Something Mom Is Hiding
1130 Words
The thought of Aurora ran through his mind incessantly. She was gone-never to be seen again. How could he deal with such a thing? Because of his adamant need to be a part of something that wasn’t the Zodiac, he’d left his little sister behind to deal with her own inescapable problems by herself. And now, she was gone.
It took everything in him not to fall apart when he was around his mother. Of course, she knew that Aurora was gone but he still didn’t want her to see his guilt and his anguish of having lost a huge part of himself.
It wasn’t only Aurora, that his mind was guilt-ridden of, however, but his daughter as well. Having just gotten back into her life, he couldn’t believe how quickly he was taken from her. She was another one that he needed to get back to, but how?
“You alright over there?”
The sound of his mother’s voice brought Jeriko back to reality. He looked out of his cell and across the way to his mother who was just sitting there in her cell staring at him.
“As good as can be,” He replied sullenly. “You think the old toad has forgotten about us?” He normally would change the conversation when his mother was even close to approaching the subject of his daughter and the guilt of his sister.
Abigail wasn’t blind, however; the expression on her face would hint at knowing what her son was doing in changing the subject every time she inquired about him. And just like in that moment, she just resigned for the time being and responded to her son’s question.
“I’m quite sure that he has not forgotten about us.” She said. “That would be a godsend would it not?”
Jeriko sighed and shrugged, deciding that his mother had a point. “Maybe he has realized that we are not the answer to re-awakening your leader.” He teased.
“My leader?” She chuckled, seeming to know that her son was teasing. “He is your leader as well, Jer.” She said.
Jeriko’s smile disappeared. “No, he is not.”
With a sigh, Abigail tilted her head sympathetically. “You hate him.” She realized. “But you do not know him.”
“I don’t have to know him,” Jeriko retorted. “He’s the root reason why this stupid Gemini curse is in effect! He’s the reason that Gemini twins are forced to kill each other over power! Why would I love him? Why would I want to serve someone like that?” He expressed. “What bothers me most, mother is the fact that you seem not to hate him at all.”
Abigail averted her gaze. “It’s hard to hate him if I’m being honest.”
“Oh? And why is that?” Jeriko asked though as far as he was concerned, there was no excuse in the world good enough for her not to hate this man.
“Jeriko.” She finally answered after a moment of going over her own thoughts. “Just know that Christoph-everything that he has done...there was a valid reason behind it. Even if we do not know all of those reasons.”
Why was she making excuses for this man? He couldn’t believe that she was making excuses for someone so terrible!
“What valid reason could be had for him making Gemini twins battle to the death, mother?” Jeriko sarcastically said. In truth, he didn’t need an answer because there was none that was good enough for him.
“He made that rule, because of me, Jeriko,” Abigail confessed. “Christoph made that rule because of me.”
Jeriko incredulously looked at his mother. “What? What do you mean?”
Abigail shrunk into herself, her gaze gradually pulling away from her son as she began to distance herself.
“Mother?” Jeriko called to her.
Abigail's attention shot over to him for a moment before quickly turning away. She pressed her hands to her eyes.
“Tell me. Tell me what it is you’re talking about.” Jeriko pushed.
It was too late to recant what she had said, knowing that her son would not let it go. How could he? Her confession was something of immense curiosity.
“I don-I don’t know….really…” Her voice trailed off.
“Then how can you know that his reasons are valid?”
“Fine,” She said. “They may not be completely valid but….he had his own reasons-ones that he thought were valid.”
The more she spoke, the more resentment that Jeriko had begun to feel for his secret-keeping mother. He couldn’t help feeling that Abigail was alright with everyone else dying until fate came to her children. It wasn’t fair.
“Mother, regardless of what his reasons are or were….it does not excuse away the constant killing of our people! And just our people! Why?”
“Because Jeriko….The Gemini is the strongest of the Zodiac, you know that. Because of this, we have to give up one half of the power that is two times the strength of the other covens.”
Jeriko just couldn’t buy it. “No one walking this earth should have a right to pick and choose who dies. Especially kids, mother.” Jeriko reasoned. “So...what could be the reason behind his twisted decisions against Gemini combat to the death in connection with you? What did you do to make him come to such a decision?” He pressed
“I didn’t do anything, Jeriko.” She muttered.
“Then why-”
“He was trying to protect me, Jeriko!” Abigail finally admitted, cutting him off. She sighed and looked at her son. “Christoph made the decision to protect me.”
Jeriko was surprised, to say the least. What was his mother hiding from him? What was she so reluctant to talk about?
Jeriko had realized by now that if he asked why, she wouldn’t give him an outright answer as she'd been dancing around one throughout the whole conversation, so he just stood there and stared at her. She had obviously turned distant after her confession. Jeriko knew that finding more information about this would take time; and for the time being, he’d bide his.
- Writer
