CHAPTER 2: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, PART 2
Once upon a time, there was a young boy named Rudy Tabootie.
He was a quiet and shy boy, often sticking to his art rather than try to make friends, and indulging himself in his craft well.
Like many boys his age, he would often find trouble with bullies, mostly coming to him by the way of Reggie Bullnerd. Altercations with him would often end poorly, and, in one instance, for merely drawing a caricature of him on a chalkboard after the bully stole his lunch, landed him a day in detention for a perceived wrong, left to write 'CARTOONS ARE NOT FUNNY' at total of 500 times.
But as he wrote the words, merely grabbing another piece of chalk, he accidentally grabbed a piece that was much different from the others. Upon trying to write an 'O' in the next sentence, the circle drawn had become a small portal into what laid on the other side.
After peering in, Rudy wanted to see more. So, he took the chalk and drew along the lines of the chalkboard, creating a larger portal.
And that was when he discovered the world of ChalkZone.
One of his many creations was a superhero named Snap, who had come to life within ChalkZone after Rudy drew and erased him. Together, they became the best of friends, and continued their adventures together in ChalkZone, becoming an inseparable duo for 2 years.
Then, the 2 became 3 with the addition of Penny Sanchez to the group. Where Rudy held interests and passions in the abstract and art, Penny held hers in the worlds of logic, reason, and science. Her reaction to ChalkZone was that of a complete disbelief at first, but she soon became enamored with the world as Rudy did, and the adventures continued.
During that time, it was proven once again that opposites attract. The friendship that Rudy and Penny shared soon became that of a more serious connection, and blossomed just as they did as they began to grow into adulthood, taking but the first steps into it through adolescence.
However, that start of beauty was soon supplanted by an ugliness that the three had been battling for years.
One of Rudy's cerations was a Zoner named Skrawl, who was an amalgamated mixture of different ideas and concepts from many different children who stopped him mid-creation to add all sorts of different ideas, and ended up materializing in ChalkZone without a clear distinction or purpose.
Many times over had the perverted miscreation clashed with Rudy, Penny, and Snap, but it was not until his meeting with a man named the Chalk King that he had a chance for revenge. The Chalk King was an artist himself who had spent much of his life in ChalkZone, before he finally ended it within ChalkZone itself, and became a Zoner past his death.
Retaining his ability to draw and create in ChalkZone, a privilege that 'true' Zoners do not have, he made it his personal mission to destroy ChalkZone and recreate it in his image. Skrawl was only partially aware of this goal, but cared not for anything else except the chance to get his revenge on Rudy Tabootie.
Managing to make Snap betray his creator, Skrawl successfully trapped Rudy in ChalkZone with no chance of escape, breaking his arms and banishing Penny from the 'Zone to save him. Trapped without any means to save himself, Rudy lost his creativity through forced labor, and eventually freedom in the Mumbo Jumbo Jungles, forced to grow to adulthood alone.
Penny was also forced to grow up without him, but managed only slightly better. Once going through a marriage to someone else, and a divorce soon after, she was left with two children, a regular girl named Carol, and an Autistic boy named Carlos, the latter of which had a penchant for art himself...
...and it was him who led both his sister and himself into ChalkZone, where they found Rudy Tabootie and brought him home at last.
With the four now united, they were soon after given a quest to obtain the Golden Chalk, a piece of chalk which, unlike any other piece of magic chalk, had the ability to make anything it drew with real as reality itself. The Chalk King, too, desired this chalk to make himself human again, and went after the humans who tried to obtain it.
The journey towards it was long and hard, not just for the physical trip, but also for the tension that grew between Rudy and Penny. Separated for 15 years, forced to live completely separate lives together, both living with their own respective traumas, they clashed and fought when they once had fun and enjoyed the presence of one another.
The fights they had nearly broke the both of them, but, following a splash into the Wait-N-Sea, a body of water in ChalkZone with the magical ability to regress any adult mind who stepped inside it to childhood, making both forget their traumas and subsequently go out for fun again, temporarily distracting them from their mission.
When both had left their child-like states, they were forced to confront their traumas once again, but with a fresh perspective. It was then that Rudy finally came to the realization that there was still love in him for Penny Sanchez, and with that realization came the rediscovery of his talent and creativity.
And, after confessing his feelings to Penny, the two had consummated their newly-kindled relationship.
Following their quest to acquire the Golden Chalk, bringing the aforementioned magic chalk to Calcite, a resistance group of Zoners against the Chalk King, the freedom fighters had their home base attacked by Skrawl, sent on behalf of the Chalk King to obtain the Golden Chalk.
The attack was deterred, but not before the Chalk King himself appeared to take Penny hostage, demanding the Golden Chalk be surrendered to him.
In response, Rudy, Carol, and Carlos led the remainder of Calcite against the Chalk King at his castle, making a final battle for the fate of ChalkZone. The fight was fought hard and well, and, though the forces of the Chalk King were defeated and Penny was freed...
...the Chalk King himself was not defeated, and he retaliated by erasing all of Calcite, leaving just the humans to stand against him.
In a fight that lasted a seeming eternity over the Golden Chalk, Rudy was nearly killed in the process, and, theorizing that he would be born again as a Zoner in the realm of ChalkZone, commanded Penny to finish the job. Penny did so with great stress and strain, leaving a mental scar on her that would not ever leave.
But the plan worked; Rudy was born again as a Zoner, fighting the Chalk King as one immortal being against another.
Pretending to allow the Chalk King to take the Golden Chalk at last, Rudy used the magic chalk to feed him every idea that humanity had ever concived, which composed the Golden Chalk and gave it the powers it had. In turn, the Chalk King had literally thought himself out of existence, having all remnants of his self scattered across the human experience.
In turn, the Golden Chalk also made Rudy Tabootie a human again, and, with the others helping him through the process, used the Golden Chalk to recreate all the Zoners who had been erased in the battle. When all harm in ChalkZone was undone and justice was delivered, Rudy made a new mission in life with the 'Zone restored:
He would leave once and for all, and start a new life with Penny and her family, marrying her and becoming a step-father to her children.
Though he has plenty of love for ChalkZone in his heart, he decided that a venture into his own life would be an adventure worth taking, and was willing to try his hand at being a normal person once again. Ever since, he has spent most of his time in the real world, having his status of declared 'dead' reversed and living a normal life.
But that came with a parting gift from the Golden Chalk:
He can draw in the real world, as if he were in ChalkZone.
It is these new talents that have brought him to Thailand, where he plans to make use of them. As one of the sex trafficking capitals of the world, particularly in children and underage teenagers, it is ripe with corruption and horror that is without justice and help for those who need it.
But Rudy Tabootie will see that change.
