Author's Note: MY INTERNET IS BACK. I FEEL RE-CONNECTED WITH LIFE AND EVERYONE. Meanwhile, whilst it was gone I was writing more than ever...I bet there's a connection there...
Cult-ivation
Chapter Two: I Pinch Myself to Check That All of This is Real - Absolutely Nothing, Lily Allen
Kyle rubbed his head, groggily. He sighed, trying to roll over only to find a warm, solid thing stopping his roll. His hand pushed at it, only to flinch in surprise as an arm twisted around his middle at the action. "Kyle…" a soft moan said.
Kenny. Oh God. Kyle pushed away, the arm trying to hold onto him like a lifeline. He bit his lip to stop from crying out in desperation as the arm held tighter-still. It pulled him back against a solid chest. The chest he'd been against just last night. Was it even just a night ago? It felt like it.
He was nauseas.
"Kyle?" a more-awakened voice asked from the doorway. He looked up suddenly to see Karen standing there fully-dressed for the day. She narrowed her eyes in confusion at the distressed look on his face only to laugh when seeing her brother's arm pushing the boy down. "Oh, to get a camera or to help?" she asked lightly.
The redhead blinked at this, a realization he'd had no time to even think of hitting him full-force. No one knew what happened last night. No one but him and Kenny. He shuddered at the thought. I'm going to be killed. But then, why wasn't he already dead? Was it some type of game that Kenny played with people? Toying with them before the slaughter? His stomach twisted with revulsion. It was all just so wrong.
Her face, she's just so happy-so unaware any of this is happening. Does Kenny joke about that? That none of us know anything?
Karen helped him finally, taking her brother's arm gently into her hands and pulling it away. The same arm that kept Kyle from moving away just the night before. She smiled at her obviously-out brother. That look-it was so naïve, so caring. So loving. She loved him. Her brother-the same man who murdered people in their home.
So loving…So carefree. Trusting even. After that, I still dunno if this freeness is real or some type of show people give others. How many shows did Kenny give me?
"He's like one of those Chinese finger things, you see? The harder you try to get away, the stronger he'll get. However, the gentler you are and the more you push on him back, the less strength he'll use to keep you there." she said nonchalantly. Then, she laughed a distant laugh. "He used to do that to me all the time. It's one of his protective big-bro things, I think."
Life goes on, even if those people-even if they don't get a chance to continue onward. The thought scared him more than he ever thought he could scare himself. "Thanks," Kyle managed out after a pause.
She smiled at him, "Just don't start making out together when I'm there, okay?" She winked, laughing and hurrying out before Kyle could protest the statement.
He pushed himself up then, desperate to get away from the blond boy sleeping on the bed. Practically running to the room exit, he looked back at the boy he thought he knew. Kenny. Why?
Just as he let himself out for the relief of it, he found himself making another realization. One that had his heart racing in an entirely different way. These aren't my clothes. Indeed, looking down he saw a too-big shirt and baggy shorts. Kenny's clothes. He changed me. Oh God.
He practically raced out then, glad that Karen had disappeared into her own room and Kevin was nowhere to be found. Kenny's parents were there, but much too zoned-out to notice a damned thing around them. He exited the building and ran bare-footed toward the nearest payphone.
He couldn't help but glance back a few times, paranoia building to a high he hadn't known existed. He was so confused yet… I have to call the police. They have to know. The repeated thoughts helped him process the entire situation, if only by keeping his thoughts on one action and only one.
He picked up the phone, dialing nine-one-one before turning and pressing his back against the payphone's pole. It rang:
Once.
Twice.
"Hello, South Park police department-"
"I need help." he interrupted. "I was at my friend's house and I found people…they were. They were dead." he gulped.
"Are you there or nearby at the moment?"
"Yes, nearby."
"Address?"
He rasped out the address before, "I think he might be after me too. He found me after. He knows that I know."
"We're sending a car." the voice assured, telling him to keep calm and that the police were on their way to pick him up. "Name?"
"Kyle, Kyle Broflovski. I'll be here by the payphone when they come. Just-just tell them to make it quick, please. I'm going to show them the room and leave."
