Conform or Suffer: The Darkness of Beauty

Chapter 44 Waiting by the Ocean

June Inside Ghoul Flint's Spaceship

*

Zill's legs spilled over the plastic mattress that lined the titanium wall. Rainbows reflected in her eyes, covering the dimness.

Chase jimmied the door open, but Yoleta glared back.

"I need to check on my daughter."

"Honey, the babysitter doesn't even know that you're gone. It's a time travel perk." Yoleta and five guards entered the room and dragged Zill and Chase into a dining area, complete with neon orange picnic tables and fake trees. Lights above them mimicked stars and planets.

Colonel Ghoul Flint removed his sunglasses, adjusted his eye patch, and sat down. He guided Zill and Chase into their seats and slid papers over to them.

A memory formed in Yoleta's brain. "Take this deal instead of prison or death."

Zill discarded the paperwork on the table. "I'm not signing this."

"Reborn elementals adore Grew-Ella and her husband," Yoleta said.

"I didn't think the stories were real," Zill said.

Colonel Ghoul Flint opened a bag of kale chips and offered everyone bits and pieces. "What you've done and plan to do is monstrous. I've been forced into many marriages and divorces by the dictator of my home planet. Two of those women I loved. I'll protect Grew-Ella the way I wasn't." Flint's hands shook.

"How could you attend Quig's wedding when you were on your ship?" Zill kicked the table.

"I'm in dozens of places at once, like Yoleta. She isn't coming with us, and I can't fight, but I'll illuminate and guide you." Flint tapped his temporal watch on his wrist. He touched Zill and Chase, and they vanished together.

*

The Future:

Ghoul Flint brought them to the beach, and they watched frozen and blurred figures.

"I set my temporal watch, so they can't see us," Flint said.

"Why are we at a party?" Chase asked.

Figures moved, and bodies came into focus.

Paparazzi ran from behind the public restrooms, taking photographs. Yoleta and Madd-Ox ran them off and hurried back to Karen, Dot, and Quig.

Karen carried a shell filled with ash and sprinkled it onto the sand. Waves crashed into the ashes, taking them into the sea. "Grew-Ella loved swimming." She sobbed as she hugged Quig, a wail leaving her lips.

Dot carried a bundle swaddled in a blanket. "Junior located the workhouse Zill sold Toby to. He'll be back home soon."

"Yes, but without his mother. Help me care for my children," Quig said.

Dot nodded, 'yes.'

Karen pressed her hand on his shoulder. "Zill murdered my little girl. Her mother is disappointed and grieving. Paul still needs to be sedated, or he'd be here."

Madd-Ox broke out into sobs, a fresh scar across his cheek. "I can't do this."

Junior hugged him. "I'll take him home." He guided Madd-Ox off the beach and toward the parking lot.

Tiny cries came from the bundle Dot held. She slid a bottle into the baby's mouth. "Hold your grandson." She handed him to Karen. "I know loss and will be here for you. Not just Quig's loss, but ours."

She grinned. "Sean-Mack asked me to kill my sister, so I did.  She was born flawed..." Zill paused. "What did I do to my sister? Ugly women are evil, and I learned that in school. But Grew-Ella didn't hurt me and neither did..." Her smile faded. "Karen didn't hurt me."