Zyca followed Mrs. Aster, giving a nervous glance at the whistling Colt, following closely behind, like he hadn't done something wrong. She wanted to smack him harder than his mother did. How could he! "That lying Linus." Apparently, his mother hadn't sent him like she though she did. And now she'd lost the one thing that mattered to her, Allet. What could she be doing now?

Sleeping? Or dying? It scared her shitless.

Colt had just gotten home when the thing was called to tell her to run and as he quoted 'It had a big mouth.' It wasn't a lie though; the thing did have a big and loud mouth.

****

The inside of the house was just as the outside looked; gorgeous. It was neat and well arranged. The bookshelf, at the center of two couches stood tall filled to the brim with different kinds of book, old and new. It smelt heavenly when they passed through. Her hand almost, reached out to grab one, but she knew better than to touch something that weren't hers.

The clock on the wall chimed, a yellow clock bird popped out from its room, whistling as it went in and out. The body of the clock, was made of glass, and the pendulum stood still.

"Hadn't worked in years," Colt walked passed her.

"It just chimed," she said, staring at the clock.

"Genie powers," Colt spread his lips in a grin and with a short whistle from him, disappeared out of sight.

"Magic," she whispered to herself. Magic was a strange thing, it could perform so many wonders with the use of genie powers. She wanted to use hers, she craved to try it. She wanted to feel it. But the golden cuff which cut off her powers would not let her. Maybe she could save her sister with just a swing of her hands or the rubbing and pinching of her palms, like the way Colt did.

The Aster's home, had a homey and cozy feeling to it unlike Master Kane's. Despite being an unexpected visitor, Mrs. Aster treated her kindly, just like Colt did.

"Colt told me so much about you darling," Mrs. Aster said, clattering about the spacious kitchen, placing pots and pans on the lit stove. "When I heard at the office, Zyca Abram was to be taken. I panicked. I knew I had to do something to help but if I went myself, I would definitely lose my job. So, I sent my message ball," she began chopping a ball of onions on a board.

"Please let me." Zyca stretched her hand out, waiting for Mrs. Aster to let her do the work.

"Oh no," she gently slapped her hands away. "I don't use green genies," then she smiled. "I don't support that kind of crap."

Mrs. Aster was like her son. Zyca couldn't say how surprised she was. Never has she met someone older who treated her right, even Master Kane never helped her do any of her chores despite having saved her.

"You look so skinny dear," she shook her head in disapproval. "I'll make something good for you to chow. Now shuu... go sit." she chased her away, nodding towards the opposite direction.

Zyca glanced around the room and looked – really looked. The kitchen was marvelous. She would know, she spent most of her time in one cleaning and preparing food. The room was twice the size of any room she'd ever seen, the walls were pure white and the floor so smooth she could glide through if she wanted to.

Before she set a foot put to move to where she was directed, Colt walked in, wearing a different pair of clothing.

"Colt, Colt, Colt," Mrs. Aster chanted, pouring the chopped onion which sizzled in the pan. She clasped her hand with a clap, the spatula drew near and stirred the food without her help. So powers could make food too?

"I can't believe you went there all by yourself. You could have told me," she rested her hands on her waist, giving a piercing look to her son.

"I told you I was sorry," he said.

"Shut up boy."

Just then, a blustering noise came from up the stairs. They could hear it clearly because of the filmy ceiling she was now sure most houses had.

Mrs. Aster spotted a deadly smile on her face, rubbing her hands in delight.

Colt yawned explosively. "I'm so tired. Um, I haven't gotten some rest since this morning," he backed away towards where he had come from, ready to bolt out.

"Oh no you won't," she clapped her hand, sending the door banging to a close. "I know what your punishment will be."

"Isn't telling dad punishment enough?"

"Definitely not," she said walking back to the stove. She bent low speaking inaudibly.

"What's she doing?" Zyca asked Colt.

"Plotting my death."

"What can a spatula do?"

"You'll see."

"Awesome!" Mrs. Aster exclaimed, turning to them. "He says he will play."

"Like he had a choice," he murmured. If Mrs. Aster heard what he said, she showed none of it.

"Meet you back here son," she opened the cup bored down below, taking a carton of rice and pouring it dry into the pot of boiling water.

"I want to help." Zyca spoke. "He helped me escape, let me help him too."

"I can't let you do that."

"Please let me," she pleaded. How unfair it would be to let Colt suffer for helping her escape.

