The Facts About Matt and Sky

VI - Not Angry at You

"She said I should write
so here I am
awkwardly holding this pen in my hand

It oddly reminds me
of being with her
lovingly holding her hand in my hand

I won't ever forget
the love I felt
tenderly holding her heart in my hand

I'll always remember
the moment I snapped
drunkly holding the gun in my hand

I'll never stop crying
so here I am
tear-staining her poem I wrote on my hand."

-In My Hand from Matt's notebook
---

Matt disappeared.

The next morning, Alex and Sky were found. It didn't take Zach long to piece together a credible theory on what happened, based on the people and the alcohol. The obvious suspect? Matt.

Word spread quickly.

Hopefully, Matt was just drunk and confused. Hopefully it was all a big misunderstanding.

Or maybe the world had a new villain.

All they could do was wait for him to turn back up and make everything clear.

And that he did.

About a week later, the door to the castle in the Second dimension opened. Matt walked in without fear or hesitation.

Immideately, Finn (head of the royal guard and a personal friend of Aaron and Maddie) stood tensely, on alert.

"I'm just here to speak with my parents." The moment Matt spoke, it was evident something was wrong. His words had a lift to them, as though they had been carefully selected. Thought through. Maybe even rehersed.

Finn didn't seem all too convinced on his motives. "If you try anything, I'll-"

"Kill me? I would hope so, Finn," Matt said lightly, before crossing the room to Aaron and Maddie.

Finn sent his wife and niece outside, watching Matt warily. Aaron stood, dumbfounded, next to Maddie.

As a reminder, Aaron was the champion of the nickname "Aaron the Slug" due to his inability to think and process things quickly. He always had a lot to say, but struggled to get it from his heart to his mind to his mouth.

Unfortunatelly, this was one of those occasions where he had everything to say, and no words to say it with.

Aaron had forgiven his parents.

Matt had not.

"Matt," Maddie said softly, looking at her son the way mothers should look at their lost children: with longing, to reach out and restore what had been lost

"Mother." Matt's voice was without affection, without sympathy, without love.

"Aaron, say something," Maddie said softly, nudging her husband gently.

Aaron's mind was elsewhere; it was in the past.

A week or so ago, Varrick (Aaron's brother-in-law) had walked in somberly and delivered the news: Alex and Sky were found dead, and Matt was most likely behind it. Maddie's words echoed in his head. "Aaron, what have we done?" He couldn't answer the question. He couldn't say anything.

Matt shook his head. "He's not going to talk. He never does," he said, his voice icy.

Maddie seemed to realize Aaron wasn't going to speak. "Your father loves you, Matt," she said softly, trying to hold her composure.

"Yeah? Then why doesn't he speak to me?" Matt's voice hadn't risen at all. It was still dangerously quiet.

"You know him, he just processes things slowly. He just needs time-"

"He's had twenty-four years. Is that not enough time?"

There was a looming silence.

"Matt, I know you're upset. Give us a chance to fix this. We can help you. Please just stop this. Don't be angry-"

"Oh," Matt said lightly, like a teacher to a student who doesn't quite understand. "I'm not angry at you."

Realization dawned on Maddie, and she turned to Aaron, her expression desperate. He needed to speak for himelf, and to use his own words. Aaron had so much to say, but his brain was overloaded, and no words came out of his mouth.

"Your father loves you, Matt," Maddie pleaded, turning to face her son. "Please let us help you. We can help you."

"All my life, I just wanted someone to want me."
"Aaron and I love you. Matt, please-"
Matt held up his finger to hush her. "All my life, I just wanted someone, anyone, to care. But," he paused, looking between his parents accusingly, "no one did. So now," a slight pause, where his face darkened, "I don't either."

Maddie opened her mouth to speak, but Matt was faster. He pulled out his gun, and hit the side of Maddie's head with its butt. Then, he spun it around, took a split second to aim, and-

Bang.

Aaron fell to the ground.

"You son of a-" Finn began, but was silenced as Matt shot his shoulder.

Finn and Matt exchanged gunfire.

Matt ran out with two bullets in his left leg and one in his shoulder. Finn got a shot to the stomach.

Finn screamed for his wife, who charged inside.

She went to find Zach.

Maddie was unconcious, but she would live.

Finn was badly wounded, but he would live.

Aaron, the king of the Second dimension, was dead.