The Palmer Legacy Pt. 17

"You can't... hurt me... with that bottle." Lauren wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. "Erato will protect me."

"Right... Erato." Jessica stepped back. The other women were so busy guarding the exits that no one stood between Jessica and the painting. "I don't want to hurt you, Lauren. Just the thing that did this to you." Jessica lunged for the painting.

The laughter vanished. Lauren leapt for Jessica, but it was too late.

With a slash, Jessica brought the sharp, jagged edge of the bottle onto the canvas. She slashed right through the image of Erato with a loud ripping sound. A strong wind moved about the room. Lauren fell to her knees at Jessica's feet. Unimpeded, Jessica slashed again and again, shredding the painting, until no images were discernable. All that was left was tattered colors clinging to a frame. Behind the fragments of canvas lurked a mesmerizing darkness. Jessica had the urge to touch it, but backed away instead. She tripped over Lauren and fell on her butt.

The dark from behind the painting reached into the room, unfurling tendrils and grasping the frame. It then coiled back on itself, pulling all traces of the painting into nothingness. The blackness shrunk as the last piece of frame disappeared. Where Erato's Mirror had hung, there was only unblemished bare wall.

"Oh... my... gosh... oh... my... gosh." Lauren looked around. "What... the heck!"

"Mom?" Hailey, still naked, stumbled over to her mother, dropped to her knees, and hugged her. "I feel like... I just had... a crazy trip."

"It's okay, Hailey." Jessica hugged her and patted her back. "That's what it was. Bad drugs."

"Yes... yes... it wasn't real." Lauren reached for her vagina, inspecting it with her hands. "It must have been... drugs." She stared at Jessica, trying very hard not to see the precum that still smeared her cheek. "Melanie... we took drugs."

Melanie put her back to the wall and slid to the floor. "Drugs?" Had she really done those things with her mom and Hailey? Had she really dumped her sweet boyfriend?

With her daughter still clutching her, Jessica stood. "Lauren, let me help you clean up. You must be exhausted."

"No." Lauren looked down at her pushed-up boobs like she was seeing an alien. "No... please... just get out. This didn't happen. None of this happened. Please... please... don't ever tell anyone what happened."

"Of course, Lauren. No problem." Jessica knew how powerful a tool denial could be. The woman she had been had used it often enough. She wouldn't rob the Keitaros of that. She guided Hailey to her clothes and quickly dressed her. "We're going now."

The Keitaro women didn't acknowledge her. They were both staring into space.

"Come on, Hailey." Jessica took one last look at the broken bottle lying on the floor, put her arm around Hailey's shoulders, and left the room. They quickly got in their car and drove home in silence.

~~

"Welcome home, Sam." Eddie stepped into the room with a sheen on his face. His t-shirt was soaked through at the belly and pits with sweat. He winked at the strange metal ball in the painting, but it said nothing.

"I thought you said he wasn't home." Samantha stepped closer to Ella. She should have known something was wrong when they entered the house and that sickly sweet scent was there.

"I was wrong." Ella shrugged matter-of-factly.

"Welcome home, sweetie." Lindsey stepped into the room behind her son. White goo dripped from her chin onto her blouse.

"We've all been looking forward to this moment, Sam." Debra Wright stepped into the room, too, a bright smile on her face.

"Mrs. Wright?" Samantha shook her head, trying to clear it. "Why are you here?"

"The Big D." Debra smiled like that was the answer to all of life's questions.

"You'll love it, Sam. I promise." A tiny note of apology crept into Ella's voice. "There's nothing else like it."

"Just don't get greedy. Okay, sweetie?" Lindsey's forehead furrowed with concern. "I know you sometimes have trouble sharing."

"I have to... go..." Samantha turned but stopped when she felt Ella's small hand on her arm.

"He's your brother, and he loves you, Sam." Ella pulled her friend away from the door. "He really wants you to see it... to feel it. And then I can have a turn."

"Oh... shit." Samantha twisted her arm out of Ella's grasp but didn't run. She turned toward her brother's smarmy smile. "You did it with Ella?"

Eddie gave her a boastful shrug. "She loves my dick. They all love my dick."

"You're disgusting." Samantha's mind raced, but her feet remained planted. She struggled to think straight. "The painting is manipulating you." She nodded to the framed canvas where three guys posed with their mothers on a rickety dock next to a half-submerged metal ball. "The whole town is -"

"Hello, Sam." Julia Price stepped into the room. The place was crowded with women. "Eddie asked me to be here to offer my testimonial. I was frightened of his thing at first, as I'm sure you are. I ran from the classroom the first time he took it out." She twisted her blond hair nervously. Her brown eyes wide and earnest. "But honestly, I'm so happy I gave your brother another try. Being with him has changed my life."

Samantha stared at her pretty teacher. She tried very hard not to picture their teacher bouncing on top of her fat brother. "I think... I'm in trouble." When she took a step toward Eddie, all the other women clapped and cheered. When she took another step, Eddie dropped his pants and his monstrous dick fell into view.