---------Part Three: Conflict, The Expanding
Kuki opened her eyes, and woke up with a scream. Soon, hands were on her, holding her down, silencing her, and for a moment she thought demons had come to drag her into a deep, dark place where she would rather not go.
But suddenly a voice broke through, saying "Calm down girl, calm down. Calm down..."
Kuki stopped screaming, and looked around in agitated fear. As she did so, the delusion began to melt away, revealing that demons were really doctors, and fiends were really friends. And the one who had said "Calm down" was, of course, Numbuh Five. And upon being free of the nightmare, Kuki smiled and layed back down. Slowly she turned her bright and smiling face towards Numbuh Five, who smiled back.
"You had us worried there, girl," Numbuh Five stated.
"Yea, that was one heck of a nightmare." Hoagie commented. "You kept saying 'she's gonna kill him' and calling for Numbuh One. What's up with that?"
Kuki's smile faded, remembering her dream. "It was awful... Lizzie and Numbuh One got into a fight, and Lizzie grabbed a shotgun and..."
"Whoa, chill girl. It's just a dream." Abby reassured her. "Lizzie wouldn't do a thing like that!"
And once more, the young, bedridden Asian smiled. "You're right. I'm being silly."
"Yea," Wallabee agreed with a pose, "If Kissy Lizzie tried to kill Numbuh One, I'd give her a--" Numbuh Five held up her hand, causing Numbuh Four to realize that hospitals were really no place to get cocky. He let his arms fall and went back to just standing normally, watchful and protective of Numbuh Three.
The doctor, who had heretofore been silent, now spoke. "Well little lady, you gave us all a bit of a jolt. You were sweating profusely and were talking in your sleep. Your friends say you just passed out in the middle of physical activity. But... by the looks of things, it doesn't seem like there's anything wrong or unusual about you."
Kuki blinked. "Really?"
"All our tests indicate nothing more than your average fever. It's dropped by 1.5 degrees since you got here, but it's still present. Unless there are further developments, however, we may not need to hold you longer than a few hours like we thought originally."
All faces were smiles at that statement, as Kuki well noted as she looked around the room... only to have hers fade when she noticed one missing feature.
"Where's Numbuh One?"
"He got held up." Abby answered her. "He'll be up later."
"I see." Kuki regained her smile as she snuggled into the pillow, though it wasn't as wide as it could've been.
"I'll be right back," Abby quickly explained before leaving the room. Once she did, she looked both ways in the hallway, and searched out a girl's restroom. Finding one, she entered and explored it, finding it to be generally empty. Then she reached for her ear.
"Numbuh One here," went a voice coming from the super-secret communications device.
"Yo' man, where are you?"
"I'm at home right now. Sorry I got home a few minutes late... thing is..."
"Thing is I bet that Lizzie held you up again!"
Nigel was silent for a moment, but when he came back it was almost spastic, "No no! She's not to blame for this, I am! I shouldn't have offered to take her on a date if--"
"If you knew somethin' like this was gonna happen?" Abby asked harshly, hoping Nigel realized how rediculous the assertion sounded.
-----------
And as it happened, Nigel did, responding with "Well, you've got a point, I didn't know she was going to get this sick. But... but still--"
"Furthermore, Nigel Uno," Went the accusing voice of his friend Abigail across the wavelengths, "It's time I levelled with you--That girl's doin' nothin' but tryin' to dominate your life!"
"Abby! How can you say such a thing?!"
"How can I... Man, face reality sometime. She keeps you from visitin' friends in the hospital, she makes you give up missions, she makes up dates and says they were appointments--"
"--They were! I just forgot, that's all!"
"Every time?"
"Yes, Every time! Look, me and Lizzie are happy together. Why I remember our first date--"
"--So do I. Remember the boyfriend helmet?"
And then there was a harsh, bitter silence.
"By the way," Abby stated matter-of-factly, "There's a message for you from the higher-ups laying on your bed. For your sake I hope you get your act together." With that, the communications went silent following a distinctive sign-off click.
Nigel punched a cushion, revealing his anger. How dare Numbuh Five say something like that! She was just jealous, that's all... or was she? Nigel's mind began to think. After all, Numbuh Five's never shown any interest in you before, has she? And she was right about the boyfriend helmet... No! Nigel shook his head. Lizzie's done nothing wrong! I'm the one to blame! She's right, I let her get pushed around and insulted when I should be sticking up for her, I'm always late for dates, I'm.. Lizzie's an angel! The very thought that she's the cause of my suffering is unimagineable!
And suddenly the anger dispersed, which gave Numbuh One the impression that he was right. Returning to perfect sanity, he looked down his arm and into the deep indentation in the sofa cushion, and retracted his arm. Standing up, he scanned his memory. Didn't Numbuh Five say something else, something about a message? Oh yes, in his room. His feet turned towards the door and started walking, and as he expected, there was a piece of paper weighted down in the center of his bed, which he picked up and began reading.
When he was through, he was in the foul mood called despair. There was only one last thing to do: call Lizzie.
-----------
Lizzie was guzzling a soda, sitting on her soft, fancy-looking bed in her big and colorful room filled to the rim with posters, shelves lined with her favorite books and movies, and an alabaster statue in one corner. Her television was a sixteen-inch widescreen with Dolby surround sound, and she had satellite, as well as a combination VCR and DVD Player, the most expensive one her family could buy. As she guzzled the soda and watched some mediocre sitcom, she picked up the ringing phone. "Yes?" She answered in a tone of pure disinterest, as if she felt that whoever was calling was some insect whom was doing naught but wasting her valuable time.