In a docking bay in Bangkok, there is one such example of heinous crimes being committed, with a group of human traffickers working on a deal with American buyers. A meeting was arranged with the ringleader of the trafficking ring, alongside the representative of the American group.
As the buyer arrived, the head greeted him with a formal handshake.
"[So nice to do business once again, my friend. Your group has been quite a top buyer of our product for quite some time.]" The ringleader said.
"[What can I say? We Americans love to buy, and buy in excess.]" The buyer said.
"[Yes, indeed. The richest country on Earth has all its money burning holes in their pockets, don't they?]"
"[Only men like us, my friend. Only men like us. The poor in my country aren't so different from the poor in yours. They both don't have a pot to piss in, but our country looks shiny enough on the outside so that it doesn't show.]"
"[Amazing how luxury can override the necessities of life.]"
Meeting up by a series of shipping containers, the buyer handed the ringleader a briefcase of money. Opening up the briefcase, the ringleader and his subordinates checked the money to ensure no marks or any sorts of tracers were within the bills, and, once satisfied with his inspection, closed the briefcase.
"[Very good. Now that I've checked out the merchandise, please feel free and check ours. As always, we ensure that we harvest nothing but the best.]" The ringleader said.
"[Yes, of course. Now, the only real dilemma I have for now is, am I in the mood for a girl, or for a boy?]" The buyer said.
"[With our crop, you won't know or care for the difference.]"
Interrupting the deal was the sound of a clang across the docks, disturbing the relative silence that the docks were under at this night.
"[What was that? Someone go check it out.]" The ringleader said.
One subordinate moved to investigate, carefully walking up to a ladder and climbing up to a scaffold where the sound was heard, keeping his gun in hand. Staying low and away from the trouble, the rest of the ring and the buyer cautiously awaited to see the results of his search, not wishing to take a single chance.
Upon searching, however, the subordinate found nothing.
"[Nothing here. Probably a bird.]" The subordinate said.
Laughing off the concern, the ring and buyer continued as normal.
However, as the subordinate stopped to smoke a cigarette, there was a movement from the shadows that put the false belief of safety to rest. Stepping out from the shadows behind him, a man dressed in a green pilot suit and bandolier of sticks of chalk approached the subordinate, preparing to make him the first victim he would attack.
Down below, the ring and buyer had no knowledge of the altercation, still carrying on as normal. The buyer, preparing to 'test' the merchandise, pulled out a condom.
"['Ribbed for her pleasure'. And his, too, when he learns to like it.]" The buyer joked.
The ring shared a cruel laugh over the buyer's soon-to-be victim, preparing to open the container doors.
But as they began to open the doors, a scream was heard from the balcony above, and came in the form of the absent subordinate. Falling to the ground with a scream, his scream eventually ended when he hit the ground head-first, breaking his neck in an instant.
No longer concerning themselves with the business deal, they now drew out their guns in preparation for the coming threat, waiting with ready arms.
What came out was Rudy Tabootie calmly stepping towards the trafficking ring and their buyer, approaching the group without a care or concern for the weapons pointed at him. Seeing that he appeared to have no apparent weapons, the group still kept their weapons high, standing confused as they were vigilant.
However, recognizing Rudy Tabootie, the ringleader urged his men to lower their weapons, instead attempting to be welcoming.
"Hello! I know you! You're Rudy Tabootie. The comic book artist who came back from the dead! You're quite a big name in the world, Mr. Tabootie, your comics are popular here in Asia as much as they are in your home country, the Japanese read it up!" The ringleader said.
Rudy gave no response to the ringleader's attempts at flattery, only standing still and unfettered.
"Listen, my friend, if you're looking to do business, you've come to the right place, but you're going about it quite wrong. We have many American celebrities as clients, even comic book people like yourself! I'm sure you know some, right? Come over, and let's talk business!" The ringleader said.
Rudy finally responded by pointing a finger at the ringleader, speaking in an angry, accusing voice.
"You hurt children. You people are monsters." Rudy said.
The ringleader's demeanor towards Rudy then turned to a displeased one, no longer showing any signs of friendliness.
"[Oh, great. Another heroic type like that guy from Dude, Where's My Car?, can't stand those self-righteous liberal losers who love to put up a show. Please kill him for me and dump his body in a river somewhere.]" The ringleader said.
Raising their weapons again, the traffickers opened fire on Rudy Tabootie.
It was fully expected on all the gunmen that Rudy Tabootie would die, but, rather than such a logical event to happen, something else happened.
The bullets that entered his body not only passed right through him, but, instead of blood coming out from his wounds, chalk dust poured out of them, and still Rudy stood tall and showed no signs of harm or hurt. Instead, he continued to stand tall, and the gunshot wounds had healed themselves up, sealing up the pouring chalk dust.
He then proceeded to step forward, taking out a piece of chalk and drawing himself an axe and a sword, wielding both weapons to use against the trafficking ring. All members of said ring stood still in shock, unable to process the fantastical event, but none stood so still as the ringleader, whose only motion was the attempted utterance of...
"[What... the... fu-?!]" The ringleader tried to say.
...but that single motion was misspent; a simple dodge would have permitted him to dodge the slash of Rudy's sword, which scalped him in one swift move, slicing off the top of his skull and exposing his brain to the open air. Now that he failed to save himself from the attack, his body began convulsing in pain, and only groans came out of his mouth.
Kicking the ringleader to the ground, Rudy sent his exposed brain sliding out of his head, stopped short only by the brain stem.
The sight of their ringleader almost dead in such a brutal manner, the rest of the trafficking ring was out of their shocked states, now put into self-preservation.
"[Get him, get him!]" One trafficker shouted.
Keeping his weapons at the ready, Rudy stepped towards the first enemy in his way, stepping on the ringleader's brain and squashing it.
The ringleader is dead.
Moving up to the first of the traffickers, Rudy was met with little resistance save for a pair of raised fists, which did nothing to save him against the blades of his chalk-drawn weapons slicing into his body and sending him to the ground, ending his life in seconds.
The next trafficker Rudy attacked, he began by kicking in the knee, forcing it out of place and making him scream. Lopping his head off with his axe, Rudy put his screams to a sudden stop with his death. Kicking his severed head as it fell from its place, he sent it towards the next trafficker in his path.
Catching the severed head, the trafficker panicked as the head of one of his comrades fell into his hands, making him juggle it in a shocked and horrified reaction as he knew not how to react to it. However, that trouble was put to an end as Rudy thrusted his sword through the severed head and into the trafficker's head as well, killing him as well.
With the sword temporarily stuck in the two heads, Rudy used his axe to thrust it into the crotch of another trafficker, cleaving his unmentionables in half. Keeping his hold on the axe, Rudy then lifted the trafficker over his head and slammed him into the ground, breaking his neck as he collided with it.
