|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:05 pm
Hellis watched on in concern. He'd known Ethan to be religious, or at least fairly so from that cross-on-a-string he always carried around. That was the extent of his insight into the Catholic religion, sure, but he was sure there was more to that prayer. Something wasn't right.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:13 pm
The words fell from Ethan's lips, mumbling and running together as he continued staring at the ground. It was as though his voice was a broken record; Ethan's mind was fixed on memories of the skinners, cold sweat running down his face and making his hands tremble. The crucifix swayed ominously.
"Hail Mary-"
"It hurts you, doesn't it? Tell me to stop. I will stop. Just speak."
"H-hail Mary full of-"
His breath was coming out in sharp bursts now, eyes fixed unseeing on the ground, seeing only Weaver's dreadful iron-colored grin, cracked glass eyes staring into his as he lowered the knife against Ethan's unscarred arm.
"Speak...speak....speak...."
Ethan laughed. It simply burst out of him, quickly smothered. Speak. Speak. Speak.
"Súcit" he breathed, crushing a hand against his eyes and forcing tears away. "Súcit, súcit...."
Gods, but he hated waiting. Why wouldn't Marcos just die already and the skinners come and kill Ethan and be done with it? Always with the waiting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:15 pm
Well, Hell. That wasn't good. Hellis peered up, craned his neck at Marcos, and then turned back to Ethan. Something was definitely not right.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:24 pm
Marcos had slipped into fitful sleep, twitching and grimacing every now and again as pain intruded into his rest. A small trickle of blood had begun to seep from a corner of his mouth. As Ethan came back inside shortly after the disturbing episode on the porch, he looked once at the older man and shuddered. He went soundlessly into to the kitchen and made himself tea that remained only hot water until he remembered to put the bag in. Taking a long scalding sip, insensible to the burn, Ethan watched the crucifix swinging slowly from his wrist. Maybe Weaver would crucify him. He'd threatened it, a few times. Pin Ethan to a wall by his hands with great rusted nails and whip him until there was nothing left but ruined meat. Ethan wondered how long that would take.
His eyes rested on the key hook. The keys to the truck were hanging there unguarded. His head tilted to one side as he regarded them, thinking. Hmm. The truck. He could drive the truck. He was a good driver. He could just go, and die, and no one would have to be troubled with him ever, ever again. Go off and die messy somewhere else, like a good boy. Leave his family out of it. Die alone.
"Everyone dies," he said to himself, almost inaudibly. Everyone dies. He'd be a good boy, and go do it far away. Yes. What a good idea.
He unstrung the rosary from his wrist, taking the keys and replacing them with the beaded string easily, and went out the door. The truck was there waiting for him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:30 pm
Everyone watched Ethan pass soundlessly except for Rabid, who was attempting to clean Marcos' mouth. Everything was all well and good until the engine started. Hmm, that was a bit strange. However, at the screech of tires, Hellis and Björn both rocketed from their seats and started out the door. Rabid and Ike, shocked, just watched on as the two chased Ethan on foot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:35 pm
In the particularly small part of Ethan's mind that was still clinging to sanity, he was sure this was an extraordinarily bad idea. The rest of it, thoroughly broken and bordering utter nervous collapse, patiently disagreed.
No one will miss me, he thought, false lucidity trying to calm his frayed nerves. They have each other. I'm a foundling and a burden. They'll be free of me and all the trouble I cause.
Noticing the pursuit, Ethan mashed the gas pedal to the floor. The truck roared on, unwieldy in Ethan's half-attentive hands. The small sane part of his mind was screaming its frustration, unable to control himself. So this is what going insane felt like. Hmm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:40 pm
And grass turned to hard pavement, Hellis giving a yelp of pain as something pierced the bottom of his foot, but continued running, unfaltering. Ethan was more important than a little blood. Björn, however, was wishing he'd been just a bit more nimble by birth.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:48 pm
Wondering why tears had started running down his face in a river and it was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe, Ethan kept driving. He slammed the brakes once or twice to avoid hitting pedestrians, cursing them vividly as they impeded him. Couldn't they see he was in a hurry to go and die? Honestly, some people had no manners, none at all.
He was suddenly seized by the desire to go back and hide in the house. The thought was odd. Why would he go back? He couldn't go back. He'd be bad. People didn't like it when he behaved badly. Piper had beat him for it. The skinners had punished him for it.
But they're not here, the small sane corner of Ethan's mind tried to reason. They're not here.
