Note of the author:
A few years ago I had this idea of story after watching Umbrella Academy and descovery the comics. I never worte anything else than this but I had so many idea on it.
I found it this in a old USB key long forgotten and it brung back so many memories.
It's probably poorly written and I didn't want to rewrite it but I wanted to share with you that small "chapter" or "introduction".
Hope you enjoy that small part of story my younger self wrote three years ago.
"Death could bring so many things together despite the meaning of darkness behind it. The obscured circumstances could, by tragic chains of events, find some kind of joy and a peaceful way of living. The solitude part of life, destroying several parts inside a body, emptying the heart and soul of grievers, have this wonderful and unique manner to bring people back to life. The end of one is a rebirth for others. In a relief movement, the whole world could change at the minute the life disappears for someone. Death isn't something to be afraid of, it's a normality that have to be welcome with open arm. It's a new extension for the mind and the spirit, a new way of seeing the world around you, a new beginning waiting for you to grow even more. The body is buried to let the inside finally live and thrive..."
As the podcast continued on the speaker of the car radio the rain was still pouring on the hood of the old black car. It was parked for at least twenty good minutes now. The driver had been driving for three hours straight without even thinking that it was too risky to take the road under that downpour. The wind hadn't stop either, and the broken-backdoor was letting the cold air coming in.
It didn't bother her. She was used to the cold, almost a familiar feeling on her skin.
As long as she could remember she had always been freezing, no matter what she would wear or what temperature it was outside. She was as cold as ice. She used to wear three pull-overs and tights under her jeans but it was like she was laid down in the snow without nothing on her back. She had stopped wearing that much clothes a while back, trading her gloves and scarfs as well. The only this she had kept was her long grey coat that she had bought when she was fourteen. The loose arms were the only thing that had caught her attention, letting her wear as many pull-overs she wanted. With time, she had let the layers felt off and now the only thing that the coat was hiding underneath was herself. She remembered that she hadn't take it off for a week until her dad had made her. She had never worn it again inside the house.
When she eventually walked out of the car, crossed the street and stepped in front of her old house doors she was almost glad to do it with her coat. She hadn't been here for 13 years. It felt almost like she didn't belong anymore. She had always hated this place but it was her home nonetheless. That was where she had grew up, where she had spent whole her childhood. She didn't know why but it felt like nothing could happen to her inside now. She could run away as fast as the last time without any regret or guilt.
Once she stepped inside, nothing had changed. The same rug and table were still right under the chandelier with the same dusty and old smell in the air. She looked around a bit, wondering if someday that house would made her feel welcome again but her hope vanished as soon as she stepped inside the living room. The portrait of her dear old father hung on the wall with his stupide monocle on and his loveless stare. She hated him as much as she loved him when she was a kid.
As a kid she would have followed him anywhere, doing what she was told without arguing because he was her dad, she trusted him with her life. For her, dads were supposed to protect and love their child, to never do harm. She had never questioned his behaviour or decisions. She truly believed that he loved them in his own way and that, even though he wasn't saying that he loved them, he was, deeply. But she wasn't a kid anymore and everything she believed in was only stupide memories from a time where she was naïve.
"Miss Kate, I'm glad to see you again. Even on this tragic event." She turned slowly from the portrait. She looked down at her shoes, like she had been caught doing something bad.
"I'm glad to see you too Pogo." She simply responded. The little monkey walked to her slowly, detailing her. He hadn't seen her in so many years that he had some trouble to believe she was really standing here.
"You have change. In a good way of course." He chuckled a little once he was standing be her side, facing the portrait too. "I hope your anger toward him isn't the only reason of your presence here." She looked at him before to smile slowly. "Satisfaction shouldn't be the only reason Miss Kate." He said to her before to leave.
She didn't even bother to respond. She was here because it was what children do when their parents die. Of course, she was relieved that he wasn't here anymore but a feeling of sadness was here too and she hated it. She had found herself crying a little bite after she had taken the road. She blamed it on the late hours but it was tears anyway.
Kate looked at the portrait one last time before to leave the living room as well. She walked a little bit around the house, looking at rooms she had not seen since her early twenties. When she eventually opened her bedroom door she was quite surprised to see that everything was like the day she left. The desk was still full of books and others magazines, the clothes were still there too and her bed, her lovely and warm bed with the five blankets and six pillows had not been touched. She remembered borrowing them from her siblings, promising to give it back after the winter but she never did and they never asked for it.
Kate sat down on it, looking at the bare walls with only a picture of her and her brothers and sisters were hung. They were ten on the photograph and they were so happy on it. It wasn't like the others portraits of them in the house: first, they were all in it, the eight of them and they weren't wearing their usual clothes. She couldn't remember where or when the picture had been taken but it must have been taken spontaneously. Some of them were smiling at the camera whereas some weren't even looking at it. They seemed happy, as if they were normal kids.
