Chapter 12
A new leaf
Everything in the room stirred up and blended. Contents of the screen spilled out, catching the viewers in a crazy whirlpool of images and sensations. All of this wasn't perceived by eyes, and not even with the sixth, but with some eighth sense, with every cell in the body. Fantasies, life stories and personalities of everybody in the room were mixed, creating a dense cocktail of interweaving combinations. It was so beyond the limits of regular sensations that mind could barely stand it – it felt like it would splatter any second like a soap bubble.
Suddenly, Mary's face appeared before Selena's sight. It was melting: shapes of the nose, eyebrows, cheekbones and lips changed slightly, almost imperceptibly; every second the face looked just like it did the moment before, and Silver couldn't even tell how it happened that it changed beyond recognition. Though Selena actually recognized it pretty well – she was now looking at her own self. After seeing the transformation, the similarities between her and Mary Wesson seemed obvious.
Vision ended just as abruptly as it started. People in the room froze, coming to their senses. Everyone but Jeremy Lace and Haurot looked baffled and confounded. Selena quietly asked Kevin:
“My face... Did you see it?” she ran her hand across her cheek.
Evanford shook his head. A few seconds ago he was watching a google-eyed ball of fur crawling out of his younger version's mouth. Monster scratched the boy's chin with its chela and flew away. Kevin's body became semi-transparent, and the mathematician watched small black dots detaching from his lungs and disappearing – the eggs that hairy monster laid. When his lungs cleared, his figure flashed with a bright light that blinded Kevin for a moment. Evanford blinked and found himself in the room with the others.
“I still need comments,” he said coolly, turning to Sputkee. “First of all, why do I consider myself Henry Evanford's nephew, and why it's not actually his name?”
“Everything is very simple,” Jeremy Lace spoke instead of Haurot. “Henry Evanford is the name of Jeremy's patient...”
“Right, I saw it in the folder!” Selena exclaimed.
“A patient that Jeremy electrocuted,” Lace finished.
“Umm, what?!” her eyes rounded.
“Memories of this were tormenting him until October 12th, and didn't leave him after. Each of you was almost relieved of the problems that were poisoning your lives – almost, but not quite. To get rid of them entirely, you had to face the challenge and finish the game... You've become Henry's nephew because he was dreaming about a student, a successor, and a son, for that matter. This is why he invited you – to get to know a smart boy better, albeit in such a way... It didn't matter much for you where to be, so you stayed with Evanford. Mary ended up at your parents' place because she wanted a normal family. And Cunningham's mansion was now professor's residence.”
“But why are you also named Jeremy Lace?” Kevin asked. “What role are you playing in all of this?”
“I looked like that many years ago, before I worked for LHR... And before the plastic surgery,” Henry Evanford quietly spoke. “I despised myself, I couldn't believe I'm capable of such an atrocity, I wanted to separate myself from a man who commited the crime. I couldn't see him in the mirror every day,” he looked at the screen that has already turned back into a reflecting surface. “I came to the therapy center a new man. On the outside, but not on the inside...”
“My face may have changed, but my bonds are the same as before...” Selena muttered and asked aloud: “And what about me and my twin? I think I'm starting to get it, but could someone explain it properly?”
“As I already told, you were torn by contradictions,” Haurot looked her in the eye. “Sentimental misanthrope, a noble filth... You were raised as a smart, sophisticated person, and deep inside that's what you indeed were. But your temper, complicated character and life circumstances were taking their toll. You were growing a rigid, thorny shell. You also hated your reflection in a mirror. Do you remember Mayerstamm's concept? I've separated the shell, the husk, both inner and outer. I've changed your face slightly and whitened your hair completely – one-third of it was already gray. Your last name comes from your new parents, and I decided to call you Selena. I thought it would be a nice touch.”
Sputkee looked at Pervert.
“As for Finkey, he wanted his beloved to come to life. But, even though he perceived Sunny as a real human, he never gave her a personality. He just loved her without thinking about what her character and interests might be like. So I gave her a part of Mary's personality. Besides, she was close to me because we were next to each other.”
“If I got it right, the order we were sitting in had crucial importance?” Kevin asked.
“Yes. Everything mixed up, but the experiences and emotions of you direct neighbors were more influential. As you've probably noticed, you were receiving the book in turn, starting from Finkerl. I was supposed to be first, but my participation would've been unfair. So I just went on to live through the Endless Cycle by the calendar. Victory of each of you would've helped me, too.”
“So, they've been through everything that we were, but eventually lost?” Silver asked with agitation.
“It's not like they tried their best,” Haurot shrugged. “The book wound up in Finkey's hands soon after October 12th...”
“How did it happen?” young Evanford inquired.
“You know that there are no closed doors for me,” Gold said under her breath. Sputkee went on:
“Finkerl didn't remember what happened, he thought he just lost Sunny somehow. When he realized that he could get her back with the help of “The Door,” and alive at that – he downed a book in one sitting. After this, the only way out of the room was straight into the Pocket. There his girlfriend easily lured him into the Endless Cycle.”