Trying to preserve himself with proper fighting skills, one trafficker ran up to attack Rudy, preparing to use Muay Thai against him. Retrieving his sword from the two heads it was stuck in, Rudy prepared his own weapon as the trafficker brought out a pair of Thai daggers.
As the trafficker rushed up and began slashing his daggers at his enemy, Rudy defended himself with his sword, parrying the slashes as they came to him. The enemy attacks came in great speed, and, with two weapons against one, it spelled victory for the more experienced fighter.
But as the Muay Thai trafficker drove his daggers into the body of Rudy Tabootie, seeing that he once again only bled chalk dust and did not perish, he knew he would not find anyplace near victory. Reacting in an almost comedic manner to the Muay Thai trafficker, Rudy handed him his own chalk sword in a casual manner.
"Here, hold this for a second." Rudy said.
Removing the daggers from his body, Rudy then swung them straight up at the trafficker, lopping off his arms. The Muay Thai trafficker fell to the ground screaming as a result, with blood spurting out of the stumps that his arms once were, and Rudy retrieved his sword from the ground after the trafficker dropped it.
Lifting the sword up, he drove it down into the trafficker, ending him with the rest.
As Rudy looked up from his kill, he looked up to the American buyer, looking on him with a face of great scorn for the crimes he was willing to commit, and those he has committed before as well. With his status and standing, Rudy knows that he will never see a day inside of a prison cell where he belongs...
...and he is here to rectify that aberration of justice back to its natural state.
Walking up to the buyer, Rudy's target blubbered in fear to try to prevent his death, pleading for mercy and offering bribes.
"W-Wait! We can make a deal! I have connections and money! What do you want? I'll give you anything you want! You've got kids, right? How about Ivy League schools for them all, paid in full? Don't you want a good future for your kids?" The buyer asked.
Stepping up to the buyer, Rudy grabbed his mouth, preventing him from offering any more bribes.
"You steal futures from kids. Mine was stolen from me a long time ago, so I'm here to make sure you don't have one, either." Rudy said.
Lifting the sword up once more, Rudy shoved it down the buyer's throat, ramming it all the way down until the sword pierced straight through his body, and leaving the hilt and handle sticking out of his mouth, gagging and choking over the object in his throat as his damaged insides began to bleed on themselves.
The buyer then fell to the ground, bleeding out, with his blood erasing the sword that killed him.
The buyer and the trafficking ring is dead.
Having concluded his business with the ring, Rudy then opened up the shipping container, stepping inside.
The children within stepped back in fear, believing they would be either exploited just as the buyer planned to do, or would be harmed as Rudy harmed them. The reaction of fear Rudy had depresses him ever so slightly, making him feel as though his efforts had only made him more of a monster, and not to be admired.
But one child, a girl no older than 6, walked up and reached for his arm, showing compassion and friendliness to their savior. Seeing the girl step up and approach him, his initial reaction is horror in seeing someone so young be sold into sexual slavery, but the small act of compassion is enough to relieve his own self-doubt and fears, and it brings out a warmer show in Rudy Tabootie.
Picking the girl off the ground, he held her in a hug, cradling her as if he was his own child.
In turn, the children inside warmed up to him, approaching closer to give their thanks for his deeds.
Once his work has been done in Thailand, he ventures back to the city of Plainville, Minnesota, where his home and family await him.
Flying over the city, he is discreetly camouflaged by the twilight sky, unseen by the sleeping populace below as the dawn has not fully come. Coming to the house where he grew up in as a child, a house which he now shares with his family, he lands softly on the roof, ensuring he does not make a sound when he does.
His flight had been accomplished by a pair of rockets drawn on his boots, created by his power to draw in the real world as he does in ChalkZone. Now that the rockets have served their purpose, he erased them with his hands, smudging them away until they were but chalk smears on his boots.
Climbing up to the window of the master bedroom, Rudy quietly climbed inside, once again ensuring that he makes as little noise as possible. Looking to the bed, he finds his wife, Penny Sanchez, still fast asleep, and he is relieved to know that his efforts at stealth have been successful.
Removing his pilot's jacket, boots, and pants, he remains in an undershirt and underwear, in more fitting attire for bed.
He knows that the day will soon end, and what sleep he will acquire is little, but he does not care. On top of ensuring that his excursion goes unnoticed by the rest of his family, he also wants to steal a moment of intimacy with his wife, needing it now more than ever following what he has done.
Gingerly crawling into bed, he spoons himself against Penny, cuddling her from behind and hugging her softly. His hands go to her bosom and her belly, touching her most erogenous zones to confirm her existence to him and know that he still has this special connection to her.
A quiet moan is roused from Penny from his action, and her hands come to his, reciprocating this emotion, and bringing peace to both of them.
That peace, however brief, is a calming and content one, and it makes the blaring of the alarm clock waking them up not as much as a nuisance. After silencing the alarm clock, Penny grabbed Rudy's hands and brought them to her face, kissing them and snuggling with them as she woke.
"Morning, Rudy." Penny moaned.
"Morning, Penny." Rudy said.
After giving his hands one last kiss, Penny rose from bed, reaching her arms up and yawning as she stretched.
"I need to get ready for work. Can you get the kids ready for school?" Penny asked.
"Of course." Rudy said.
Rising from bed as well, Rudy hugged Penny and snuggled with her one last time, kissing her on the lips, leaving her to disrobe and shower.
Putting on a pair of pajama pants, Rudy walked downstairs to work on breakfast for the family, taking eggs, bacon, hash browns, and orange juice out of the refrigerator. Retrieving a skillet from the pots and pans, he proceeded to cook each item and prepare it for the family, starting with the bacon to enhance the flavor of the next items.
Soon after the breakfast was finished, Rudy watched Carol and Carlos enthusiastically run into the dining room, eager to down their breakfast, and proceeded to do so with great haste and delight. Neither of them had greeted Rudy nor thanked him for the breakfast upon entering, so young and hungry that they concerned themselves with little else...
...but they still love Rudy very much, and they rectify that mistake as soon as they finish eating.
"Morning, dad. Thanks for breakfast." Carol and Carlos said in unison.
"Morning, kids. You guys just about ready for school?" Rudy asked.
"Almost. I just need to pack my science homework. Mama helped me with it last night." Carol said.
"Need to get my comic book. Finished reading my last one yesterday, reading more at lunch." Carlos said.
"Well, then, you guys better go get your stuff, bus comes in a few minutes." Rudy said.
Taking their father's advice, Carol and Carlos bolted for their rooms, both retrieving their needed items.
