Quoted By:
"I'm not making fun of it. You can't remember. Do you know what else people can't remember?"
You're so cold. It's all the water— down your front, your back, everywhere here. You bring The Sword closer to warm yourself.
"Locitis. That's interesting. You know what else you can't remember?"
"Uh... I don't think I can... by definition, uh, I mean, I can't..."
"What Casey did to your boyfriend."
"What?" you say. "...Gil? He's not my— I keep telling everybody! He's my retainer! And we just got separated. He's fine."
"He is fine," Ellery says. "Now. You don't remember before. Do you know who wiped it?"
"Richard isn't here." You touch the valve at your neck. Does it do warm water? "There's no way he—"
"Who the fuck is Richard?"
You don't say anything.
"Wait, that's... the guy. The Dread and Awful..."
"Dread and Terrible Beast," you mumble. "But he's not really dread and, um... he's nice now. And he's not really a beast. He's my father. Sort of. It's complicated."
"Your father—" Ellery stands straight up. "Your dad is <span class="mu-i">Management?</span>"
"I just said he wasn't exactly my— Richard isn't <span class="mu-i">Management.</span> What are you talking about?!" You stand up even straighter. "You <span class="mu-i">are</span> crazy! You're a crazy person! He's never once said anything about—"
"He's never walked up and told you he was Management?"
"No! He— no! Why would he?! I—" You slow yourself down. "Um, he, well— he never even seemed like he knew—"
"And he's never hidden anything from you before? This Dread and Terrible Beast?"
"Shut up," you say. "He's not— he's <span class="mu-i">not</span> Management. That's stupid. He's a snake."
"Not when I saw him," Ellery says. "When I saw him, he was dressed exactly like—"
"He just likes sunglasses! Lots of people like sunglasses. And he—"
"He gave you the fangs."
You clamp your mouth shut.
"That's what you said. The Dread and Terrible Beast gave you the fangs. Let me guess; the eye, too?"
"I told you I didn't know where—"
"Do you think it was him?"
How did it turn into this? How did he turn it around? "Maybe? I... I don't want to talk about my..."
"How about the rest of it? Please share. Did you forget where that all came from, too?"
No, you haven't forgotten all of it. A little bit was from when you fell through that seal and saw God. You don't think you should tell Ellery that. You'd prefer not to tell him anything. "I— I don't know."
"You don't know. Because you're an idiot, Charlotte. You're a stupid kid. You're getting played. I've been there; it happens. I got played, and now I'm this, you see? Nothing left. They dip you full of water, then they wring you dry. They're good at it. Have they wrung you yet?"
(4/5?)