"Lizzie, it's me."
Instantly, her expression became less sour but no less cold. "Nigey!" She answered. "Hey, I was just about to come over there!"
"Lizzie... we can't go on any more dates for awhile."
"Why not?"
"I'm out of money. I can't pay for anything. I've used up all my monthly allowance and... today I got a notice from the Higher-ups saying that my Charge Card privelages have been revoked."
"Really? Wow. Why is that?"
"They say it's because I'm abusing the privelage, using the charge card more for my personal pleasure instead of for anything to do with the KND Organization. Their reports show that I've spent more than three percent of the KND's funds."
"Only three percent? Like, how much is that?"
"Umm, about twenty-five hundred dollars. I have no idea how I spent that much, but--"
"Geez, they're penny-pinchers, aren't they? Revoking your card just because of a measly few thousand dollars. You could re-imburse them in about three months."
"Lizzie," he said, unmistakeably harsh, "Not all of us have families that make ten-thousand dollars a month."
"Poor you. Geez, just get a job Nigel. This kind of stuff is nothing."
Nigel sighed. "Lizzie, how can I get a job? I'm only ten."
"Mow lawns or something."
"That won't get me that much in three months--"
"Look, I'm not going to argue with you. I've told you what to do. And heck, I'm not going to pay your debts. You soak in your own dishwashing liquid."
"I never asked for hand-outs!"
And then there was silence as Lizzie gawked, her hand still holding the phone.
Then Nigel began to feel guilt, and said "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to burst out like that!"
And this helped bring Lizzie back to herself, and she yelled into the phone "Don't you ever talk that way to me again!"
"I'm sorry!"
Lizzie sighed, not bothering to say wether or not she had accepted his apology. "Look, I'm kinda busy right now, so can I talk to ya later?"
"Sure. Talk to ya later Lizzie. Bye."
"Bye." With that, she hung up and layed her head back on a pillow. Turning on her side, her eyes fell upon the stuffed monkey thing Nigel had won for her (or so her version of events went). Picking it up, she examined it... and after deciding it was "tacky" she chunked it into a nearby wastebasket.
------------
Nigel was depressed enough, Lizzie's rejection and general attitude had not helped. As he hung up the phone, a terrifying thought crossed his mind. Maybe she doesn't love me anymore... maybe I've become just too weak, too stupid, too.. dorky. He clasped his face in his hands and leaned foreward. Dear God, what did I do wrong? Yet somehow, Nigel's own emotions confused him. He was sad, he was upset... yet at the same time, he felt like a great weight had been lifted off of him.
Lizzie was right though, he needed a job. It was either that or spend his monthly allowances re-imbursing the KND's account... of course, he didn't have to do it. The note never said he had depts which need to be repayed., just that he wasn't allowed to use the KND Account anymore. But his conscience one out. The allegation was true--he had used the money for personal benefits, not for the organization like he should have done. And besides, maybe paying them back would get him back the use of the KND Account, which the group would need as a resource.
But what could he do? He looked out a window, glancing over the outside world. As far as he could see, no lawns needed mowing, houses painting, babies sitting... perhaps a closer inspection would reveal something more, but he just didn't feel like it right now as he lied down on the sofa, and closed his eyes.
------------
Lizzie was on the floor, a bloody mark across her face, being held by one of her hands. She was in total shock as she rubbed the spot, and looked at her hand, seeing her own blood. Nigel, why? She mouthed, looking up at him with pitiful eyes.
And Nigel examined his own fist, bringing it closer to his eyes, and he could clearly see blood here, too. It made him wince, moreso knowing that it had been he who had struck her. Her, his one true love. He had forgotten why he had struck her as he knelt down and held her in his arms. Lizzie, I'm so sorry! He told her right back. Will you ever forgive me?
You're pathetic!
Nigel heard the exclamation, and looked behind him. There were Numbuhs Two, Four, and Five, looking down on him as if he was nothing more than some trash dragged out of the street.
You're pathetic! Came Numbuh Five, re-iterating her earlier words. You still clingin' to this girl like a lovesick puppy, even after she murdered Numbuh Three!
What? Nigel couldn't believe his ears, his thoughts, but nevertheless he felt compelled to look to his left, where Numbuh Three was lying, dead of a gunshot wound, blood spreading all over the floor... and his gaze trailed the blood, his stomach becoming weaker, and finally unable to hold out any longer as a trail of blood came to rest on the weapon which had committed the crime... and a gaze along the barrel eventually revealed the criminal responsible. Lizzie's hand was on the trigger.
And then Nigel felt a kick on his back, and then another one, and another as he heard angered voices, yelling You don't deserve to be our leader! and We used to think you were coo', Numbuh One. You're nothing but a pansy, Numbuh One, just a plaything for Kissy Lizzie to use as she sees fit. One day she's going to kill you just like she killed Numbuh Three. But you knew that, didn't you? You knew it the whole time and still you obey her like a trained lapdog...
YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE CALLED A HUMAN BEING!
------------
Nigel awoke, gasping for air. Then he widened his eyes, and looked around.
Empty. Not a soul. He looked at the floor. There was no blood. He looked at his hands. They were clean. He smelled the air. No scent of blood or smoke...
He layed back with a relieved sigh. It had been a dream. Just a dream.
He sat up, and wondered how much time had passed as he got up and searched out a clock, and finally remembered he was wearing a watch. Two hours. He felt like he hadn't slept at all. He sat down once more, and it nagged on him. He had wasted so much time, just sleeping, standing up, sitting back down again, doing nothing constructive. He needed to do something. He needed to get his mnd off things.