As the children left, Rudy began working on cleaning the dishes, leaving out two plates; one for himself, and one for Penny, preparing to have a nice breakfast to share with her. Once done with the dishes, he turned to find Penny standing in the dining room, staring at him with a look of restrained anger.
"Penny? You okay?" Rudy asked.
Penny explained her concerns by holding up a smartphone, playing a news report on his mission in Thailand.
"Breaking news: We have reports that a child sex trafficking ring in Thailand has been brutally wiped out by an unknown vigilante. Among the victims of the trafficking ring was also Hollywood producer Van Quieter, reported to have connections with the ring. The children abducted by the ring have been taken into protective care, receiving full physical and mental health treatment. But what makes this story very interesting in how the trafficking ring was slain. According to the reported wounds of the victims, the vigilante appeared to use bladed weapons... against a ring of individuals with firearms. More baffling than this, there were no traces of metal at the scene, but there were traces of calcium carbonate, a substance commonly used in the creation of chalk." The news report said.
Having made her point with the video, Penny set the phone down, looking back at Rudy, as if expecting an explanation. Rudy did not attempt to tell a lie to absolve himself of the blame, nor try to change the conversation, unable to do either with his wife in good conscience.
"Well?" Penny asked.
"What do you want me to say? You know and I know that I'm the only one who could've done that." Rudy said.
"I want to hear it from you. I want to hear you confess it."
"Yes. I did. I killed them."
Penny's angry expression then turned to a cry, further fueled by her frustration.
"What? Penny, why are you crying? I saved those kids." Rudy said.
"And you killed people to do it, Rudy! Does that make it okay?" Penny asked.
"If I hadn't done it, those kids would've been raped and lived horrible lives."
"The police could've taken care of it."
"They didn't. And with a big name in Hollywood there, they would've have. Penny, I can't just sit by and let children get hurt like that. You know what happened to me, you saw what I became, you think I want that to happen to anyone else?"
"But you're here now, and you're with me. I can't have you leave me, Rudy. Not for good."
Penny's crying began to intensify, with her anger and rage subsiding into true sadness.
"Do you remember how I had to kill you? When I had to stab you to death in order to help you fight the Chalk King? I didn't think it would work like you did. But I did it anyway, because you wouldn't stop yelling at me to do it. I have dreams sometimes where I did it, but you didn't wake up. Like I killed you, and you wouldn't come back. I used to think about when you first vanished, when you were trapped in ChalkZone, and... this was even worse. Every day you're not here with me, I'm scared that you'll be gone for good." Penny said.
"But I won't be." Rudy said.
"I know that, I know that for a fact. I can write it down on a piece of paper, I can write all sorts of proofs and theorems for myself to show it to be an absolute fact... but it just doesn't help. I can't get rid of the feeling."
"And what about the feelings that I have? You know I can't get up without thinking about the times I was under Skrawl and the Chalk King, when I was beaten and tortured and enslaved by them? You know there are times when I just don't wanna get out of bed at all? Even when I have you and the kids to make it better? Because I can't get rid of that feeling, either. I wanna make sure that no other kid ever has to live through what I did. If I don't do that, then I'm no better than the Chalk King was."
"Are you mad at me, Rudy?"
Realizing the frustrated tone in his voice and the effect it was having on Penny's anxiety, Rudy held her in a hug, apologizing for his actions.
"No. I'm not mad at you, Penny. I just feel mad, just because. And I don't mean to let it out on you. I love you very much." Rudy said.
Penny returned his sentiments with a kiss, but not an average kiss that merely showed affection. Instead, her kisses seemed to call for a more personal intimacy reserved for the bedroom, but with an urgency that denied him the time to move the activity to said desired place.
A brief fit of resistance was put up by Rudy, but it was soon lowered after enough of Penny's kisses.
Giving into his own human instincts, Rudy began unbuckling his belt, opening his fly. In turn, Penny turned around and lowered her panties, bending herself over the kitchen counter and allowing Rudy access. Both immediately took to the act in a rush, each needing relief for each of their own traumas through this misuse of intimacy.
The act follows through not with slowness and connection, but through roughness and anger, as if both are merely using each other to seek relief for their own pain. As such, there is very little in the way of actual pleasure, and it tears into what makes this act so special and sacred for them; a far cry from when they first embraced in the fields of ChalkZone long ago.
The act is then over as quickly as it started, with Rudy replacing himself in his pants, and Penny pulling up her panties again, with both panting in relief after the act. Turning back around, Penny pulled Rudy close to her, trying to retain some intimacy after, which Rudy halfheartedly returned with a simple hug.
Quick and nearly loveless as the act is, it is quick enough to where it goes unnoticed by Carol, who entered to plea a goodbye to her parents.
"Okay, guys, Carlos is getting on the bus, I'm-" Carol began to say.
Seeing Rudy and Penny pant in such an intense manner, Carol looked back at them in confusion, sensing something wrong in the situation.
"Uh, you guys okay?" Carol asked.
"Fine, fine, Carolina. Please go to school with your brother. Everything's fine." Penny panted.
Carol did not believe her mother's assurances, but nonetheless she left for the bus, having no choice but to head to school.
With the children gone, Penny returned to kissing Rudy again, continuing to hold him tightly.
"Penny-" Rudy tried to say.
"Don't, Rudy. Just stay here with me. Help me get over this. You know I hate feeling like this." Penny pleaded.
Finding her affection far too much for him to handle, and beginning to find it clingy, Rudy pushed Penny off.
"I need to work now. If you need something, you know where to find me." Rudy said.
Walking away, Rudy left Penny to sulk alone, forced to face her anxiety and separation alone. It is a callous move from Rudy, and one of many that he has made during moments like this, and each time he begins to care less and less for what effect it has on Penny.
Left without the person who supplied her with the emotional crutch that she relied on, Penny simply grasped at a nearby towel, holding it like a stuffed animal in sadness.
Moving up to the house's upstairs level, Rudy entered a room outfitted to be an artist's workplace, the area where he spends much of his time, both alone and with Carlos. Needing his own outlet to his own anger and stress, he seated himself before a drawing table, taking out a pencil and preparing to write on the sheet of paper before him.
At first, there is a brief instance of writer's block. He has several projects that he has to work on, consisting of several titles of comic books, cartoon strips for the local newspaper, and pin-up and cover work for other publishers. The work is neverending and bountiful...
...but he cannot bring himself to work on any of them, feeling the altercation with his wife eat at the rest of his imagination.
So, like any good artist, he proceeded to turn that anger into an idea instead.
Feeling the story begin to formulate in his head, he thought instead of a short story to write, planning to submit it as some anthology story elsewhere. Sketching out the story on paper, he not only draws out the panels and characters, but also the lettering work as well, writing out the dialogue for the characters.
