Chapter 7

Freak Nation

Life was quiet for the next three days. Everyone was in morning. I do wish someone would visit me. I realize with a sigh that Liz hasn't been to see me while I'm awake yet. I miss her, and I really want to talk to her.

I practice with my new indigo powers. I can use them to manipulate objects now. This is interesting.

When I was red, I remember being able to sense peoples emotions.

At orange I heard strong thoughts.

At yellow I began to get random flashes of the present with physical contact.

At green I began to get glimpses of the past, and was able to read peoples minds easily.

At blue, I could see the past, the present and brief glimpses of the future while touching objects. Any particularly strong words that linked with memories could throw me back into a vision.

Now, at indigo, it appears that I can OOB (out of body) and I have telekinesis.

I can't help but wonder about violet. I wonder if I'll get that far. I'll have to ask Prof...

Damn it!

The same metal table, my one object that I continuously vent my frustrations on, which they have now given up replacing twists once more, and lets out an ominous screech.

I hear a cough, and someone speaks,

"I'll come in if you promise not to do that to me."

I smile, for the first time in too long.

"Liz"

"Abe"

She comes in and carefully steps around the table. She goes to the side of my tank and opens the slot they use to feed me. I open my side, and smile.

My little beat up rubix cube which the small Hellboy gave me all those years ago drifts into the tank. I snatch it and immediately start fiddling. Liz smiles and I smile back. I know she can tell I'm grateful.

She didn't only come to bring me my cube. She wants to talk about Hellboy of course.

Liz loves him. I know this, so does she on a subconscious level, I suppose.

"Do you have a few minutes?"

I frown and shake my head. "Sorry, I'm off to play table tennis in an hour" she laughs and I smile "But till then you can stay"

She sat down.

"I'm kind of in hiding here, I just had a minor run in with Manning."

I send out a small jet of bubbles, in exasperation.

She nodded grimly and continued.

"He bawled me out about leaving in the first place."

She reiterates the conversation, and I get more and more anxious.

"And so he finally ended up telling me basically that if I set anything on fire I'd lose my driver's license, my diplomas and basically my identity."

This was it. I glare at the table which resembles a pretzel, and it twists again. The strain finally is too much for it, and it collapses into thousands of metal splinters, which flutter to the floor in a pile of dust.

Liz raises her eyebrows, laughing.

I shake my head ruefully.

"I just got pushed up a power level, so my controls a little shaky, and the whole 'trapped in a jar' thing is really starting to get to me."

She nodded. She'd been in a psychiatric ward, after all.

"I know how you feel. I set twelve sets of curtains on fire every winter."

We sit in silence for a few minutes.

Liz is the first to speak.

"Abe, I'm worried about him"

I don't ask who, and she knows I don't need to.

"He hasn't spoken to anybody in three days, not a word."

Have you tried talking to him? There's no way he can ignore you.

"He won't eat, he won't sleep, and I've never seen him like this. Never. Should I stay? With him, I mean."

I sigh. I worry about him too. Liz doesn't need this side of me right now. She needs hope.

"Listen. I'm not much of a problem solver." I hold up my little rubix cube "Three decades, I've only completed two sides."

She smiles at this, the way I knew she would. I continue, for the sake of this little family I have left.

"But I do know this much. If there's trouble, all us freaks have is eachother, and I'm stuck here" she smiles again, and I can tell she is almost convinced. "So, take care of the big monkey for me, will you?"

She smiles, and I reach out and touch the glass. Her hand comes straight up to mine.

Hellboy is standing in front of me, wearing his leather coat. He is so nervous he can barely stand still.

"Are you sure I shouldn't bring the Samaritan? I mean, what if someone attacks the priest?"

I laugh at this, and shake my head. I wear a plain black suit; I don't intend to be above water for long.

"Red, you are so ridiculous, now go, or do you want to keep your bride waiting?"

He walks towards the aisle so fast I have to grab him by the back of his collar to keep him from running out too early.

We walk down the aisle at a steady pace. Liz comes to the altar, looking beautiful in a ice blue dress, with no frills, falling straight to the floor. Liz always looks beautiful. She has an inner grace. Hellboy and I used to joke that it was a good thing we had her to look good, cause we could break mirrors. Honestly, she is the kind of girl who would be done up in a leather corset if they ever made a poster. Now, her hair is up, and Marina has persuaded her to wear a wreath of blue orchids in her hair.

Marina walks behind her, and I am shocked to see another Icthyo Sapiens. Marina Sapien. I know her, or do I? It seems like a memory, but it hasn't happened yet.

Liz and Red are married and the happiness is throwing out waves of energy. I smile, and return to our time.

Liz looks at me, and narrows her eyes.

I smile happily.

"You will have a happily ever after. Don't worry."

She almost cried. I felt it.

She left, reassured.

All us freaks have is each other.

It's true, isn't it?

We have a growing group. Every one who knows us, no matter how nice they may be will never become part of us. Even poor Myers, will be doomed to sit and watch, as life goes on in our Nation, eventually.

Marina will come, and she will be welcomed, because she will understand, and she will not stare, and she will not flinch, and she will not point and whisper, and the other rescued people will join us and we will have our own small nation. Our Freak Nation.

Because all us freaks have is each other.

The End

For Now

By Underwater Owl