Friday, September 6, 2019

The Problem with Bonds: Chapter 3 – Erasing Mistakes

Chapter 3 – Erasing Mistakes
We’re finally on our way to our destination. No more distractions. Okay, Hamlet?
You got it. Hey, did you hear something break? Do you hear yelling in the distance?
Hamlet…
We’re getting closer to it. It’s coming from that one house with the lights on. One of the upstairs windows is broken.
It’s none of our business.
It sounds like it’s getting violent in there.
Hamlet.
…We have to go see.
Why?!
I just have to.
Wait, hold on! Don’t just knock at the door when they’re still arguing.
They’re silent now.
I’m not feeling good about this. Someone is coming to the door. It’s a man. He doesn’t seem too friendly.
“Hello there. Can I help you, gentlemen?”
“We heard yelling and was wondering what was going on.”
“Are you two keeping the peace in the streets now?”
“No, but we do want to help people in need.”
“…Aren’t you two wonderful animals! Come in for a bite. My family and I were just eating dinner.”
“No, we need to be somewhere urgent if nothing is happening here.”
“…actually. Something is happening. Maybe you two can help us?”
“What’s the problem?”
“Just come in and see. It’s embarrassing to say. I haven’t even told my neighbors about it.”
What neighbors? This street looks deserted.
The inside of his house has gone through a couple repairs and so has his family and him. I wonder what happened here.
“Here’s some food. It’s should still be warm. Now, watch and see what happens. Hopefully, nothing too bad happens this time.”
Huh? I guess we might as well eat-wow this is good!
I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I’ll be watching what happens.
“So, honey, how was work?”
“Fine.”
“Are you sure? You sound mad.”
“Yes, I’m sure. It was just a little stressful.”
“Dad.”
“What?!”
It’s starting to get tense, Catullus. He slammed his hand on the table. It looks like he even cracked it.
We should leave.
No, we have to help.
“Something is wrong with you. Why did you lie?”
“I didn’t. I didn’t even have that bad of a day at work!”
“Honey, we-”
“Just give me some time to cool down. That’s all I’m asking. This new body must be making feel…”
“Please…”
“No!”
Oh no! He wacked her head off with his hand!
I told you we should leave!
“You never listen to me anymore! It always has to be your way!”
“Dad!”
“And you two…”
The house is locked down! All the windows and doors are shut with a metal barrier.
Hide! Here he comes!
We have to do something! His kids are frozen in fear.
We can’t do anything just hold back for now.
He just smacked the head off of his daughter!
“You’re both good for nothing too! You’ve done nothing but cause me disappointment and trouble!”
His son is running upstairs and he’s running after him! Come on, stop making us do nothing!
I’m honestly scared to death right now. What makes you think we can do anything now?
We have to do something! Anything!
You know as well as I do that sometimes we can’t do anything and sometimes we end up making things worse.
They’re fighting! I just heard a window break. Do you think…
The house’s lockdown has lifted. Someone is coming down. It’s him. He’s sitting down at the table now. Is he crying? No! Stop trying to move!
“Now…now you see why I didn’t want to tell you what the problem was…”
“Did you really just…”
“No…my family has been dead for a long time. They’re just hollow shells now that loop their last memory.”
“I try to do it repeatedly as if I’m trying to undo what I’ve done, but I can’t bring them back to life. I can’t even do anything differently no matter how many times I’ve tried.”
“Why is that?”
“I keep losing control of myself. It’s this stupid body that I got my family and me. A company gave it to us with a nice paycheck to test run them. Little did I know that I should’ve paid attention to the little details about them. All I knew was that they were more durable and stronger. I didn’t know that our emotions would be harder to control. What should I do now?”
“Bury your family and go to the scrap hotel not too far from here. They can fix you up bodies like yours. Do you need this map to get there? I’ll mark it for you.”
We need that, Hamlet!
Don’t worry. I’ve memorized the way we need to go.
“I can’t just let go of my family.”
“They’re already dead like you already said. There’s no point in forcing their bodies to reenact the same scene. Nothing’s going to change what you did, but what you can change is your future. Move on from this and live a good life. I’m sure your family wants that.”
“Yeah…yeah, you’re right. Thank you. I’ll take the map and go see this scrap hotel. Are their nice people there?”
“Yes. I wouldn’t send you to a shady place. Oh, don’t bother a girl named Yule too much. She has to get to know you otherwise she’ll get violent like how you did. And one more thing, tell the guy at the desk there about the carnival at the docks. There’s a kid there that needs some help.”
“You got it. Thank you so much for your help!”
Can we go now?
We can go now. He needs his space to bury his family.
Finally. Do you know where to go from here?
Uh…Yeah. Let’s go right.
That’s back down the street we came up. You forgot the way there already, didn’t you?
Kind of, haha. Ow! Why did you hit me?
Because you’re too kind of a person. It’s a good thing I remembered most of it.
This is why we’re meant to be friends forever! We’re such a great team.
Shut it.

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