Forlot - Books 10-12

Chapter Twenty-Five

Oh. My. Gosh. I would have never suspected such a thing!

"Your plan?" I said. "Wait a minute. You were counting on me defeating you and Mrs. M.?"

Dr. O'Connor blew on the tips of his fingers and rubbed them on his shirt. He was acting like that there was nothing for him to worry about. He actually assumed that he had won.

Little did he know that a certain somebody had a trick up her sleeve.

"You are not out of the clear yet, Dr. O'Connor," Margaret stated in a threatening way.

"Oh, but in your case, I am afraid that I am more than out of the clear."

He reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a small, black object. Come to find out, it was a remote control, and he pushed a button on it using his thumb.

The bus that we were on skidded to a stop. Margaret and I let out startled cries as the impact forced us from the seat that we were sharing and to collide into the back of the seat that was in front of us.

I fell onto the bus floor, and Margaret managed to keep herself from doing the same and sat back down. I was lying in front of her, and she sneered.

"Ha! And you are supposed to be the Monster Protector. You see? Even in peril, I am still way better than you."

I just stared at her with my eyebrows narrowed. I could feel hatred flowing into my heart. Into my soul. I was so ticked at her that I had to keep reminding myself that she was the previous Monster Protector.

Let me tell you. She is not worthy for that title.

"Excuse me?" Sarah spoke for the first time on the bus. "Grandma? Grandpa?"

Dr. O'Connor and Mrs. M. faced her.

"What is it, sweetie?" Mrs. M. asked with an angry tone.

"Could...could I help Margie up?"

"No. Besides, she and you are close."

Margaret must have been surprised by her response because she said, "Margie. You and Sarah....?"

I rolled my eyes. It was obvious that I was straight. I mean, I was with Stanley.

Gosh, I am fed up with her!

"That is true, Grandma..." Sarah spoke yet again. "...but Grandpa convinced me. And...he is right. I am an O'Connor. It is in my blood."

Mrs. M. looked at her husband, wanting him to confirm this.

"Our granddaughter and I had a long and serious talk," the doctor explained. "After a while, a long while, I finally got through to her. She finally understands who she is meant to be."

"Okay. If you say so."

He gently grabbed Sarah's arm and forced her to her feet. "Yes, Sarah. You have our permission to go help your 'friend.'" He let go of her arm.

Sarah's voice was soft and timid. "Yes, Grandpa. Thank you, Grandpa and Grandma."

With that, she casually walked down the aisle. When she reached me, she slid her arms under mine and pulled me up, helping me up.

"I am sorry, Margie," she apologized to me. "An O'Connor has to do what an O'Connor has to do."

"No, Sarah," I blurted out as she gently pushed me back onto the seat. "You are nothing like them. You are far greater than that. You cannot just let your folks keep holding you back—"

"Says the girl who thought that it was alright to lie to her sister," Margaret interrupted.

I rasped, "Margaret! You are not helping!"

"I do not even see why you are trying to reason with a bad guy. You have to be out of your mind."

"I know her better than you. Both me and my sister do. And if what you said is true, that you heard about my first fight with a couple of baddies, you would know that Sarah betrayed her family. She chose me and Scarlett over her grandpa and grandma."

"Actually, that is not what happened," Dr. O'Connor said, putting his hands together.

I glared at him. "What do you mean? You were there too! So was Mrs. M."

"That is not what I mean, Margie. Yes, I can agree with you that did happen. However, keep in mind that me and my darling wife losing was part of the plan. So I had to know that my granddaughter was going to 'betray' us. And do you know how I knew?"

I opened my mouth to state my theory, but Margaret had to ruin my chance.

"Let me see. Hmm..." She examined Sarah from top to bottom. "...she looks hideous and is not good enough."

That alone hurt my friend's feelings. I could tell because of the tears that suddenly covered her cheeks.

Sarah wiped her tears before running back to the front of the bus. She plopped in the driver's seat and cried.

By the look on her face, Mrs. M. seemed annoyed and gently played with her granddaughter's hair.

"You fool," Dr. O'Connor called Margaret. "You do not talk to my granddaughter like that."

Well, he was right about one thing. She was...you know.

The doctor took a glance in my direction. "Margie. Sarah has been playing you."

"Playing...me?" I said.

"Oh, yes. She only pretended to assist you and your sister, Scarlett. She, my wife, and I planned this. Sarah would 'betray' us, you would 'defeat' me and my wife, and then Sarah would give me secrets to the mansion and Mr. Hawk's friends while Mrs. M. and I were trapped in the mansion's basement."

I could feel my face flush and looked at Sarah.

"Sarah. Tell me that it is not true. Tell me!"

Sarah glanced up at me - and then snatched the remote control from Dr. O'Connor's hand and pushed the button.

The bus started up, and Sarah took the wheel and turned it.

Everybody except her screamed as the bus suddenly drove off a cliff.