Chapter Twenty-One

Aiming his stick at a Wendy's wrapper, Travis stabbed it, placing it in his bag with the others. The sun was high in the clear sky, and the breeze from the cars rushing by was a welcome reprieve from the heat. He'd been at it since seven o'clock, arms and legs tired from walking the park. It was mind-numbing but easy work, and it gave him time to think about what happened last night.

He remembered talking with Giovanni--no, Josh--and then everything went fuzzy for a bit, and he found himself back in his mindscape, which could only mean one thing: Prometheus body-jacked him again. Damn him and his--

"Lunch break!" his supervisor called out. Everyone turned in their sticks and bags, then took their lunches from the cooler in the bed of the supervisor's truck. Travis ate his meal of ham and cheese sandwiches and a bottle of orange juice under the shade of a fir tree, then got back to work.

Two hours before quitting time, his phone vibrated. Thinking it was a voicemail from his parents or Grams, he opened it to find a text from Josh asking if they were still going to hang out at his place today.

Explain yourself!

"No need to shout, damn. And stop frontin' like you don't want to see him again."

That wasn't your decision to make.

"A little late for that now, bro. You gon' reply or what?"

 Knowing you, you'd make me regardless of what I say. I should bury your ass under mental barriers.

"Chill, kid. Tell ya what. You hang with Joshy boy, and I'll leave you alone for the rest of the weekend."

Make it until Tuesday, and you have a deal.

"Monday afternoon, and I won't body-jack you for a week."

Done.

To ensure Prometheus didn't renege, Travis placed him behind several walls in his mind. He stared at the text for several minutes before replying.

At the end of his shift, he had his supervisor sign his timesheet. Then he called a taxi and hopped in the shower as soon as he got home. He was dressing when Josh rang the doorbell. He threw on a shirt and shorts and ran a comb through his hair, then checked himself out in the mirror.

"Coming," he said as the doorbell rang again. He opened the door as Josh rang it a third time. "Impatient are we? . . ." He paused, taking in the smaller boy. "You look nice."

Josh smiled, a blush creeping up his neck. "Thanks. You look nice, too. You gonna let me in?"

Travis's cheeks heated. "Sorry. Welcome to Chez Turner. Shoes off at the door. Mother is anal about keeping the house clean. On your left are my brother and sister in their native environ. Bobby, Amber, say hi to Josh."

"Sup?" Bobby said, then turned back to the TV. 

Amber looked up from her phone, gave a little wave, and giggled. "You got a girlfriend?"

Travis chuckled at Josh's panicked reaction. "Don't mind her. She's moved out of the boys-are-icky phase and wants to date every guy she sees. Come on."

He showed Josh to his room. "What do you want to do?" 

Josh lingered in the doorway. "Travis, don't take this the wrong way, but you're not like a serial killer?"

"Please. It would take entirely too much time to find a target, learn their routine, find a place to terminate them, dispose of the body and all evidence, and craft an alibi."

Laughing, Josh said, "You've thought that through."

Travis shot him a dirty look. "I wonder why?"

Josh sighed. "Dude, I know I was an absolute shit to you for years, but we're never gonna be friends if you keep throwing that in my face."

"Speaking of faces, what's up with Mt. Everest on your nose?"

"Oh, screw you. It's not that bad."

Travis laughed. "I'm surprised that thing doesn't have its own orbit."

"Very funny. But on the real, why is your room so clean? And where are your electronics and video games?"

Travis hit the remote on his bedside desk. "Ask, and you shall receive."

The top of the dresser against the north wall opened, and an HD monitor, Xbox One X, and a horizontal computer tower raised from it.

"Dude, sweet. Where'd you buy that?"

"I built it myself. Granted, I had help from wiki articles and threads on Reddit."

"I love Reddit. What's your favorite sub? Mine's r/Gamingcirclejerk."

"Pervert."

Josh laughed. "Hey, it's not what you think. Besides, I'm too young to be a pervert. I'm a prevert."

"Right. Anyway, my favorite subs are r/Technology and r/Gaming. Speaking of games, you wanna get pwned in Street Fighter II?"

"You're on!"

Travis popped in the disk, and they settled on his bed for an epic Ken (Travis) and Ryu (Josh) battle until Travis announced he was tired of kicking Josh's ass.

"No fair," Josh said, sticking out his bottom lip. "That last match ended in a draw."

"Pouting doesn't suit you. What do you say to getting to know each other better--for Dr. Dull's assignment, I mean."

Josh lowered his head. "Right. Well, you already know I like videogames, But I'm also into comics, manga, anime, kaiju--" 

 

     "Hold up, you like kaiju movies?"

"Yeah, why?" Josh said in a huffy tone.

"Cool it. I just meant I like them too. Godzilla versus Space Godzilla is my favorite, you?"

