more questions? answers still tba
It was probably one of the most foreboding walls he'd ever seen, and he'd seen some pretty foreboding walls. It was seamless and black, so tall that he had to crane his neck back to see all the way up, and the top was festooned with thick coils of barbed wire. Once the bright blue sky reached the wall, it took on a ruddy, ominous hue. The grass at the very foot had dried and cracked.
Good Cop swore some more as he stormed towards it, stopping at the base. Grumbling to himself, he made his way along the wall, looking for some kind of door or gate. There had to be one. He didn't know how long he walked. The wall seemed to go on forever, slowly curving through the endless meadow. Finally, he stopped and aimed a kick at it, though not too hard because he at least had the sense to know it would hurt. It was more about the intention. "I know you're in there!" he shouted. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
There was no response.
Good Cop felt like screaming. "This isn't like you! We've always been able to talk!" He clenched his hands into fists and stared downwards, hot tears pricking at his eyes. "Don't leave me alone, Bad," he whispered. "Please. Please don't leave me alone."
In the kitchen, Benny put the bowl into the sink and wondered what he should do next. What Good Cop had said about Bad Cop intentionally sealing himself away worried him, especially coupled with the fact that Good Cop didn't seem to remember anything.
Good Cop's words echoed in his ears. It's like he's trying to hide something.
And when Good Cop had asked about how they got the scars, something had happened to him.
Could it be…?
Was Bad Cop actively trying to keep Good Cop from remembering?
Benny couldn't help but recall what Bad Cop had told him about what Business had done to Good Cop – to both of them. How Bad Cop had reacted to seeing Business at the police station. Was he trying to protect Good Cop from all that?
It seemed the likeliest answer, and it worried Benny for a deeper reason than he could name.
Bad Cop was beginning to wonder if this had been such a great idea after all. It was starting to hurt. A lot. He curled up into a ball to escape the sensation of knives cutting through his skin, but there was no getting away, and he whimpered.
Then it abruptly stopped. He was in Business' office again, looking up at the overlord, pleading with him. I can't do it, they're innocent!
A punch in the gut. He fell to his knees. Hands on his arms, hauling him back to his feet. Dragging him away. The room. Knives.
And again.
He gritted his teeth. He'd always been the one who protected Good Cop from things like this. He was the one who took on the bullies in school. The one who helped Good Cop preserve his sunny outlook on life.
He needed Good Cop and his sunny outlook.
But he could feel his better half now, prodding at the wall he'd put up. Bad Cop willed him to go away. It was getting hard enough to hold it up without Good Cop trying to find its weak spots.
He had to keep Good Cop out.
Good Cop paced. He didn't know what to do. What was so horrible that Bad Cop felt like he needed to keep it locked away? He racked his brain, trying to search out some clue, some hint that Bad Cop might have missed.
They'd been in Lord Business' office. He rubbed his temples. Why did thinking about Business make him feel angry? Something had happened in that office. He looked over his shoulder. His parents' house was still visible in the distance. It sent a pang of something he couldn't name through him.
He sat down with his back against the wall and put his head between his knees. This was impossible. There was something terribly wrong. He wished Bad Cop would talk to him. They'd always been open with each other. He closed his eyes and listened to the silence.
Then he scrambled back to his feet and faced the wall again. "Fine!" he screamed, kicking the wall for real this time. "Be this way!" With a frustrated growl, he vanished from the mindspace.
A small crack appeared where he'd kicked the wall.
Benny heard Good Cop leave the bedroom, and looked up just as he wandered into the kitchen where Benny was doing dishes. Good Cop scanned the room, and Benny couldn't help noticing the way his gaze caught on a knife on the counter beside him for just a moment too long.
"How're you doing?" Benny asked, setting a plate on the rack to dry.
Good Cop startled out of his thoughts, then gave Benny a shaky smile. "Not really sure," he replied.
Benny opened his mouth to respond, but the phone on the wall began to ring, cutting him off.
Quick as a flash, Good Cop snatched the knife off the counter and whirled around, throwing the knife at the phone. The blade sunk into the wall just above it with a thunk.
"Dude!" Benny yelped.
Good Cop looked just as shocked, staring slackly at the still vibrating knife.
Eyeing Good Cop warily, Benny edged over to the phone and answered it. It was Jenkins.
"We were wondering if Bad Cop was going to be able to make it in tomorrow," she said.
"Uh," Benny replied. "I don't think he will. And, uh, for that matter," he said, still watching Good Cop carefully, "I don't think I will either."