"They are," Ethan said, his voice sounding odd and exhausted to his ears. "They'll be angry."
Stop. Stop it. I'm not crazy. If I can reason with myself I can't be crazy. Stop it. Go home. Please, god, I want to go home.
Feeling torn, as though there was two people in his skull fighting and arguing, he finally tore past the walls of the city and out onto the grassy, flat highways towards the west. He skidded into a gas station and sat there, cutting the engine. He was shaking all over, and still tears were coming.
"Shut up," he growled, clutching his head. "Shut up, SHUT UP!"
Be a good boy. Go die. Enough waiting.
"SHUT UP!"
He kicked the door to the truck open and tumbled out, shaking and weeping.
"What's happening to me," he rasped, still holding his head and shaking.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:52 pm
Running cross-country had been no fun in high school, and one could barely consider Gaia a 'country'. It was more of an enormous mass of land that went on forever...and ever. Mile after mile after mile passed, but not once did the pair dare lose sight of Ethan. It would be a bad, bad thing if they did, they were sure.
"He's lost his mind."
"Mm..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:59 pm
Ethan sat on the ground, crying bitterly and grasping for the rosary that no longer hung at his wrist. He wanted to go home. He wanted to sleep. He wanted, oh god, he wanted to find Björn and beg him to tell him everything would turn out alright, that he wasn't crazy and that the skinners wouldn't be able to hurt him anymore. He wanted to shake Marcos awake and tell him off for dying, for leaving him alone, the only other one left that really, perfectly, vividly understood the pain he'd suffered in the Brigade.
"Doyen," he called, agonized. "DOYEN!"
---
"Did you hear that, Mister Weaver?"
"I did in fact, Mister Thatcher. Our young wayward lamb has wandered away from his safehouse."
"What a dread mistake, Mister Weaver."
"Indeed, Mister Thatcher. But then, the poor child has not been well. Disturbed in the mind, you see."
"What a shame, Mister Weaver! We should visit the boy and give him our well-wishes."
"Indeed we should, Mister Thatcher. Mister Walker, if you would kindly put that knife away when you've finished, we do seem to be back on schedule..."
"...dear dear, Mister Walker. You seem to have brain matter on your shoes again."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 2:03 pm
Seeing the truck actually parked somewhere filled Ethan's pursuers with both relief and a new burst of adrenaline. They had to get to him before he took off again. Chasing a car wasn't logical, no matter who you were.
"ETHAN!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 6:24 pm
Kneeling in the dirt of the rocky, sandy gas station parking lot, Ethan flinched at the sound of voices and rocked a little, back and forth, trying to calm the maddening confusion of his thoughts. He was tired. So tired.
"It's too much. I'm too weak, I can't, I can't, I can't," he breathed, still crying bitterly. He'd gone mad. What good was he to anyone now? Even more of a burden.
Be a good boy. Be a good boy and I won't cut you again, my dear son.
"LIAR!" Ethan screamed, grasping at his head, covering his ears and trying to block out the sound of Mister Weaver's hated voice. He wanted to go home. He was so very, very tired.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 6:26 pm
Björn slid to his knees beside Ethan and, without a second thought, gathered the poor young man into his arms.
"Ethan, Ethan...calm down."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 6:34 pm
Hands still pressed futilely to his ears, Ethan leaned against Björn in exhaustion.
"I can't," he moaned. "Something's wrong with me. I'm going mad. He...they'll come, they'll find me, they'll do things to me again, I can't do it again. I'm a coward."
He gave a tremulous laugh, tears streaming down his face.
"I thought I'd be alright. Now Marcos is dying, and it just....something's broken."
Deprived of his rosary, Ethan grasped at a crudely made pendant under his shirt, an emerald strung on a shot bead chain and wrapped up in steel wire, clutching it so hard it cut into his palm.
----
"How long before we get there, Mister Weaver?"
"Patience, Mister Thatcher. Wouldn't want to disrupt the touching family moment."
"Always were too sentimental for your own good, Mister Weaver. Don't you agree, Mister Walker?"
"Grshiiiik."
"Excellently said, old fellow."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 6:41 pm
"Alright, alright," Björn said, 'shh'ing Ethan and rocking slightly, planting a kiss at the top of his head.
"Whatever happens, we're coming with you. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing something happened to you and I did nothing about it."
Hellis smiled and nodded, scooting a bit closer as soon as he was sure Ethan wasn't going to eat faces off.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
