CHAPTER 12
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE UNREAL 2/II
ORPHANS
"So, what are his chances?" - Gerald asked Curly. Arnold was lying on the hospital bed. Curly looked into his papers.
"Well, if Helga comes back in time everything shall be alright. The bad thing we don't know anything about the nature of the poisoning. But I'm glad you involved me in a covert operation like this." - he said. Curly didn't worked in this hospital, but he was the only doctor in the city they could trust a little. They didn't wanted anybody to know about Phoebes darker side. So, they called him here as a "specialist". But of course, Curly needed a shrink himself a little.
"But this is not a covert operation Curly. Do I look like a government agent to you?"
"That's what makes you suspicious. The less suspicious you are the more suspicious you become." - he said. Gerald just couldn't believe they're putting the life of Arnold into the hands of this nut-case. But he was a really respected doctor in his field, if we're not looking at his personal issues. The door just slammed open. It was Helga, with a tall man in his pajamas. It was Ralph White, and he wasn't too happy for being grabbed out of bed, but he wanted to help to save Arnold's life. He had some pieces of paper in his hands.
"Here he is." - Helga said. - "Okay Ralph, tell the good doctor what he needs to know!"
"I took all the notes my friend sent me on fax about the Salvazin, Dr. Gammelthorpe." - Curly looked into the notes and started reading them. Helga and Gerald went into the other room, so they won't disturb them. .
"How is he?" - Helga asked Gerald.
"We don't really know. He seems to be stable, but we really don't know anything about this chemical. I mean, it drove Phoebe crazy, but didn't damage her physically? So, why is Arnold lying in that bed?"
"It's an overdose." - Helga said - "But of course, we don't know that for sure. Maybe he's just reacting different."
"Helga, Gerald!" - it was Rhonda running toward them on the corridor. - " I came as soon as I heard! How is he? What happened?"
"Hey Rhonda." - Gerald said
"How the hell did you hear about it exactly Princess?" - Helga asked.
"Curly... told me..."
"When?"
"When I called him on the phone." - she said. She looked down in shame.
"Why would you call that weirdo...?" - Gerald wanted to ask, but Helga shushed him
"Gerald... Please, think." - Helga said. Gerald realized what's up.
"That's it! Why the hell is that I'm the last to know everything around here!" - he asked.
"So, do you know what happened to Arnold?" - Rhonda asked.
"No." - Helga lied. - "We have no idea." - It was good, she didn't need to keep lying to her friend's face, because Curly showed up.
"Maybe there is a chance to bring him back." - he said, but as he noticed Rhonda's presence, he smiled - "Hey darling." - then he went back to be serious - "We can try to clean his system from Salvazin completely. But it will be quite a shock for his brain. We will need Arnold's help from inside." - he said.
"Do it." - Helga said after some hesitation - "That skinny, short guy is the toughest fighter I know."
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At last, Arnold opened the door to the basement, and he seen exactly what he expected. There was a little boy sitting in the corner, looking at the wall. But it was his mind of course, so there was no room, or boy for real.
"Are you all right?" - Arnold asked. The kid looked back behind his shoulder. It was him - it was Arnold in the age of 8 or 9. Not like he was a crier back then.
"You came back! You came back for me!" - the boy said as he stood up. - "All these years... I knew you will let me out again!"
"What are you talking about?"
"You locked me up in here... you know... when Grandma and Grandpa went away... You said we have to grow up. Don't you remember."
"He's right Arnold." - Phil said. "That's why I didn't wanted you to come down here."
"I have only one question." - Arnold said as he turned back to Phil - "Who the hell are you? Because your not my grandfather or some mysterious inner guide. That's for sure."
"What are you asking short man?" - Phil asked.
"My grandpa would never represent you in my head. He would never want to stop me from facing the past. Facing him." - he said as he looked his younger self. - "I think the only reason you're here, is to stop me from letting him out. Why?" - he asked. Phil looked down sadly.