Pervert looked at Gelia sadly. But the girl didn't even notice – the look of her dark eyes was piercing Selena. Gold's left hand was clenched in a fist, the right one stretched tensely along her body. A drop of liquid fell from the tip of the gunhand barrel into the wet spot underneath. It seemed like she will throw herself at her twin any second now, tearing her into pieces. In her turn, Silver didn't see the threat – she was looking at Haurot, catching his every word.
“Lewis Trow went on with the life he was living. One day he noticed an unfamiliar book on the shelf in his house and decided to check it out. He started to read, but it happened so that after a few paragraphs he passed out, as it often happened lately, and his consciousness was transferred to the Pocket. There he was quickly caught in Endless Cycle – doing work that has no end, never seeing the results, only left to guess if he made any progress or not... His physical form was left unattended, and it was too exhausted to support life for long. In a couple of days people from his company started to worry about him – Lewis skipped the job, something that has never happened before, and didn't return any calls. They've sent someone to check out on him, and the door was eventually open, revealing the body. There was no book around... And you know what happened when “The Door” ended up in Henry Evanford's hands.”
“We know it too well,” Kevin replied sullenly. “But I hope it's over now?” he turned to Haurot.
“Yes,” he nodded. “From now on, you're mortal – if any of you dies, this will be the end...”
“I've been waiting for this moment to come!” Gold suddenly shouted out, aiming the gunhand at her double. The next second the revolver was pointing at Gelia's forehead.
“Again with your nonsense,” Selena crinkled her nose. “Didn't you hear him? Game over! You don't even have anything to shoot with!”
“Your tongue is longer than your memory,” the girl smiled wryly. “Did you forget the bullet that was shote on October 12th? I still have it... within me. You won the game for both of us, but the world is too small for us both!”
“O-oh, what a speech,” Silver said mockingly. “Just as everyone thought that anti-hero is defeated, it turns
out he has the last ace up his ass! Now I know why you act like a flat villain character from a cheap movie. I understood why you're so coarse and crass – what could anyone expect from a cheap sex-shop doll stuffed with the rotten chunks of my personality? Don't tell me now that you still don't see which of us is the shadow!”
“If I'm your shadow, it means that you're the only obstacle between me and the sun,” Gelia hitched up her chin. “Once I get rid of you, I could finally live free!”
“If you shoot me, both of us will die,” Selena replied almost calmly. “If I shoot, you're the only one who goes to the rubber hell.”
“So? Don't you want to send me there?” Gold asked caustically. She was trying to talk normally, like she doesn't give a damn, but it was obvious that this time it's not true. “Are you afraid of missing the mark from a couple of meters away? Now you won't shoot blank for sure! I'm giving you one last chance!” Gelia shouted, waving the gunhand. She was losing it completely. “Don't you have guts? Shoot! Shoot, you idiot! What are you waiting for?!”
“You're the one who waits,” Silver grinned. “You can't live in the real world. The only thing you're capable of is imagining enemies and fighting them. You know nothing but illusions. And you perfectly realize it all, but you can't help but argue. You seek destruction and death... But, if you bend your hand, your gun doesn't work, right? That's why you can't lodge a bullet into your temple. But I won't do you any favors, and certainly won't listen to your orders. Yes, I used to fantasize about it a lot, but I can't shoot a person in cold blood. You can't break every mirror, you can't shoot everyone who pisses you off. One should deal with inner problems first... And always wandering around with cocked trigger won't do you any good. If there's a weapon, you'll find the enemies... You're right. Sometimes it's better to just let go,” Selena pushed out the revolver's cylinder, shaking out the empty cases. Then she picked out the last live cartridge, dropped it onto the floor under her feet, and threw H-32 into the corner, freeing her hand. Silver raised her arms with open palms and looked at her twin.
Gelia's stretched-out hand was visibly shaking. Dripping with fluid, the handgun barrel reluctantly spat out a piece of iron. The girl's legs gave way, and she started falling – slowly, like she didn't have any weigth. Finkey ran up and carefully caught Gelia, descending to the floor with her. Silver shook her head bitterly, watching her twin getting thinner, deflating.
“So, the game is over,” Kevin repeated. “What now?”
“You could get back to your life as healthy people,” Haurot replied. “Those who have something to return to...”
“Yes, I've got nothing left in that world,” Proggod spoke. “But shouldn't I get at least some bonuses at the end of the game?”
“You'll see,” Sputkee uttered. Trow's thin lips stretched in a smile. He came up to the door, opened it, and a blinding light flooded the room.
“Yes. Now I can see everything,” Proggod stepped outside, closing the door behind him.
