A few uneventful days passed with no sign of an attack orchestrated by Hamsterviel. Which was a good sign. I had Salutor 9 on constant watch. If anything came within five hundred miles of Earths atmosphere I would know about it. Over the past few days things had taken a drastic change. I hadn't seen Elvis or Aaron since Presley's death. The subject of my Brothers unfortunate demise was deemed to painful by my Father. So it would be forever more known as "the incident". Ever since Presley died for some reason my Father was using every excuse in the book to be near me. Sometimes when I was swimming at the beach I would see him spying on me from the trees. I knew he was just worried about me. He had this paranoid idea that if he didn't watch me I could be kidnapped by one of Hamsterviel's minions at any moment.
I appreciated the sentiment, but it got a little annoying when I was trying to read in the living room. And my Father was watching me from the ceiling. Privacy was a thing of the past now. Everyone was watching every move I made. They all seemed afraid that I might drop dead at any moment. Jumba treated every cut and scrap like a life threatening disease. They were all smothering me! I didn't think I could take it much longer. I had hardly gotten any work done on Chemical 606. I was at a very crucial time in its development. I only had one more thing to do and it would be finished. But if I waited to long it would spoil, and would be no more use to me. Then I would have to start all over again. I knew things would eventually go back to normal. I just wished it wouldn't take so long.
There had bin a funeral held for Presley. Since Nani was barley making ends meat as it was. Just between me and her. I had paid for all of the expenses. I didn't mind I had cash to burn. In honor of my recently deceased brother, and mostly to make my Father feel better. I made sure he had the best. Using my alias Emmanuel Mison I rented a funeral home. Because I needed to keep my identity as an experiment a secret I had to do all of this over the phone. Planning a funeral proved to be a tiresome task. Someone once called me saying the ice sculptures I ordered were melting. That got me a little angry because I didn't order any ice sculptures. It was a funeral not a wedding.
The security guards I hired to keep people of the premises. Thought it was odd to have a funeral for a dog, but offer a man the right price and he'll shut up. Traditionally we were all wearing black. The men were wearing suits and the women were wearing dresses. Of course the suits for, me, Father, Jumba, and Pleakly had to be specially tailored. When Lilo asked Nani how she was able to afford all of this. She just shrugged and simply said. She had some money put away for a rainy day. By the end of the wake everyone but me was in tears. I had never seen my Father look so depressed. When they closed the casket he practically fell part. I hope I'd never have to see him like that again.
When it came time for the procession Father had insisted on carrying the casket himself. Presley had bin buried next to our Mother in the clearing by the cliff. Seeing his son being lowered in a grave next to his mate's was more than he could handle. He spent the rest of the funeral crying on Lilo's shoulder. Lilo of course was very understanding. She just let him cry on her trying her best to console him. Seeing my Mother's grave again had gotten me a little chocked up. I thought I felt another Blackout coming on, but I was able to push past it. Now only the most severe attacks could knock me unconscious. Maybe I was steadily learning to ignore the programing like my Father had. I was a little surprised when I felt my Dad put his arm around my shoulder. I wasn't used to these gestures of affections from him. But I didn't shake him off. He stood there for a while with his arm around me before he finally went back to Lilo.
The only person who didn't come to the funeral was Elvis. Apparently he had told Nani and Father he couldn't handle seeing his Brother dead. Understanding they let him stay home. But I knew Elvis all to well. I seriously doubted the explanation he had given. I was sure his his reason was much more selfish. He probably just didn't feel like coming. That was one of the things I didn't like about Elvis. It was a long list to be sure. But I especially hated how selfish he was. He cared about no one but himself. That bastard would probably step on an old lady to save his own skin. Oh well if he didn't want to pay his last respects it wasn't my problem.
After the funeral finally came to an end everyone went home. Leaving Presley to his eternal slumber. For him the question what happens to us when we die? Had bin answered. It was a secret only the dead shared. Death was something we all had to face eventually, but I hoped I wouldn't have to face it any time soon.
XXXX
I was walking along a trail coming back from the white bench. I had needed some time to myself. The events of the past few days gave me a lot to think about. How would things change now? Presley was dead and buried. This vendetta my Brothers had against me seemed a little redundant now. I wondered if things would go back to the way they used to be. Elvis blamed me for Presley's death, and was determined to make me pay. Not because he cared about his brother, but because he needed another reason to justify his hatred for me. I sighed, maybe Elvis could one day learn to let go of his hate and get on with his life. Hate is a very negative and destructive emotion. Its like a cancer. Its sinks into your body were it grows and grows. Before it eventually consumes you. Someday Elvis will end up doing something terrible and he'll have no one to blame but himself.
