“Ah, Alla, you know me, I'm not up to complaining,” Lyudmila sighed. “Life is not only roses… Still, I am always trying my best to be in harmony with my world… However, yesterday my brother arrived with his new “passion”, they finally returned from their long journey! Alla! That's horrible! She's an ugly fool! And he - as if bewitched by her, some kind of possessed!!! I never believed in witchcraft, but how else can this be explained? They both looked like being under anesthesia! Last night I was the one who talking at the table for most time! She is mentally ill, and mental illness can be contagious, like mass psychosis! Lord, what am I saying! Probably, I am too, got sick along with them!”
“Lord, Mila! I've never seen you like this! Did they bring any exotic tea or rum with them? Did you drink or eat anything unusual with them?”
“Alla, hold on! The dinner was completely organized by me, at my premises! But Vladimir has simply degraded in the company of this Olga over the past couple of years! This's not healthy! What awaits us!? He completely stopped all affairs! He stopped sharing anything with me, stopped asking for advice. He does not consult with her either! He just constantly smiles silly and that's it!!!”
“Mila, listen, invite her to tea! I want to see this oddball! I know your brother, he's not a little boy, it's not so easy to zombify him! Maybe everything is not as bad! They are not husband and wife yet! Let's, showing a goodwill, take her to our places, show her to our ladies!”
“I don't know what to do anymore,” Lyudmila sighed again. “We could try… Maybe I just panicked in vain, but I was so tired, everything was so incomprehensible… I waited so long for Vladimir to come home and now… Forgive me, Alla, let's get down to desserts!”
And the two Russian ladies happily took on a purely Russian dessert for tea – cakes “Napoleon” and “Medovik”.
Meanwhile, Vladimir and Olga were planning a wedding. Rather, only Vladimir who was planning. And his sister Lyudmila was the central figure in these plans! She always dreamed of taking the main part in the wedding of her beloved and only brother! She had acquaintances in all relevant circles in London. And salons, and florists, and real estate agents and celebrations – how often did she imagine what her brother's wedding would be like. Lyudmila has long ceased to dream of her own wedding.
And now her brother has decided to marry - and again to a secretary! The first marriage was without a wedding and seemed to be formal, for the business purpose - what an absolute nonsense! And now it was even worse, look like for love, but everything was so naive and completely incomprehensible!
Only what Lyudmila did not know, that Vladimir wanted to rely on her taste completely! Olga did not know about this either! Vladimir believed that wedding chores would bring his two most beloved ladies together!
…And no one knew, that all this was happening due to the hypnosis of an eccentric rich and independent in spirit Golden Zandolie - an alien who had died on his Island, trying to hide from his fellows-aliens and live like a human. It was he who instilled in Vladimir and Olga feelings of fear and mutual dependence, which they took for love…
Lyudmila did not even know how she was right about being under a spell - Vladimir and Olga were programmed by the alien to hold on to each other and not return to the Island.
Chapter 3
The search party for Julia. Dushka saves everyone
The mountain road was winding between the abyss and the sheer stone wall like a giant snake. The car was racing to nowhere, leaning dangerously towards the densely wooded abyss at all bends.
Julia was looking not at the road, but somewhere above it. The cherry-shaped lips were tightly pressed, and traces of tears were sparkling on the round cheeks. Big breasts were heaving badly and small hands were automatically turning the steering wheel…
The image of handsome Marley was in front of her eyes, looking at her affectionately, calling her " my sweetie" and smiling tenderly. He smiled, but his eyes were cold, bottomless.
Then she remembered the eerie blue and gold Zandolie. He had a grin full of gold teeth instead of a smile and the same cold, but yellow-orange eyes with a vertical pupil, like Marley's! Just like her son's Ray's!!!
Julia never told anyone how much pain she felt over Marley's death. He himself chose such a terrible fate to save them all! Sacrificed himself to destroy the Golden Zandolie!
Julia terribly missed this unusual, all-consuming love! Magnificent Marley, son of the terrestrial beauty Indian girl Bernadette and the ugly extra-terrestrial alien Zandolie - Marley was wonderful in everything! But Julia did not remember a single night of their love! Was there anything at all between them and why did she still yearn for him!?
Marley had insisted that he was sterile!
How did Marley know he was sterile? His father told him - Zandolie! Terrible manipulator, liar and psycho Zandolie!!!
Ray was Marley's son?
Zandolie's grandson? And his eyes - were same as grandfather's? And if not only eyes, but also his evil disposition was inherited? And other obscure traits like telekinesis and hypnosis?
Julia did not want and could not be the mother of this little mutant!!!
No, no! It couldn't be! So many years have passed! Or did these aliens have the fetus sleeping inside for a while and then develop in a more favorable environment? For example, when Julia's life finally became more stable and successful, even happy?!
Ha! That's what Julia would have written in her next science fiction novel!