But his mind could only think about his dream, and Numbuh Three's body...
Numbuh Three! He wondered if she had recovered or gotten worse. He wondered if Numbuh Five had contacted him while he was asleep, and acting upon this, he activated his communications device.
The click once more sounded, and a voice, after a few moments, said in whisper "Numbuh Five here. What's up?"
"How's Numbuh Three doing?"
"Man, where are you? She passed out again! Doctors think it's serious but they can't identify it. She's callin' for you again... and there's somethin' else."
And at this, fear gripped his heart, he suddenly found it hard to talk, hard to think. "What? Tell me everything!"
"Well, this part's kinda weird. She calls for you, but every once in awhile she keeps screamin' 'She's gonna kill 'im'." Abby listened to the silence, then added "Just thought you'd like to know."
Nigel didn't quite know what to say, and the next words out of his mouth were thoughtless. "Abby, do you believe in coincidence?"
"Sometimes. Why?"
"Well... it's just that... I find it odd that Kuki says that. You see I had a dream just now--"
"Sorry to cut ya off man but Kuki's having another hectic period, I'll have to get back to ya. Oh, and I forgot to tell ya, we're at the Jefferson Fairview Hospital."
"Jefferson Fairview, got it. I'll be there."
And with that, both sides closed the connection as Nigel sighed. Things just went from bad to worse. He wished he could do something, right then, right there. But what? I can't even stand up to my girlfriend.
And with that, he screamed. "Dear God, I am pathetic! I am a disgrace! I don't deserve to be called a human being! If only there was something..." with that he sulked into his room in a midst of anguish. Slumping onto his bed, he looked around.
And his eyes fell on some construction paper, sparking an idea into his head--one of the few lights that glowed in that darkened area, which shone into his heart. A smile crossed his face as an idea crossed his mind and he crossed his room until he ran across a pair of scissors, and then he sat down at a table.
The snipping began, then the folding and the taping. For a moment, Nigel wondered if he should artificially scent them, but he decided against it, since given how little he knew about sicknesses and stuff he might've ended up somehow making her condition worse. He had made half a dozen, which to him was adequate. Wrapping them together with a brown paper, he almost got up, but then made one last decision. He took out a pencil and wrote "Get well soon, Kuki!" On one of the petals, writing his own name on the other side of that same petal.
Then he was out of his chair, admiring his creation. This was much more pleasant than that abominable monkey he had wasted a dollar trying to win. Much, much more pleasant. Even better, this was something he had hand-crafted, not some mass-produced artifact of capitalism! It may not cure her, but as least she knew he cared.
That thought made his heart rise. Suddenly it was if all the gloom of the last few minutes was gone, as he exited his room, ready to face the world outside.
Unfortunately, when he opened the front door to his treehouse, the only thing he faced was Lizzie, and he stumbled back in shock.
"Hey!" She explained, "I just came over to visit. You sounded kinda upset on the phone and--oh! Are those for me?!" She asked excitedly as she grabbed the paper flowers from Nigel's hand. "Oooo! These are pretty!" She sniffed them, only to have her face graced with a look of underwhelming. "You didn't scent them?"
"I... uhhhh..."
Lizzie looked them over with admiration... and then a hint of displeasure as her eyes fell on something. Get well soon, Kuki?! She held the petal in her hand, feeling the anger well up. She had been mistaken... these weren't for her after all. They were that sick friend of Nigel's! I must seem like such a fool! She thought... before a grin crossed her face. Of course, I could always just erase my mistake...
"Hmmm, I wonder," Lizzie said as she, much to Nigel's dismay, pulled off a paper petal, and dropped it on the floor. And Nigel gasped, his heart caught, as Lizzie pulled off another petal, saying "He loves me not... he loves me... he loves me not..."
And as she pulled them, he watched them fall. His creations, his present which he had put his heart into, meant for a sick friend, being destroyed right before his very eyes! As if he could somehow preserve them, he knelt down and began picking up the petals, grasping them... until his eyes fell on one with his name on the back. No, she didn't... he turned it over.
Get well soon, Kuki!
And something inside Nigel snapped then. His dream came flooding back to him, and once more he saw Lizzie holding the gun, saw the trail of blood, and felt his fellow operatives giving him the beating of his life as he looked at Kuki's lifeless body.
She's not dead, Nigel.
Nigel went through the events of the day. Lizzie had forced him to walk her home, causing him to pass up a ride to the hospital. Now he knew where they were, he could walk. Lizzie had also confiscated the stuffed animal... the one he had won for Kuki! She had forced him to...
Finally it clicked. Nigel never ate much or bought much, but Lizzie had always bought exhorbitant amounts of food or toys or whatnot on their little outings! Finally, it all made sense. Why hadn't he seen it before? He had been looking at himself as the culprit, or blaming it on the economy or some other scapegoat. But now the truth was plain... Lizzie was the reason he had used up his allowance and gotten banned from using his charge card!
He began to realize more. Abby...
"Abby was right!" Nigel exclaimed, causing the pigtailed redhead to stair up at him in shock. "You dominated me, you controlled me... you even had a sneaky little way of making me blame myself for your mistakes!"
Her angered expression was obvious as she demanded "What did I tell you about speaking to me in that tone?"
"Oh be quiet, you fat, pompous @#$%@!"
