Next Generation (Part Two)

Part 3

Victoria's POV

After we talked I sat alone in the living room.

I held my forehead, thinking too much. "I have to talk with her." Although I had no idea where she could be, I decided to search where she most likely would be, the cabin.

I looked outside, it was already sunset, but it couldn't wait. I grabbed my bag and flashlight, and waited for the kids not to be around, Antoine is working tonight, and I think Connor mostly playing computer. I took my key before closing the door.

It has been a while since I headed to the woods, after she left me alone; I never dared to go there. I was scared to meet her, or to accidently bump into these crazy people again. I wasn't ready, but now, I had to talk to her, sooner or later.

I reached the 'beginning' of the forest, and took a deep breath before I turned on the flashlight and stomped into my old home.

I wanted to walk the same route as ever, but noticed I wasn't living in this area anymore. But because of holes or cuts in the trees I know where I was. As we began to live in the house, Sasha marked all the trees that are too wide away, and that these were kind of the boundary, the line for us not to cross, at least not for me.

She had so many secrets, so I wasn't surprised that she never told me.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and jumped literally a few inches in the air. My heart was bumping against my chest so hard, it hurt. I turned around and looked at a man, he wore a grey, and even his skin was grey. He had shoulder length hair and his eyes were glowing yellow. He looked like a ghost.

It was strange, I somehow recognized this guy, I heard from him. He was one of the 'legends' we feared in the orphanage. I was little, but I could remember the story, that he would steal their soul if he had a chance to, make them do horrible thinks, and in the end, kill themselves. They called him the puppeteer, because he made his victims dance like a puppet. I remembered that I already saw him once. It was when I about six years old, not long before the Calhoun's adopted me.

There was an accident, two children died, they killed each other, they were siblings. I saw him gazing through the window as we found them.

I never thought of it as important.

"You know me." He said, and stared me almost to death with his piercing yellow eyes. "Your appearance changed, but your soul didn't." he came closer, in one of his hands he held a rusty old chain, it must have held something, because it was ending behind a tree, I didn't see anything further.

"I still have to thank you, children in your age back then, wouldn't have acted like you did," he began to laugh.

"And on top of that, strange girl, my beloved Sasha has become a part of your family, isn't that just too easy?" My widened eyes stared at the strange man. She really was involved in everything creepy, wasn't she?

"Where is she?" I tried to sound brave, although this was dangerous.

"What, you mean my new watchdog?" he pulled at the chain and a shadow stepped forward. Her clothes looked ages older than they could've been. After I saw her face, I had the feeling that these woods would answer all my questions, but making me ask even more. Her head looked down, as if she was a doll, what wasn't used at the moment, what probably was exactly the case.

Her eyes half closed, a powerful yellow got my attention anyways.

"No." I whispered to myself. A big smile grew on his face. "What a pity to see your sister like this, and you probably had no idea who she really is." He chuckled.

"What an end, getting killed by the own family, don't you think?" Sasha's head lifted up, like a machine that got turned on. It scared me more than everything else. The eyes of hers fully opened, and then she began to sprint at me. She was attacking me. I didn't realize the situation, but as I did I breathed heavily. I closed my eyes and decided to keep calm, I knew I shouldn't, but I trusted her.

I heard many steps at once, someone fell to the ground, but it wasn't me. I slowly opened my eyes again, in front of me was standing a man with a hoodie, the hood was on. He held two hatchets in his hands, around his whole upper self were belts. It was too dark to be sure, but I think the hoodie had striped sleeves.

He turned around, but I couldn't see his face, because he had a kind of mouth guard, and orange googles.

"T-Toby?" I felt 20 years younger, like back then in high school. This was all so strange. "Oh, who do we have here? Mr. third proxy." I heard toby growling like a dog, it made the puppeteer smile even more. "You can't kill me, you can't even kill your love, but I think even hurting will break you in pieces. So what will you do?"

I walked to his left and looked at toby, who slowly took off his mouth guard and goggles.

"First of all, asshole, I am no longer a fucking proxy!" he swung his hatchets in circles. This was also the first time I heard him talking without shuttering.

Meanwhile they glared at growled at each other; Sasha was standing in the background again. I reached out my hand at her.

"Mom!?" It was Iris' voice. We all looked behind me. The black haired girl passed a few trees until she saw everyone else. "W-What's going on?" Toby had a solid grip of his hatchets, as he backed away. Iris eyes were fixed on Toby. There was a moment of silence as the puppeteer cleared his throat.

"Now the whole family is here, only the head of it is missing, nice." Without hesitating she walked next to toby. The man in grey kind of flew to Iris and showed her his yellow strings. "It's a family thing isn't it?" he chuckled again.

I stood behind them, and looked at what happened. Iris touched Toby's arm, and he gave her his Hatchet. He walked away a few steps as Iris took all her strength and hit the hand of the grey man, the hand where the chain leads to. Sasha instantly fell to the ground, and toby ran to her side. The only thing I knew at that moment, was, that I wouldn't've the strength to do something like this in her age. Fighting against people she doesn't know, with people who she has no idea who they really are.

Looking around, the puppeteer was gone. Although Sasha seemed normal, I knew this was too easy. Iris easily cut between him and the chain, as if he wanted it like this, he wasn't even trying to stop her. I was worried, but Sasha goes first.

Toby has already picked her up as I walked to them. "Toby," before he could go, he looked at me. "Keep her safe." He nodded and after some time they disappeared in the bushes and trees.

Iris looked extremely confused next to me. Somehow it really was obvious who her parents were. Acting like before without hesitation.

"I still think it's unbelievable." Is what I said, what I thought was 'I knew this would happen someday.'

I nodded at her and we began to walk back to our house.

"Hmm?" I glanced at her.

"That things are still like back then" Saying that while smiling to myself. Suddenly Iris stopped.

"Iris?" she stretched out her arms.

"Mom, hug." Her voice sounded unsettled. I smiled at her and embraced her. I don't know why I took it all so lightly, maybe I already lost my mind with time.

At first my eyes were closed, but as I opened them, a note on a tree caught my eye. It wasn't easy to read. 'Always watches no eyes.'