Unraveling the Threads of Fate

by Alice Winters

“You sure you’re going to pay two hundred thousand for this place? I mean… aren’t you afraid it’s a bit of a rip-off with like the bowling alley, heated pool, five hundred bedrooms—” “Eight.” “What do you do with them all?” “I sleep in one, another is a guest bedroom, then I have one full of books, a dungeon of doom, storage, you know, that kind of stuff.” “One was not like the rest.” “Yeah, I guess I should call it a library instead of like book room or something.” “No, the other one.” “I didn’t mention another,” I say. “Just don’t go in the room with the red door.”

“Do you know what was at my house when I bought the place? A mouse family. They’d made a little mouse nest in the cupboards. Pascal left their carcasses on my bed as a housewarming present. It was very nice of him. I’d roll over and there’d be a dead mouse staring me in the eyes.” “That sounds so sweet,” I say.

“Pascal wants to eat me.” “Nah, he doesn’t eat living things. He just kills them and leaves them in my bed,” he assures me.

“What just happened?” Bishop asks, pulling me out of this bizarre fantasy. “What?” I ask as my eyes snap up to his. “Well, I was talking and then you suddenly got this weird look on your face as you stared off into space for a ridiculously long time.” “Oh, that? Just… thinking about my dad being… shot. You know… the norm.”

I don’t actually want to shoot my father. It was just something extremely stupid that he said that makes me think about what I’d do if he was shot.” “Does he… ever say something that’s not stupid?” Bishop asks. I think about that for a moment. “Nope. Never. One time he was like ‘I got cookies’ and that was alright until I found out they had raisins in them. Then that was also stupid.”

“When did your parents give it to you?” “Today… the housekeeper handed me a card and it just said, ‘We got you a car. If you want a different color, let Frank know.’” “Who is Frank?” “That’s what you got out of all of that?” he asks. I shrug. “Maybe?”

“My gift allows me to see who a person is going to fall in love with,” I say. Bishop’s eyebrows shoot up. “You’re gifted?” “I am.” “And you’re like some love guru?” “It also tells me when someone’s going to kill someone else.” His smile falls. “Oh… that’s… dark.” “And better yet, I can see in my dreams how they’ll fall in love or… how they’ll die.”

I sink down to the floor of the bathroom, curling into a ball on my side while hoping my heart will calm itself shortly. I see something emerge from under the door, a dark gray paw reaching for me until the door gets pushed inward and Pascal parades in like he has acquired the skill Door Opener. He walks over and sits down before flicking his tail into my face.

I push his tail back and wrap my arms around the cat. “No tail. Your tail doesn’t make me feel better when I’m forced to eat it.”

“Do you both want a detention? Because that’s where you’re headed,” I warn them, which just makes them laugh. “I would love to see you give Cali a detention,” Elijah says. “She literally cried for hours the one time I grounded her. Begged for my forgiveness. Told me she’d never do it again,” I say. Cali’s eyes are narrowing as she stops on her way to her seat. “Excuse me? I was like five.” “It was like two years ago.” “You are no longer my brother. I actually don’t know you,” she decides. “Where are you going to live then?”

I have the house spotless when Alex comes in with his sister and her friend Nikki. I’m beaming at him before realizing that maybe I look too excited, so I try to smolder a bit which makes Alex’s eyebrows knit. “What are you doing?” he asks. “Smoldering. It’s all the rage in London right now,” I say, which makes him laugh.

“He also has a bowling alley and a pool table, and if that wasn’t enough, a home theater,” Alex says as he points toward the room those things are in. “Which you do not have permission to use because I somehow raised you to be a demon.”

With everyone in their swimsuits, I show them to the closet packed full of inflatable toys, including some crocodiles made to sit on while battling the other person off. “Does this mean I get to hit Alex?” Cali asks eagerly. “Oh honey, that’s cute you think you could knock me off,” Alex says sarcastically as he grabs his own crocodile without hesitation. He jumps into the water, splashing the girls before mounting that crocodile with ease. Cali, on the other hand, rolls it every time she tries to get on. “How the hell are you able to get on this dumb thing?” she asks as Nikki laughs at the failed attempts. “Guess I’m just better at riding things,” Alex says. “Oh. My. God. Ew,” Cali says. “My ears.”

“God, don’t let his head get too big. He can already barely fit it through doors,” Cali says as Nikki stabilizes the croc for her to get on. Once she’s seated, she holds her sword upright and starts kicking toward Alex. “To war!” She’s kicking as fast as she can, holding her sword steady as Alex swings his, smacking right into her side and sending her toppling off. “Praise me, mere commoners. Who else would like to battle against Alexander the Demolisher?” he declares.

