Once she becomes a tribrid, I'm going to feed her my blood and then turn her humanity off." Josie smirks. "And your son and daughter?" Alyssa asks. "Well, they're already dead. I could have easily turned theirs off a long time ago but then I would have to deal with goody good Hope afterwards. With her on my side, no one can stop me."

"As urgent as that all seems, witch, you're not the one who decides what we do next. See, these are my puppets." He makes Chad and Alyssa stand straight and look at him. He starts laughing as he turns to show Josie. She smiles at him before snapping her fingers. He then turns towards her and stands straight. "We, are gonna do what I say now. Is that clear? Or do I need to make you nod?" "Your wish is my command." Josie snaps her fingers and releases them all. "Get your zombie eye to find out what really happened to Lizzie." Josie walks out.

"Hey, would you wait up?" Hope shouts as she tries to catch up with the pig. For a tiny person with small legs, he sure is fast. "Take your innocent girl with the basket act someplace else. Last thing I need is some trigger happy skirt doing magic near me." "Why? What happens if I do magic?" Hope asks. "Don't find out! And quit following me! You don't belong here toots!" He walks away from her. "Sexist talking pigs aren't really my thing. So no offense but you're not my type! I'd love to leave, but I'm not going anywhere until I find my wife, Josie." He stops and looks at her. "What do you want with her?" He asks. "She's my wife, I came to rescue her." "Yeah, well you're little too young for marriage. And besides, you're too late." He keeps walking. "What do you mean?" Hope asks. He sighs. "Pull up a stump." He goes and sits down on a tree stump. Hope sits in front of him as he starts to explain what happened to Josie, or at least her mind. He goes on about how Josie out herself to sleep to keep the darkness at bay. "So, as much as we all miss her, this is how it has to be. Destiny's a bitch, huh, doll?" "Maybe. But I still have to try." Hope stands up. "She would do the same for me. And I think, I know how to find her." Hope continues to follow the trail of bread crumbs. "Uh, you don't want to do that." "Where's the rest of the trail?" She asks. "Well, um, here's the thing, you're not gonna believe this! Whenever the uh, elements, uh....you know what? I ate it. Ok? I ate it! Haha! Why would I do that? She asks. Because I'm disgusting and I have no self-control. Do you see the package that I'm working with right now?" He asks her. Hope nods. "Ok, so you know where the trail goes. You know where she is. If you don't tell me where she went, I'm gonna start doing magic." Hope smiles. "The darkness will come." "Facing darkness is kinda my thing." He shakes his head. "Fine, fine! Gah! You're a bossy little thing, you know that?" He asks. "Ah, that's a compliment in my world." He starts walking in another direction. "Remind me not to visit that place."