Chapter 36

I woke up chilled, wet, and green. I couldn’t help but grin. This is where I wanted to be. My stomach sank. I had girls fighting over me right now back home. The fights here were more like sisters or friends. I didn’t want to see that need in Connie’s eyes to tear down Suzi so I’d only see Renee. No, I preferred to be in the disgusting greenlit sticky flaked nightmare trillions of miles from Earth.

I rocketed up to my feet to the surprised screams of no longer dozing girls. Renee was at me like lightning. Her arms around me before I had taken two steps. I had grabbed Xiomara’s hands. I was not toppled but Renee did her best. Xiomara stood up as I pulled. Andrea pushed aside Pat so I could get crushed from the left as well.

“You fell asleep too early.” I didn’t hear Xiomara accusing: “You left us...”

“Yeah, that was Trishie’s fault.” I smiled and held back a laugh. It was difficult to start a good natured cackling with the looks of guarded worry on the girl’s faces. I rubbed Xiomara’s cheek. Pat slugged me in the side.

“We told you not to hit him!” Andrea spun and grabbed Pat’s hand.

I took a beleaguered breath as Pat whined, “It wasn’t my fault! I’m Pat not Trishie!”

I shook my head. I didn’t hold back that chuckle. Vanessa watched from a dozen paces away. She rubbed her elbow. She refused to meet my eyes.

“You let me call you Trishie back on earth.” I declared.

“The fuck I do.” Pat growled. I grinned.

“I wandered over your place and asked your step-dad if you were home. That--”

“That’d piss me the hell off! I don’t have to live with my mom anymore! I don’t have to be in that house more than one night a week!” She was on fire. I squeezed Xiomara’s hands. I smiled for the girl that was worth it back home. I let go. Renee squeezed me tighter as I turned to Pat. It was easier to talk to the tiny redhead without looking over my shoulder the whole time.

“Yeah, and the next night you were there, apparently your step-dad gave you the third degree.”

“No. Mom would have.” She corrected me.

“Enough that you’d slip out of the house and break into my room and confront me at 2 in the morning?”

“That is stalker crazy.” Vanessa declared. I nodded. Pat crossed her arms and ground her teeth.

“You climbing in my window startled me awake and apparently, that’s enough to switch me worlds.”

“I literally shot you in the face with a high powered piss warm hose.” Pat told me. “It doesn’t work this way.”

Xiomara squeezed my elbow. “You scared us to death.”

“I’m sorry.” I told her. Renee nodded against me. I think she was quiet because she was determined not to start crying. She had to hold it all in until her mind got over the relief and confusion. “Look, let’s go home. We need to save Zoe again.”

“What did your sister do now?” Andrea scoffed. “Try to take Connie’s place as head wife?”

“We’re not wives, only you want that.” Xiomara countermanded Andrea. “OK, but it’s not as simple as moving us all back to the box. We have to send the visiting girls back to certain places. Or it’ll be mitigated.”

“And Reggie?” I asked. His name hit the girls like a hammer. Wanda and Zoe seemed to suggest the body had been reanimated not replaced. I had to see. The girls shared amongst themselves. They all turned to me. Renee pushed off of my shoulder. She stared me right in the face.

“Don’t kill him again.” The words came out of a scratchy throat.

“I really don’t think I can.” I said. I never thought I could before. I never knew I could even stand up to a fight without breaking down. “I hope I can’t.”

“You have plenty of bitches who can.” Pat assured me. I squeezed her hand. I rubbed Andrea’s arm. I put a hand across Xiomara’s back.

“You’re touchy.” She noticed. She looked at me. The question was there, why was I trying to focus on just her. I looked after all of my girls. The look on her face was saying that she didn’t want to hold on to something that was just going to change focus a minute later. I saw the same thing I saw at Connie’s. Only the girl here, this Xiomara was afraid to win.

“Wanda and Zoe instigated a clusterfuck back home.” I cracked a little smile. “Back home, I don’t want this. A bunch of women. A harem. It costs more from me and too much from all of you. Yet, I won’t give up how I feel about you, Xiomara. I think I’m going to do my best that we end up married.”