"Mothra Versus Godzilla. You wouldn't happen to also like Buffy, Farscape, Star Trek, and Star Wars?" 

"Yes to the latter, no to the former. I never even heard of Farscape."

Josh shook his head, smiling. "Oh, my sweet summer child, there is much I must show you."

"Right. Favorite movie?"

"You've prolly never heard of it. Stand by Me."

Travis stood there a moment in stunned silence. "What did you say?"

"Stand by Me, why?"

Travis clicked another button on his remote, and the drawers on the left side of the dresser opened, displaying his DVD collection. Riffling through them, he pulled out his copy of Stand by Me and showed it to Josh, who geeked out.

"This is some next-level shit right here. Who's your favorite character?"

Thinking a second, Travis walked back over to Josh and plopped next to him on the bed. "Gordie, because he's the closest to my personality."

 "Yeah. I totes see that. Chris is my favorite, cause like him, I don't take crap from anyone. And I'm a fighter."

"I know."

"Hey!"

"Chill, I'm just messing with ya." Travis went to flick Josh's nose and hit his zit instead.

Josh held his face. "Ow."

"Shit, I didn't mean to do that. Are you okay? I'm sorry."

"I'll live," Josh said after a minute, "but that hurt like a bitch. Where were we?"

"Favorite characters."

"Right. What's your favorite scene?"

"The barf-o-rama scene."

Josh made a sour face. "I can't stand that whole sequence."

"Then what's yours, smartass?"

"You know that scene where Chris tells Gordie about how he wishes he could go somewhere no one knows him?"

"Yeah?"

Josh's eyes watered. "I feel like that all the time. I wish I could go somewhere far away and start over. But I can't. I'm just a stupid kid." Josh wiped at his tears, sniffling as his face and ears went red. "You prolly think I'm a pussy, right?"

Travis had three options here--he could ignore Josh's outburst and change the subject, make fun of him, like he'd done to Travis, or embrace him.

"I don't presume to know you or your homelife. Tell me about them."

"I'm basically a lonely rich kid. I can do and have anything I want, except what I want most. My parents' love. The only time they pay attention to me is when they're showing me off at parties and charity events. I'm like one of those teacup dogs women carry around in their purses."

Travis didn't know how to respond, so he changed the subject. "Tell me two things about yourself that no one knows."

Josh sniffled, and Travis handed him a box of tissues. He blew his nose and hacked up a loogie. "If I tell you this, you can't tell anyone."

"Agreed. It's mutually assured destruction."

Josh inhaled deeply. "I wet the bed until I was ten, and I'm g--never mind. I'm kind of a poet."

Travis noticed the slip but didn't question it. "I cut myself and have thought about killing myself."

Josh stared, wide-eyed, his mouth an o-shape. "Why would you ever think of, of doing that? Was I really that awful to you?"    

"It wasn't just you. Your friends, my family, even random people on the street stop and stare or make comments about my face. Sometimes, it's too much to handle. So, I cut myself."

"God. Had I known, I--"

Travis balled his fists up, trying to control himself. "You'd what? Gone easy on me? I don't need your pity." Josh reached for his hand, and Travis flinched away. "Don't touch me!"

The lights flickered, and Travis took several calming breaths, centering himself. "Maybe you should go."

Josh shook his head. "I want you to know you can talk to me about stuff, okay? I know what it's like to want to not exist."

"How?"

"My parents didn't want me. I overheard them arguing about it once when I was five. The first poem I ever wrote was about them: 

"I didn't ask to be born into a world full of negativity and hate because you couldn't wait to go home and masturbate. So, you stuck it in your date, filled her with your seed, and now I'm just another mouth to feed."

Neither of them said anything for a while until Travis hugged Josh. "What? You looked like you could use one."

"Thanks, I guess. I think I'm gonna head out."

"Okay. You want to hang out again sometime?"

Josh smiled. "Yeah. It's supposed to be in the nineties all next week, and I'm getting an above-ground pool installed. Thinking of throwing a pool party. Wanna come?"

Though part of Travis was leery of being around Josh's friends, a larger part of him wanted to learn more about this intriguing boy. "I'd like that. Call me with the details so I can work out transportation."

"Will do, Travis. Later."

Travis walked Josh to the door, and Josh went in for a hug while Travis went for a fist bump. After an awkward moment, they settled on a one-arm hug that left a tingle in Travis's stomach.

"Travis gots a boyfriend," Bobby crowed from the couch.

"Do not."

"Do so," he said and stuck out his tongue.

"I'm done with this conversation," he said, walking to his room and shutting the door. He lay on his bed, the covers still warm from where Josh sat. Travis looked at his room, Sure, there weren't any clothes on the floor nor posters on the walls, and everything was labeled and in its place. But what was weird about that? He liked order -- something he'd been lacking since he developed his powers.