Is her own life reminiscent of the overly twisted plot of a love-fantasy thriller again?!
Julia suddenly stopped the car at a small observation deck on the side of the road not far from another mountain peak. She got out of the car and paused, admiring the beauty of panoramic view. Far below, she could see a huge sea bay with small yachts. The sea was partly surrounded by mountains covered with forests. And the setting sun peeped out coquettishly from the clouds gathered at the horizon. What a calm, majestic splendor!
…How scary it was when the Golden Zandolie ruled the Island! He undoubtedly knew how to command nature and almost destroyed the Island with the help of artificial hurricanes and volcanoes! Marley told such strange and terrible things about him!
Of course, natural disasters sometimes were occurring here on the Island. But Zandolie learned to manage them, for the sake of his sick ambitions…
What would happen if Ray would grow up and like to play god too? Would everything repeat itself!?
Julia turned around and went to the car, in which her strange baby was sleeping peacefully in a special child car seat. Even with his eyes closed, he looked more and more different from an ordinary child. The skull was elongated, the forehead was slightly sloping, the eyes were simply huge. And the child was growing too fast, barely fitting in his seat.
Julia pulled her son out of the child seat - how heavy! But Marley was a giant! And Scott was almost equal to him in size as well! Maybe she was making up everything, old fears are too deeply rooted! The child woke up and stared at her with Zandolie's alien eyes!
Julia in horror stretched the child over the abyss, away from herself!
Apparently, Ray liked the sudden wiggle, and he smiled broadly - Marley's sweet smile, with dimples in his cheeks! She pressed her son tight to her chest in fear and burst into tears again. The son stroked her hair and hummed something happily in his own baby language. Probably “I love you too, mom!”
… At the same time, distraught with despair, Scott arrived at the “Jolly Roger” complex. It was Friday night, when Russian friends usually gathered together, almost always… Scott needed help and advice. At least to talk, to Roger, to someone…
Scott had no idea where to start looking for Julia. He did not even know what he wanted at the moment; it became unbearably difficult to stay in the house. His wife behaved strangely with him, even stranger - with her own child. The long-awaited happiness turned into a nightmare.
Dushka the Shepherd was the first to meet Scott at Roger's. She was very happy to see the red-haired giant! Dushka jumped and ran in circles, trying to reach Scott's powerful chest with her front paws – she definitely couldn't reach his shoulders, no matter how much she jumped! Scott happily hugged and patted the dog and saw Roger wiping his hands on a white apron.
“Oy-oy! What mates moored to our board!” screamed Roger. “Scott! We saw each other just this morning! Or have you finally decided to have dinner as a family like the other comrades!? Look, Zina and Den came here tonight, and Alex dropped by, only alone, just like you! Will you dine with them at the same table? Dushka! Enough! Sit!”
“No! I didn't come for dinner! I need help! Julia and her son are gone!”
All the Russians at the table immediately turned around and joined the conversation. The first to respond was Zina, who hadn't changed at all over the past few years, she hadn't even changed her car (it seems, the T-shirt with denim shorts were the same as well).
“Gone!? When?”
“I don't know, Zina! I came back from fishing, and there is no one in the house! And her car is not there too! She never left without warning. And lately, nowhere without me at all! I thought that she had recovered enough after delivery, that I could be absent for longer than usual!… This was my first boat trip since…”
At this time, Dushka, who was listening very attentively, barked. Roger glared at her over the top of his round glasses. But Zina stopped him with a warning gesture.
“Dushka, you can help us, follow the trail or something else!” Zina proposed. “Roger, lend her to us, let Alex take the leash. And Den and I will go in different ways, look in different directions! The island is small and has just a few roads! It's almost dark! We must hurry…”
… At that very moment, Julia, hugging her son, turned to her car, intending to go home. Though, she did not quite understand where exactly on the Island she was at the moment. Interior narrow mountain roads could be deceiving.
How did she get to this observation deck? It was quite far from the sea… Julia and Ray were now somewhere in the center of the Island! And it was getting dark so quickly! It would be completely dark in the forest part of the road!
Suddenly someone else's car flashed its headlights and drove onto the road next to Julia. A black, muddy jeep with tinted windows stopped. A tall black Rasta man came out with a shock of heavy dreadlocks behind his back and a golden chain over his bare stomach. There were only trousers from clothes… The Star of David glittered on the chain!
It couldn't be!!! THEY still remain here, in the inner wilderness of the Island, really?!!! Nobody has seen black mutants for many years!!! No, no, not here, not now!!!!
Julia with a child in her arms backed away to the cliff… The mutant, without a flinch, looked directly at Ray. He took a step towards Julia, but then the ferocious barking of a dog was heard. The black giant jumped into his jeep with extraordinary agility and quickly disappeared into the darkness. As if no one was with Julia!
