Chapter 9 - Gen 2 Tapestry

During the service I decide to shut my head off, clinging onto Honey I sit there closed my eyes and shrunk back into my own little world away from reality, which I managed to do quite easily, probably because of the extra pill I'd been given to take.

I wanted the time to pass away without me getting too upset, scared that I might have an emotional overload and have another one of my outburst.  I am already in everyone's bad books and I really don't want to make it any worse by upsetting everyone today like I did the day Storm faded.

Honey had to shake me quite hard to bring me back to reality when it was time for us to leave and go back outside.

After the service is over we all make our way back outside and we are just hanging around, waiting for Manderine to be taken back to the prison so the cars can come to take us home.

Everyone stands around in different groups chatting quietly. Prelude and Manderine stood away from everyone else and everyone seems quite happy to keep their distance from them, all except for Parsley.  I know it isn't Prelude that everyone is trying to avoid it is Manderine.   They stood their almost defiantly holding hands and holding each other like they were trying to make a statement, while everyone eyed them warily and with disgust.

I'm still not sure why or what all the bad feeling is about, and I'm still not sure why everyone hates her so much.  Prelude definately stands alone loving that woman!!!  At one point Alpine started hurling abuse at them but he was quickly quietened down by Sunny, Caramel and Ruby. Prelude who normally would have retaliated to such abuse just stood there eyes glazed staring at nothing, actually neither of them flinched, which really surprised me.

Honey still crying has her arms wrapped tightly round my waist and I stand there holding her while she snivels in my ear, I look around watching everyone and want everything to hurry up because I just want to go home.  I feel really bad that my parents are not here, my Mother especially is going to be mortified when she switches back on from her black out and realizes she's missed Storms funeral!!

A woman attracts my attention who I'm sure wasn't at the service and who I don't recognize, she makes her way straight up to Manderine and she hugs her.  It's pretty unusual because everyone else has given her a very wide birth other than Prelude and Parsley.  I also think she looks a little strange in a long coat, hat and she is wearing dark glasses, its quite warm even though its Autumn, yet she is dressed like we are in the middle of a very cold winter.

I keep watching her and noticed what looks like a sly exchange of something, she definitely took something out of her pocket and slipped it into Manderines hand as she whispered something into her ear.  Manderine smiled at her as she places whatever the woman has given her into her pocket.  The woman in the sunglasses then hugged Prelude spoke to him for a few minutes then she went to stand at the entrance to the cemetery away from everyone else.

I turned around a few times to look at the woman because she bothered me for some reason, but on the third time of looking she has vanished and is no longer there.

I glance over at the two graves and start to wander again who they belonged to and why would my parents put flowers on them and then the old woman, my Grandmother, puts flowers on the smaller one.  I've never been the sharpest pencil in the box but even to me that seems to be quite a coincidence.

Curiosity got the better of me, I gently pull Honey by the hand and she follows me towards the smaller of the two graves.

"Read the graves for me - I want to know who's they are."

She looks at me for a moment a strange expression washing over her face.  After what seems like a little hesitation, she starts to read the writing to me.

In loving Memory of 

Twilight Midnight Orchid  

"Born into the arms of the angels

held for a moment loved for a lifetime"

As she read out the dates the first thing that hit me is the date of birth and fading were exactly the same.  My blood ran cold - it must be a baby's grave.  The baby must have faded the day it was born.  I wandered who's baby it was?  Why would my Mother be putting flowers on the baby's grave.  I felt a shudder run through me as I pulled Honey to look at the larger of the two graves.

In loving Memory of

Cosmic Midnight

"It broke our hearts to lose you

but you did not go alone

for part of us went with you

the day berry called you home"

When I heard the date of fading, I recognized it straight away, the date is the same as the one on the baby's grave, they both faded on the same day, nearly three years before I was born.  I wander who this Cosmic Midnight is - Midnight being the baby's middle name - Orchid, it has only just registered with my stupid brain that the baby's surname was Orchid.

I look over towards Prelude then Mulberry.  I wander?!  Prelude did tell my Grandmother that she had TWO grand-children's graves to put flowers on - that baby must be either my Mothers, Mulberry's or Prelude's child.  Surely if it had been Mom's baby we would have been told.

