Dearest Penguin People,
Here is the latest chapter of Max and Sebastian. In the last chapter we learned how Sebastian died and how he saved Max from a dire fate.
If you are new to Max and Sebastian, please start here…
As always, a special thank you to P.Q. Rubin for cute little penguin guy up top.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14
“What’s your baby’s name?” A nurse asked the mother.
The girl turned away on her side. “I don’t care. I don’t want it.”
Beside her, the young father whispered, “Her name is Max.”
Sebastian saw the anger in the nurse’s face. She nodded and then looked down through the glass at the newborn. Max lifted her head slightly to look at Sebastian.
“What is she looking at?” the doctor asked.
“For her sake, I hope it’s an angel,” the nurse said.
Sebastian knew he wasn’t an angel, but he desperately wanted to believe in one.
Part II - Chapter 15
Max and Larry waited for Sebastian to reappear. A patch of cold, damp air hung between them and settled on the linoleum like dew.
“He’s a real ray of sunshine, your friend is.”
“Well, if you hadn’t made him mad.”
“Alrighty. I’ll just sit here and stare at the pond growing on the floor.”
Max kicked the bed railing. “Sebastian, get your butt back here. Don’t leave me alone with this weirdo.”
A muffled growl, then Sebastian was back. He settled on the bed next to Max. “Fine, I’m here.”
“You can’t just leave without telling us what was in the room.”
Sebastian stared at his feet, wringing his hands. “You were,” he finally said. “It was a delivery room. You were dead.”
Max became still. “What the hell?”
“Yeah, but that wasn’t the bad part.”
“What could be worse than that?”
“You were being collected.”
Cold needles formed in Max’s stomach. “What does that mean?”
“It doesn’t matter. What matters is that I stopped him.”
“I really died?”
“Just for a little while. But I convinced the moron to leave and you went back into your body. So, no harm done.”
“Wow.” Max fell silent and looked at the wall. She frowned. “But, why me?”
“Remember, I told you that you have a glow.”
“Ha!”
“It happens all the time. Like with this bozo here.” He pointed at Larry.
Larry raised his eyebrows. “Pray tell.”
“Tell me, why does Buttercup follow you? Does she like your company that much?”
“I’m an easy target, I guess.” Larry wiggled his feet under the booties. Maybe he could finagle an extra pair before he left.
“Buttercup sees something in you.”
“I’m glad someone does.”
“I mean she can see your aura. She’s going to torment you to the day you die and then lead you to a dark hole. And you’ll jump in.”
“I will not.”
“Of course, you will. She’s priming you for defeat. Let me guess, she tells you that you are worthless, that there’s no hope.”
Larry glared at him.
“Your aura has some glint or flint. Either way, you’re going down.”
“She’s got to have better things to do.”
“Think of it this way. She’s a dark spirit trapped in a dog’s body with nowhere to go and an eternity to do it. She honestly doesn’t have better things to do.”
“Will you two stop it?” Max punched her flat pillow. This story had gone horribly wrong. Another thought struck her. “Did you see my parents?”
Sebastian looked away.
“Come on. It can’t be worse than what you just told me.”
“She’s right,” Larry said. “What happened?”
Sebastian sighed. “Your mother was in no condition to take care of you.”
Max waited, then gave up. “That’s it? What condition?”
“She may have had a small drug problem.”
“Oh.” Max scooted back against the hospital wall. “But, she wanted me, right?”
Sebastian looked down at his shoes.
Max sank into herself, becoming quiet.
Larry wiped his eyes with the back of his gloved hand and stared at the air between them. Then he asked softly, “Was there anything not life altering horrible that you can tell us?”
Sebastian raised his head the slightest bit. “Max’s dad named her after his dog. Does that count?”
Max perked up. “I was?”
“For what it’s worth, he seemed to really love that mutt.”
Max considered this. She hoped it had been a Labrador. Being named after a Chihuahua would kill her.
Larry smiled. “Good thing his dog wasn’t named Spike.”
“Oh, that would have been cool.”
Larry pulled absently at his glove and then let it snap back into place on his wrist. It settled into a soothing hug on his skin. Something still didn’t add up. “Why did you stay? Why didn’t you go off into the big tofu factory in the sky?”
Sebastian remained silent.
Max piped in, “He thinks we’re connected.”
“How?”
Sebastian shrugged. “I don’t know. Just a feeling.”
“A feeling, huh?”
Sebastian averted his eyes. Then he growled. A familiar ink blot was walking their way. Buttercup sauntered up to them, mean little eyes aglow.
Larry snapped his glove again. “What’s up, Fluffernut?”
Buttercup sidled up to Max, keeping her eyes on Sebastian. “Miss me, Precious?”
“Like rabies. Go away.”
Sebastian advanced toward Buttercup, smoke leaking from his eyes. “Get out.”
“As you wish.” Buttercup trotted toward the main ER. “But I’ll see you all soon.”
“Where are you going?” Larry called out after her.
“To see an ogre. I hope he’s hungry.”
“Don’t you dare.”
Larry watched until she was gone and then pulled his chair closer to Max’s bed.
“What’s up?” Max asked. “Who’s this ogre?”
Larry’s left eye began to twitch. He gave Max a weak smile.
“It’s George. He’s always hungry.”
As a side note…none of this was written with AI and I kindly ask that no one use it for training purposes. Thank you :)
You were being collected... Wow!
"Maybe he could finagle an extra pair... Loved the part about Max being named after a dog!
Thanks, Fran 🐧💖 :)