“Ah yes, Bishop King the Prosperous. Your money won’t save you here.” “I don’t need it to. Would you like to beg for your life first?” “I never beg,” Alex states. “But if you’d like a moment to pray, I shall consider it.”

Before I say anything, I hear a gunshot and jump. I try to sit up to see who pulled the trigger, but there’s no time before the bus jerks hard to the right and hits something. It’s twisting and turning as I’m thrown from the seat and away from Alex who I desperately try to grab onto. “Fuck,” I yell as I slam down on the ground onto my hands and knees, fingers digging deep into the carpet of my living room floor.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Bishop looks like he’d worship the ground you walk on. He’s like so giddy every time you’re around.” “Giddy?” I ask with a grin. “Hands down.” “Talking about giddy, stop laughing at Elijah’s jokes,” I warn. Her face immediately turns red. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Right,” I say. I’m glad to have her smiling again, but my mind is wrapped around the bus. What the absolute hell was that?

Cali’s anxious as she looks over at me. “Does that mean he can take me from you?” “No, he wouldn’t win in court. There’s no way he’d win. He’d be laden down with so many child endangerment charges. I know all of his darkest secrets. There’s no damn way he’d win anything, I promise you.” “But what if he tries?” “He can try all he wants, Cali, he won’t win.” I reach over and squeeze her hand, hoping to reassure her. “You’re mine whether you like it or not.”

“Which looks nicer?” I ask as I hold up two different button-down shirts so my dad, who is sitting in a chair in my bedroom, can see. “Well… do you want to look like a starfish or a neon traffic cone?” Dad asks.

Traffic cone! That gets my vote 100%.

“Is this because I’m meeting Alex?” “No, it’s because one is so orange you could double as a traffic cone and the other makes you look like a starfish.”

“You are the strangest thing I’ve ever made in my life, and I’ve made some weird shit. One time in high school, I tried rolling a joint with a condom wrapper. And you’re still weirder than that joint.” “Is that why you knocked Mom up? You used your condoms for weed instead?” “One hundred percent.” “Lovely.”

“What wife are you on now?” I ask as if I don’t know he’s in the process of getting married to wife number four. “Quantity over quality is my motto,” he says.

I feel like I have first-date jitters or something as I pull in. Like we’re going on this super ultra-date, when we are actually just stalking some guy who might be the reason a bus crashes. That’s not romantic at all.

“You look very nice,” Alex says before I can say the same about him. “You do too,” I say. “You sure I don’t look like a blueberry?” “Blueberries often do look quite sexy in my eyes,” he teases. “Oh yeah? You wanna do dirty, dirty things to those blueberries?” He’s laughing now. “So dirty. But alas, you just look like a human wearing a blue shirt.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve been to an actual club.” “Same. Last club I was in, I started a fight. Whole club just went fucking nuts. Busting bar stools over each other. The bouncer punched someone so hard his head went through a glass door. What about you?” Alex asks like there’s even the remotest possibility my story could one-up his.

I… went with my mom. She wanted me to meet her new husband. It was really loud so it kind of hurt my ears, and we decided to leave early. She just wanted to show her new husband that she was still hip and young because he’s younger than me,” I explain. “So about the same level of disaster then,” Alex says with a grin. “I’d say definitely comparable,” I tease.

“Want a beer?” I shout. “A bear?” “Beer.” “Oh, sure. I want a bear too.” “Like fuzzy bear or like… human fuzzy bear?” I ask. “I’ll let you pick,” he jokes.

“I’ll beat him up,” I announce. Alex’s grin is widening. “Oh?” “I’ll tackle him right here and now.” “He told me he’s a black belt.” “How long did you talk to this man?” I ask. “He’s also a surgeon with a very nice house,” Alex adds. “Were you two playing twenty questions while I was gone for two minutes?” I ask. “My house is bigger. Have you seen my house?” “Is that what you do when you want to fight? Strut up and just go ‘My house is bigger,’” Alex teases.

“Oh… man, I thought I was gonna get to show you my moves.” “You can show me your moves any day of the week, but maybe pick someone weaker than you,” he advises.

“I swear! He really did just ask where the bathroom was. Maybe he had like an awakening when he talked to me or something.” “You waken something inside me every time I talk to you, so I can’t even blame him. Frustration, anger, arousal, those kinds of things,” I say

“Do you ever wonder if she was just trying to get a better brother or something? Like thought this one was getting a bit boring?” “Huh.” “I always wanted a brother or sister. So I’m jealous that I never got waterboarded by my imaginary sister,” I say.