"Honey do you know who these people are??"

"Hhhmm .... yeah I do .... but Tap ..... now is not the time we should go back to the others"  

"Tell me I want to know!!"  she hesitated for a moment  

"Look ..... I think once this is all over Prelude and your parents will be filling you in on a few things, but please just forget it for now"   she says uncomfortably biting her lip as I glare at her, straight away I know I am being treated like a child and am being kept in the dark about something again  "Everyone has been asked not to tell you ... with your outbursts they don't think you're up to knowing just yet"  I carry on glaring at her  "Please don't ... I PROMISED your Dad ... I can't tell you!!!"  she then tries to pull me away from the graves but this has just put me in a mood and my feet stay firmly rooted to the spot and her hand slips out of mine.

I glance back towards the graves, and jump at the sudden appearance of the transparent figure.  'The Man' takes me by surprise, he is now sitting with his back against the wall between the two graves just looking at me.  He hadn't been there a moment ago, this is the second time that I have seen him away from our house, the last time was the day that Storm faded.

He puts his hand up and waves at me, I instinctively wave back, then realize what I'm doing and quickly put my hand down glancing around nervously to make sure nobody is watching me.  I seem to be the only who can see him, if anyone sees me waving at fresh air they will think I'm insane!!  When I turn my attention back to 'The Man' he is there laughing at me, this makes my head go.  "What is your problem, why do you keep following me??"  I snap at him.

"I don't just follow you but you are the only one who can see me."  he says as he stands up  "Your Mother left these here didn't she."  he pointed at the flowers and started to laugh  "Colourless flowers - Lilly and her funeral flowers."  he chuckles for a moment then he just stares at the flowers smiling.

"You know my Mother?"  I asked him "Who are you anyway?"  he pointed at the gravestone that he is now leaning against.  Does he mean that is his grave??  My mind starts racing trying to remember the name that Honey had read out to me.  "You ... you are Cosmic Midnight?"  he smiles and puts up his thumb.

"Tap what are you doing?"  Honey says suddenly I forgot she is behind me still, she takes hold of my arm.  "Who the fudge are you talking to?"  she is looking very confused, fudge!!  I bet she is going to think that I'm insane!!

"Oh! ....... I'm talking to myself, sorry!!"  I had to lie to her, I couldn't really say, oh I'm talking to that ghost stood right there could I!!   "I talk to myself sometimes when I'm upset."

"Really??!!"  she frowns at me  "I've never seen you do that before!!" 

Suddenly 'The Man' started shouting as I hear two loud bangs.  

"Damn woman!! ........... Tapestry MOVE!!!"  I look at the transparent figure who is yelling at me and pointing at something behind me, Honey is screaming now, her hand snatches out of mine and there is a lot of noise coming from the crowd behind me.  

I spin round.

Manderine now free of her prison guard is standing only feet away from me and has a hold of Honey who is frozen in fear - Manderine has a gun in her hand and is waving it around.  Oh Berry!!!  That must have been the bangs I heard - gun shots - I spot the prison guard and police officer lying motionless on the floor,  I quickly look over to the entrance and find it strange to see that the other two police officers have vanished - the car is still there but there is no sight of them.

"Nobody move or she's next"  Manderine hisses at the crowd who are edging towards her.  "You too boy"  she says looking at me as she points the gun in my direction.  Why does this keep happening to me??!!  First knives now guns why is it always me?!

Now I'm kicking myself for bringing Honey away from the crowd,  now we are isolated away from everyone else with Manderine.  I look around for Prelude, he can stop her, where is he?  Then I notice, he is also lay on the floor, Mulberry and Parsley are hovering over him - what did she do to him?

Sunny suddenly steps forward  "Lime don't do this!!"  he begs her  "Let her go ......."

"Well if it isn't Sunshine"  she starts cackling quite loudly  "I suppose this one belongs to you!!"  She carries on laughing as she puts the gun to Honey's head, It feels like all my colour is draining away from me, everything sinks to my feet like a lead weight, I'm so scared that she might pull that trigger.

I am frozen just looking at the woman who is my Aunt, and I can just feel it, she is downright evil - how can this woman be Fern and Parsley's mother?!  It beats me how my Uncle Prelude could have married such a vial woman!!!  "Sorry Sunshine she's my get away insurance!!!"