At that, she was so caught off-guard that she dropped the bouquet, which Nigel deftly caught. "Here," he said, pulling out the one Lizzie had almost completely destroyed. "You can keep this one, it's ruined--just like my life almost was because of you!"
As he placed it in her hand, she grabbed and chunked it, demanding "Nigel Uno, what is the meaning of this?"
"As if you don't know! I'm tired of you, your holier-than-thou attitude, your entire sense of 'I can do no wrong because I'm a rich little daddy's girl who'se never had a spanking in her whole entire life and is so spoiled that the amount of nachos I'm allowed to eat shows up on the scale'!"
Her mouth widened. This was awful, this was wrong. How could Nigel be saying these things to her? She thought.. she thought they had something! I mean sure for awhile I thought he was a dork, but...
"You're a total psychopath! You lash out at people for looking at you cross-eyed! You even strike your own boyfriend. You degrade me, look down upon me... our entire relationship was nothing more than you trying to make me feel like my existence was worthless! But that's not the worst of it--you try to block me from my friends, friends who at this moment really need me, all because you need someone you can feel superior to! My friends were right, you are the dictionary definition of abusive! You weren't a healthy relationship I needed to maintain, you were a drug addiction I needed to break!"
With that, Nigel walked past her, and out the door. As he approached the ladder, he turned, shut and locked the door, and said "One of these days, your behavior and general attitude is going to get you killed... or one of your unlucky victims. I hope you weren't planning on me being around to take the fall for you, because I won't be. And by the way, I don't ever want to see you in my yard again. Do you understand?!" He did not even bother to wait for a response as he climbed down the ladder, and took off running, leaving Lizzie shattered and confused.
--------------
"Where's Numbuh One?" Kuki asked with increasing worry. Her friends were all around her, Abby on one side, the boys on the other. The doctors, feeling Kuki was, for the moment, stable, had left the room, though a nurse was standing outside just in case an emergency came up.
"He'll be here soon," Abby reassured her. "Trust me, he's just bein' held up."
"Yea," Wally whispered to Numbuh Two, "Probably by Kissy Lizzie."
Numbuh Three's keen ears overheard this comment, and she looked towards the two boys. The worry was evident on her face. Soon, a hidden implication of their words which only Kuki was aware of crossed her mind, and tears streamed down her face. She began to cry.
"Kuki!" Abby grabbed her. "What's wrong?"
"She's gonna kill him." Kuki sobbed. "Abby... every time I go to sleep I dream about it. She's going to. I know she is. Maybe she has already and that's why he hasn't shown up..."
"Kuki, that's just a dream! I talked to Nigel a few minutes ago, he'll be here!"
Kuki tried to force a smile, but it didn't work. Her heart and mind, logic being weakened by delirium, succumbed to a baseless despair. "Thanks for trying, Abby. But I know he's dead. He would've showed up by now if..." Kuki became silent, not wanting to speak her thoughts any further, and she continued crying.
But all tears stopped and all faces turned as the door opened and closed with a creak and a moan, and two shoed feet stepped foreward, and a British hand offered a bouquet of flowers made from paper.
"I hope your feeling better," was the first thing that Nigel said.
--------------
Her heart shattered, her mind confused, and her body feeling like an empty shell. Lizzie walked home, a complete and utter wreck. She didn't understand! Had she not said she was going to see how well Nigel was doing? Well, granted she had also thought about asking him to take her to see Happy Place 4 again. He had, after all, forced them to leave the morning showing thirty minutes early. Just like he had forced them to leave the skating rink after being there for only five minutes, just because he remembered he couldn't skate. And now he lashed out at her, saying she had degraded and insulted him, unjustifiably assaulting his friends (That was untrue, they had made snide remarks about her) and keeping him from seeing someone who was more important!
He had called her an abusive psychopath, he had even insulted her weight! But this was not what bothered her the most.
What bothered her the most was that he had dumped her.
No, not even that. There was something about the things he said. That she was spoiled because she was rich, that she generally believed she could do anything she wanted, that she needed someone to feel superior to... No way... it couldn't possibly be true, could it?
Of course not!
Lizzie took only five minutes to realize this, once she had reached her bedroom and looked around. It wasn't her that was abusive... it was him! Why, since day one he had always tried to make her feel guilty! She knew he wanted that date and would've gone out with her even if she hadn't used the boyfriend helmet, and is there any proof those things even work anyway? But he had dated her several times of his own free will since then. Granted the first seventeen or so times he had begged and even twisted her arm (or was it the other way around? Nah..) but afterwards they would always immediately agree on the time and place... even if he would always forget.
There was no way Lizzie could be so bad! She was young, intelligent, beautiful (by certain standards). No, it was obvious. Lizzie was in the moral right. She was always in the moral right because that was how she had been brought up, knowing right from wrong. Unlike her ex-boyfriend Nigel Uno. He was the abusive one, the degrader, the violent maniac!
He found you out.
And all was silence as Lizzie listened to this voice from the deepest, darkest recesses of her mind.
He found you out. You couldn't keep it up forever. Just think... soon the entire world will know what kind of person you really are!
But I'm a good girl!
Not anymore, you little fibber you... of course, you could always erase your mistake. It would be justified, wouldn't it? After all, if he's the abusive psychopath... why, you may even be doing your community a favor...
To Be Continued...
-------Part Three notes
I felt I should mention an edit I've made recently... originally Nigel's debt was twenty-five thousand dollars, but here I changed it to what I percieve as a more realistic amount: twenty-five hundred (or two-thousand five-hundred). The fact that he's in debt may be a plot point in a later story, but don't hold your breath.
