Chapter Five
Two hours later a steady stream of voices filtered through to living room as Alan and Don sat watching a television show titled Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Don wore a smile on his face while Alan hurridly sipped on his iced tea before the next riff from Mike and the bots would make him spit out his iced tea.
"Here you take it, fat man!" The main charactor in the movie said to this big fat man who was sitting in the car.
"And yes there is a meal!" Tom Servo, who was one of the riffers in the show said.
At this, Don and Alan both chuckled.
When the car on t.v. pulled started to full away, the fat man waved his hand and one of the robot's said, "To Wendy's."
Don started laughing in ernest as the movie continued.
"This is the worst film I have ever seen." Alan said as the show went to a commerical break.
Don, through teary eyes, looked at his father. "What, Overdrawn at the Memory Bank? That is nothing compared to Manos: The Hands of Fate, talk about a movie with absolutly no plot whatsoever, and that movie would have to be it!" Don said as he sipped his beer.
As they both settled down, Don glaced at the kitchen where Charlie still was.
"You still worried about him?" Alan asked.
"Yeah, arn't you?" Don asked.
"Of course I'm worried, but being worried isn't going to change anything." Alan replied.
"It's just that.." Don broke off, for he had not told his father exactly what had happened at CalSci.
"Just what Donnie?" Alan Eppes asked his son.
"Nothin'." Don replied as he rose up and headed in to the kitchen.
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"Hey buddy, what's up?" Don asked his younger brother as he entered the kitchen.
Charlie didn't answer, he just sat there looking straight ahead. The lead pencil still clutched tightly in his hand.
"Chuck, you alright?" Don asked worriedly as he turned to look at his brother.
"It almost happened again." Charlie murmed as his gaze ran over the pencil that he still held tightly in his grasp.
With a sigh, Don knew exactly what Charlie was talking about.
"When that bullet hit the board, I thought it was over, I thought I was dead, then today, when that bullet whizzed by my head..." Charlie broke off, unwilling to continue.
"I know how you feel buddy, I mean I face that stuff everyday, but I don't let it get me down, I don't let it win. You can't let it win either." Don said as he touched Charlie's shoulder.
"It's so hard sometimes. I know it's a statistical improbability of this happening again, but...things change when we're dealing with a sniper." Charlie murmered.
"I know Charlie, but I swear to you I won't allow that sniper to get to you. I will always look out for and protect you." Don said with conviction.
"You can't promise that Don. You can't promise with absolute certainty that you will be able to protect me, but I trust you." Charlie replied with a little grin.
"That's it, that's the Charlie I remember." Don said as he ruffled Charlie's curly hair.
Charlie tried to get away from Don's hand, so he stood up from his chair, with Don following suit.
"Come on, let's go in and finish the movie." He suggested.
"Which one is it?" Charlie asked as he meandered over to the fridge, looking for something to drink.
"The Mistied version of Overdrawn at the Memory Bank." Don replied.
"The what version?" Charlie asked.
"Come on, you mean to tell me that you have never heard of Mystery Science Theater 3000?" Don asked.
"Uh...no." Charlie replied.
"Come on in. You have got to see this." Don said as he led Charlie into the living room.
"Ah...ok." Charlie replied as he sat down between his father and brother.
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A/N: Mystery Science Theater 3000 is a real show with the following charactors: Mike Nelson, Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo. And two of the many movies that the show made fun of were in fact Manos: The Hands of Fate and Overdrawn at the Memory Bank.