by Alexie Aaron
“The camera is still moving.” Ted pointed to the video feed. “Maybe the audio is just out.”
The camera moved by the window, and Mia did a quick size calculation. “It’s being held by a child. I’m going in there,” she said, placing a fingertip kiss on Brian’s sleeping head and a full one on Ted’s.
Mia turned around and grabbed a coil of mountaineering rope before leaving the command center.
“Ted, checking my com,” she said.
“Loud and clear.”
Mia waved Cid over. “There’s a problem inside,” she said, tying the rope around her middle. “If I lose communication with Ted, I’m going to want you to pull me out of there.” She handed him the rest of the rope.
“Ted, Mia’s got a bondage thing going on,” Cid said. “Permission to participate, over.”
Mia raised an eyebrow, shook her head and walked towards the house.
“Permission granted. Remember your safe word, Cid, over.”
“Dude, I forgot my safe word.”
Mia walked quickly into the house and located the floating camera. “Hello, Jimmy, what’s going on?” she asked.
“We’re playing hide-and-seek,” he said, handing Mia the camera.
“Have you found anyone yet?” Mia asked, setting the camera outside on the porch.
“No. Timmy hid the grownups, and I can’t find them.”
“Why don’t we find them together?”
“Mee ah’s it!” Jimmy called out and ran up the stairs.
Mia moved to follow but changed her mind. She pushed into the kitchen and found Glenda propped up against the wall holding a chipped tea cup, talking to someone Mia couldn’t see. She carefully took the cup from the woman and guided her back through the great room and out onto the porch.
“Pickup!” she shouted and went back in.
The room wavered, but Mia shook it off. “Ted, the house is trying to fool me. Talk me through it.”
“Mia, you should see an empty room with busted out windows.”
“There’s graffiti on the inner wall. I’ve just now noticed it. It says…”
“No time for reading, sweet pea, get up those stairs!” Ted said sternly. “Cid, be prepared, we may be losing her.”
Cid held on to the line, keeping it taut.
“Mee ah,” Jimmy said from the top of the stairs.
“I’m coming. I already found Glenda. Who have you found?”
Jimmy disappeared.
“Going up the stairs. I need a bit more play in the rope, Cid.”
“You have thirty more feet, then I’m reeling you in,” Cid responded.
“K.” Mia reached the landing and quickly looked into the parents’ room and found it empty. She turned and walked into the empty sitting room, across the floor, and into the boys’ room. There, laying on one of the beds, was Burt. “I’ve found Burt,” Mia said. “Wake up, Burt, it’s time to go to school,” she said, shaking him.
Burt’s eyes opened, and he gave Mia a look she was all too familiar with. She backed up. “Burt, you need to come with me.”
“Bebe, why don’t you come sit down,” he said, indicating his lap.
“That sounds like an invitation, Mia,” Ted said, concerned.
“Burt, I need you to come with me,” Mia tried again.
“I know you need me, bebe,” he said, getting up.
Mia walked quickly towards the stairs. Burt caught her and pinned her up against the wall of the stairwell. He turned her to him before he lifted her up, pushed between her legs, and whispered in her ear, “Let me fill you.”
Mia brought down both hands on either shoulder in a hard, chopping motion, causing him to drop her. While he cursed, she made for the stairs. “Come on, Burt, it’s too hot up there,” she called.
“Mia, I’m going to send Orion and Sam in,” Ted said.
Burt stared down at her and wiggled his fingers for her to come to him.
“No, he’s on the stairs. He’s a big guy. Someone’s going to get seriously hurt. I’ve got this,” she said.
Mia bit her lip and lifted her top, exposing her breasts.
Burt smiled and started down the stairs. She couldn’t risk losing him, so she stood there until his hands were upon her. He was so loving that Mia started crying. She backed into the main room, leading him. He bent down and kissed her. Mia fought the past that was clouding her present situation. She backed him towards the door and out onto the porch, tugging her shirt over his searching fingers. As they crossed the threshold, Mia felt something jar loose inside her. All the emotions Angelo had taken from her rushed in, pushing at the levees of her self-control. She pushed Burt to regain her hold on reality.