"Ok fine." Mrs. Aster said.

The Spatula led them deeper into the house, swinging in the air alone without anything or anyone holding onto it. It was creepy.

For a moment, Zyca wondered what his punishment was. The uneasy steps he took, nibbling on his fingers told her it was something he hated to do. She could feel it deep in her mind she would hate what she was going to see.

"So, you got punished again?" a little boy of about fifteen spoke, snickering as he fell into step with them. "And who may this be?" he said seizing her up with his eyes. Zyca felt somewhat uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Buzz off Clarence." Colt said grimly.

"C'mon tell me," he worried. "Is she one of your girlfriends? Is that why you got sent to feed the beast?" The Beast? There was a beast in their house? "You made a green genie your girlfriend?"

"No, she's not my girlfriend and yes that's why I was punished," said Colt in an undertone. "Now buzz off."

Colt went ahead, bumping into a stone hedge he hadn't noticed. "Ouch!" he screamed. Clarence snickered and Zyca couldn't hold her laugh too. She had forgotten all about her bruise but was reminded when her side throbbed again from her chortle.

"Shut up," he grumbled.

"Why don't you introduce me broootherrr?" Clearance taunted. "Let me know what you see in herrrr- I might like her too."

"Zyca meet my problem of a brother Clarence."

"Zyca? As in Zyca Abram?" he asked "The daughter of Naxeremis?" he added with a sneer.

Zyca bobbed her head in response. "You do know you're wanted all over Genie land." he probed her with his stare. "For letting your father ..."

Colt clasped his hand swiftly over his brother's mouth preventing him to continue what he spoke about. He tried to struggle out of his arms but Colt was having none of it. "Clearance was just leaving. Weren't you little broootherrr?" Colt asked exchanging a silent message through a stare down.

"Alright, alright. I'm leaving," said Clearance entangling himself and fell forward. He cleaned his lips and palmed down the non-existent crease on his shirt.

Clearance huffed before tugging off in the opposite direction.

"I have a feeling your brother doesn't like me very much," she said watching the said boy's retreating back.

"He likes no one. C'mon let's get back to my punishment."

They followed the patiently waiting Spatula, down another vestibule to a Vault, Massive and metallic. Chains made of the same material as her cuff wrapped round the double handle in circles. Zyca wondered what could be behind the metallic barrier. Maybe it was the beast Colt's brother spoke about?

"Wait out here," said Colt as he unwound the chains. "On no circumstance must you enter."

Zyca stepped back as the Vault opened with a screech. She couldn't help but be curious, so she craned her neck to look after Colt and the spatula went in.

There were scrunching sounds accompanied by a roar so terrifying and ear-splitting but it was better that the sound of White wash.

It was unlike anything she'd seen before. A wild green. Yes, she saw pictures of them in history books, long ears and razor-sharp teeth, sitting in their own pool of blood - but seeing it face to face was a lot different, it tugged somewhere deep in her heart. It could be because it only happened to the green. It is said, they turned wild whenever they force themselves out of their cuffs or get someone to take it off for them.

But why did a wild green live with the Asters?

Martha, the name Colt spoke when he approached the unclothed beast slowly, was bound like an animal to the wall, clasping around in its space. "Calm Martha."

Colt slowly picked up a dish from the corner, her food or water bowl perhaps. He walked across the room, to a drum crested with horizontal lines and fetched from it a bowl of brownish sustenance which looked like poop. He raised his hand signally the spatula to lay in it. Which it did.

"I've come to feed you Martha," he said, counting his steps as he got closer to Martha. His butt stuck in the air and his arms quivering from fright. Colt dragged a foot forward, nearing the green.

Martha watched him silently, her head bobbing from the sound his steps made. Her mouth drooled from the food she was about to eat or the boy she wanted to eat.

"Yummy Martha, it's your favorite grub," Zyca was sure, Martha longed for him from the way she suddenly inched, ready to pounce.

"COLT!" Zyca heard herself scream.

She was too late, the beast jumped on him baring its teeth in his face. The dish he once held in his hand, spilled all over the floor. Zyca didn't know what to do to help. Mrs. Aster was too cruel, sending her son to his death.

"Geoff, Geoff. Get off of me," Colt slapped the beast all over.

Colt kicked her, throwing her an inch away from him. Just enough space for him to escape. Zyca could have sworn she had seen the spatula laugh, when it flew outside the Vault alongside Colt who barreled wide-eyed.