The first panel showed a regular man and a small blob, with the man meeting the blob and noticing it move.
Hmm... Such a strange creature. Wonder if I'd get anything for it at the science center? The man thought aloud.
The next panel then showed the man moving back in surprise, reacting to the blob.
Help me... The blob moaned.
Whoa! What's that? It can talk? The man asked.
The next panel showed the man peering down at the blob, moving closer to examine and listen to it.
You're alive, aren't you? You can talk! The man said.
Yes, I'm alive, but not for long. I need you to give me your blood. The blob said.
My blood?
Yes. I am a creature which feeds on the blood of life-forms like yourself. I do not require much feeding, only a drop or so every once and a while. Please, give me some of yours.
The next panel then showed the man leaving, refusing the blob's request.
Forget it! I'm not giving up my own blood for some parasite like you! You're probably going to take it all and drain me, leaving me for dead! The man said.
No, please! I mean you no harm, human! I do not like my nature any more than you do, but, I swear to you, a drop is but all I need! If you leave me here, I shall wither and die! I know you humans have a need for connection and kinship in you, a refusal to let equal or lower life forms die! Can you find it in your heart to leave me to die, just because I evolved to feed on blood? The blob asked.
The following panels then showed the man stopping in contemplation, until he opted to take a pocketknife and prick his fingertip, drawing out blood for the blob to drink. Giving the blob a single drop as requested, the blob's withering appearance had expanded and invigorated itself, appearing more healthier than it once was.
The next panel then showed the blob jumping on the man, latching onto him.
I love you, human! I love you! The blob shouted.
The next panel then showed the man reacting in fear, trying to get the blob off of him.
AHH! No! I knew it! You're going to kill me! Help! Someone, get it off! The man shouted.
Please, don't be alarmed, human! I will not hurt you! The blob said.
The next panel showed the man with the blob on his back, no longer panicking, but instead looking to the blob with more questions.
What's the meaning of this? The man asked.
I love you, human. I shall not leave you now that you showed me love. The blob said.
What are you talking about? I didn't show you love. I just made sure you wouldn't die.
Is there a difference? Is not every act of salvation one of love? For that, I shall show you my love in return.
And what if I decide I don't want your love? What if I say get off me and go find someone else?
Then I would be alone again, and I would be back in my same predicament. I would be left to die just as you found me. Would you no longer supply me with love and leave me to die again?
So I have to keep giving you my blood for the rest of my life?
In return, I shall give you my love, and keep giving it to you so long as you give yours to me. Is that not a fair agreement?
The next panel showed the man contemplating once again, then the following panel showed the man walking on, continuing to walk with the blob on his back.
As he stared at the finished panel, contemplating on his finished art and the meaning behind it, the paper was snatched off of Rudy's desk, taken into the hands of Penny Sanchez. Turning to see his wife standing behind him, he also saw a dour expression on her face as she read the short comic.
"What is this, Rudy?" Penny asked.
"Just a little short story for the anthology title. Wasn't in the mood to work on anything else." Rudy said.
"You don't think I can see where this is coming from?"
"What?"
"Don't 'what' me, Rudy. This is how you see us, isn't it?"
"Penny, I-"
"Is this really how you see me? Working on a comic for hours just to show how much I'm a burden on you?"
"What? It's been hours? I didn't-"
"Don't change the subject, Rudy. Is this really how you feel about me?"
Rudy let out a frustrated sigh, unable to avoid the uncomfortable question any longer.
"It... it feels like that way sometimes, the way you'll always latch onto me." Rudy said.
"What does that mean?" Penny asked.
"You know. Or was the kitchen table not a blatant enough example?"
"You know how I am, Rudy. You know I need help. I know you need help, too. We've been doing our best to help each other, and we've sworn we'd always be there for each other. That's what we vowed when we got married. Is it too much to ask that you be there for me when I need you?"
"You don't need me, Penny. What you need is a vibrator. That's the only way you can get any composure for yourself."
"What's the matter, Rudy? Don't you like me? My body? Is it not good enough for you anymore?"
"It's too much for me, is what it is. Can't you find some other way to get your head straight?"
"I don't know any other way, Rudy. I don't like it when you're not here, and... and I just do whatever I can to make myself know that you're still here. To make sure you're really with me."
"If draining me dry is the only way you can accomplish that, you're more screwed up than I am. I at least try to use my problems to make something substantive out of them."
"By that, you mean, twisting the entire scenario to fit your narrative? Just so you can make a little money off of it?"
"By showing my perspective of it. And making some money to support this family, to show that I can help support it, too, and I'm still worth something. Not all of us had the high-quality education that you have. I barely made my G.E.D. when I got back. At least I tried to fix my problems, to make the best of a bad situation. You didn't do anything."
"Are you mad at me?"
Once again faced with the question that demonstrated Penny's anxiety the clearest, Rudy sighed again, realizing that he could not continue as he was.
"I need to go out." Rudy said.
"Rudy, are you mad at me?" Penny asked.
"No, I'm not. I just need to get out of here."
"Where?"
"Anywhere, I don't care. I'm not leaving forever. I'll be back."
Rudy then stepped to the window and opened it, taking out a piece of chalk and drawing rockets on his boots. Jumping out the window, he began flying straight up into the air, launching himself far away from the city and the human race just to get a place where he could be alone to sort out his feelings.
Penny watched his departure from the window with pain, feeling resentment for her own needs, and blaming herself for Rudy's current predicament.
Rudy's flight brings him not only far away from the city, but the planet itself, launching himself up straight through the atmosphere into space. Such a journey, without proper protection, would kill any human being in an instant, left frozen and brittle in the cold of space.
But Rudy Tabootie is no ordinary human anymore. He has been dead and changed into a living chalk creation, then turned back to human again, retaining the power of creation in the real world. He is of both the second and third dimensions, existing as a creature of both ChalkZone and the real world.
As such, he is immune from the vacuum of space, and can continue his journey straight to the moon, reaching the one place where no human will bother him.
Walking across the surface of the moon, he feels the light gravity under his feet, allowing him to step great distances with each stride of his legs, feeling a levity and freedom that only ChalkZone has granted him before. This journey has given him a place where he can be away from that place, too, and be free and alone.
But as he continued across the empty wastes of the moon, another idea had come to his head. He knows that he had let out some of his anger and frustrations by drawing the comic, attempting to express his own feelings through art and let it out of himself that way...
...so, then, why not do the same here, where he is free to draw where no one is around to see him?
Taking his chalk in hand once again, he is ready to begin.
[Soundtrack Cue: A Perfect Circle - The Hollow]
Waving his chalk in the air just as he has done many times before, Rudy began to draw, working his magic in the real world.