Then again he wasn't the only one scarred by hate. He hated me and I hated him in return. I loathed him with every ounce of my being. Since the day I was born he's made my life a living hell for his own amusement. I spent all of my time in my lab because I was afraid of him. He had turned my laboratory into my prison. If I had one chance to make him hurt, to make him feel what I feel, to make him experience the pain he has put me through. I would take it, and I would enjoy it. If I am resentful and distant it is because of him. His constant attacks and insults made me what I am today. One day I would make him pay for everything he's done to me. And it would start with Chemical 606.
I suddenly noticed the trail I was walking on seemed a little quit. I came to a stop looking around. For a second I thought I heard someone fallowing me. A twig snapped somewhere in the trees. I turned around. My eyes scanned the area. "Hello...Is someone there?" No one answered. Another twig snapped but closer this time. I didn't like this...Oh no it couldn't be. Hamsterviel couldn't possible have sent another henchmen to kidnap me. Why did I go out alone? I had left myself completely exposed. A rustling sounded from the trees right in front of me. Getting very nervous I ran down the trail. I knew I wasn't imagining it. There was some one fallowing me.
Just then someone jumped out in front off me, hissing and spitting. At first I couldn't believe what I was seeing. A loud rattling sounded as it whipped its tail back and forth. It was Acervus! I stood there frozen in place staring at the alien who had murdered my Brother. The alien who I had killed with my own hand. I couldn't move my legs. I just stood there paralyzed with shock. Flicking his V-shaped tongue he walked towards me. His long bony fingers reaching out for my neck. Closing my eyes I fell backwards onto the ground. Cringing I waited for the feeling of his cold scaly hands to grab my throat. I sat there cowering with my eyes closed for almost a minute, but nothing happened. Finally I worked up the courage to open my eyes. Slowly I peeked out from under my eyelids. There standing in front of me having a good laugh was Experiment 300.
Angrily I jumped to my feet. "What the hell is the matter with you! You nearly gave me a heart attack, are trying to kill me? The green blob like experiment merely laughed before he slithered away. I shook my head. Those experiments were becoming a real pain in the ass. When I got back to the lab I would seriously consider deactivating that one. Shacking my head I began making my way down the trail. I didn't even get five feet. When just then I heard someone chuckling behind me. Groaning I turned around.
"Look 300 you had your fun now leave me alo-", I stopped short. It wasn't Experiment 300. It was Elvis, And standing next to him looking down at the ground was Aaron. Wrapped around the side of Elvis's face was a white bandage. The injury he had sustained from his fight with Acervus left him scarred. When I saw him sneering at me I felt myself start to sweat. That familiar sense of fear and helplessness was clutching my insides. "What do you want?" I asked timidly.
Smirking Elvis walked towards me pulling Aaron along with him. "We've bin looking for you fagot. Fearfully I looked around for any means of escape. I tried to say something but my breath was caught in my throat. Any words I tried to speak came out as short gasp. Grinning he turned to Aaron. "Give it to me," He said out of the corner of his mouth.
"I-I don't think this is such a good idea," Aaron said looking down at small object clutched in his right hand.
"Stop being such a fucking pussy and give it to me!" Elvis snapped. Hesitantly he threw the small object at Elvis which he caught in his hand. I tried to get a look at whatever it was, but Elvis was hiding it from my sight. Telling Aaron not to let me get away he walked into the trees, disappearing into the thicket. He reappeared moments later holding a large dried up shrub. Whistling a merry tune he held up the small object for me to see. I felt my blood go cold. Twiddling in between his fingers was a blue lighter. My eyes fallowed the lighter as he moved it back and forth.
"Don't do it," I said.
Elvis snickered. "Do what? This," Clicking the small black button. Tiny yellow sparks shot out of the lighter. After a few more flick he had a small orange flame flickering in the wind.
Shacking his head Aaron walked up to Elvis placing his hand on his broad shoulder. "This isn't a good idea," He said. Growling he shrugged off Aaron's hand.
