Chapter 261 Last Dream (1/2)

Chapter 261 Last Drea Aldrich wonder exactly how much she knew of the world around her She sees and es she did not know either

Basically, she was like a hu she copied off of Aldrich's soul, most likely how his soul had been when he was little, but he still did not know for sure what she did know or did not

It was a learning experience

Like parenting

"How are you alive?" asked Randall

"Don't ask that," said Alan "It's not soet into But trustHe says he's going to take this shop over and give it a nice facelift He'll hire et me a nice job, the kind you alanted for me

shi+t, you and Elaine always coood for nothing junkyard rat Guess I get to prove you guys right for once, huh?"

"Really?" said Randall

"Yes," said Aldrich "I don't kno much uess I don't have ," said Randall "About Elaine - I' her that time It must have meant so much to her Out here, she had nobody As a pure huled so row up and face the reality of the world

Every single time I had to tell her some truths, that her parents abandoned her, that the Alters hated her for who she was, that this would never change, it felt like I was breaking off a piece of my heart

Every tiot smaller and smaller

By the time she went off to Blackwater, she hardly ever smiled at all But she sh for me"

"You were an incredible father to her," said Aldrich "The best she could ask for - those were her oords"

"Was I?" Randall paused for ainflection His face, like most of his body, was frozen, unable to show any expression His breathingrhythm It was impossible to show any emotion, and yet, that pause spoke voluret

"I don't know I still think I failed her, sending her to that school and letting her die I told her it was fine and that I didn't need her help, but that was a lie she saw straight through

In the end, it didn't raduated But I hid that truth froive up on her dreaot that license, she could do so one

But that lie ot too weak to get out of this bed, I dreaot hard to tell whether I was alive or in a dream

It hurt to be in either

Alive, I sawpain

In my dreams, all I saere my mistakes And the pain that came with the to her

The world is cruel - I've known this

I took in children that knew nothing but that cruelty, hoping to give the better than what I had

But in the end, I keep wondering to myself; was I selfish? What if someone else had taken in Elaine? That smart, wonderful, sweet child? Someone better than me?

She would still be alive Maybe she would be on the news, leading some new innovation - there are so many these days, I know she could have been behind one of them"

"Don't think that way, old man," said Alan "You've done your best for us That's all we asked for And it was a hell of a lot better than rotting out on the streets, that's for sure"

"Alan's right," said Aldrich "You can't blaood father Elaine would want you to be happy knowing that"

"…You two are right," said Randall "Wishi+ng forStill, it hurts It hurts solike ht and incredible daughter is gone

It feels wrong"

"It is wrong," said Alan His tone grew hard, laced with pain packed rage "And that's why Aldrich is going to er, Alan," said Randall "You always let your e you soo, and I won't be there to pull you back out"

"He's right" Aldrich nodded to Alan "This is above what you can handle I'et reckless"

"How do you have the right to hunt theeance, but not me?" said Alan

"Because I have power You don't"

The blunt words left Alan quiet Because harshly blunt though they were, they were just as true

"I' to cool off If you needa s emotions, and left the roo stupid," said Randall "He already got in trouble once, with the local gang here"

Aldrich raised a brow "How?"

"Nothing big Theythem protection money because this was part of their territory Silly stuff like that He wouldn't take it, so he got in a fist fight with them Came back here with a broken arm that set the shop back a wholeduood life for you two, and I'm here to respect that wish and make sure it happens," said Aldrich "About you, Randall, I can have you arranged to a better medical facility than this I have the credits to make it happen

I also know soenerol treatment for you It's not available to the public, but I can ot a 70 success rate for Waste Lung"

Aldrich said this, but his words were enerol's success rate ca a ste variant into the body, and the weaker and older a body was, the easier it was for it to reject the cells

The chances of Randall finding any benefits were close to zero

"No I've lived long enough And I can tell how closeany before I get into one ofdreams One that I'll never wake up from

Aldrich knew that as well He could sense it strongly As a Lich, he was keenly aware of death It had an indescribable 'feeling' to it, a certain cal chill that he could measure and sense, and Randall was cold Very cold

"But, Aldrich, I can see it in your eyes You didn't co," said Randall

Aldrich was surprised "You could tell?"