"Are you sure you can? Our officers are competen-"
"Me and Ken-and him are the only ones that know the spot. I have to show them where."
By the time the officers did arrive, Kyle found himself on the ground. He didn't know when he'd chosen to sit only that he had. The policemen watched him as he picked himself up and he couldn't help but feel exposed. It was the only word that came to mind that expressed how he currently felt.
He was led to the car, and plopped down inside wearily. He was grateful for the silence as the others began the drive towards Kenny's home. He didn't think he could speak even if they asked him to do so.
The drive didn't take but a minute and Kyle found himself wishing that South Park had traffic. As much as he felt he needed to show what he'd seen, he didn't want to show them at all. Karen's face stuck into his mind. The love she had shown clung to him, made him wish he could just pretend it was all a prank. But morals overpowered those thoughts.
What if they thought she was the culprit otherwise?
The thought did nothing to help him. The guilt was still there. It's Kenny's fault-not mine. He kept it up like a mantra.
"This the place?" an officer asked, startling him out of his reverie.
He nodded, not trusting his voice. They have the address.
He was allowed out after, hands helping heavy body pull itself from the vehicle. It was numbness he felt as cement feet climbed the smooth land towards the door. He gulped.
The knocking echoed in the silence surrounding them. And as the door opened, a hope Kyle didn't know he had held plummeted as Karen opened the door.
He watched eyes widen, stance stiffen from friendly to defensive. "Yeah?" she asked as casually as possible.
"We got a report-"
Kyle's eyes flickered downward as Karen turned to him accusingly, a speck of confusion wavering across her face. It is rather obvious. He knew that but there was still false hope. Hope he should have known better than to hold.
He blinked as they were allowed inside the home, wondering just how zoned out he was to miss the rest of the conversation. Why would I want to hear it anyway?
He shook his head, letting the cops fall behind him as he took the lead. Eyes still down, he barely missed the two obviously-stoned 'parents' that lay on the couch. Still there. Then, a thought.
Was this because of them? He couldn't help but wonder if their influence helped the mess along. Kenny was supposed to be better than them... The blond had hinted to it many times already, Hell, he'd outright refused to be placed on the same light as them at school. He'd forced himself to mature during class, if only to show the teachers that 'that McCormick kid' could learn too.
"Please, Kyle? That stupid teacher has it out for me-I think it was that fight Kevin had with her… I need to pass, Kye, please?"
Kyle gave a huff, "Fine. But no jokes during, okay?"
Kenny smiled widely, "Promise."
But unlike the past times he had found himself smiling at the memories, he didn't this time. In its stead, his chest tightened in despair. He hadn't upheld the promise at all… He shook his head, no wasn't the time for this.
It shouldn't have surprised him so much when he heard the voice yet he still started all the same. "Is it my birthday already?" Suggestive, calm, casual. All the things a person shouldn't be upon seeing the police enter after what Kyle'd seen.
Kyle looked up to the speaker whom stood leaning against the bedroom doorframe, leg bent and hair tussled. He yawned at them loudly, a show of tiredness so blatant Kyle wondered if he was tired at all.
The blond moved from his position, stretching arms above head. Eyes gave each officer a once-over, "Wait, you're real cops, aren't you? Dammit." The last word was muttered with surprising sincerity. "Why're you here?" he asked then, absently scratching his stomach. The redhead watched the fingers, noticing specks of gray on his nails. What?
"We got a report that there was suspicious activity in this home."
Green met blue, then, one blue closed and opened quickly. A wink. Kyle could only stare. A smile broke the blond's serious façade. "Really, that's strange…" he said. "Well then, come on in, we've nothing to hide!"
Kyle's head tilted at this, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Is he really this insane? "We will." he found himself saying with outward confidence exceeding his inward nerves.
Kenny's smile only widened further, "Lead on," he replied, tone mocking Kyle's own.
Kyle didn't respond to that, didn't know how to respond. Instead, he chose to follow Kenny's words, and lead the now group of three toward the hidden room. Only, when he got to the hall, the door wasn't blocked like it had been. He cleared off the wallpaper? Why…
A flash of what lay inside was pushed to the backmost part of his mind. Still, he trembled as he pointed at the door and nodded to the policemen. Eyes closed automatically, subconsciously visualizing the disgusting sight from the night before. He grimaced at the silence surrounding him then-
"We're sorry to have disturbed you, Mr. McCormick."