Free from assignments, free from deadlines, and free from his own species, he is free to create whatever he pleases, and wishes to create something from the bottom of his heart. What he wishes to create is not intended for anyone else to see or know, and does not exist to invoke an emotion in another human being.
It shall exist for the sole reason because he wishes it to exist, as an extension of himself.
He begins with the ground, laying the foundation of his work. He draws a circle into the moon's dirt, creating a surface for him to draw on. By the force of his own will and imagination, the circular platform began to rise from the dirt, floating above the ground to give Rudy a better means to continue his drawing.
Flying underneath the circle, he drew a series of lines that connected to a centerpoint below the platform, making the circle into a cylindrical pyramid. Grabbing the edge of the shape, Rudy began spinning it like a top, then, taking his chalk to the edge, began drawing downwards, creating a spiral that snaked down the bottom of the pyramid.
Flying back to the surface of the shape, Rudy began drawing a clock on the flat top of the pyramid, writing the numbers as Roman numerals, and seeing that the second, minute, and hour hands moved at the correct pace. Once the hands were set, he began drawing teacups on the edges of the hands, having all three move at different speeds in a more elaborate version of a carnival teacup ride.
Continuing with the theme of carnival rides, he drew unicorns and pegasi at the edge of the pyramid, sending them in a circle to create a carousel ride. Flying back to the center, he drew a cylinder to create a structural support, drawing another surface atop of that to create another level to the creation.
What he drew next was an orchestra and choir that sung out the most splendid songs, preaching messages of support and love, calling for all violence and anger in the human race to end. The singers and performers are joyous in their calls and songs, and exist solely for this purpose, enjoying what they do in full.
The creation is still not enough to give Rudy content. Moving to the edges of the first floor, he began drawing mermaids, not unlike carvings of the legendary creatures seen on pirate ships, drawing each one to represent the four directions of north, south, east, and west.
Returning to the second floor, he drew a roof over the still-performing orchestra, creating yet another floor to the structure. At the top, he began drawing a watchtower of a castle, and inside a king and queen. The two royal rulers cheer and shout, waving happily to their subjects, and continuously doing so in a neverending display of happiness.
Still does Rudy continue to draw, still not content with what he made. He draws as well flags and banners, waving a message of love and peace on them.
Still does Rudy continue to draw. He draws an elaborate art collage all across the surface, displaying as many different styles as he can.
Still does Rudy continue to draw. He draws fireworks that go off without end, adding more noise and lights to excite the mind.
Still does Rudy continue to draw. He is no longer sure what he draws, only that what he does is not enough.
Still does Rudy continue to draw.
Then, he finally stops.
[Soundtrack Cue End]
Finally, what had begun as an attempt to try to relieve himself of his own artistic merit can be seen in full.
What was an attempt to create something beautiful and elaborate has, by some measures, succeeded. What he has made is a mishmash between a theme park, a peaceful kingdom, toys and household objects, and other unrelated ideas to try to make something totally new.
New it is, and it would be more than enough to capture the imagination of anyone who lays eyes on it.
But Rudy does not have that same feeling. His desire to create is not unlike a sexual desire; it merely comes and goes as it pleases, it is strongest when it is during feelings of peace and security, and it is an act of creation that is brought about by much effort and eventual release and relief.
Like Penny, however, he has misused this feeling to ward off his own stresses, forgetting himself and attempting to hide from what he does not like behind a thin veil of pleasure and work. He knows that his talent is great, and someone only of his genius could make so many creations like this forever to run from his problems...
...but he knows that the problem will always be there, no matter what he draws.
With a heavy sigh, Rudy stepped up to the tip of the structure's bottom, lifting it up with a single finger. He lets it spin on his fingertip for a brief moment, allowing his creation to cycle itself in the hold of its creator. He has his own world in his hand, and, while he can still appreciate the effort that went into it, how it rotates and tells time perfectly, he is not content with his creation.
Lifting his finger into the air, he let the flying circus float out into space. Whether the act is akin to a father sending away an unwanted child, an artist tossing away wasted resources on a failed project, or merely an act of sending something of one's own into the universe as a means of living on vicariously through it, are all analogies that Rudy try to connect to what he did to try to understand himself.
But nothing he tries works.
On his own, he is still discontent, and merely more alone than ever.
Many days later, the family is together at a gathering set by friends, specifically parents of the friends of their children, who are present for a birthday party. While Carol and Carlos play and frolic with their friends in the backyard of the birthday child's parents' home, Rudy and Penny talk with the parents of the child, catching up on old times past.
The parents are Reggie Bullnerd and his wife of Bobby Sue, the latter of which, while younger, has clear dominance in their relationship.
"Oh, just look at the little ones out there, Reggie. Don't they look so sweet, playing together like that?" Bobby Sue asked.
"Yeah, heh-heh, yeah. They sure do. That's our little boy Bruno, roughneck he is, just like his dad, and his dad before him. He'll make a great garbage man one day." Reggie said.
"And maybe his daddy'll give his mommy a few brothers and sisters for him while he grows up. I did come from a big family, and I'd like to have another big one here at home, sweetums."
Reggie let down a nervous gulp, feeling embarrassed in the presence of the now-laughing Rudy and Penny.
"Well, uh, we'll have to talk about it. Later." Reggie said.
"What about you two? Got any plans for more bundles of joy in your family?" Bobby Sue asked.
Rudy and Penny's joy turned to embarrassment as well, with neither eager to answer so quickly.
"Oh, well... It's... a bit of a handful dealing with Carol and Carlos as it is. I'm not sure there's room at the moment. Maybe when they're a little older and can take care of themselves better, you know?" Penny asked.
"Ah, don't stress yourself out, Penny, the kids these days are almost totally self-sufficient. Little troopers, they are, just like our boy Bruno. The kids are alright, aren't they?" Reggie asked.
Reggie concluded his assurances with a hearty pat on Penny's back, nearly knocking all the breath out of her, an action which Bobby Sue did not approve of.
"Now, now, Reggie. Remember what Dr. Judge said about your strength. You can't go treating girls like that." Bobby Sue scorned.
"Oh, uh, sorry, honey. I was just trying to be friendly." Reggie said.
"Don't apologize to me, Reggie. I wasn't the one you hurt."
"Right. Uh, sorry, Penny. Just trying to be friendly."
Bobby Sue then laid a kiss on Reggie's cheek as a reward for his deed, petting his hair as well, all to his own embarrassment.
"Good boy." Bobby Sue said.
"It's alright, Reggie. I'm used to a little roughness." Penny said.
"Ooh, if that's the case, then it looks like Carol and Carlos will be getting a new sibling, huh?"
