Experiment Zero

33. Dark Pasts and Zero's Confession

Her hand slowly reaches up and takes the necklace out of her shirt, her fingers fiddling with the piece of wood.

"Lager took me in, raised me, and when old enough, told me that whole story of my parents. He always said  I looked exactly like my father. Lager knew my father personally.....He knows everyone who serves him personally, and when he found out I was one of his best soldiers daughters and a Halfing he searched for my mother, but it was too late."

She takes  a deep breath, swallowing. She glances at me again and I try to smile encouragingly but it probably came out as a grimace.

"My mother had died. Apparently only a few weeks after leaving me at the tree. She had caught a deadly sickness, and how ironic is that? A healer who heals the sick gets sick herself and dies." Becky again does that low laughter, filled with no joy at all but pain and sorrow.

"I grew up here." She whispers, and I take a tiny step closer to hear better. "And it wasn't all that bad. Sure there was people who gave me the cold shoulder for being a Halfling, but there was also really kind people. The most kindest one of all, was Granny Philips. I lived with her, since Lager couldn't keep an eye on me all the time, and when I would come home crying because kids were being especially rude that day she would make me lemonade and we would read some classics."

"I grew up alongside Sylvia, and she was the meanest one of all. I don't blame her, because her parents were horrid people, and raised her to think of Halflings like they were the Devil. She would torment me non-stop, taking bullying to the next level. Even as a child she was a master of illusion, which is probably the only reason Lager is keeping her in his court. She would use these illusions against me all the time. Making me walk into the boys restroom thinking it was the girls, whenever  I raised my hand in class she would make me invisible to the teacher, but those were only some of her minor pranks. They worsened as we got older."

"I might have run away a long time ago now that I think about it. Lager and Granny Philips were what seemed like my only allies. Lager was at first like a father figure to me, but he wasn't around as much as I would've liked him to be thanks to being the Darkling High Commander. There came a point when I kept growing until I was almost Lager's age, for he had stopped aging, or more like his aging process slowed significantly, and he became more of a friend in my eyes than a father.

"He's the one who gifted me this necklace." She says, looking down at it with a small smile. "He carved the piece of wood from the tree where I was left as a baby. It's  a painful, but also sweet reminder of how  I came to be."

She stops talking, and there's silence as we soak it all in. The sun is nearly fully set, the last light dying. I struggle to find words, my mind blown by Becky's dark painful past.

"Why did you run?" I finally ask, my throat cracking because it's dry. I want to cry for Becky, but the tears won't spill over.

Pain flashes across her features as she clutched the railing even tighter.

"We don't have to talk about it if you want." I say gently.

"No." She exhaled. "You deserve  to know, after everything I've put you through. A week before I ran, Granny Philips died. It was just so hard, so very hard, living here without her. She has been my rock my whole life, the only one I could turn to who I could rely on to always be there. Lager was supportive, but his presence was never as steady and reassuring as hers was. Nothing, no soul or living being on this Earth, could replace Granny Philips."

I look away as a tear exits her eye, making its way down her cheek.

I don't know what to do. I can't relate. I never knew my grandparents, and I sure haven't been through anything like Becky has her whole life. The closest I've come to relating  to Becky is dealing with Sylvia, but I only dealt with her a few weeks where Becky has dealt with her her whole life.

I open my mouth to say something, anything to try and make her feel better, but am interrupted by Zero, who is sliding  the glass  door open, his grey eyes stormy.

Becky quickly wipes her eyes, her usual scowl making an appearance. Seeing her glare makes me exhale tremendously in relief.

"I'm going to my room. See you guys later." She says and  is gone, storming  past Zero, who looks at her in confusion.

The door slides closed behind her, and Zero turns back to look at me, only to be met with my glare.

"You interrupted  at the most important part." I exclaim, running my  hands through my hair. "And I thought I told you to stay with Lager."

Zero growls at the name, but takes a step closer. "I know, but  I needed to talk  to you."

"Did it have to be now?" I sighed.

"Yes." He says roughly, his features bunching up in urgency. "Lager's not  far behind . He would've told you something  I need you to hear from me."

It dawns on me then that Zero's next words might just be very important.

"What would Lager have told me?" I ask hesitantly.

Zero takes a deep breath, his eyes meeting mine.

"It  has to do with why you're dying." Zero clears his throat, leaning in  really close, his breathing becoming harder.

"Ashley, Lager would have  told you......"

Dear readers,

(Looks at manager)

Do i have to write this?

Manager gives a glare, annoyed  that this is the thirty seventh time she has stopped writing to ask.

Dangeroustoken raises hands in a surrender motion.

Alright, alright.

(Goes back to typing.)

I'm so so sooooooo sorry for the really late update....and the cliffhanger. The reason  I was so scared to post this and fought with my manager over  it was the cliffhanger. I have the feeling you guys are out for my blood now, and I keep looking over  my shoulder. PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!! I have a dog! I tried to make this chapter extra long as a peace offering.
Down  to business, school  has started so updates should come more slowly. :(
Also, I have a manager! She's the one  and only friend who got me to post my  last chapter. Basically she critiques my book and  at me to update. So vote, comment, and get a manager cause they're awesome.
Lots of love,
Dangeroustoken