"What!" Kyle exclaimed, opening his eyes to see the grey room behind the policemen. And on the floor, nothing. Absolutely nothing. "I-I…"
"Broflovski, is it? You filed another false report a few years ago, didn't you?" One policeman asked.
Eyes widened further, realization of why the question was asked hitting him hard, "You-you can't possibly believe I made this up?" he stammered out numbly. The bodies…Where'd the bodies go? They were here, right here…Weren't they? His entire body shook now, insides numb, butterflies twirling in his stomach as a cork stopped inside his throat.
An arm around his shoulders had him starting. Head turned to the source immediately, stilling when his eyes met blue ones. "Kyle just…he had an episode, officers. It's not his fault, if anything it's my own."
"I didn't have an episode, Kenny!" Kyle screamed out suddenly, pulling himself away from Kenny. "You-what'd you do?" The walls, they were painted gray-his nails. "You bastard. You covered it up, I don't know how you did it so fast, but you did! You knew they were coming and you just moved those people!"
Kenny just shook his head, stepping toward Kyle. Too close for comfort, the blond opened his arms, pulling Kyle into a reluctant and tight hug. Kyle struggled against him, body panicking. "Shh, I know, it's going to be okay, Kyle. I promise. You're just confused right now, it's alright."
"What exactly is going on here?" An officer asked slowly, unsure what to make of the scene.
Kenny looked to him with sad eyes glistening with unshed wetness. "He's done this before, as you know. We usually are able to stop him before it goes this far but…I didn't recognize the signs. I'm sorry, officers, it's not an offense-he really thinks he saw something in this room. I don't want to charge him or anything-no harm done, right?"
The policemen exchanged looks, both bowing their heads at the meaning behind the words. One reached out to the two, patting a shocked Kyle on the shoulder. He twitched away from the hand, wincing as if it'd hurt him. "I'm not crazy." he announced. The others looked at the floor, decidedly looking away from his accusing glare. "He's lying!"
Kenny hugged him closer; ignoring the flinch Kyle gave from the contact. His hand pushed at the back of his head, nudging his face into Kenny's shoulder. He tried to fight the movements only to be pushed back firmly by strong arms. He could barely get a firm grip on the other, arms stuck between both their bodies.
"You're not crazy, Kyle, you just have some memory trouble is all." Kenny nodded to the policemen, gesturing them to make their exit.
They gave him sad looks in turn, "Best get him some help-real help. We'll let this one slide, but after the poll votes and this we can't allow you to not have him get some form of therapy. False reports can't always get overlooked, you know."
"Understood. We just didn't want him to realize it, you know? Thought he'd freak out…" Kenny shuddered, burying his nose on Kyle's shoulder. "But we'll be alright, I'll be there for him. No matter if he thinks badly of me or not. He's my best friend…" Kenny's voice cracked at the end.
A policeman sniffled at that, "Had a son with a problem, you'll make it through. It'll be tough, but you can do it."
"Thank you-"
Kyle finally managed to push Kenny away in a burst of anger, shock, and a mix of confusion that had his head spinning so fast he was physically dizzy. "What are you talking about?" Kyle growled angrily. "I'm not crazy, he's crazy!" he continued, pointing to Kenny with furrowed brows and a betrayed expression.
Kenny shook his head, "It's alright, I've got this." he assured.
They nodded, bowing their heads as they exited. "Come on, Kye, I'll get you something to eat." He tried to take the other by the arm only for his hand to be slapped away harshly.
"I'm not crazy!" Kyle repeated.
"Are you sure?" Kenny asked with a condescending smile. "It's okay, Kyle, crazy or not, I'll be here to watch over you. Always." The last word was spoken lowly, almost ominously in tone. Kyle shook his head, a dull ache settling under his skin.
He turned away, racing to the door. Kenny only laughed, hand rubbing its way down his face, "Oh Kyle, this is going to be even more fun than I thought."