Kuki opened her eyes, and woke up with a scream. Soon, hands were on her, holding her down, silencing her, and for a moment she thought demons had come to drag her into a deep, dark place where she would rather not go.
But suddenly a voice broke through, saying "Calm down girl, calm down. Calm down..."
Kuki stopped screaming, and looked around in agitated fear. As she did so, the delusion began to melt away, revealing that demons were really doctors, and fiends were really friends. And the one who had said "Calm down" was, of course, Numbuh Five. And upon being free of the nightmare, Kuki smiled and layed back down. Slowly she turned her bright and smiling face towards Numbuh Five, who smiled back.
"You had us worried there, girl," Numbuh Five stated.
"Yea, that was one heck of a nightmare." Hoagie commented. "You kept saying 'she's gonna kill him' and calling for Numbuh One. What's up with that?"
Kuki's smile faded, remembering her dream. "It was awful... Lizzie and Numbuh One got into a fight, and Lizzie grabbed a shotgun and..."
"Whoa, chill girl. It's just a dream." Abby reassured her. "Lizzie wouldn't do a thing like that!"
And once more, the young, bedridden Asian smiled. "You're right. I'm being silly."
"Yea," Wallabee agreed with a pose, "If Kissy Lizzie tried to kill Numbuh One, I'd give her a--" Numbuh Five held up her hand, causing Numbuh Four to realize that hospitals were really no place to get cocky. He let his arms fall and went back to just standing normally, watchful and protective of Numbuh Three.
The doctor, who had heretofore been silent, now spoke. "Well little lady, you gave us all a bit of a jolt. You were sweating profusely and were talking in your sleep. Your friends say you just passed out in the middle of physical activity. But... by the looks of things, it doesn't seem like there's anything wrong or unusual about you."
Kuki blinked. "Really?"
"All our tests indicate nothing more than your average fever. It's dropped by 1.5 degrees since you got here, but it's still present. Unless there are further developments, however, we may not need to hold you longer than a few hours like we thought originally."
All faces were smiles at that statement, as Kuki well noted as she looked around the room... only to have hers fade when she noticed one missing feature.
"Where's Numbuh One?"
"He got held up." Abby answered her. "He'll be up later."
"I see." Kuki regained her smile as she snuggled into the pillow, though it wasn't as wide as it could've been.
"I'll be right back," Abby quickly explained before leaving the room. Once she did, she looked both ways in the hallway, and searched out a girl's restroom. Finding one, she entered and explored it, finding it to be generally empty. Then she reached for her ear.
"Numbuh One here," went a voice coming from the super-secret communications device.
"Yo' man, where are you?"
"I'm at home right now. Sorry I got home a few minutes late... thing is..."
"Thing is I bet that Lizzie held you up again!"
Nigel was silent for a moment, but when he came back it was almost spastic, "No no! She's not to blame for this, I am! I shouldn't have offered to take her on a date if--"
"If you knew somethin' like this was gonna happen?" Abby asked harshly, hoping Nigel realized how rediculous the assertion sounded.
-----------
And as it happened, Nigel did, responding with "Well, you've got a point, I didn't know she was going to get this sick. But... but still--"
"Furthermore, Nigel Uno," Went the accusing voice of his friend Abigail across the wavelengths, "It's time I levelled with you--That girl's doin' nothin' but tryin' to dominate your life!"
"Abby! How can you say such a thing?!"
"How can I... Man, face reality sometime. She keeps you from visitin' friends in the hospital, she makes you give up missions, she makes up dates and says they were appointments--"
"--They were! I just forgot, that's all!"
"Every time?"
"Yes, Every time! Look, me and Lizzie are happy together. Why I remember our first date--"
"--So do I. Remember the boyfriend helmet?"
And then there was a harsh, bitter silence.
"By the way," Abby stated matter-of-factly, "There's a message for you from the higher-ups laying on your bed. For your sake I hope you get your act together." With that, the communications went silent following a distinctive sign-off click.
Nigel punched a cushion, revealing his anger. How dare Numbuh Five say something like that! She was just jealous, that's all... or was she? Nigel's mind began to think. After all, Numbuh Five's never shown any interest in you before, has she? And she was right about the boyfriend helmet... No! Nigel shook his head. Lizzie's done nothing wrong! I'm the one to blame! She's right, I let her get pushed around and insulted when I should be sticking up for her, I'm always late for dates, I'm.. Lizzie's an angel! The very thought that she's the cause of my suffering is unimagineable!
And suddenly the anger dispersed, which gave Numbuh One the impression that he was right. Returning to perfect sanity, he looked down his arm and into the deep indentation in the sofa cushion, and retracted his arm. Standing up, he scanned his memory. Didn't Numbuh Five say something else, something about a message? Oh yes, in his room. His feet turned towards the door and started walking, and as he expected, there was a piece of paper weighted down in the center of his bed, which he picked up and began reading.
When he was through, he was in the foul mood called despair. There was only one last thing to do: call Lizzie.
-----------
Lizzie was guzzling a soda, sitting on her soft, fancy-looking bed in her big and colorful room filled to the rim with posters, shelves lined with her favorite books and movies, and an alabaster statue in one corner. Her television was a sixteen-inch widescreen with Dolby surround sound, and she had satellite, as well as a combination VCR and DVD Player, the most expensive one her family could buy. As she guzzled the soda and watched some mediocre sitcom, she picked up the ringing phone. "Yes?" She answered in a tone of pure disinterest, as if she felt that whoever was calling was some insect whom was doing naught but wasting her valuable time.
