FRANKENSTEIN
20 | Cats in the Cradle.

Frankie's View

"HELLO, my darling! Dance with me!" A French accent rang out across the club floor.

I watched in astonishment as a huge dancing broccoli sprouted arms and began boogieing to a song I recognized from 'Peter Pan'. The club was empty other than the large broccoli and baby carrots - which were next to it dancing. The vegetables began twisting and moving their arms in an odd motion, that I assumed was supposed to be some sort of dance.

My mouth fell agape as I was at a complete loss for words, with what I was seeing. Was this real? Where was everyone, I highly doubted the Volturi would allow something like a dancing vegetable in its midst?

"Aro!" I shouted in confusion.

I frantically turned my head trying to see around the club. No exit doors were present causing me to go into an utter panic. I was trapped in a room by myself, with three dancing vegetables. The lights shone bright, flaring with a multitude of colors.

"My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talking 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say, I'm gonna be like you, dad
You know I'm gonna be like you
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon."

I didn't know the lyrics directly, in fact, I could never remember a time I had actually heard this song. Though a small part of me recognized it, it sounded eerily familiar. Behind the dancing vegetables was a bar, filled to the brink with different types of alcoholic drinks.

"What are you doing, my love? Come, join us in our festivities!" The broccoli shouted growing a pair or green legs.

His legs moved to the beat of the music, in an odd fashion. I was at a loss for words. What was this?

"No! Go away, I don't even like vegetables. I get sick from just a bite of you!" I screamed, my face twisting into a scowl as I accusingly pointed at the broccoli.

"Then, why in the hell would you ever eat me? This is all your fault! I'm here because of you, and now you must dance with me for all eternity!" The broccoli let out an evil laugh before he sprinted at me, the carrots following in suit.

My face morphed into horror as a terrified scream escaped me. I brought my arms up to cover my face and waited for the attack of the vegetable. However, before the vegetable could get to me it was like everything stopped. All of the sudden I heard not the previous song, but what I recognized as ancient Greek music.

Slowly I uncovered my face and looked around in confusion, I didn't understand. The club wasn't there anymore, in its place was an extremely classy restaurant. Towards the back of the restaurant was a bar, it was decorated in the theme of red and gold. It was very aristocratic looking and had me staring at it all in amazement.

"Good afternoon." An extremely familiar voice that sent my body tingling said. My head snapped back to the bar only to see a very perceivable man. Aro stood behind the bar polishing glasses.

Though he looked extremely different. His body was clad in a red tuxedo, which fit very nice might I add. His once pale - almost translucent skin was now a gorgeous sun-kissed golden color. His once long raven hair was now cut short, and colored dark chocolate that suited him nicely. It was his eyes that took me off guard though. His eye color had completely changed from crimson red to a gorgeous ocean blue. It was bluer than anyone else's eyes I had ever come across. It rivaled that of the deepest parts of the oceans and captivated me in a way I had never before seen.

"A-Aro?" I stuttered out, unsure if this was actually Aro I was encountering.

"Ah yes, hello my sweet." He spoke flashing me a smile before going back to polishing his cups.

"Where are we, and why do you look so different? Not that it looks bad, in fact, I quite like it." I rambled walking to the bar taking a seat on one of the stools across from him.

His chuckle cut me off. "My pure beautiful, Frankie. I honestly cannot fathom how I ever got along without you." He brought one hand up gently resting it on my cheek.

Slowly he brought his hands back to the counter. "What can I get for you?" He questioned.

"Huh?" I asked in confusion.

"You look like a whiskey girl." He told me with a smile.

"Um, okay. But I don't think I'm allowed to drink, I'm relatively sure I'm seventeen." I informed him.

"Well, I won't tell if you don't. It'll be our little secret." He smiled gliding across the bar fixing me an alcoholic drink.

"Let me guess, you're another hallucination?" I realized sighing slumping against the counter.

In seconds Aro was handing me the beverage. "I prefer the term 'realistic dream'." He replied giving me a look.

"Why is there ancient music playing?" I questioned listening in on the song.

