The Muse Gang

Chapter eighteen

A day before Liza's birthday, Marshall appeared again after a very long time... Just two weeks though. My sis was out for ballet lessons. She had come to my room before leaving to give me a kiss. That was new, Marshall noticed. He snickered when she had left, "What happened all of a sudden between you two?"

I sighed with a sad smile, "We have to talk. Those creeps are going too far. I mean they are after Sofie now!"

"You mean the fallen?" He raised a brow.

"Yes I mean the fallen!" I declared.

"What did they do to her?" He seemed rather serious and concerned.

I looked at him for a while and put my hands out in explanation, "She was in a relationship with one of them... Yeah Peter. Then he just broke up with her without reason. Harold somehow makes his way into her dreams, trying to convince her to kill me," I looked up at Marshall then and noticed the deep frown he had on because of the last part of what I said.

"That's not all," I pushed on, "They even possessed her and made her almost kill her friends.

He shook his head and folded his arms, "Wait wait wait! She told you all of this."

I glared at him and noticed I was shifting into a bar mood, "Of course she did. I mean she was crying six days ago all over me."

Marshall was silent for a while before he groaned tiredly, "I'm sorry. In fact, I came here with their end in mind." "What do you mean by that?" I asked him.

He half smiled because of the moment, narrowing his eyes at me as though he was about to say something amazing, "Remember your idea of finding a place in Oxford where Amaya calls secret and loves to keep stuff?" After I nodded, he went on, "Well that's where Kuma is."

Now another stressful mission was on paper, "And how do you know this?"

He sat down and looked at me, "The six of us decided to give our hosts a break. So we did everything ourselves for some time. After we had borrowed anonymous bodies, I took them to Oxford. To be precise, Amaya's inner circle. Used to be a school before we died. And yeah, we found em, making sure Kuma's abode was tight with security."

I shrugged nonchalantly, "Well. Lucky for us."

My muse analysed my mood, "You seem frustrated. But we gotta gather tomorrow night to discuss strategies."

I almost nodded... But frowned in thought. Tomorrow night? Liza's birthday? How helpful?

Shaking my head in determination, I bluntly refused, "Tomorrow? No way! I won't make it. It's Liza's birthday."

Marshall was dumb for a while, I guess trying to confirm if I had really said that or not, "You're joking right? Liza, really?"

I sighed and closed my eyes, rubbing my face and thinking of what to say, "Look Marshall. I understand you dislike her. But we are together now, and I can't help it. I finally get the chance to be with someone and this muse gang can't rip that from me. I....." I looked at him making this last part very clear to him, "can't miss this for the world."

But as always, he fought back, "Dude! The annoying part of all this is the girl ain't even interested in you. And you plan to leave the climax of the whole thing for a birthday party, her birthday party?!"

"What makes you think she ain't interested in me?" I asked with a tone that demanded an answer this time.

He paused and got up from the chair. This argument was going to be serious. And if I didn't stop it now, it wasn't going to end well.

But then, he said something that crossed all borders, "You don't even know her well. A school mate of yours you crushed on but knew nothing about asked you on a date... And you agreed?! She's a hussy." Okay that last part, "Do not call my girlfriend a hussy."

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"Oh did that hurt," he teased with a smirk because he knew he was clearly getting to my anger lobe, "Same way you are hurting me right now. This has been the most important part of the team, the idol. And you got the balls to tell me you've got Liza's birthday to attend."

I glared at him, "Why you being so bossy?! Can't I decide what I want to do?"

Marshall rubbed his hands on his face and breathed calmly. Oh but I wasn't calming down. He was my muse, not my boss.

He seemed to read my mind and got back to his state of anger, "You think I'm being bossy. All I've been asking is for you to make the right decision here, the more important one."

I faked a thinking bubble and looked at him finally, breaking all his expectations, "Yeah okay. I will. Liza's party. That's the more important one to me."

I had never seen Marshall frown as he did now, "What the... If the fallen get their hands on all the blood they need, we all go. I go."

I know he said that expecting a change of heart from my part. I mean he meant something to me right? But somehow, the fact he exaggerated the whole muse- host relationship thing as a method to control me really got to my nerves. I mean I didn't even have privacy in my own thoughts, "Oh really? That same villain crew possessed my sister, haunted her dreams and made her cry like a baby some days ago. I slit my arm because of that same crew. I missed school and fun time because of meeting and planning strategies. I became the monster who does anything you wanted me to when you possessed my body. Is that what this is all about, controlling me. To be honest, my life was horrible before you came into it. But now, it's hell. I feel I'm better off without the fallen having anything to do with me anymore. I also don't want anything that has to do with them."

There was tense silence in the air for some time. I glanced at Marshall who had a sad gaze on the floor now. I never knew myself that I had that much on my mind. Well now I said it, whatever was meant to happen, will happen. He dragged his gaze to me, "And what do you mean by that?"

"I'm out okay?" I said it before I knew it, "My life and that of my family was very normal until muses stepped in. Before now, I did everything you wanted me to do how you wanted me to do it. My sister's heart got broken. She lost all her friends. I've lost my stand because I'm now handled by some crazy, bossy ghost."

Ouch! I also could see that really hurt him. I mean I had never seen Marshall this sad and vulnerable. I also remember promising myself never to fight with my muse.

But now, I thought this all could end for all I care.

He seemed apologetic now after all the damage he had already caused, "Wait Edward. Do not make irrational decisions here! Are you asking me to leave? You think I boss you around?"

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I narrowed my eyes at him. He still didn't feel so and that was the annoying part of it, "Yes you boss me around. At least I would be able to be my own boss again. The fallen are not who I want to deal with." "Please think this through Edward. We need..."

I cut him off, "So you could put all my family's lives in danger. I've made my decision. Please leave."

Marshall stood, seeming helpless and confused, as if he did something wrong by arguing with me from the start. He knew that... But on my own part, I exaggerated it. And I also knew that, "I'm sorry. But I can't help it. I need my normal life again."

Marshall nodded sadly, "Fine."

I turned away from him, reluctant to see him go like that. I hated to see things end. But I just lost the best friend I have ever had, brother.

He read my mind again, somehow feeling my regret. He then asked one more time, "Do you need me Edward, before I fade away."

I thought for a while and tried to imagine if I wanted the risky, careless muse life or my normal, boring life. Boring seemed more fun than slavery and death, which were the only things muses could get to you, "I don't need you. This is where I belong," I turned slowly and found him by the window, blinking tears away. I shrugged, "As normal as Edward Hanson."

He wiped his face and frowned now, faking strength and superiority, "Then I will take my protection too." Just then a new wave of feeling befell me, something I hadn't felt in a long time, weakness.

He continued, "You are no longer my host."

Again, the little circle on my right wrist vanished. I looked up at him, fighting the tears that threatened to pour out, forcing my shaky legs to stand. He glanced at me one more time... And vanished. That was it....

Marshall was gone, forever. I was Edward Hanson again. It was then I realized the grievance of what I had done. No more magic pudding or floating pizza, Clinton's madness or Edna's sweetness. All of them, even Chris and Fred. They were gone. And most especially.... No more Marshall.