"Lizzie, it's me."
Instantly, her expression became less sour but no less cold. "Nigey!" She answered. "Hey, I was just about to come over there!"
"Lizzie... we can't go on any more dates for awhile."
"Why not?"
"I'm out of money. I can't pay for anything. I've used up all my monthly allowance and... today I got a notice from the Higher-ups saying that my Charge Card privelages have been revoked."
"Really? Wow. Why is that?"
"They say it's because I'm abusing the privelage, using the charge card more for my personal pleasure instead of for anything to do with the KND Organization. Their reports show that I've spent more than three percent of the KND's funds."
"Only three percent? Like, how much is that?"
"Umm, about twenty-five hundred dollars. I have no idea how I spent that much, but--"
"Geez, they're penny-pinchers, aren't they? Revoking your card just because of a measly few thousand dollars. You could re-imburse them in about three months."
"Lizzie," he said, unmistakeably harsh, "Not all of us have families that make ten-thousand dollars a month."
"Poor you. Geez, just get a job Nigel. This kind of stuff is nothing."
Nigel sighed. "Lizzie, how can I get a job? I'm only ten."
"Mow lawns or something."
"That won't get me that much in three months--"
"Look, I'm not going to argue with you. I've told you what to do. And heck, I'm not going to pay your debts. You soak in your own dishwashing liquid."
"I never asked for hand-outs!"
And then there was silence as Lizzie gawked, her hand still holding the phone.
Then Nigel began to feel guilt, and said "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to burst out like that!"
And this helped bring Lizzie back to herself, and she yelled into the phone "Don't you ever talk that way to me again!"
"I'm sorry!"
Lizzie sighed, not bothering to say wether or not she had accepted his apology. "Look, I'm kinda busy right now, so can I talk to ya later?"
"Sure. Talk to ya later Lizzie. Bye."
"Bye." With that, she hung up and layed her head back on a pillow. Turning on her side, her eyes fell upon the stuffed monkey thing Nigel had won for her (or so her version of events went). Picking it up, she examined it... and after deciding it was "tacky" she chunked it into a nearby wastebasket.
------------
Nigel was depressed enough, Lizzie's rejection and general attitude had not helped. As he hung up the phone, a terrifying thought crossed his mind. Maybe she doesn't love me anymore... maybe I've become just too weak, too stupid, too.. dorky. He clasped his face in his hands and leaned foreward. Dear God, what did I do wrong? Yet somehow, Nigel's own emotions confused him. He was sad, he was upset... yet at the same time, he felt like a great weight had been lifted off of him.
Lizzie was right though, he needed a job. It was either that or spend his monthly allowances re-imbursing the KND's account... of course, he didn't have to do it. The note never said he had depts which need to be repayed., just that he wasn't allowed to use the KND Account anymore. But his conscience one out. The allegation was true--he had used the money for personal benefits, not for the organization like he should have done. And besides, maybe paying them back would get him back the use of the KND Account, which the group would need as a resource.
But what could he do? He looked out a window, glancing over the outside world. As far as he could see, no lawns needed mowing, houses painting, babies sitting... perhaps a closer inspection would reveal something more, but he just didn't feel like it right now as he lied down on the sofa, and closed his eyes.
------------
Lizzie was on the floor, a bloody mark across her face, being held by one of her hands. She was in total shock as she rubbed the spot, and looked at her hand, seeing her own blood. Nigel, why? She mouthed, looking up at him with pitiful eyes.
And Nigel examined his own fist, bringing it closer to his eyes, and he could clearly see blood here, too. It made him wince, moreso knowing that it had been he who had struck her. Her, his one true love. He had forgotten why he had struck her as he knelt down and held her in his arms. Lizzie, I'm so sorry! He told her right back. Will you ever forgive me?
You're pathetic!
Nigel heard the exclamation, and looked behind him. There were Numbuhs Two, Four, and Five, looking down on him as if he was nothing more than some trash dragged out of the street.
You're pathetic! Came Numbuh Five, re-iterating her earlier words. You still clingin' to this girl like a lovesick puppy, even after she murdered Numbuh Three!
What? Nigel couldn't believe his ears, his thoughts, but nevertheless he felt compelled to look to his left, where Numbuh Three was lying, dead of a gunshot wound, blood spreading all over the floor... and his gaze trailed the blood, his stomach becoming weaker, and finally unable to hold out any longer as a trail of blood came to rest on the weapon which had committed the crime... and a gaze along the barrel eventually revealed the criminal responsible. Lizzie's hand was on the trigger.
And then Nigel felt a kick on his back, and then another one, and another as he heard angered voices, yelling You don't deserve to be our leader! and We used to think you were coo', Numbuh One. You're nothing but a pansy, Numbuh One, just a plaything for Kissy Lizzie to use as she sees fit. One day she's going to kill you just like she killed Numbuh Three. But you knew that, didn't you? You knew it the whole time and still you obey her like a trained lapdog...
YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE CALLED A HUMAN BEING!
------------
Nigel awoke, gasping for air. Then he widened his eyes, and looked around.
Empty. Not a soul. He looked at the floor. There was no blood. He looked at his hands. They were clean. He smelled the air. No scent of blood or smoke...
He layed back with a relieved sigh. It had been a dream. Just a dream.
He sat up, and wondered how much time had passed as he got up and searched out a clock, and finally remembered he was wearing a watch. Two hours. He felt like he hadn't slept at all. He sat down once more, and it nagged on him. He had wasted so much time, just sleeping, standing up, sitting back down again, doing nothing constructive. He needed to do something. He needed to get his mnd off things.