Manderine starts to back away from me dragging Honey along with her.  I have to stop her, I think she is planing on escaping and taking Honey with her - I'm scared of what she might do to her and I can't stop thinking about the baby we might have made.  I step forward trying not too think about the gun that is now pointed in my direction again.

"Leave her, please let her go ......... take me instead!!"  I step forward and she hisses at me not to move again,  I heard Mulberry yelling  "No Tapestry Don't!!  You don't know how dangerous that woman is!!"  but I ignore him, I think I've already worked out for myself that she's dangerous and that is why I have to stop her from taking Honey!!.  

"Please let Honey go ....  and I'll come with you!!"  Obviously I don't want to go anywhere with that woman but I'll say anything right now to get her to let Honey go.

"So who do we have here then?!"  she looks at me through narrowed eyes for a moment then starts laughing  "My ... another little orange nerd ... with the freaks eyes ... it's my lucky day!!!!"  this really seems to amuse her as she starts cackling like a witch again, the most evil laugh I've ever heard!!

"Only your Dad would be as stupid as you're being right now!!"  she looks around quickly  "Where are the nerd and freak anyway, I'm very disappointed not to see them here!!"  Nerd and Freak - what is she on about?!  "Where are your parents boy??"  she snaps.  I ignore her question which seems to irritate her.

"So .... you want to play the hero and save your little girlfriend here."  she laughs again as she pulls at Honey quite roughly.

"Yes ....let her go and you can take me instead!!!"  she just glares at me for a moment before an evil smirk appears on her face.

"Go over there boy and fetch me those handcuffs"  she points towards the faded police officer lying on the ground  "Walk slowly and don't do anything stupid or make any quick moves or your girlfriend gets it!!"  I have no choice but to do what she says when I see her put the gun to Honey's head.

Sunny starts yelling at Manderine but she ignores him. "Go on boy we don't have all day!!"  she snaps.

I nervously start walking towards the body on the ground, while I'm trying not to take my eyes off Honey for too long.  I see the handcuffs hanging off his belt, and start to feel sick when I notice the man's face, I've never seen a faded face before,  his glazed eyes are just staring blankly upwards and his mouth is open.  I look away quickly but my eyes just fall onto the hole in his clothes between his stomach and his heart, the bullet hole which is surrounded by a lot of blood.  I crouch down slowly and carefully ease the handcuffs off his belt trying not to touch him and stand up slowly.

"Mom, why are you doing this??"  I hear Parsley's voice, so I look towards it.  He is standing next to Sunny and Strawberry, tears are streaming down his face.  He is such a wuss I'm not surprised that he's crying but I am surprised that he is not hiding away in the background and has actually stepped forward to say something, unless he thinks his Mother is not going to hurt him.  I am hoping right now he is our best hope of getting out of this situation in one piece.  He starts to walk slowly towards us.  "Let Honey and Tapestry go PLEASE MOM!!"

She looks at him and seems to hesitate for a moment, a very strange expression washes over her face as she's staring back at Parsley who is still crying and says again  "Please Mom, let them go!!"   I thought he had got to her for a second as she carries on hesitating, until I heard her mumble  "I'm sorry son!"  then the expression washed straight off her face going back to that evil look again. .  

"Stay where you are please Parsley, keep out of this!!"  she says pointing the gun at him, I watched him freeze with terror and my heart sinks.  "I'm not spending one more day in that Prison, not even for you!!  I don't want to hurt you son, but I will have to if you try to stop me!!" 

I can't believe what I'm hearing, I look at her face and don't doubt that she wouldn't think twice about fading her own son, which doesn't leave much hope for me and Honey.  I look over at my Uncle, I just hope that is not what she has done to Prelude who is still lay out on the ground, Whisty and Affair sat over him crying.  "Go to your Dad, he's going to need you!!"

She turns to me then  "Come on boy, I want those handcuffs!!"  she snaps at me.  I walk towards her slowly dreading to think what she might do with them.  "Stop!!"  she says when I get a short distance away from her, I start to feel very nervous seeing the gun inches away from my face.