"Shut up! What the fucks your problem!? If your not going to help me then you can fucken go cry to daddy!" Snarling he smacked Aaron across the head. Giving out a dog like whelp Aaron backed away rubbing his forehead. After a few moments of silence. Elvis was staring back at me. Laughing like a mad man he set the shrub ablaze. "How about a little fire scarecrow?"
I felt my heart stop in me chest. If it was possible to die from terror, I would have dropped dead on the spot. My Brothers were the only one besides Jumba who knew I had a crippling fear of fire. A small flame from a bud son burner wouldn't bother me. But now the sight of this fiery shrub was enough to petrify me.I watched in absolute horror as Elvis moved the smoldering shrub back and forth, the flames drawing orange lines in the air. When I was still a child. A few weeks after I had bin born. Our house was burned down in a huge fire. Everyone got out alright, but I had bin trapped inside. I remember cowering in the living room. Everything around me up in flames. I could still smell the smoke, and feel the heat as the fire drew nearer. My Father eventually rescued me. Pulling me from the house just as it collapsed, but not before I was terribly burned. If it wasn't for Jumba and his machines. I would be horribly scarred and disfigured. The whole event had left me traumatized. Now the sight of a large flame was enough to have me trembling in fright. And Elvis knew it. This was one of his more cruel torments.
"Whats the matter Simon? You look like you've seen a ghost," Elvis laughed. Swinging the flaming shrub over his head. He moved towards me. I couldn't stop myself from shacking. I wanted to move but I just stood there. I couldn't run, I couldn't think. The only thing that mattered to me was the large flame dancing a few feet in front of me. The fear I felt was overwhelming. It clouded my senses, It made my body stiff. The ground might as well of sprouted roots holding me in place. Because I wasn't going anywhere. As the fire drew nearer I started whimpering. I looked pleadingly at Aaron begging him to do something, but he turned away from my stare.
Wailing like a lunatic Elvis struck me across the head with the shrub. Spraying hot ashes all over my body. I cried out as the small pieces of smoldering wood burned my flesh. I suddenly found myself thrown to the ground with Elvis brutally kicking me in the stomach. Throwing the bush aside were it landed harmlessly a few feet away. He grabbed me by the throat, forcing me to my feet. The intense fear I had felt a moment ago was replaced with intense pain. Relentlessly he punched me in the stomach. It was almost as if he was beating me twice as hard to make up for the time he missed. Violently coughing from the blows to my stomach. I coughed up a little bit of blood on Elvis's hate filled face. This only seem to anger him more. Because he began bashing my head against the ground.
In that moment all I knew was pain. I didn't even think it was possible to feel such physical hurt. If he didn't stop soon my skull felt like it might split in two. Driven by his rage he violently threw me against a tree as easily as he would a rag doll. When I hit the ground I laid here motionless. I wanted nothing more than to slip into unconsciousness. I wanted that sweet darkness to take me away from my Brother. I wasn't so lucky. During this whole time Aaron just stood there cringing at the sound of my cries of torment. A few weeks ago he would be right at Elvis's side happily beating me along with him. Now he just stood there almost like he couldn't bare to watch.
Painfully squeezing my ear he lifted me into the air. Spinning me over his heal like a lasso he slammed me onto the ground. The force of the blow knocked the wind out of me. Desperately I tried to breath in some air. Snickering Elvis bent over looking me in the bruised eye.
"Whats the matter does that hurt? Want me to stop? I'll tell ya what, suck my cock and I'll let ya go." Holding his sides he burst into laughter. I knew he wouldn't expect me to do it. He would often offer me a bargain. When he knew there was no way I would take his offer. That just gave him a reason to keep hurting me. It was all part of his sick twisted sense of humor. It was his final humiliating way of adding insult to injury.
"Alright thats enough!" Aaron shouted. No longer laughing Elvis looked back at Aaron looking annoyed. Almost as if he was angry at him for spoiling his good time. "I think he's had enough," He said.
Elvis looked my beaten body up and down. As if seeing if there was some part of me that he didn't bruise. Seeming satisfied he turned around, and began walking down the trail."Ya, alright lets go. Catch ya later fagot." Aaron spared me one more glance before he disappeared down the trail. Fallowing after Elvis like a faithful dog. I was left there bleeding and broken. Desperately trying to crawl home. This had gone far enough. If I didn't do something Elvis would end up killing me one day. I could no longer wait for Chemical 606. The time had come. I had to tell my Father.