"I HOPE YOU STARVE," he yelled at Martha who started licking the spilled food.

Soon they heard the sound of a door slam.

"Oh no." Colt said grimly. "Can this day get any worse?"

"What is it?" she asked the boy who spotted the look of death.

"Dad's back!" Clearance spoke from somewhere. She couldn't see even a shadow of him.

****

Mr. Aster, was a scary man. Or rather his face was. The way his eye brows darted between her and Colt, rubbing his curly mustache with his fingers was like that of a terrorist.

They were seated at the feasting table, the air, tense and hard - the aroma of the food made her mouth water to have just a taste.

Mr. Aster took a spoon and chewed, prompting everyone at the table to do the same. Zyca chewed, her taste buds came alive as every corner of her mouth exploded from the taste. It tasted just as it looked; delicious.

"What is this son?" Mr. Aster finally cut the silence. "I come back from work just to hear my son harbored a criminal." Zyca wouldn't lie and say, it didn't hurt her when he spoke such words. He wasn't like Colt and his mother. That must be where Clearance got his attitude from. Speaking of him, Clearance ate his food silently opposite her with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Thank the heaven, I never introduced him at work." Mrs. Aster said. "How disastrous that would have been. We could have gotten implicated ---- But I'm glad you're here with us darling," she sent a small smile her way probably for her not to think otherwise.

"I've apologized already and I've fed Martha as my punishment."

"And you will be feeding her till you go back to school." Mr. Aster poured himself a glass of water and drank.

"That's like two months – Dad please, she scares me."

"She scares me." Clearance mimics annoyingly.

"Buzz off Clearance," Colt threw a piece of what he ate his brother who stuck out his tongue.

"So, tell me Zyca. Did you really set your father free?" Mr. Aster asked.

"DAD!" Colt exclaimed.

"It's not like it's a secret or anything."

Zyca blinked failing understand what they spoke about. "What do you mean?" she looked to the other members of the family. They stared, waiting for her answer. "Naxeremis is free?"

"I knew she didn't do it," Colt regarded her with a reassuring grin, taking her hand into his. He entangled them into his fingers.

"Don't take her side because you're in love with her," Clearance got up, walking out of the room with his leftover in his plate.

"No eating in your room." Mrs. Aster shouted after him but the five-foot boy had already left the room.

Colt was changing color, his cheeks had a sprinkle of a lighter shade of red, and his lips were folded into his mouth as he bit on it. "I'll go smack him," he got up in an instant and dashed out of the room.

Oh Colt.

"Please tell me. Is my father really free?" she wanted to know. All her attention on the two adults eating silently from their bowls.

"As a matter of fact, he is. Found his way out, that one. Over decades, no one could break out of Laddendebt but he did. I don't know how he did it but they think..."

"That I set him free," she finished.

"Exactly. Everyone could tell when white wash chimed - I hate that sound and it had to just chime twice – they should really put an end to that thing - You want some more food?" Mrs. Aster got up, moving to the counter with her empty plate.

"I'm good. Thank you - Where did he go?" she asked.

Mr. Aster shared a brief look with his wife. "The human world," his wife answered, her voice topping whatever her husband wanted to say. "To complete what he started perhaps," Mrs. Aster walked back to the table and sat, placing a spoon in her mouth.

"What about my -"

"She's safe -- It's you, they looking for. They know you'll surely show your face now they have someone you treasure."

Zyca heaved a sigh. Now she knew her sister was safe; a heavy burden was taken off her chest.

"How then do I clear my name? I can't continue to hide in your home, now can I?" It wasn't like she didn't like the short moment she spent with the Aster's – she wanted her sister back and the only way to do that is to clear her name.

"It's either, you go for trial but we all know the results wouldn't be in your favor or you go with the other option," Mrs. Aster answered.

"And what is that?"

"You go into the human world."

****

Zyca could not help but stay up awake that night, even though she laid for the first time after so many years, on a soft and comfy bed. The times her mother, used to tuck her in when she – oh how she didn't want to think about the woman who left her, not now – she had enough on her plate already. Her sister was safe, she was happy but now she has to go into the human world for them to be together again. What was she going to do? She didn't know what the human world was like, even the books she read had no visuals of such world – what did they look like? What did they eat? Did they have multi-colored citizens just like they did? Her father must hate them that much for him to cause her so much trouble through her life.

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