Dead Silence
Chapter 1: Daily Frustrations
"Another one dead!" Phineas smashed the buttons furiously, mind buried deep within the game he was playing. He was losing extra lives rapidly… two left, then one. Zero. Game over. "Oh, well…" He set the controller on the floor. "Hey Ferb! You wanna play?" The green-haired eighteen-year-old silently turned down the offer and continued to stare out the window. He was depressed, but he couldn't really figure out why. It was such a beautiful summer day. In an attempt to cheer up a bit, he began to ponder the possibilities the day may hold. Phineas shut off the game. "Let's go outside for a while, Ferb." Once outside and in their usual places, the group showed up, as if on cue. Buford stormed in, dragging Baljeet harshly behind him. Isabella danced her way in happily. Same routine, Ferb thought to himself, bored and bothered. The group arrives, Phineas knows what we're gonna do today, and I build most, if not all of It, myself. He sat there under the tree and watched as another day began to fall flawlessly into place, just as he predicted. Suddenly, inspiration struck. Ferb drew up some plans and notes. He looked up to see if Phineas, or anyone else, wanted to know what he was up to, but nobody noticed. Rather, as predicted, Phineas gave his usual "I know what we're gonna do today" line. This time, Ferb tried to speak up, but he was interrupted when Phineas handed him a blueprint and innocently instructed him to start building. Ferb frowned. …But… I have an idea too…
Phineas began assembling his contraption from various scraps of metal and Isabella joined in. Baljeet tried to help, but every attempt was foiled by Buford. Ferb just stared blankly at the blueprint, not sure whether to interrupt the whole project or just keep to himself and talk to Phineas later. Phineas stopped directing the group and focused on Ferb. "Hey Ferb, aren't you going to help?" They stared at each other for a moment, and then Ferb got up and began assembling pieces of scrap metal as fast as he could, and soon after, the new invention was complete. Phineas announced its completion excitedly. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Mood-Machine!" The small group applauded. Baljeet volunteered to be the first to try it out. "Make me happy. Buford has ruined most of my day so far." He cautiously stepped into the machine and slid the door shut. Phineas began working the controls. A moment later, Baljeet stepped out with a big smile. "It works!" He turned to Phineas. "You are so amazing! Let me hug you!" Phineas smiled awkwardly and backed away, but Baljeet followed. Buford stepped up to the young nerd, grabbed the back of his underwear, and swiftly stretched them up over his head and pulled them over his forehead. Buford stood back to admire his work, then began laughing hysterically, rolling on the ground as he did so. Baljeet's good mood was ruined again. "Oh, well… at least it worked for a little while. Thank you, Phineas." He attempted to remove the underwear from his head, but was unsuccessful. He excused himself and waddled home, trying to dodge any further embarrassment. Phineas turned to his brother. "Hey Ferb! Why don't you give it a try?" Ferb looked surprised. "C'mon, bro! I can tell something's been bothering you, and I know that if you knew what it was, you would talk to me about it." "Actually – ""C'mon, give it a try!" Phineas smiled as Ferb considered the opportunity. "Oh, all right. It can't hurt to try." Ferb had barely taken one step when a bright green beam of light hit the contraption, causing it to completely vanish. Ferb's eye twitched. He stared for a moment. Unsure if the invention was truly gone or simply invisible, he reached forward to touch the now non-existent object, and informed the others that it was gone. Of course, he thought, as usual, all our hard work just vanishes into thin air… "Odd," Phineas mumbled, "we barely even got to finish testing it this time… we're working too slowly." Linda pulled up in the driveway, peeked at everyone in the backyard, and offered snacks and a movie. The group shuffled in happily. Ferb pushed the negative energy aside and joined the group. After all, there was always tomorrow, right?
Phineas grabbed his cell phone and found Baljeet's number. He texted, "Hey we're gonna watch a movie, do you want to join us?" A moment passed, then Phineas received the response, "No thank you, I have things to take care of here. Maybe next time?" Phineas texted "ok", shrugged, and returned his phone to his pocket.
Baljeet was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling blankly. He had successfully removed the underwear from his head, and was drifting into memories and deep thought. Buford had ruined every single day since they first met. Wedgies, threats, and humiliation every day for the past several years... it needed to stop… but how?
Meanwhile, at the Flynn-Fletcher home, the movie was just getting intense. Isabella chose to sit near Phineas at the back of the group. Each suspenseful moment caused her to scoot and slide closer and closer to Phineas. When she was finally so close that their knees were touching, Phineas, completely mesmerized by the movie, absently mumbled, "Hey, can you scoot over a bit?" Isabella frowned, and then moved away. He's so clueless! Isabella thought, almost out loud. Why is he always so clueless?! What's wrong with him! She often wondered what she saw in him. The movie was ruined for her. This was the final straw. "Hey guys, I almost forgot I have work to do at home. I'm gonna go home before I get in trouble. See you guys later." Phineas turned around and waved. "Ok. Later Isabella." Isabella turned toward the door, blood boiling with frustration, and quickly left. Later on in her room, she logged another diary entry, just to go on about how oblivious and dumb he can be. Some genius he is. Why doesn't he get it? This has been going on for years! I can't stand it anymore! I'll make him love me. One way or another, I'll get his attention. Even if I have to kill for it!
When their movie ended, Buford checked his phone. "Wow, it got late! I gotta get home! See you guys later!" Phineas and Ferb waved and said their goodbyes to him as he ran out the door. As Buford ran home, he prayed to every deity he could think of that his stepfather would either be sober, asleep, not home, or at least in a good mood. He opened the back door as quietly as he could, only to find himself face-to-face with his angry stepfather. The man asked quietly, "Do you realize what time it is?" "Yes, sir," "Where were you?" Buford began to stutter, "I was… watching a movie… over at Phineas and Ferb's house… Sir!" "Did I say you could stay for a movie?" The man set down his flask and reached down to loosen his belt. Buford backed into a corner, stuttering frantically, desperate for a reasonable excuse, then braced himself for the inevitable punishment.