Hey… you wanna dance?” Alex raises an eyebrow at me. “Like… with my feet?” “I doubt the floor is clean enough to use your hands.”

“Tie or no tie? Do I look too fancy?” Bishop asks. “You’re literally wearing a suit that I feel like I should mug you for and sell at a pawn shop,” I say. Bishop turns to me with a raised eyebrow. “You… want to get me naked? Is that what I just heard?” Maybe. “Ha. Ha. You’re so funny.

Cali laughs as she smashes my face down against the bed, oblivious to the torment going on in my mind, but when I grab her and pull her into my arms to squeeze her tight, she smiles at me, big brown eyes watching me closely as her hair sticks up from rolling around. “Fuck. Thank god I have you or I think I’d go crazy,” I admit. She pokes me in the nose, like she thinks that’s the best answer to this. “Fuk,” she says, pleased with herself. Great. I’m not meant to be a parent but I’m the best she’s got.

“Yes, the best cat in the world.” “Or maybe he’s just a regular demon. Did you summon him by accident? Did you use the blood of innocents?” “I did and out popped this cute little kitten,” I say.

“My skin might be dying, but there’s this weird part of me that is still like ‘I’m with Bishop which makes me happy!’” “That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me,” Bishop says. “Oh good, I thought you were going to think I was a masochist and a nudist.”

“I’m just glad you didn’t leave in the middle of the night after all of that.” “This is my house.” “Yeah, but you’re rich enough to go buy a new house to avoid me,” Alex says. “I would hands down do the opposite for you. I’d literally buy a house for you just to snag your attention. Want a new house? A car? Am I coming off a little strong? I feel like this is a little strong,” I say.

I hook her leg with my foot and her arm with my hand so I can yank her onto the bed with me. I put her in a chokehold. “You give?” “No!” she cries as she struggles against me to no avail. “Fine!” I turn the choke into a hug. “Oh, I remember when you were little and cute, and I’d cuddle you and then you’d jab me in the eyeball and laugh and laugh. You thought it was the best thing ever to blind me.” “You’re making me sound like a monster!” “You were a monster, but you were cute, so I let you get away with it,” I say.

“Can you imagine if I’d walked up to you one day after not seeing you for thirteen years and was like, ‘Hey, guess what? We’re destined to be together but also kill each other, wanna get a coffee?’” “I’d have been like ‘Sure. Sounds hot,’” I say.

“I… when I finally tried to see you, I couldn’t find you anywhere and I was so mad. I’m sorry.” “I am too.” I know he’s right. I know that we’re better for it, but maybe I wanted to spend every moment with him, growing up together. Maybe I want as much time with him as I can get before fate intervenes. Because honestly, there’s no way it can be right. There’s no way I’d ever hurt him, and I can’t imagine him ever hurting me.

“I’m going to help Bishop make cookies so he doesn’t burn the house down, then I’ll join,” I say. “Bishop is all looks and is super sweet, but he can’t turn on an oven,” Cali explains to Elijah. I point a finger at her. “Only I am allowed to make fun of him,” I warn her. “Then why is everyone allowed to make fun of me?” she asks. “Good question,” I say, leaving it at that as I head out the door.

He waves at his face. “Does any part of my expression say that I’m concerned about my car? What the hell happened to you?” “I was just abducted, held at gunpoint, then got my eggs and came home, it’s fine,” I say. “Now let’s make some cookies.” “What part of any of that was fine?” he asks. “Please tell me none of that actually happened.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” I still feel like it was. “If I hadn’t warned her, she wouldn’t have died.” “Then it’s both our faults. But Alex, it’s not like this woman was offering you a kitten and your dad busted in and was like ‘I hate kittens!’ and shot her. She’d stabbed you.” His finger brushes over the scar on my stomach.

“Ready for a better life, Cali?” I ask. “Yep!” She has no idea what that means. She has no idea that better doesn’t mean easier. It likely means harder. But I’ll fucking make sure it’s a better life if it’s the last thing I do.

“Don’t make us go!” Ruby pleads. “We’re the good kids. We should be praised for our amazingness. We’ll turn out the lights and be quiet and no one will ever know.” “And then I’ll get fired for hoarding teenagers in a dark room,” I say just as the principal comes on the PA system, announcing that teachers can now let the sophomores head down to the auditorium.

“Sorry I tased you,” Caleb says, trying to look all cool and shit while I’m trying to get my legs to understand that they do still work. “Oh, no, it’s fine. I’ve always wanted to know what it felt like to get run over by an electric bull. Not pleasant, if anyone is wondering,” I say.