Today was a close call and had he not controlled himself, he could have hurt Josh and his only shot at making a friend . . . or maybe more? Did he want that? Was that even possible?

What was he thinking? This was Joshua Giovanni he was talking about. No. It was best to keep things platonic, even if he had enjoyed their hugs.

His ringing phone broke his train of thought: It was Grams calling to ask him when he was coming to visit her.

"About that. See, what had happened was . . ." Without meaning to, he told her everything.

"Well, dear. Don't get mad, but I've known about your powers since they first appeared. I knew they wouldn't stay dormant forever."

"Why didn't you tell me about them?" 

Objects around the room levitated and circled him.

"Your parents swore me to secrecy. They said I couldn't see you otherwise."

"They had no right."

"I know that. As for your feelings for Josh, don't overthink things. If you like him, so be it. I'll always love my caramel cowboy. I'll see what I can do about coming to visit you before summer's end. Bye, my special, special boy."          

 Travis hung up, cleaned up, and chilled until it was time for dinner. He washed up and then set the table while his parents removed the takeout containers from their bags. Stomach growling, he eyed the rotisserie chicken and reached for his plate. His mother smacked his hand and told him to bow his head while she said Grace. Though she couldn't see it, he rolled his eyes and waited for her to finish. Once she was done, he piled his plate with chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, and biscuits.

"Save some for the rest of us, wide load," Bobby said. Travis kicked him under the table.

He hit me," Bobby whined to their mother.

She glared at Travis. "Apologize to your brother."

  "But he--"

"I don't care. You're the eldest and are supposed to set an example for the twins."

Balling up his fists, Travis gave her a dirty look. "Why do you always let him get away with crap but--"

"Watch your language, unclench your fists, and apologize to your brother, or you can go hungry tonight."

"Not like he'll miss it," Bobby said, sticking his tongue out.

"Are you gonna let him get--"

"Travis, you have until the count of three to do like I asked. One . . ."

This isn't fair. He started it.

"Travis," Oblivion cooed, "how long have you suffered his slings and arrows?"

Years.

"And has he ever gotten in trouble for it?"

Almost never.

"And is that fair?"

 Hell no.

"Right. If they aren't willing to punish him, then it's up to you."  

Travis thought back to all the times his parents spanked and grounded him for things Bobby did routinely yet never was punished for. That ended now.

"Travis are you listening to me?" his mother said. "I'm up to two and a half."

You're gonna get a whooping," Bobby taunted. 

Travis gritted his teeth, the sound of blood whooshing in his ears blocking out everything else. He rose from his chair, grabbed Bobby by his neck, and lifted him off the ground. Bobby flailed his arms and legs while their parents shouted at Travis to let him go. But he paid them no heed. He was done being their whipping boy.

"Let me go, psycho," Bobby said, clawing at Tavis's hand.

Travis smirked. "What's the matter? Scared?"

"Let him go right now!" his father shouted, making a move toward him. Tightening his grip, Travis raised Bobby higher, shrugging off his father's slap to his face. Being the one doling out pain felt good.

"I can't breathe," Bobby said, gasping, eyes rolling up in his head. 

At those words, Travis released Bobby.

After checking on Bobby, his mother sent Travis to his room. A few minutes later, his father entered with a leather belt and gave him five smacks with it. 

"You're grounded for three weeks, and I'll be calling your probation officer in the morning."

Once his father had removed all his electronics, he left, and Travis pondered things. Though his bottom stung a bit, he reminded himself that pain was an illusion. Had he gone too far? Perhaps, but Bobby got away with everything while he had to be the perfect son. And he was sick of it.

"Care to talk about what happened?" Oblivion said.

Not really.

"How did it feel? Being in control, making him pay for disrespecting you?"

Great. But also wrong . . . evil.

"Right, wrong, good, evil, these are merely words."

Of course, you'd say that. You're the devil.

"And what was it your Nietzsche said? `The great periods of our lives occur when we gain the courage to rechristen what is bad about us as what is best.'"

Meaning I should embrace the darkness within me?

"That's one interpretation. Though, I was referring to your powers. You deserve to live your life as you see fit, and you have the strength to do that."

But my parents--

"Are boils on the ass of creation. You are dying, so enjoy your remaining time."

Right.

He waited until the house stilled to sneak out to the park and train. Using his anger as fuel, he focused on creating fireballs of various sizes before mediating. Through the chatter of his mind, he heard the faint whispers of what he'd later learn were the minds of others. He blocked them out by raising his mental barriers and replayed the day's events. He came to a conclusion.

The world had better prepare itself because tomorrow was the start of a whole new Travis.

 

Author's Note: Haven't we all wanted to strangle a family member at some point? Next time, Travis deals with the consequences of his actions and goes to therapy.

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