Penny began to blush with embarrassment, trying to backtrack her comment.
"Er, uh, no, I didn't mean-" Penny stammered.
"Oh, come on, Penny. We're all adults here. After all, it wouldn't be a loving marriage if there wasn't any love being made, now, was there?" Bobby Sue asked.
"Well... I suppose so. It's just..."
"Just what?"
"Nothing."
The conversation, while managing to engross the wives and Reggie, it had failed to capture the attention of the second husband. His attention is put on the children, keeping an eye on Carol and Carlos, as well as their various playmates like the roughhousing child of Bruno Bullnerd. It is only play that the children are engaged in, harmless fun at a birthday party to become cherished memories...
...but that is not what Rudy sees.
What is happening in objective reality is Bruno holding up a balloon, wrapped in the shape of a sword, held up to Carlos. The two are engaging in a playful enactment of high fantasy constructed by their combined imaginations, and it turns to a friendly wrestle and tumble as the two lock hands and push back against each other.
What is happening in the mind of Rudy is what happened to him many years ago, what led him to becoming trapped in ChalkZone. He remembers the time when Skrawl, then the unfinished drawing taking revenge on his creator, pushing back at him in a similar manner, but with less pleasant and more harmful results.
He remembers when his arms were broken by Skrawl, and the torment and isolation he suffered as a result of it.
As a result, his heart rate and breathing increase, bringing about the primal 'fight-or-flight' response. All other noises and dialogue completely drown out, leaving only the memory. The images play out in his head over and over, and still does the response stay, prompting him to respond to what danger is in front of him, and will not stop until he has his threat ended.
Instinctively reaching for his chalk, he found none within his grasp, realizing that his primary weapon was not with him. Stepping up to a nearby grill, he picked up a hot dog roasting stick as a weapon, walking up to the fighting boys. The departure and sudden acquisition of a cooking utensil are noted by Penny, and they are witnessed with concern and confusion.
"Rudy?" Penny asked.
Walking directly up to the children, Rudy reached for Bruno and grabbed him, pulling him away from Carlos and ending their playful wrestle. Aiming the skewer in a stabbing position, Rudy mercilessly held it up and scowled at his target, preparing to murder him with all the vengeance in his heart.
"RUDY!" Penny screamed.
Grabbing Rudy's arm before he could stab Bruno, Penny's scream and grab snapped her husband out of his traumatic trance, bringing him back to reality.
And standing before him is a scared little boy, trembling and holding back tears after seeing this grown man brazenly attempt to kill him. Carlos, picking himself up from off the ground, grabbed Bruno and pulled him away, ensuring that he was safe from his own father.
And the very fact that he feels the need to do this is a reality he does not like, and looks back to Rudy with disgust and fear.
Reggie and Bobby Sue are quick to approach as well, still barely understanding what has unfolded.
"Rudy, what the hell are you doing?!" Reggie shouted.
With many judging and shocked eyes looking on him, and feeling his wife firmly try to stop him from making his dire mistake, Rudy dropped the skewer, feeling his arms begin to tremble as well. Wrapping himself in his own arms, Rudy fell to the ground, curling up in a seated position in shame of his misdeed.
Taking Rudy in her arms, Penny began to rock him softly, attempting to alleviate the stress he was under.
"Oh, god... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Rudy cried.
And, because of one traumatic memory out of many that will not escape him, the scene of delight at this birthday party has turned to shock and fear.
It has taken much apologizing, as well as many well-crafted lies meant to convey the truth of Rudy's pain, all while concealing the truth of ChalkZone, but what damage has been done between the Tabooties and the Bullnerds has been mended. And more than reparations, also come offerings of help, prompted by the kind Bobby Sue.
Together and a day later, they drive to the office of counselor Dr. Judge, with the Bullnerds joining the Tabooties to provide support.
"Listen, Rudy, Penny, guys, you don't gotta worry about a thing. Dr. Judge's a good guy. You're only gonna go up from here." Reggie said.
"I'm still not sure about this. I've... I've never really talked to anybody about my problems before. No one else besides Penny." Rudy said.
"All the more reason to do it. Listen, you remember when I was a little shit of a kid, right? Always giving you trouble, giving you grief. I helped get in shape because of two people: One, Bobby Sue. Two, Dr. Judge. I got a lot of help, and you can get some, too."
Penny held Rudy's hand, trying to assure him just as she tried to assure herself.
"He's right, Rudy. It's been a long time since I had any therapy, and I'm not exactly looking forward to getting back in it... but we do have a lot of problems we need to solve, and I'm willing to try to fix things. But I need you to do it with me." Penny said.
Rudy held Penny's hand back, taking courage in her embrace as well.
"I'll be there, Penny. Right with you." Rudy said.
"Don't you two worry, now. Dr. Judge is a very nice man. He'll be a big help for you both." Bobby Sue said.
The two reached the front door of Dr. Judge's office, prompting the time when Reggie and Bobby Sue must step away.
"Good luck, guys." Reggie said.
"They don't need luck, Reggie. They've got each other, and a helping hand. No need to leave it to luck anymore." Bobby Sue said.
Then, Rudy and Penny stepped inside the office, departing from their friends to begin their first step towards healing.
Upon entering the office, they were treated to a room filled with warm, inviting colors, putting them to an immediate ease at once. The calming environment was further brought about by the soft, calming voice of Dr. Judge, who greeted Rudy and Penny with a kind smile and handshake extended towards them both.
"Well, there you two are. You must be Rudy and Penny Tabootie. I'm Dr. Judge." Dr. Judge said.
Rudy and Penny each shook the doctor's hand, meekly meeting his greeting.
"Hey." Rudy said.
"Hello." Penny said.
"Hi. Now, I'm not supposed to say anything regarding my other patients, but I think Reggie and Bobby Sue won't mind if I share that they talk a lot about you, in a positive light, and were quite insistent that I could give you folks some help. You've got very good friends, and they care a lot if they helped bring you here." Dr. Judge said.
"Yes. They're quite very nice. Reggie used to be quite mean, but you probably already knew that."
"Oh, I don't think of little things like that as 'mean' or 'bad'. Just a little angry, whether it be at ourselves, or at how the world's handling us. We've all got our little angry moments, but I'm not here to judge .No pun intended."
The small joke got a laugh out of the couple, and once again contributed to the feeling of safety that the room provided.
"Please, won't you sit down? We can just relax and have a little chat." Dr. Judge said.
Rudy and Penny complied, seating themselves on the couch in the room.
"So, Penny, I read that you had some past experience in therapy." Dr. Judge said.
"Yes. I did." Penny said.
"Want to pick up where it left off?"