“She doesn’t want to be a wife.” Andrea scowled. I felt like I was back in Connie’s basement again. No. Dragon isn’t Earth. She wasn’t trying to cripple Xiomara, she wanted me to see what Xiomara wanted. I smirked. If I did my best, I could simply tell them to get along.

“Me? Because I’m the only who’s weak enough to say yes to you out there...” Xiomara worried. I stroked her hair.

“You held this shit together while I couldn’t. You’re anything but weak. As for saying yes? I learned I can get a lot of yeses.” I bragged a little. She did not care for that but she smiled for me anyways. “One yes is what matters. It’s a fight back there. Show yourself up, tear each other down. So much is ready to break, nothing is able to bend, let alone spring back. I want love. There’s love between me and you. I’m going to share this with you and this love we’re going to be sharing with Pat, Andrea, and Renee. And if you’ll all let me, you too, Vanessa.”

“It’s still a bunch of fights.” Pat had the hose again. She was running her hand over Renee looking for black flakes. “We all fight.”

“Then fight to make each other stronger.” I growled at her. “Like practice for a tournament.”

“That’s seems to be how my dad and my brother fight.” Renee frowned as Pat blasted her one shot along the hip. She twisted, stamped and rolled out. “Warn me! Christ ... I was saying, when my brother and dad fight, they’re better together a couple of days later. Sometimes later that day. When mom and I fight, it can take weeks before ... Before I talk to her again.”

“Well, then, when I piss you off. Tell me as loud as you can. Right in my face.” I leaned in so that I told her that nose to nose. She smiled with me. I looked over to the only source of non-green light. “What needs to happen?”

“If Reggie’s up? I’ll have to handle him and then we can go.” Xiomara said. She leaned forward and kissed me. “You might want to lay off all the love talk. It’s a bit over the top.”

“Then the top’s too low.” I said. She kissed me again. She stepped by to head to the console. Pat rushed, jumped, and kissed me too.

“Close your eyes.” She told me as she slid down my trunk.

“Why? OK I’ll--” Speak too long and not get my eyes closed. Andrea giggled when she blasted me across the forehead. I staggered back into Renee’s tits. She laughed in my ear. I was spun, by the waistband of my pants, and kissed as hard as I could be. I almost said something in the vein of “Wow, you’re energetic today...” But I didn’t even get the exclamation out. Renee whisked me towards the hose yelling, “Andrea’s turn.”

“I don’t really feel like kissing you for waking up.” She told me. She didn’t meet my eyes for an entire heartbeat before she bent her knees to lay the nozzle on the floor.

“You’re not my handsome prince?” I asked wondering if I should be thinking deck and not floor.

“I’m a girl.” She declared not seeing I was joking. It wasn’t a kiss she needed. I stepped forward and hugged her. I squeezed her arms tight against her sides. She took a long breath and laid her ear on my chest. I made sure to rub her spine as she t-rexed her hands around to my back.

I didn’t know if I should say something. I had no jokes to crack. I held her, enjoyed the odd scent of spaceship cleaned teenaged girl hair. Vanessa hovered a foot away.

“We all voted yes on her.” Andrea said when she opened her eyes and stared at the girl. I felt Andrea’s stomach rumble. “And we’re out of food.”

“Are we stuck until tonight getting back? Xiomara said there was another way.” I looked over to Xiomara where she and Pat were hard at work at the screens. I couldn’t hear a syllable from them without it being chopped up and disintegrated in the atmosphere. I frowned. “Do you need a hug Vanessa?”

Andrea refused to let go but my arms were on the outside and I folded the pale girl on our side. “Your not sick or something? You’re shivering.”

The air was a comfortable temperature. An unrelenting, “Well I guess I could wear a shirt today. If there’s company coming over.” kind of warm. She nuzzled in on Andrea’s shoulder.

“I’ll be better. I need food.” She worried. “I wouldn’t mind cold water.”

“Yeah, I get that.” I nodded. Renee waved to the girls at the console and then shouted at us.

“We’re going! That way!” She pointed to the green lit far wall. I waited for them to come to us. Pat was jumping and exciteable. Xiomara was smiling. Renee looked worried. “Time to get moving girls.”