“Cid, grab him, and ice the fucker down,” she said as she turned around and adjusted her clothing. Her face awash with tears. She untied the rope.
“Ted, Mike’s not in the house, over,” she said, gulping for air, trying to stop the sobs of hurt from the emotions that had finally been given back to her.
“That means…”
“He’s under the house.”
“Come in, Mia, I can tell you’re upset. I’ve sent the bots to the other side of the house. If he’s there, they will find him.”
Mia turned and looked at Orion, Audrey and Cid trying to cope with bringing Glenda and Burt around. Mark ran over. “Let me help,” he said.
Mia heard the rumble of a storm brewing. It seemed to wake her, telling her that the house wanted this boy. Mia realized that it was going to go through all the PEEPs in order to get the child. She pulled Mark away from the building.
“You’ve been crying. Mia, don’t cry. I’ll help you find Mr. Mike.”
Mia’s nose burned at the sheer courage of this boy. She took ahold of him and hugged him, trying to gain the strength she was going to need to venture back into the house. She felt his hands on her arms, steadying her. Mia stepped back and looked him in the eyes and said, “I need you inside that trailer protecting my husband and son. Everyone else is busy, and I can’t find Murphy.”
“He was here. Maybe the house got him too.”
“I’ll look for him. Mark, no matter what happens, I want you to stay with Ted. I need you to take care of Brian. He trusts you.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Mia bent forward and kissed the child on the cheek. “I’m depending on you,” she said and ran around the house to where they’d found the cellar doors.
“Whoa, I have a boy, whose balls just dropped, entering the command center. Mia, those kisses are lethal, over.”
Mia laughed. “Asshole.”
“I can see you, look up,” Ted said.
There, clinging to the side of the house, was Curly. Mia waved. She looked around and saw an Ocular moving in the grass. She bent over, picked it up and stuffed it down the back of her shorts so the lens faced out.
“You won’t even let me do that, pumpkin. Is that the thing?”
“I’m so going to kill you when I finish with this house,” she growled. “How’s the view?”
“I’ve got your back, Mia. Be careful, over.”
Mia tugged on the handle of the cellar door to no avail. She then took her sword out, sliced the hinges and tried again. This time the door peeled back. She moved quickly downward. It took her a minute for her eyes to adjust. The floor was hard-packed earth. The walls, stone. Along one wall were the tins, Mark and Murphy talked about. She didn’t want to waste time looking through them, but the manuscript, if it was there, had to be found. She lifted and set aside anything that did not have the right weight or size to it. She found a few possible ones and tossed them up and out onto the lawn. Next, she followed the light from a previously lit disc, moving under the house, hoping to find Mike and Murphy. She had to crawl under some old cane chairs that were hanging from the ceiling. She was nearly at the end of the line when she saw Mike. His hands and feet were tied. Someone had stuffed a dusty rag in his mouth. His eyes were closed. She gently touched his face and drew the rag out of
his mouth. She was rewarded with him coughing up a lung. “Ted, I’ve found Mike, and he’s breathing, over. I’ve got to untie him…”
There was a deep rumble. It shook the furniture over them. “Ted, is that thunder?”
“Yes, pumpkin. We’ve got a storm rolling in. I’m having the PEEPs evacuate. I’m still here with Mark and Brian.”
“Ted, if it gets too hairy, get out of there. Take Mark and Brian home. I’ve got this, over.”
“I hear you, but I’m not leaving, over.”
Mia cut through the old belts that were used to restrain Mike. He was still unconscious.
“Mee ah,” the chorus of boys said from behind her.
“I win,” she said. “I found Mike. Now where’s Murphy?” she asked, half dragging Mike through the last of the basement.
“Axeman is flying.”
Mia was confused. She stopped and looked behind her, and there before her was a vortex. She feared that it was the entrance to the demon line.
“Mike, wake up, buddy.”
“Mee ah,” Timmy said, tossing an old shoe at her.
“That’s not nice. I’m telling your mother,” she said.
“Tattletale!” Jimmy said and tossed a jar, hitting Mia on the side of her head.