"Not really. It's not the main problem. I... I lost Rudy a long time ago, back when we were kids, and the therapy I had then was to help me get over it. Now that he's back, it seems to be moot. Like it didn't matter."
"But it must've mattered then, didn't it?"
"I... guess so."
"So maybe there's something that's conflicting that stems from that therapy, like a medication that doesn't work anymore. Now's the time when we all try something new."
"If you say so."
"So, then, why don't we start from there?"
"We'd have to start at the beginning. And it's a long story."
"We've got plenty of time."
And once again the truth and lies are told for the good doctor, telling what is the essential truth underneath. The doctor listens with the utmost patience and understanding, allowing his patients to speak for as long as they need to in order to fully share their feelings.
He knows he has much work ahead of him, but he knows exactly where to start.
"Wow. That's... quite a long trial you two have gone through. I could only imagine just how angry both of you feel after going through all that." Dr. Judge said.
"Yeah. It was... I don't know. You just get used to the feelings, like you accept them as a part of who you are." Rudy said.
"And sometimes, you have to use whatever you can to deal with it." Penny said.
"Mmm-hmm." Dr. Judge said.
"But I just don't feel... I don't know... like I really... deserve this." Rudy said.
"Why do you think that?"
"It's just... For as much as I went through, I at least learned how to live with it. I didn't need anybody's help. I got through it without therapy. At least, until this point. But... I at least have some outlet for it. Penny needs the help here, a lot more than me. She's suffered a lot more than me. I don't want to put myself into this when I don't need help as much as her."
"Well, let me ask you this, Rudy: Imagine there's two people drowning. One's drowning in a bathtub, and the other's drowning out at sea. Which one of them needs air more?"
"You save the drowning guy first. He's out at sea and he can't get help that easily."
"No, no, no, not 'who who can you save quicker', who needs air more? Both of them need air to keep themselves from drowning, but who needs it more?"
The question left Rudy stumped and confused, unable to think of a decision between the two candidates.
"I... I don't know. They both need air." Rudy said.
"Exactly." Dr. Judge said.
"Huh?"
"They're both drowning. It doesn't matter where they're drowning or how. What matters is that they need air, and they'll die if they don't get it. Everybody needs help to one degree or another, but that doesn't make them any less deserving of help because one needs less than the other. Human beings are, at the end of the day, social creatures. We all need each other."
Rudy nodded along to the argument after a moment of reflection, and Penny held his hand, showing her own agreement as well.
"You both have your own traumas you need to get through, and you've tried your best to help each other, but the way you're going about it isn't working. That much you both know. But what I'm reading is that you can keep helping each other if you just do it in the right way." Dr. Judge said.
"How?" Rudy and Penny asked in unison.
"Well, for you, Penny, you use sex and intimacy as a way of dealing with your anxiety, right?"
"Yes." Penny said.
"You want something physical, some material proof that Rudy's there for you."
"Yes."
"So, what do you think could be another way for Rudy to prove he's there?"
"I don't know... I... He could check up on me by phone when I'm at work, or come down from his workplace when we're both at home. I know it's still a little clingy, but... Maybe he could do it less and less, so that I can ease into it."
"Just baby steps, that's very good. Never rush yourself. We'll give that a try and see how it goes. Rudy, what do you think you can try to do with the anger you have?"
"I don't know, I already try to put it in my work. That's usually a good outlet for artists, right?" Rudy asked.
"But not when it interferes with your other work, doesn't it?"
"No, you're right. But... I just can't turn off what I feel. What I see. Those are my memories, and they're stuck with me forever."
"Then maybe it's time you try to make some new memories. When was the last time you spent some time with your family? I mean, really spent some time with them, and tried to make good times together?"
A brief moment of reflection is what Rudy takes to try to remember, but he cannot recall what the doctor asks for.
"Eh, it's been awhile. We've both been busy at work a lot, and... You know how it is." Rudy said.
"Alright, then, Rudy, here's what I want you to do: Take some time off work, both you and Penny, and really try to spend some time with your kids. Let them be a reminder why you're here, and that you're there for them, and they're here for you." Dr. Judge said.
The very words of the doctor brought a smile to Rudy's face, thinking over the prospect of healing, and how joyous it would soon feel to be free.
"Okay. I'll give it a try." Rudy said.
[Soundtrack Cue: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dark Necessities]
The weeks that follow are the first steps towards healing for the family, but they are sweet steps towards health and healing that are significant and needed.
A staycation is what the family uses to set the stage for their healing, spending time with one another to reconnect and find happiness again. The days are mostly filled by the family playing board games and watching movies together, finding what joy they can gain at home.
Soon, even that is not enough for the family, and they make plans to visit places both near and far, like the local pool and even theme parks several states across. Cost is of no concern to the family; their utmost and primary concern is to make their children happy during their trips...
...and, in turn, this brings both Rudy and Penny happiness as well.
Many days are spent on the simple goal of having fun, and nearly each and every day they accomplish this. Almost never does a day pass when the parents are away from their children, but this does not make Carol and Carlos grow tired of them. Instead, they are happy to be with the people who love them, and they return the love back in full.
There are, however, some times when Rudy and Penny have their moments of weakness, when their own demons come back to haunt them.
There are times when Penny once again craves intimacy when her anxiety is at its height, but she knows now that what she does is a problem in and of itself that does not solve her core issue. Simple hugs and kisses are enough to get her the physical assurance she needs, and she begins to be comfortable in her time alone.
There are also times when Rudy feels angry and scared, feeling as though he is back in the dark place of his life that he never thought he would go back to. Penny, Carol, and Carlos are there to assure him that he is safe, and he has nothing more to fear, giving him a touch back to reality, and they are there to listen and support whenever he talks about how he feels.
The vacations they have taken are a breath of fresh air that they need out of the routines of work and school that they have run through for the past year, and they return to it, not with dread and anxiety, but sufficient relief to go back to their work happily and productively.
Rudy's drawing has improved and increased in speed, Penny's scientific work has become more efficient, and Carol and Carlos improve at their own studies, making the vacation a benefit for them as well. The results have been reported to Dr. Judge, and he congratulates his patients, and continues his work on the couple to see them fully healed.
Again, the process is slow, but it is indeed yielding results, and many beginning to be very noticeable. There are far less instances when Rudy has his angry outbursts, and he spends far less time in solitude. Penny is also more independent and can tolerate solitude better, making her function better in her life.
Also, the intimacy that they have no longer feels grating or burdening, but relieving and relaxing. The times when they are alone and connect are not rough and crude attempts at stress relief, but instead slow and passionate attempts to please each other, and, in turn, it yields even greater pleasure for both.
And above all, the sleep they catch is far more peaceful and calming, especially in each other's arms.
[Soundtrack Cue End]