“More hug.” Vanessa demanded and squeezed Andrea against me.

“OK!” Renee hit me from behind and squeezed. Pat and Xiomara’s footsteps on the wet deck were making it through the air. Pat was clearly running. She wanted in on our hug but she slipped on the water. None of us were free enough to catch her.

“Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck fuck!” She squealed as she rolled side to side. I pushed the girls off of me. I knelt across from Xiomara as she ran her fingers through Pat’s hair.

“She’s not bleeding.” Xiomara pulled back her fingers. She had to taste them to be certain the wetness was water.

“The fuck I’m not!” Pat dragged out her lip that she had bit. I laughed. She smiled. I kissed her.

“I see why vampires are so into it.” I stood up and so did Xiomara. We each took of Pat’s hands and levered her up to her feet.

“Good to know he’s not afraid of a little blood.” Andrea said.

“Oh you like it on your period do you?” Vanessa attacked. She toed the ground, “Sorry, old habits. I used to be a bitch.”

“I just thought you hung around with bitches,” Renee declared. “I did too. There’s a bunch on the cheerleading team.”

“Thanks,” Said Vanessa. “Why is it good for a bit of blood?”

“You kidding?” Andrea rolled her eyes. “Oh right, I’m sorry. You don’t know. Does she know?”

“Know what?” Xiomara asked.

“That’s Suzi’s pregnant?” Andrea asked. I felt my stomach sink and my heart rise. I smiled.

“Right, and we don’t live in a world with hospitals and maternity wards anymore.” I nodded. “Alright, Xiomara, lead us back home.”

“Home?” Vanessa worried.

“Home is where your family’s waiting for you.” I announced. Pat took my hand. I reached out and took Xiomara’s too. She gave me a smile. “Let’s go.”

I had to pull Xiomara’s hand but we had to walk back to the fence. I could tell by the turn right, lighting up Vanessa’s dim smile, she was worried about Franny. About Mrs Leifson. Ms Leifson? I mean this clone never made any vows even if her original had. I let go of Pat’s hand to keep Vanessa from attempting the climb. Xiomara let go of mine. I pulled Vanessa back with both hands on her hips.

“But--”

“We have to go this way,” Xiomara pointed to what looked like a wall of green equal panels.

“She’s alone out there. We saw no one else! For days!” Vanessa worried.

“We can’t search, I’m sorry Vanessa. I have a responsibility for us, and, if you want, for you.”

“Of course I fucking want that!” She shrieked. She was holding her stomach. She must’ve been starving. “The other choice is to be lost out in the crazy shit and forgotten like Franny! But I don’t have to make you happy. You said these skanks get a vote!”

“Skank? Now I’m going to check yes for Vanessa.” Andrea sneered.

“How about we give her a little slack until she’s fed and showered.” The black flakes were already sticking to our clothes, hair, and skin. I could tell by the way Pat was ducking and weaving she hated it. She was just kicking up more flakes from the ground. I pulled Vanessa but she grabbed the bars.

“FRANNY!” She bellowed as hard as her lungs could. I flinched, letting her go. It wasn’t a matter of volume. Sound died like it was being cut and disposed of as it traveled. She turned. She was going to wipe a tear of frustration from her eye but saw the flake. She put her hand down. “We should go.”

“OK, buddy up. Xiomara’s leading with Andrea. Renee you take Pat. Vanessa and I’ll will follow at the back.” I gestured out all of our roles. Renee shook her head. I read her face. “No, I got it Renee. Thank you, I see what I did wrong. I’ll go first then. Xiomara, flick me in the ears if I’m taking a wrong turn.”

“Anything for you.” She worked out her flicking fingers and smiled. The other girls were out of it. She and Zoe used to do that to Reggie and me. It was what started our friend group divorce back in grade five. I led us to the wall.

Maybe it was a perspective thing, it was definitely a light thing. The panels were about three meters wide with a quarter inch edge running all the way up. Xiomara’s “Keep walking. We’ll see it.” didn’t stop me from knocking on every panel we passed. Searching for hidden doors. It wasn’t a door. One panel was recessed back about six meters.

“I guess we will see it. I walked in the green light filled the recess but, the tunnel in the back was unlit.