“You little son of a bitch,” she said. “That hurt.” She yanked Mike over her back and trudged up the stairs. She got him to ground level and dragged him out into the yard before she charged down the stairs, catching the boys closing a trunk quickly.
“Mee ah, Mee ah, Mee ah,” they chanted, throwing things at her. Mia used her shield and moved forward. She felt the pull of the demon line but sensed that Murphy wasn’t in it. If he had been taken, he would have ended up in the basement of the lake house. He would have moved out of there and rushed back to help. She pushed the boys off the big steamer trunk and opened it. Inside was nothing. She felt two sets of hands behind her. Mia was pushed inside, and the lid slammed down.
She pushed upwards, but the trunk would not give. “Ted, I’m locked in a trunk. Mike is lying outside unconscious, and Murphy is gone.”
“Storm’s moving in fast, pumpkin. Cid’s taking the truck, Brian and Mark to the cottage. Hang on, I’m coming.”
Mia wiggled until she could move the sword around without injuring herself. She cut through the top. She managed to get her arm out and pull the piece of iron that was holding the hasp. She opened the trunk and got out. She looked frantically around for anything that could be containing her friend. “There has to be salt and iron, and oh, shit,” Mia said, spying the old, iron well cap. “How the hell did you get in here?” she asked as she put her entire body into lifting the massive lid.
Murphy moved out. He was very weak. Mia grabbed his hand and pulled him along. She met Ted at the top of the stairs. He crushed her in his arms. “We don’t have much time. I found this.” He displayed an old rusted wheelbarrow. Inside was Mike and six unopened tins. Mia secured her sword and then insisted on Murphy riding piggyback. He wasn’t strong enough to deal with the pain the rusted conveyance would cause.
“No time like the present,” she said. She and Ted managed to get the wheelbarrow through the weeds and onto the track before nature started its assault. Mia raised the shield over Ted and the contents of the barrow from the heavy hail. They heard the ominous sound of the wind changing. They needed to find cover right away. Ted ran the barrow across the road and into the deep drainage ditch. He and Mia pulled Mike into the large culvert and hung on for dear life.
“As long as the rain holds off, we should be okay!” Ted shouted above the sound of the wind.
“I love you!” Mia shouted back.
“I know!” Ted said and drew the four of them together with his long arms.
Mia extended her wings and wrapped them around Ted, Mike, Murphy and herself. The archangel wings would act as a shield, hopefully protecting the humans from the flying debris, and keep depleted Murphy from being taken away in the storm.
~
Orion, Burt, Sam and Cid searched frantically amongst the ruins of the old house.
“They’re not here,” Orion said.
Cid stopped. He put his finger to his lips. He angled his head to the ground and thought he heard a very off-key voice singing tango music. “Mia, that’s Mia,” he said, running away from the house. The others followed and watched as he started to pull out debris from the deep culvert on the east side of the road.
Cid pulled out piece after piece of wood and tin that had been sheared off the old house. One piece refused to give.
“Um, that’s attached to me,” Mia said weakly. She backed out of the culvert, one wing folded back awkwardly.
“Careful,” Orion coaxed.
Sam stood there open-mouthed.
Burt picked up Mia and carried her, wings and all, up the embankment. Behind her, they found Ted and Mike. Ted groaned. He unfolded his tall frame as he backed out of the culvert. “Mike’s been out since Mia found him. He’s breathing, but he’s still unconscious.”
Burt climbed back down and examined his friend.
Orion gently eased Mia’s wing outwards. “Come on, I know it hurts, extend, more,” he demanded.
Mia did as she was told.
“Shake them.”
When she did, nails, glass and wood slivers fell out.
“Good lord,” Orion said, impressed. “They say that an angel’s wing is as strong as iron, but this is unbelievable.”
“It hurts.”
“Well, this one you dislocated, I assume, when the twister came over. Probably tried to suck you folks out of there.”
“It tried, but between Ted and me, we hung on. Murphy, shit, where’s Murph?”
Murphy moved out of the debris.
“Cid, he was locked in an iron-capped well. He’s going to need some juice.”