"We were still full of joy at the time." Started a voice behind her. "Difficult to believed that a few years later everything was so different. And, I don't even speak of dad temper...oh dear lord. That poor bastard of dad always knew how to kill the mood." Kate chuckled a little before to turn her head at her brother standing at the door holding a cigarette and a drink in the same hand. She hadn't seen him in seven years but he hadn't changed a bit, still the same weird and loveable man.
"I'm happy to see you too Klaus." She said patting the empty place beside her. He smiled at her showing her all his teeth before to jump on the bed crossing his legs. He gave her his glass before to put the smoking thing in his mouth. "How are you?"
"Oh, you know...dear daddy's dead. Greif isn't easy." He told before to lay down against the wall.
"I'm not talking about dad." She responded before to look at his rehab bracelet. "Dad was a sadistic bastard who deserved what happened to him." He laughed a little before to take back his glass.
"I'm a new man." He laughed louder. "I got out, overdose, woke up and learned he was dead. I asked to be dropped here. Mom hadn't touched my room." He simply said to her his eyes closed. Kate didn't replied and simply took his hand and pressed it. "You are still cold."
"And you're still an annoying addicted cunt." She smiled back at him. They stayed like that for a moment, enjoying each other company in silence. Their relationship had always been like that, they would talk for a few minutes about something and stay for hours in a complete silence. They understood each other in a way.
"I'm glad you're here Katy, I've missed you." Klaus suddenly told her breaking the silence by petting her hand with his thumb. Kate looked at him before to put her head on his shoulder.
"I'm glad you are still alive Klaus." He stopped moving for a few second before to continue what he was doing. He smiled a little knowing she couldn't see him.
Kate hadn't assisted at a family meeting in years and yet, everything was still the same. The would listened for a while before to argue with each other. She wasn't a fan of those meeting, finding them pointless. She would vote but say nothing, never. Guess something would never change.
She was sat between her sister and brother, who had found a beautiful skirt, her arm cross against her chest as her brother Luther, "Number 1", was talking for ten good minutes now. He was convinced that someone had murdered their father because of a missing monocle. True, dad had never taken off his precious belonging but to kill him for it: it was insane and Diego knew it. The two of them were arguing with each other as always. Things would never change.
"hey Katy, can you…"Whispered Klaus showing his glass. She looked at him before to take the glass in her hand for a few second. She gave it back to him, his drink fresher than before. "Thank sis." He smiled before to take a sip. She rolled her eyes before to look back at her brothers. She sight before to stand up grabbing Klaus's drink on her way out. She heard Luther call for her, she turned around looking at them watching her.
"What?" Kate asked annoyed.
"Where are you going? We are discussing serious matter." He said with his leader voice.
"No, we're not. You and Diego arguing about which one of us might have killed Dad isn't important because the answer is obvious. No one did. Dad had a heart attack, end of the story. So, I'm not staying here while you tried to find why someone would have killed him."
"Kate, someone killed him. It's not right." Luther said back to her. "The one who killed him was close enough to him. I need to find who it was." She looked at him for a second before to chuckled a bit.
"Anyone could have done it. I could have killed him and I should have done it." She said before to turn her heels.
"He was our dad." Luther almost yelled to her.
"No." She yelled back at him, facing him again. "He maybe was your dad, but he had never been mine." She looked at him dead in the eyes before to walk away from the living room. No one dare to talk for a few second before Klaus. His laughed was a nervous one but he was laughing.
"Shut up Klaus" Said Diego to his brother.
"Come on, she's right." He said before to lit another blunt. "He was a sick bastard and now he's a dead sick bastard."
When Kate came back an hour later, everyone had left the living room. She was relieved, she loved her siblings but the more she was away of them the best she was. She refiled her glass behind the bar before to walk slowly around the room. The living room was the best place of the house but the worst at the same time. Younger, she would spent hours here, reading books sat on the couch near the fireplace. But, every time, Dad would ruined everything, punishing her or made her work, practice. The room contained her best and worst memories.
I thought you left." She turned her face to see Allison walked in. Her sister and her wasn't very close when they were children. Their relationship became more important once they were outside the academy. Allison had made her godmother of her daughter Claire after all.
"I thought about it but I wanted to see how Luther would manage at the funeral." She smiled a bit before to turn to face the portrait of her brother. "Do you think he's still out there?" Allison stood beside her looking at the painting as well. Their brother left the academy almost sixteen years ago and no one knew if he was alive or not. It had been hard on Kate for years but with time she had moved on.
"I don't know. I suppose." Allison answered honestly. "How you doing? The kids aren't sad about you living them for a few days?" She asked her.
"They were but they won't even notice that I'm gone. I called a few minutes ago and everything was fine. Even with Daren at my surprise."
"Really? Some progress was made." Allison laughed. "I'm glad you're happy with your life Kate."
"Thanks. It was hard but helping the children was the best decision I have ever made."