"Yes. Your right." - he said, and looked up. He didn't wore Phil's face anymore. - "I think there is place in this basement for both of you!" - it was him again. Of course. In a dream every character represents the dreamer. This Arnold, had long grey hair and creased skin. The old man looked at least 90 years old and pathetically vulnerable. But - since it was Arnold's head, he knew the old man is incredibly strong. So there was he standing between the Arnold he used to be, and the Arnold he supposed to become. Except he never wanted to become this grumpy old man, who looked to the world with hatred.
"What the hell is happening here?" - he asked.
"Don't you understand?" - the young Arnold asked. - "You buried me here, and decided to listen to him." - the old man looked at them cynically - "He just want to make sure it stays this way."
"But... but why?" - Arnold asked.
"We had no choice sonny." - the old man said. - "We are on our own. We always were and always will. We can't play children's game anymore."
"I won't let this... I... I made some mistakes with my life, but everything is turning out just fine. I'm with Helga now, and..."
"And that was something I did not recommend. But it doesn't matter." - the old man asked - "Do you think she won't abandon you? Or you won't abandon her? This is the real life kiddo. You can't live "Happily ever after" in the real world. There is always something terrible coming. Like your pal, Phoebe? How do you want to save her and survive it? You can't!
"You can't live like this!" - Young Arnold said - "If we stick together, we can do everything! And thanks to Pheebs madness, we're with Helga again. There is something good in every tragedy!"
"You see this is why we had to lock you up here." - the old man said.
"That enough! We won't lock up anybody! You are both the part of me! We are the same, and I need both of you for the balance!" - his future self punched him on the face, and he flew through the room. It was like he was hit by some mighty hammer.
"They abandoned us! All of them! This is how the world works!" - he said as he walked closer and closer to Arnold. The child tried to stop him down, but the old man just walked over him like he wasn't there.
"Our parents!" - he said as he kicked Arnold on the stomach. "Our grandparents! All of them! We are orphans Arnold! Don't you get it! We meant to be alone!" - he said as he jumped toward Arnold. He knew he is fighting with his own fear and desperation he hid over the years. This is what happened to Phoebe? - he wondered. She had a fight just like this, and she lost it against Paige? Probably not. This is his own personal nightmare. He never seen his life this clearly. Now he knew the reasons: why did he spent so much time with Lila, when he was in love with Helga. He never dared to show his love since his grandparents died. Because he felt his love is like a curse. Everybody died, who got close to him. His parents. His grandparents. He didn't wanted to let the same thing happen to Helga. It was stupid of course - like most things coming from the subconscious.
"Stop it." - he bagged, but the old man didn't listened to him.
"This is it. Maybe it's time to end this whole thing!" - the old man said - "You have to stop fighting Arnold. It's not worth it." - he said, as he put his hands around Arnold's neck. He noticed the floor is slowly turning into some liquid material and he begun to sink in it. He knew what it is - his dying. It's the end.
"I... used to be a hero..." - he said to the old man, and it was pretty likely the lost words of his life, and he didn't even said it to a real person.
"Well you did save some old houses around the neighborhood, but you couldn't save anybody you loved. I wouldn't call that a hero." - he said. - "You're a failure Arnold. And the world will be a lot better place without you and your ridiculous ideals!" - Arnold had to agree. He took the sweet offer. He let his body sink deeper and deeper.
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"We're loosing him." - Curly said nervously as he looked on the monitors.
"What?!" - Helga said as he grabbed Curly. - "You said...!"
"I don't know what's happening!" - he said - "It's up to him and god know."
"Arnold! Come on! Wake up! We need you!" - he screamed at him, but his eyes stayed closed. They could all see on the monitor how his heartbeat is slowing down. They knew this is the end. Gerald and Rhonda both looked down on the floor in sadness. They just couldn't watch Arnold slowly pass away. But Helga just couldn't adjust to the fact. He grabbed Arnold's body and started to shake it in rage.
"Football head! Wake up! Don't you dare let us here like that you freak!" - she screamed. - "We freakin' need you hair boy!"