“She’s got wings,” Sam said, stunned.
“I could wipe his mind,” Orion offered.
“Mia, I’ve called an ambulance,” Burt said. “You may want to, you know.” He made a flying motion with his hands.
Mia looked at Orion. “You can contain them, but it’s going to hurt,” Orion warned her.
Mia did so, furthering the living nightmare that Sam was experiencing.
“Ouch ow ouch, damn, shit, ouch,” Mia said but managed to bring the wings back inside her.
The siren sounds pierced the air. Mia walked over to Sam. “Are you alright?”
“Damn, I’ve never seen anything like you before.”
“If this is too much, I can help you to forget,” Mia offered.
“No. I’ll be alright. What are you exactly?”
“Mrs. Theodore Martin.”
Ted looked over and smiled. He looked past her and shook his head. Mia turned around for the first time. The house was gone. “Oh my god, Mark’s house is gone,” she said, walking across the street with her hands over her mouth.
“It’s for the best,” Sam said. “I never got a good feeling from that place. Now he can concentrate on other things a twelve-year-old should be doing.”
“I hope you’re right,” Mia said, fearing the loss of the old house would negate all the good they had accomplished so far.
The EMTs pulled up, and Ted guided them down to Mike. They wanted to take him in too, but he refused. Burt got in the back with Mike. When they pulled away, Mia and Ted started back to the cottage. The sun came out, and something bright flashed from the ditch. Ted climbed back down and came up with a large, heavy tin. He handed it to Mia, and she opened it. Inside was a handwritten copy of Strawberry Wine.
Mike woke up as they wheeled him into the hospital. While they were giving him a full examination, Burt sat down and tried to figure out what happened. He remembered filming the Waynes in the kitchen, and then nothing. Wait. He remembered being with Mia. No, that had to be a past memory. He had her pinned to the wall and… He shook his head. He walked over and accepted a cup of coffee from the nurse. He drank it and closed his eyes. There h
e was lying in bed. Mia was enticing him to come to her. He followed her and picked her up and was… No. She hit him with both hands. He dropped her. She ran down the steps and flashed him? This had to be a dream. He moved down the steps and took her beautiful breasts in his hands, touching them tenderly like he remembered she liked and… There were tears. And then Cid was there taking him away. What a crazy dream.
Mia and Ted showed up at the hospital with Glenda. Glenda walked into the cubicle with Mike. Burt walked out and looked over at Mia. She sensed his eyes upon her, and she looked his way. She handed Brian to Ted and walked over to him. She drew him into the small chapel and locked the door behind them.
“It was real,” he realized. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know where or when I was,” he explained.
“I had to play along to get you to follow me out of the house.”
“Did I hurt you? Did we?”
“No,” she said and raised her hands. “It was the house. I had to save you. I let you make love to me, but we didn’t get beyond second base.”
“Why were you crying? I remember tears. Did I humiliate you?”
“Oh, Burt, no. I think I felt like I was using your love for me to get you out of the house. I abused and used you. I’m sorry.”
Burt turned her head towards his and saw more tears streaming down her face. “Mia, don’t lie to me. Tell me.”
“Angelo took that from me. Those beautiful sensual memories. It all came back to me in the house, and it hurt me so deeply inside. I was losing you all over again.”
“I don’t understand.”
Mia bit her lip to stop it from quivering. “I know that you’ll never understand this, but I will never stop loving you. I may be in love with my husband and enchanted by Murphy, and fuck, I don’t know what the hell is going on with Mike, but I will never stop loving you. I can be happy for you because you’re moving on, and I don’t think about you too much, but I will never forget how you saved me. How you took me in your arms and made love to me as if I were the most special person in the world. And for those moments, I believed I was. Thank you.”
“Mia, I want you to be happy, and I know that Ted makes you happy. It’s tough, especially since the flitch left, seeing the two of you together. You both are so immature and full of life. He’s the right guy for you. He knows you need him, and you do, baby, you do. I’ll always be your friend, your grumpy Burt. Thank you for regarding me so highly and honoring me with your love. Thank you.”