But his mind could only think about his dream, and Numbuh Three's body...
Numbuh Three! He wondered if she had recovered or gotten worse. He wondered if Numbuh Five had contacted him while he was asleep, and acting upon this, he activated his communications device.
The click once more sounded, and a voice, after a few moments, said in whisper "Numbuh Five here. What's up?"
"How's Numbuh Three doing?"
"Man, where are you? She passed out again! Doctors think it's serious but they can't identify it. She's callin' for you again... and there's somethin' else."
And at this, fear gripped his heart, he suddenly found it hard to talk, hard to think. "What? Tell me everything!"
"Well, this part's kinda weird. She calls for you, but every once in awhile she keeps screamin' 'She's gonna kill 'im'." Abby listened to the silence, then added "Just thought you'd like to know."
Nigel didn't quite know what to say, and the next words out of his mouth were thoughtless. "Abby, do you believe in coincidence?"
"Sometimes. Why?"
"Well... it's just that... I find it odd that Kuki says that. You see I had a dream just now--"
"Sorry to cut ya off man but Kuki's having another hectic period, I'll have to get back to ya. Oh, and I forgot to tell ya, we're at the Jefferson Fairview Hospital."
"Jefferson Fairview, got it. I'll be there."
And with that, both sides closed the connection as Nigel sighed. Things just went from bad to worse. He wished he could do something, right then, right there. But what? I can't even stand up to my girlfriend.
And with that, he screamed. "Dear God, I am pathetic! I am a disgrace! I don't deserve to be called a human being! If only there was something..." with that he sulked into his room in a midst of anguish. Slumping onto his bed, he looked around.
And his eyes fell on some construction paper, sparking an idea into his head--one of the few lights that glowed in that darkened area, which shone into his heart. A smile crossed his face as an idea crossed his mind and he crossed his room until he ran across a pair of scissors, and then he sat down at a table.
The snipping began, then the folding and the taping. For a moment, Nigel wondered if he should artificially scent them, but he decided against it, since given how little he knew about sicknesses and stuff he might've ended up somehow making her condition worse. He had made half a dozen, which to him was adequate. Wrapping them together with a brown paper, he almost got up, but then made one last decision. He took out a pencil and wrote "Get well soon, Kuki!" On one of the petals, writing his own name on the other side of that same petal.
Then he was out of his chair, admiring his creation. This was much more pleasant than that abominable monkey he had wasted a dollar trying to win. Much, much more pleasant. Even better, this was something he had hand-crafted, not some mass-produced artifact of capitalism! It may not cure her, but as least she knew he cared.
That thought made his heart rise. Suddenly it was if all the gloom of the last few minutes was gone, as he exited his room, ready to face the world outside.
Unfortunately, when he opened the front door to his treehouse, the only thing he faced was Lizzie, and he stumbled back in shock.
"Hey!" She explained, "I just came over to visit. You sounded kinda upset on the phone and--oh! Are those for me?!" She asked excitedly as she grabbed the paper flowers from Nigel's hand. "Oooo! These are pretty!" She sniffed them, only to have her face graced with a look of underwhelming. "You didn't scent them?"
"I... uhhhh..."
Lizzie looked them over with admiration... and then a hint of displeasure as her eyes fell on something. Get well soon, Kuki?! She held the petal in her hand, feeling the anger well up. She had been mistaken... these weren't for her after all. They were that sick friend of Nigel's! I must seem like such a fool! She thought... before a grin crossed her face. Of course, I could always just erase my mistake...
"Hmmm, I wonder," Lizzie said as she, much to Nigel's dismay, pulled off a paper petal, and dropped it on the floor. And Nigel gasped, his heart caught, as Lizzie pulled off another petal, saying "He loves me not... he loves me... he loves me not..."
And as she pulled them, he watched them fall. His creations, his present which he had put his heart into, meant for a sick friend, being destroyed right before his very eyes! As if he could somehow preserve them, he knelt down and began picking up the petals, grasping them... until his eyes fell on one with his name on the back. No, she didn't... he turned it over.
Get well soon, Kuki!
And something inside Nigel snapped then. His dream came flooding back to him, and once more he saw Lizzie holding the gun, saw the trail of blood, and felt his fellow operatives giving him the beating of his life as he looked at Kuki's lifeless body.
She's not dead, Nigel.
Nigel went through the events of the day. Lizzie had forced him to walk her home, causing him to pass up a ride to the hospital. Now he knew where they were, he could walk. Lizzie had also confiscated the stuffed animal... the one he had won for Kuki! She had forced him to...
Finally it clicked. Nigel never ate much or bought much, but Lizzie had always bought exhorbitant amounts of food or toys or whatnot on their little outings! Finally, it all made sense. Why hadn't he seen it before? He had been looking at himself as the culprit, or blaming it on the economy or some other scapegoat. But now the truth was plain... Lizzie was the reason he had used up his allowance and gotten banned from using his charge card!
He began to realize more. Abby...
"Abby was right!" Nigel exclaimed, causing the pigtailed redhead to stair up at him in shock. "You dominated me, you controlled me... you even had a sneaky little way of making me blame myself for your mistakes!"
Her angered expression was obvious as she demanded "What did I tell you about speaking to me in that tone?"
"Oh be quiet, you fat, pompous @#$%@!"