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There was he on the edge of death. He just couldn't oppose the old man, he was too strong. Just like he couldn't swim in that dark material. There was nothing left to do, except accepting death. And it wasn't so bad, really.
All the pressure was gone. He didn't had the weight of the world on his shoulders anymore. There was no good or bad. There was only sweet darkness. He couldn't even feel the old man's hand on his throat anymore. The last rays of light faded away slowly as he sunk deeper and deeper. He stopped fighting at last. Now, it was time to rest.
FOOTBALL HEAD! WAKE UP!
It was pretty low voice, but he recognized it's Helga. It will be better for her without him too. She still seen the innocent, optimist dreamer in him, he was before. She was in love with a lie. A person, who was just us unreal as Paige. He was thinking about what he seen in that office building. "Out with the old, in with the new!" He just couldn't bear the idea of hurting Helga.
DON'T YOU DARE LET US HERE LIKE THAT YOU FREAK!
His slower and slower thoughts were around Helga. Her wonderful blond hair - he just couldn't explain, how could blond hair remind him to fire, but it did. The mysterious blue eyes, that was sparking, full of wit and danger. This wonder belongs to the world above him. And he hoped she can find true happiness after his gone. She deserves it.
WE FREAKING NEED YOU HAIR BOY! ME AND THE BABY!
Arnold was shocked. The word, "baby" just made him more awake.
YOU HEAR ME! WE'RE HAVING A BABY! YOU CAN'T LET ME ALONE NOW, HAIR BOY!
And suddenly he felt incredible desperation. He seen little children with Helga's face searching for their father. He tried to move his arm, but the pain was unbearable. He can't do anything, he will die. He's already died probably. Than he heard a voice he never thought possible to hear know. It was his younger self.
"If you want to be a hero, start acting like one." - he said. And he was right. He grabbed the old man's hands.
"I shouldn't listened to you!" - he said, and punched him on the face - "You stole years from my life!" - the old man didn't said anything but looked pretty surprised - "The real me is that boy up there! You are the lie!" he punched him again. The old man's face changed with every punch. First he looked like Sheck, than like Jolly the Ice Cream guy. Then like Big Bob Pataki. Every one who seemed to prove that in the world is a gloomy and desperate place, where only the selfish and the aggressive can win. That there is no good point in optimism. That there is no good or bad.
"You're all lies!" - he screamed at him, and suddenly, the man (creature?) turned into the same dark fluid that surrounded him. He was gone. So he started swimming toward the surface. Every move hurt like hell, but he went on, only thinking about Helga. Her eyes, her hair, hair body, and the miracle, that was growing in her. He got closer and closer to the lights. For a moment, he seen Little Arnold, looking down with a Buddha like smile on him. He took down his baseball hat, and throw to Arnold, who grabbed it and took it on.
"Keep it safe this time. Don't loose it again." - the kid said.
"I won't." - Arnold said, as he reached the surface.
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"I won't." - Arnold said. Helga hugged him in tears.
"I knew it! I knew you wouldn't leave me!" - she said.
"Oh my god dude! You scared us to death!" - Gerald said in relief. Rhonda just looked at them with a huge smile, while Curly was checking is condition.
"So... we're going to have a baby, huh?" - Arnold asked.
"Yeah. I hope she won't get your stupid Football head."
"'Cuz one eyebrow is so sweet." - Arnold said smiling.
"God, I'm so happy. Too bad, Phoebe couldn't come." - Rhonda said. They all looked at her.
"What?"
"Oh, I called Phoebe too, but she said she's busy with something in the Pataki residence. Strange, huh? Hoops! I hope I didn't ruin some wedding surprise Pheebs and your parents arranging in secret!" - Rhonda said, and she couldn't understand what are the others staring at her in disbelief. - "What are you looking at? Did I miss something?"
NEXT: YOUNG AT HEART - Arnold, Helga, and Gerald are facing their nemesis finally. But she has some tricks up her sleeve. Is there a way to save everyone from this deathtrap - even Phoebe? The story reaches it's climax.
