Terrible Fates (BEN Drowned story)

Chapter 41

[Wuz poppin', jim🅱️o.

FINALLY DONE WITH ALL-REGION AAAAAAND I MADE THE ORCHESTRA! YAY! Maybe yay? It's hard music. Oh weLL. Gonna try out for All-Region Mariachi too so I'll see how that gOES.

Also, I made a Twitter and an Amino account! Hmu @yoitseternal if you want some lame, edgy tweets, and idk about the Amino, but I'm there, soooooo...recommend me Aminos???]

Stay Creepy, My Friends!~

Chapter 41

Elizabeth's POV

It seemed like the house hadn't been well kept. The lawn was overgrown and the trees in the yard practically rendered sunlight unable to pass through their leaves. The area was quiet due to the house being isolated some miles away from the town nearby, hidden in the middle of an expansive, Midwest woods. It was the perfect hideout—to counter against humans, that is. Thanks to the Zazel and Sudryl, I can finally meet the illusive Dr. Matuskochi. Not so illusive anymore now.

Caedis and I treaded lightly on the cobblestone path to get to the front door. An iron, lion-headed door knocker stared me in the face and I simply grabbed the handle and knocked it three times. For a minute or two, it seemed I wouldn't be answered, and I thought about breaking in. I shouldn't have expected for someone to come to the door casually, especially if this is a hideaway shelter.

Just as I was about to command Caedis to survey the perimeter, the locks on the door clicked and it began to open. I furrowed my brow, expecting to see Dr. Matsukochi or some other subordinate, but my hard expression quickly fell. The dominant demeanor I worked up was instantly shot down at the sight of an old friend.

"Ian...?" I murmured.

The brunet man, now donning glasses and some stubble on his face, stared wide eyed at me, frozen in place. It was a good minute or two that he spent just staring at me while I watched the emotion in his eyes shift wildly. From surprise to disbelief, from confusion to wonder, back and forth, until he finally opened his mouth and said quietly, "Ellie...?"

Gulping, I took a step towards him and he flinched, as if I was a ghost he was unsure of being near. To prove to him I wasn't a ghost, I pressed my hand against his face, feeling the stubble on his cheek, and examined his features. He stared back and twitched to grab me but was still hesitant.

"You look...so different," I said. "Mature. Older. Tired."

"You too," he replied. "And...what happened to your eye?"

I had forgotten I had worn my eyepatch for this meeting. Carefully, I pulled my hand away and answered, "It's a long story. Why...Why are you here?"

His eyes lit up for a moment and he said, "Uh, I...I live here."

Taking a glance at the haggard yard behind me, I muttered, "Do you now?"

"Y-Yeah." He pulled a coy smile, but I sensed it was forced somehow. He's hiding something.

Just when he was going to speak, his eyes landed on Caedis and his face went paler than it already was. Very subtlety, his right leg twitched back, as if he wanted to run away but realized he shouldn't. I narrowed my eyes and asked, "Ian, is something wrong?"

"Uh...n-no, it's just...your friend there looks...interesting..."

Ian's expression was peculiar, as if he's already seen my white-haired solder. I turned to Caedis and brought him forward to my side. "Ian, meet Caedis. Just a heads-up, he can't talk."