𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨 | 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟒 𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚

𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐭

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| 1 5 |

8:50am

Rose was awestruck, yet horrified. It was as if he was a black widow: they'd eat their mates. "What am I supposed to say to that?" Her chest fluttered, "I only did it because I knew you'd be miserable in my era of Reign." He laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling and swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing in the process. "There were no colorful sunsets on the horizon, people hid underground like vermin— that's no life you would have enjoyed." Rose laid beside him on her side and stared at him, "Flowers wither without the sun." He chewed on his bottom lip, "What about Richard? Where was he?" She curled up into a fetal position, "He survived the blast but left my side after what I did to you, seeing my face reminded him of your loss." Rose nodded and focused her eyes on the fabric of her blanket while thinking. "How did you kill me?" She mumbled, the entire basis of this conversation was strange: but she was intrigued.

"It was after I had set off the nukes, you were sobbing uncontrollably and yelling at me— Richard just watched from afar while rolling his eyes." Michael paused, she could see the goosebumps rising on his arms. "I pulled you into a hug to calm you down but you punched and pushed on my chest and turned away." His eyes began to brim glossy with tears, "When you turned away to walk into Richards arms, I hugged you from behind and snapped your neck..it was instant and painless." Michael blinked a few times and swallowed hard, "You fell into my arms, lifeless and limp." He stared down at Rose. "Richard started yelling at me and snatched your body away from me, he cradled you while letting out a cry of pain— he reminded me of a child with a dead pet." Michael looked away. "It was almost as if he loved you."

Rose continued to stare, imagining all this made her chest hurt. "I turned away and finished my plans while swallowing whatever hurt was in my throat, it felt like swallowing a battery." He cleared his throat, "After a while, Richard walked out into the woods and laid you in the meadow and then came back— we had been staying at a cabin away from any large cities." Michael laid on his side and glanced at the girl, "He didn't speak to me for hours, then the blast happened and he disappeared." He reached forward and tucked a strand of hair away from her face behind her ear, "After the blast I went to go look for your body, and strangely— it was left untouched..the blast hadn't melted off your skin."  There was silence for a few seconds, "Thank you." Rose stared back at him. "Regardless of that sacrifice, you did it for the sake of my happiness— and I appreciate it." She reached to touch his face and smiled, he flinched at her response. "You're a strange girl." He leaned into her touch and smiled.

Their little moment of silence was cut off by Richard walking into the room apologizing and saying he was an idiot and that it had been the coke— he was stopped mid sentence by the sight of the bed. "I didn't know you had company.." he was about to walk out but both Rose and Michael stood up, the girl rushed to his side and stopped him. "No wait, something strange happened— this is Michael from..the future?" Her words became slow and unsure of how to phrase the sentence, so it sounded like a question. "Michael?" Richard eyed him and pulled Rose behind him. It was as if he knew what would happen if she stuck near him. "How are you going to try to protect her— yet you beat the shit out of her when you're not sober?" Michael scoffed, causing Richard to glare and swallow hard, and stand in silence, unsure of what to say. "Oh bite me." He snapped.

Rose stood in between the uncomfortable silence and shifted. "This is a lot of information to take in.." a part of her was extremely upset and wanted to go out just so she could have a temporary sway of distraction. Maybe she'd sneak off at night and go to a club, who knows...she really needed an escape. She thought that running away with Richard the way she did was going to bring new freedom to her, but she felt more caged in alone now, more than she ever did at home. She was angry at Richard for what he did to her, and she felt upset at Michael just because she knew that she wouldn't be able to escape his grasp either. They were both at her heels and had a hard bite onto her. She felt like she was slowly losing her humanity and was just an object to them. Sighing, she rubbed her head and glared at both of them before walking away from the room in silence.

"I'll be staying with you guys, if it's not obvious." Michael called out, "I know it won't be a problem, and it'll be easier to take care of you." He spoke out, Rose listening while pouring herself a glass of orange juice. She needed out: at least for tonight. "Okay." She called back, Richard was silent but agreed with his actions. He walked off into his room and disappeared. Maybe while Michael was busy settling in and with Richard stuck in his thoughts— Rose could look through some old clubbing clothes Margaret had and put on something and sneak off— going to a club sounded so nice, she had the money: Richard had given her some for herself. Smiling to herself, she downed the rest of her juice and snuck back into her room.

"Tonight is going to be perfect." She thought, clapping her hands while disappearing into the walk in closet and looking through the vast amount of dresses and heels. Besides being a raging Bible thumper, the lady knew how to dress for nights out. Humming to herself, she pulled her outfit to the side and then quickly changed into something casual. Before heading to the door, "I'm going to the mall, I'll see you guys in a few." without giving them a chance to reply, she was out the door with her headphones on and rushed out the building before she could be followed.

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