"Well, I was born in Greece, and even if people now-a-days aren't able to get the tune exactly correct it's still a nice thing to listen too."

I simply raised an eyebrow before downing the entire glass. Surprisingly enough it tasted almost like Cola, but then again I suppose that was just the depths of my mind assuming what alcohol would taste like since I've never had it.

"So, since this isn't real I suppose I could do whatever I want?" I questioned wiping my mouth off slightly.

"Yes, I suppose so?" Aro said almost hesitantly.

Immediately Aro no longer had his expensive suit on, he simply wore tight boxer briefs. His eyes widened fractionally as he looked down at himself.

"Goodness, if you wanted me out of my clothing so bad, all you had to do was ask." Aro laughed lightly looking at me.

I took my time in admiring his well-crafted body. Of course, it was no longer pale, but it was built the same. I shook my head a smile falling onto my face as I gazed at his body - which in my opinion was perfect.

"I don't suppose you know what's been happening to me, with all these hallucinations and what not? By the way how long have I been out?" I sighed resting my chin on my hand while checking him out with no shame.

"Well, I can't tell any more than you already know about your hallucinations. Though you've been out; this is the third day, I believe? The true Aro hasn't left your side since the first time you woke, he refuses to part from you. He wants to be the first thing you see once you open your eyes." He gave me a smile.

A sad sigh left my lips as I thought about the true Aro. My Aro. "I don't suppose you know how long I'll be here?" I questioned his replacement.

"You're not where you want to be, are you?" He gave me a sad smile.

I let out a short laugh. "Not exactly, I mean I'm sure physically I'm lying next to Aro in the bed. But it's not the same as actually being able to communicate with him."

"Then go." Aro shrugged his blue eyes glistening.

"Uh how?" I deadpanned looking him in the eye.

He gave me a Cheshire smile before leaning across the bar. I didn't object as he placed his lips upon mine. It was a short, sweet, simple kiss. As he pulled away it left my lips tingling and my body on fire.

I gave him a grin looking around expecting to see the world disappear, only it didn't.

"Was that not suppose to send me back?" I asked in confusion.

"No, I just wanted a kiss." He smiled. "If you really want to go back, go back. It's only a simple trick of the mind." He rested his palm against my cheek with a smile. I leaned my head against it relishing in the new-found warmth he was providing.

"Wake up, my sweet." He whispered tenderly.

I gazed into his blue orbs curiously. However, I furrowed my eyebrows as everything seemed to be ripped away from me.

"Aro!" I shouted seeing as he had gone. "Aro!" I screamed again as my body began falling through a black hole.

"Aro! Where are you?" I yelled my voice panicking as I fell through the hole faster and faster.

My eyes shut instinctively as I could see myself approaching a very white bottom. The white light got bigger and bigger as I got closer. My arms covered my face just as I was about to hit it. Suddenly my vision went entirely bright and could hear nothing but a high-pitched shriek.

~

"Maverick, I don't understand, what's the point of this?" A seven-year-old Jolene questioned her brother.

Maverick who was nine simply smiled and brought a finger to his lips.

"Attack!" Maverick screamed racing from the two's hiding place and into their sister's bedroom.

Both children held nerf guns in their arms, the nerf guns belonging to the one and only Maverick. Maverick burst out in front of his older sister firing his nerf gun.

Jolene followed her brother her feet clumsy as she ran. The little girl had been carrying a Nerf gun that was almost her entire height and wore a metal helmet much too big for her head.

"Yah!" She yelled the helmet falling down her face and over her eyes.

With the helmet obscuring her view she began to blindly fire bullets. Hadlee screamed as she was pelted with fake bullets.

"You buttheads!" The eleven-year-old Hadlee yelled as she attempted to cover her face. "Mom!"

Jolene giggled at her blocked view firing bullets everywhere.

"Ahh, Jolene! Hit Hadlee, not me!" Maverick screamed as Jolene was now hitting him as well.

The room was filled with yells of protest from Hadlee and Maverick, while Jolene laughed. Unbeknownst to any of the children their father watched with a smile.