Title: Dark Memories
Fandom: The Faculty
Characters: Casey Connor, Zeke Tyler
Warnings: angst, side character death
Rating: RC-17
Length: 534 words
Author's note A: Written for Challenge 190 = Pool
Author's note B: dialogue story
Summary: Casey tries to move on after the alien incident, but his nightmares are still alive

Please notice: Spoiler for the end of the movie, though this story actually is not movie conform



„I'm sorry, Zeke, I can't.“

„Case, that's ridiculous. The pool area of the hotel is exclusive; you don't want to miss this.“

„You can go. I will stay on the terrace and read my book.“

„Don't tell me that you can't swim.“

„Of course, I can. Actually, swimming was the only sport I ever liked... at least before...“

„Before what?“

„Before... Marybeth.“

„I don't get it.“

„Of course, you don't. No one can. Because no one knows the truth of what has happened this night.“

„You killed an alien and saved the world.“

„Sounds so easy, right? Put a pen of Scat into her eye, and she will dry out and die. But it wasn't. I've tried to forget it. To move on like everyone does. But the nightmare is still alive. Sometimes it's so difficult to pretend that everything is okay.“

„Case. Why the hell did you never tell me? We are friends, aren't we? You can tell me everything.“

„No sure if you still want to hang around with me when you know the truth.“

„Don't be stupid.“

(long pause)

„It's my fault the Stokes is dead.“

„That's no one's fault, Casey. A fucking alien has tried to take over the world. She has killed her."

„And I did nothing to stop her.

We were at gym, Stokes and... and Marybeth and me, when she started to change. Her arms at first, they turned into long tentacles. And before we could realize what was going on, she was after us. We could escape to the pool hall...

I should have known better. The aliens were creatures of water. When Marybeth smelled the pool, she grew and turned into … the queen.“

„The... queen?“

„That's what she was, the queen of the aliens. She was so frightening, so powerful... and in a way so beautiful. Her eyes still blue like the eyes of Marybeth. She looked at me. And suddenly she was in my head. I could read her mind. They are so evil, Zeke, without any mercy. For thousands of years they exist already, moving from one planet to the other. They wipe out every population and when they leave a world behind it's not more than an empty shell anymore.“

„But this time they weren't successful. Because you stopped them.“

„I'm not a hero, Zeke. I've let it happen, that she killed Stokes. I didn't even make the try to step in when she reached out for her, when she pulled her into the pool. Stokes was fighting for her life; she was bleeding at her temple, and her eyes were wide open, she cried for help... and I didn't do anything at all. I didn't even feel anything; everything was like watching an intriguing movie, you know it's a bad one, but you need to know how it will end.

I can't remember how I did get under the bleachers; I can't remember putting the pen into the queen's eyes. But I can still hear her crying, full of pain and anger. And...

I remember that she threw her spawns at me. They crept under my skin... it did hurt... it hurt so much... And I couldn't do anything against it.“

„This was... this was just a nightmare. When I found you, she was dead, and you were unconscious but unharmed. You killed her. You saved our world. They are gone.“

„And why I can't get rid of the feeling that something foreign is still existing? What, if a part of the aliens is still alive, inside me? Just waiting for the right moment to take over control?“

„Oh, fuck, Case.

This won't happen because I will take care of it. I won't let it happen that a fucking alien or whoever else will ever hurt you again.

Today and forever, Casey, I will be there for you, promise. Because you are the strongest guy I've ever met."

THE END