Teenage Baby

Chapter 39

Chapter 39:

Daddy ran to the front door and locked it before shoving the keys in his pocket.

"Look, I know it sounds horrible," he began as Mommy stared at him. "But you need to understand that if we don't kill them they're going to take them away from us. They're going to take our babies away from us. We can't let that happen."

Mommy shook her head. "No way in hell do I want these people taking my babies from me either. But I can't kill them; that's too much pain, Dominic. We have to think of something else, quick—"

"There is nothing else we can do. Don't worry, it won't hurt, they won't even know. We'll just sedate Aaron and Leo first. They won't feel it, Cara. They'll be sleeping. It won't hurt. But it'll hurt them if they go back to that place, to that cruel world; they're going to die everyday there. Everybody out there is horrible. Everybody."

"They won't feel it?" Mommy asked, and Daddy nodded. The idea started settling; she didn't want to hurt her babies, but they weren't going to feel it. They were going to die without even knowing, followed by her and the others—that, she realized, was better than them going back to that torture of a life. Just a prick and it'd be all over. If she died with them, it would be fair. "I don't know... I mean.."

"Cara, we planned this way before and you agreed, remember? There's no backing out. Imagine Aaron and Leo taken away from us, imagine that. Our family will fall apart."

"No... my babies," Mommy mumbled, her heart aching. And she remembered when she'd agreed; she'd thought back then of being ripped away from her babies, of the departure and pain and distance. It was true. Mommy always wanted to stay with her babies. And if they weren't going to stay with her, then she'd rather have everyone die. She snapped her head up, nodding tentatively at Daddy. "You're right. No one can take my babies away from me. It's better if we all die instead. I want Aaron and Leo with me, not with anyone else. Just with me."

"Exactly. Now go up, see them for the last time. And take Leo away to another room. I'm going to finish with Aaron first."

Mommy brushed past him. She hurried up the stairs, to the living room where the boys were. They were plopped on the couch, Leo watching TV while Aaron had a contemplative expression on. His eyes were rooted to the screen, but it was almost like he was looking past it.

She knew she didn't have a lot of time, that soon Daddy would come and sedate them; it had to happen before the police would weave their way in through the labyrinth of trees and dense foliage. So she came in, ignoring the repulsed look that twisted Aaron's face, then she sat down beside Leo.

She looked at her youngest with wide, sad eyes. "You know how much Mommy loves you, right, baby?" she asked. Leo nodded, smiling. It saddened Aaron that Leo couldn't see past all this affection, that he couldn't see that her love was just as twisted as her mentality. "We would never hurt you, baby. And not Aaron. We only want what is best for you, always remember that."

Aaron frowned as Mommy's eyes glistened like dewy grass. It looked as if she was holding in her tears, refusing to break out crying.

"I'm so proud of you, Aaron." Mommy focused on Aaron, who just stared back; he couldn't bring himself to ask what was going on, so he stuck with remaining quiet for her to fill in the silence with an explanation. "Because you're such an amazing big brother. I didn't realize how much Leo needed one until you came. Until I saw the way he looks at you, the way he talks about you."

It hurt that she wouldn't see her baby boys again, that it was going to end. But it was better than them going back to that world. "Go give Aaron a hug, Leo." Mommy patted Leo's cheek lightly, and he didn't hesitate to turn back to Aaron and throw his arms around him. Aaron reciprocated, cautiously eyeing the captor over Leo's shoulder.