At that, she was so caught off-guard that she dropped the bouquet, which Nigel deftly caught. "Here," he said, pulling out the one Lizzie had almost completely destroyed. "You can keep this one, it's ruined--just like my life almost was because of you!"
As he placed it in her hand, she grabbed and chunked it, demanding "Nigel Uno, what is the meaning of this?"
"As if you don't know! I'm tired of you, your holier-than-thou attitude, your entire sense of 'I can do no wrong because I'm a rich little daddy's girl who'se never had a spanking in her whole entire life and is so spoiled that the amount of nachos I'm allowed to eat shows up on the scale'!"
Her mouth widened. This was awful, this was wrong. How could Nigel be saying these things to her? She thought.. she thought they had something! I mean sure for awhile I thought he was a dork, but...
"You're a total psychopath! You lash out at people for looking at you cross-eyed! You even strike your own boyfriend. You degrade me, look down upon me... our entire relationship was nothing more than you trying to make me feel like my existence was worthless! But that's not the worst of it--you try to block me from my friends, friends who at this moment really need me, all because you need someone you can feel superior to! My friends were right, you are the dictionary definition of abusive! You weren't a healthy relationship I needed to maintain, you were a drug addiction I needed to break!"
With that, Nigel walked past her, and out the door. As he approached the ladder, he turned, shut and locked the door, and said "One of these days, your behavior and general attitude is going to get you killed... or one of your unlucky victims. I hope you weren't planning on me being around to take the fall for you, because I won't be. And by the way, I don't ever want to see you in my yard again. Do you understand?!" He did not even bother to wait for a response as he climbed down the ladder, and took off running, leaving Lizzie shattered and confused.
--------------
"Where's Numbuh One?" Kuki asked with increasing worry. Her friends were all around her, Abby on one side, the boys on the other. The doctors, feeling Kuki was, for the moment, stable, had left the room, though a nurse was standing outside just in case an emergency came up.
"He'll be here soon," Abby reassured her. "Trust me, he's just bein' held up."
"Yea," Wally whispered to Numbuh Two, "Probably by Kissy Lizzie."
Numbuh Three's keen ears overheard this comment, and she looked towards the two boys. The worry was evident on her face. Soon, a hidden implication of their words which only Kuki was aware of crossed her mind, and tears streamed down her face. She began to cry.
"Kuki!" Abby grabbed her. "What's wrong?"
"She's gonna kill him." Kuki sobbed. "Abby... every time I go to sleep I dream about it. She's going to. I know she is. Maybe she has already and that's why he hasn't shown up..."
"Kuki, that's just a dream! I talked to Nigel a few minutes ago, he'll be here!"
Kuki tried to force a smile, but it didn't work. Her heart and mind, logic being weakened by delirium, succumbed to a baseless despair. "Thanks for trying, Abby. But I know he's dead. He would've showed up by now if..." Kuki became silent, not wanting to speak her thoughts any further, and she continued crying.
But all tears stopped and all faces turned as the door opened and closed with a creak and a moan, and two shoed feet stepped foreward, and a British hand offered a bouquet of flowers made from paper.
"I hope your feeling better," was the first thing that Nigel said.
--------------
Her heart shattered, her mind confused, and her body feeling like an empty shell. Lizzie walked home, a complete and utter wreck. She didn't understand! Had she not said she was going to see how well Nigel was doing? Well, granted she had also thought about asking him to take her to see Happy Place 4 again. He had, after all, forced them to leave the morning showing thirty minutes early. Just like he had forced them to leave the skating rink after being there for only five minutes, just because he remembered he couldn't skate. And now he lashed out at her, saying she had degraded and insulted him, unjustifiably assaulting his friends (That was untrue, they had made snide remarks about her) and keeping him from seeing someone who was more important!
He had called her an abusive psychopath, he had even insulted her weight! But this was not what bothered her the most.
What bothered her the most was that he had dumped her.
No, not even that. There was something about the things he said. That she was spoiled because she was rich, that she generally believed she could do anything she wanted, that she needed someone to feel superior to... No way... it couldn't possibly be true, could it?
Of course not!
Lizzie took only five minutes to realize this, once she had reached her bedroom and looked around. It wasn't her that was abusive... it was him! Why, since day one he had always tried to make her feel guilty! She knew he wanted that date and would've gone out with her even if she hadn't used the boyfriend helmet, and is there any proof those things even work anyway? But he had dated her several times of his own free will since then. Granted the first seventeen or so times he had begged and even twisted her arm (or was it the other way around? Nah..) but afterwards they would always immediately agree on the time and place... even if he would always forget.
There was no way Lizzie could be so bad! She was young, intelligent, beautiful (by certain standards). No, it was obvious. Lizzie was in the moral right. She was always in the moral right because that was how she had been brought up, knowing right from wrong. Unlike her ex-boyfriend Nigel Uno. He was the abusive one, the degrader, the violent maniac!
He found you out.
And all was silence as Lizzie listened to this voice from the deepest, darkest recesses of her mind.
He found you out. You couldn't keep it up forever. Just think... soon the entire world will know what kind of person you really are!
But I'm a good girl!
Not anymore, you little fibber you... of course, you could always erase your mistake. It would be justified, wouldn't it? After all, if he's the abusive psychopath... why, you may even be doing your community a favor...
To Be Continued...
-------Part Three notes
I felt I should mention an edit I've made recently... originally Nigel's debt was twenty-five thousand dollars, but here I changed it to what I percieve as a more realistic amount: twenty-five hundred (or two-thousand five-hundred). The fact that he's in debt may be a plot point in a later story, but don't hold your breath.