"Now put one on your wrist and close it."  I look up at her and frown  "Come on - are you deaf - put it on quickly!!"  she sounds like she is starting to get irritated.  I put my wrist into one of the cuffs and closed it like she said.

"Now put the other one on her."  I look up at her again in terror, realizing now she plans not just to take Honey, she's taking both of us.

"Please let Honey go - just take me!!"  she hits me round the head with the gun

"Just do it!!!"  she's almost shouting at me  "Hold out your hand girl!!"  she snaps at Honey who quickly holds out her hand to me.  I place the cuff on her wrist and close it, but I don't push it hard enough for the cuffs to fasten properly.

I think Manderine is one step ahead of me, she knows what I am trying to do, leave Honeys cuff open so that she can get away.  She lets go of Honey grabbing the cuff on her wrist and snaps it shut, then turns and punches me in the face.  "Try anything like that again boy and it will be the last thing you will ever do!!!"

I double up for a moment holding my face with my free hand, in a state if shock because of what she's just done, a grown woman who is supposed to be my Aunt punching me, a teenager, in the face - how evil is this woman??!!  I can feel my nose throbbing, my eyes are smarting with the pain and I can taste the blood from my nose running into my mouth.

"Please let Honey go, you don't need both of us!!"  

"Shut your wining boy!!!"  she snaps as she pulls on the chain that links mine and Honey's wrists together  "Brilliant!!"  she starts laughing again  "Two for the price of one, its just a shame that the freak isn't here to see it!!"  she turns then to Sunny who is now in a right state  "Sorry Sunshine, your brat is coming with me, send my regards to the nerd and freak won't you .. Oh and Ruby, I mustn't forget Ruby!!  she scoffs as she starts her cackling again.  This woman is unreal!!

"Honey where is your Mom?"  I asked looking through the sea of faces not seeing her, I know Ruby had been here earlier, it's unlike her to be quiet, but now I couldn't see her.  Honey said quietly that she's gone with Caramel to help take Alpine home after his outburst.  So Honey's Mom isn't here like my parents to witness this, in a way I'm now really glad my Dad isn't here because he would not have just stood there shouting like Sunny, he'd have been in the middle of this.  I can't even begin to imagine how they are going to react when they find out what's happened here.

I hear screeching tyres and look up as a car is slamming to a stop by the entrance to the cemetery.   I am thinking - great someone has come to help us - but I was wrong!!  Someone has come to help, not us, but Manderine.  The car door flies open and that woman from earlier in the hat and glasses gets out and runs over to Manderine.  "You took your damn time!!"  she snaps at the woman.

"Mango's kid." she points at me  "He kept watching me, and the second police officer put up quite a fight for a mortal!!"  Mortal?!  What does she mean by that?!  I'm guessing that this woman must have disposed of the two police officers that were guarding the cemetery entrance and that is why they disappeared.

She grabs a hold of my arm and starts pulling me and Honey.  We are holding each others hand tightly as we are being dragged towards the car while Manderine is backing away from the crowd the gun trained on them so that nobody still moves.  I can hear a few people shouting, Sunny and Mulberry included, both of them desperately trying to stop "Lime" from taking us.  Why does Sunny keep calling her Lime???

The woman's hand on my arm is bothering me, not only is she strong for a woman, she's dragging me and Honey like we're nothing, her grip is like iron and  her touch, even through my clothes her touch feels ice cold, so cold it actually hurts?!

Me and Honey get pushed roughly into the back of the car, I'm amazed at how quiet she is being, most girls would have just been constantly screaming and crying, but she isn't.  She falls onto me as I'm trying to get myself into a sitting potion, I look into her eyes and I can see she is terrified.  I take hold of her hand again that is connected closely to mine and hold it really tight.  I'm really scared, wandering what is going to happen to us.

The woman leans into the car  "Time for a little sleep."  she says as I feel her ice cold touch on my face, she seems to hesitate for a moment, her face is quite close to mine, she must be looking at me from behind those glasses.  Her hand moves slowly down my face, I'm starting to wander what the hell she's doing when she whispers 'I'm sorry!!" as I feel something sharp jab into my neck .... a needle.

The last thing I hear is Honey screaming before everything goes black.

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