"You had it in you."
"What are you talking about?"
"Helping people You were always the one who would stop a fight or fix things between us. It was so annoying sometime." Alisson laughed. "Even when Klaus was so high to even stand up you were helping him acting like everything was normal. Or when Ben…"
"I get it. I was good at helping you guys, no matter the problem." Kate cut her. "You were real pain in the ass you know."
"That's not nice of you to say that Katy." The two girls looked behind them, seeing Klaus still in his skirt. "I was a joyful person." He added before to walk to his sisters and to collapse on the sofa. Kate smiled at him before to chuckled a bit.
"Very joyful." He smiled back at her before to take a glass, his smile dying on his face.
"Everything's okay?" Alisson asked him.
"Luther asked me to call dear old daddy you know, again." He explained rapidly. "I tried to explain to him that I haven't call anyone since my youthful teenagerhood but he's to…how to put it…an asshole to understand it." He said almost laughing. " He looks different…as if he was a monkey or something underneath his big coat. Dear Ali could you investigate?" He asked her serious about his brother shape.
Alisson rolled her eyes before to leave the room, annoyed by the incapacity of focus of her brother. Kate sighed before to sit next to him, putting the empty glass away. He made room for her before to put his head on her shoulder. "Would you do it?" He asked her after a couple of minutes of pure silence.
"Do what?" She asked him. He sit up, turning all his body to her, his legs under himself. She noticed his change of attitude. He had always done this, acting like a moron around the others to make them leave. Kate had never been bothered by his brother attitude and expressive personality. She was even glad to hide behind his shadow. She looked at him playing his the few strip of the skirt, rolling them nervously. "Klaus, what's the matter?"
"I…I was wondering if you were able to communicate with…you know…the people, would you…change your way of life just to…well…You know how I'm always high? Of course you know, you were my smoking buddy. I have always like it you know, our conversations late at night. Even if I don't recall them all I enjoyed it. You were so funny" He smiled at her, beginning to change the point of the conversation. Like he was avoiding it.
"Klaus? What's your question?" She asked him grabbing one of his hands quickly before to let it go. He looked at her for a couple of second before to grab her hand again. "No, I…'
"See…it's okay." He told her showing her that everything was normal. She had never like touching people because of her cold hands, never. One time she had grabbed his hand during a mission, due to the adrenaline no one had noticed that she had frozen it. He had burning mark on it for months. "See, it's not cold."
"Alright." Kate let her hand in his. "Now, if I were able to see and talk to "the people"…" She said encouraging him to continue his question. He looked down for a second before to turn his head to the other sofa across them. He rolled his eyes before to turn to his sister.
"Would you try to change to be able to do it properly? You know, become "healthier"?" He asked, imitating someone one the last word. Kate looked at him shocked for a couple of second.
"Well….I…umh…I don't know…If I want to do it for myself…yes." She began to say. " Klaus, are you asking me if I would become sober in order to please the others and try to reach out for dad?" He nodded slowly his head before to stand up, letting her hand free. He took a few steps around the table, talking to himself, whispering before to turn to the sofa again, his back at his sister. He was so agitated.
"It's easy to say but you are not the one who are seeing and hearing them you dead limb!" He yelled to the empty sofa before to put his hands on his eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to yell…" He added before to turn, a sad look on his face. Kate was looking at him confused. She knew that he could talk to "the people" but she had never witnessed it like that.
"Sorry for bothering you Katy." Klaus apologied before to leave the living room holding his arms around his stomach. She stood up quickly running after him before to yell his name. She stopped at the bottom of the stair, he was still climbing it slowly.
"Klaus wait." She called again, jumping the steps two by two until to reach him. "If you want to get sober you need to do it for you, and only you. Personally, if I were asked to sober up just to talk to dad I wouldn't do it." He smiled slowly at her before to continue his climbing. She followed him closely until his bedroom where he finally turn to her.
"Can you stop following me!" He said, moving his hands quickly. He opened his door slowly, the fresh smoke weed smell arrived at Kate nostril too quickly. "Kate please, leave me alone." He almost pledged her once in his bed.
"Who were you talking to?" She asked still in the hallway. He looked at her before to turn his head to the desk, he sight slowly nodding at whatever he was agreeing. He stoop up slowly and walk to his door. He smiled slowly at Kate before to shut the door waving at her like a child.
"You should have done it yourself then!" Kate heard him yelled from inside in room before he locked the door. She stayed a few second watching the drawing on it, wondering if she should knock or not before to leave him alone. She was still determinate to find out the end of the story but not now. She knew that to win war some battles had to be lost sometimes. Moreover, she knew that Klaus would come and talk to her once he will be ready and pushing him to do it would only make him run away. They may not have been related by blood Kate and Klaus were alike in many ways that they had been convinced to be from the same family as a kid. Only a bloodtest had made them shut up about it and made their father regret the decision of making them work and study together most of the time.