“I also don't want to return to that world,” Pervert suddenly said. “What will we do there? Sunny deflates for some reason now, but I will blow her all the time. We will love each other forever,” a childish smile of joy appeared on his face. Finkey rose to his feet, holding Gelia in his arms. The girl resembled a skeleton covered with skin. Gunhand was pulling her lifeless thin arm. Hollow-cheeked face, with eyes looking even bigger and darker than usual. In the last moment before she was carried out of the room, Gelia darted a glance at her twin, sending shivers down Selena's spine. It seemed to Silver like she gazed into a pitch-black abyss of hatred and despair.
“But what about the mess that we left in real world?” Kevin spoke after a pause. “How are we going to resolve the issue with the police? Which of us will leturn as a child of Adeline and her husband?”
“It's up to you,” Haurot shrugged. “Now I have a wish to change everything the way you want it to be. I'll clean up all the necessary papers. If you want, I can erase memories of those events.”
“If you want to come back to your parents, I understand,” Silver said without looking at young man. Professor was silently waiting for Kevin's decision.
“No,” Evanford replied without a second of hesitation. He already thought this over. “I'll stay at my uncle's house if he doesn't mind it. During those years he proved himself as a person worthy of respect, and showed some willpower after all. I was given a second chance, and I think he deserves it, too.
“Of course, I agree!” Henry smiled. “I also want to be the one everybody thought I was a mere week ago. To teach, to live in the same house...”
“And what do you think about that?” Sputkee turned to Selena. “Mansion belongs to you – or, rather, to Deborah Cunningham. If you become her again, you'll get your property back, if not – you'll have no right to obtain it.”
“To hell with it... Maybe sometime later I'll regret losing the mansion, but right now there's one thing I know for sure – I don't want to be neither Mary nor Deborah,” the girl replied with fatigue. “Let everything remain the way it used to be. Just erase my police records.”
“I see,” Haurot said. “Not a trace of those events will remain in your world. You'll return to the morning when you first saw 'The Door'. Everything that happened will be nothing but a memory in your head. But I could clean it up, too,” he glanced around.
“No,” Henry Evanford looked at the silent figure standing behind his back. “It certainly would've been easier, but... I was wrong when I said that I could start clean. I have to face the truth – half of my page is already covered with writings, and pretty shameful ones at that. Looking at those lines makes me way more appreciative of the santimeters of clean paper that are left,” he walked towards the door. Test subject and Jeremy Lace followed. “I'll be in my study, you're welcome to visit when you're ready,” he said before three men left the room.
Kevin and Selena exchanged glances.
“We also want to keep our memories,” young man said. His friend nodded.
“As you wish. Either way, nothing keeps you here any longer,” Sputkee pointed at the door. Kevin stepped towards it, but Selena froze, looking at Haurot. Now that she was safe, fear gave way to curiosity.
“So, you're not human? Who are you, then? Where are you from?”
“You'll never understand that,” he replied.
“Why's that?” Silver frowned.
“Because you'll never hear the sharpness of color green,” Sputkee looked at her with a half-smile. The girl raised her eyebrows.
“Well then, whatever... Farewell!” she waved her hand goodbye, and the pair went out.
They stepped into the corridor of Evanford's mansion. Selena leaned against the wall and slowly exhaled.
“Wow,” she quietly said. “So, what now?”
“We could go talk to my uncle,” Kevin shrugged.
“Are you really ready to forgive him?” the girl asked, puzzled.
“I already spoke on that subject. Though I have a lot of things to figure out, that's for certain,” the mathematician said pensively.
“Me too,” she sighed. “But you know, this is the last thing I want to discuss right now... Let's go get some fresh air, what do you think?”
“Fine,” he replied. “We could go for a ride. I think the car is in the garage.”
“Let's rather just walk,” Silver suggested. “Your neighborhood is so beautiful... And I have just the right shoes,” she smiled.
“I don't object,” Evanford replied.
“What are you talking about, what 'not's?” Selena tossed up her arms. “You should say 'I agree',” Selena winked playfully and walked down the corridor.
The housemaid, Mrs. Mackolei, saw her employer's nephew appearing on the second floor with some girl. Nobody came in this morning – she must be here since yesterday evening... This girl, or any other girl, for that matter, has never been here before. Mrs. Mackolei wondered how long has it been since those two met. Morals were different in her ti
me. Though recalling the summer of '74 still made her blush... Oh well, they can do whatever they want, it's none of her business. The woman gave Evanford a nod and retreated to the kitchen.
Selena came up to the middle of the staircase, immediately recalling why she started to hate it in the first place. Descending those steep stairs is hard even without heels... The girl stood still, figuring if she should walk to the banisters or just take courage and descend in the middle. Suddenly she felt Kevin looking at her. Silver glanced at him in suprise and saw Evanford reaching his hand out to her. Selena smiled and took it in hers.
They ran down the steep staircase surprisingly easily and went out, quietly closing the massive front door.
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...And a couple of words from Nelly Asher, a person who crafted the world you've just visited::
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