Chapter 25: Conflict

HALF HOUR LATER

Alvin never felt so determined or so fired up before in his life. He was going to find Simon one way or another, and heaven help the poor, unfortunate soul that would stand in his way!

He started to check out the park, which was one of the places he thought Simon might be at. It didn't take long until he found someone. Alvin's blood boiled as he saw Tom sitting on a bench. The older chipmunk teen was having a smoke; his eyes were cast down to the ground. Alvin walked up to him and hovered over him until Tom slowly looked up at him.

"Where's my brother?" Alvin demanded.

"I don't know where he is." Tom calmly replied, looking back down again. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small silver container.

"What's that?" Alvin asked.

"It's called a flask, you moron." Tom muttered under his breath before taking a sip then re-screwing the lid and pocketing the container again.

Alvin knew that he was drinking some kind of alcohol. This angered Alvin even more.

"I'm only going to ask once more. You'd better tell me where Simon is, or I'm going to…"

"Or you're going to do what…beat me up?" Tom asked strongly as he stood up and looked down into Alvin's eyes. "You know Alvin, you make me laugh! Do you actually think I'd do anything to hurt Simon?"

Alvin didn't blink. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm on to your little game! I can see that you are trying to take my brother away from me and my family!"

"I never tried to take your brother anywhere! The Founders did! You know, them crazy kidnappers from the Island?" Tom shouted. "They took all of us from our homes and tried to make us believe that the Island was the only home where we belonged!" Tom stood silent for a moment. The expression on his face changed from anger to sadness as he slowly sat down again "And the scary thing is.... They could be right?" He gravely added as he buried his face in his hands.

"Did you have to turn my brother into a smoker and a drunk?"

"Try to understand this!" Tom growled threw his teeth. He was beginning to really hate Alvin and his assumptions. He again stood up to meet Alvin's gaze. "I didn't make your brother do anything! He made his own decisions! We all had to make our own decisions. We became a family in order to survive!"

"Look, Simon is not your brother." Alvin spat.

"Oh really." Tom retorted. "Tell me, were you there on the island when the Founders threaten and tortured your brother? How about when he felt sad and lone...were you there for him when he needed reassuring?" Tom paused for a moment. "Come to think about it, have you ever been there for any of you siblings."

"Now hold it right there. Just listen..."

"No, you listen. You were never there for your brothers, and you know why?"

Alvin didn't answer, he was afraid to. He glared; knowing that all he can do is stand there and hear what Tom had to say.

"I'll tell you why...because you only ever cared about yourself and what happens if you don't get what you want."

"That's not true." Alvin squeaked in defiance. He hated to admit that Tom had a point, and his eyes started to glisten with forming tears. There were moments from his childhood where he would go into a fit if things hadn't gone his way, especially if that thing had money and success involved.

"It is true. All you would ever do was take advantage of Simon's talents and smarts to aid you in your pathetic schemes. But I ask you, did you ever think about maybe of returning any of the favors Simon did for you?"

Again Alvin didn't answer, he slowly turned his glance towards the ground.

"No, of course not. That would take away of you own selfish needs. You have no any idea how lucky you really are. You've got two brothers, a dad that loves you, and a mom that, even though you don't get to see her too often, loves you just the same!"

Tom began to think about his life... before, during, and after being on the island. "I really never had a real family. Simon, Brian, Brenda and Renee were my family. Not to mention Mary-Anne, Jeff, Rob and Mark. They were our mentors! They, too, were like a real family to me! Jeff had been the father that I always wanted..." His heart sunk, he wished he knew what had happened to Jeff and Mary and the others. He just had the sinking feeling that they were all dead.

With a deep breath, Tom shook his head. "I was an only child growing up with my parents. My mom died a year and a half before the Founders came for me. I never really had a relationship with my dad. I was always into books and studying for good grades, while he was mostly into upgrading his business." He scoffed at the irony of his words. "Like I said, you are so lucky to have a brother like Simon. He is the only one of few that understood me. He is the brother I never had, he and Brian... Brenda and Renee were the sisters I never had. The five of us were inseparable. I would do anything for them…but…now, it's just the three of us." Tom trailed off in a weak tone of regret.

As Tom spoke, Alvin could only stand and listen. He slowly began to realize that Tom was scared.... hurting, even.

Tom slowly took one last drag from his cigarette, then tossed it on the ground and killed it with his foot.

"I hope you find your brother." Tom stated sincerely, looking back at Alvin. "Just to let you know... I would die for Simon. I love him. He's family to me." With that, Tom turned and walked away from Alvin.

Alvin watched him as he slowly disappeared around the corner. He stood there for a moment, lost in thought over what had just happened. Almost instantly, he had gone from wanting to punch Tom in the face, to feeling so sorry for him. Finally, Alvin snapped out of his deep thought, and his mind refocused on the task he had at hand. He glanced down at his watch. It was a few short minutes until noon. He sighed, then turned around and continued his search for Simon.