Chapter 28
I could tell that my words shook him as he hesitated quickly. I did my best to try to reach him, even though my father had already done the damage that corrupted him. I tried my hardest to get through to him. He's still my little brother, no matter what! As his big brother, I still felt responsible, and I had to attempt to save him in some way.
I would try to see if my words could reach him, but I didn't think I had much of an option.
The time we were apart after you knocked me out and took the girl here. I had a chance to talk with some of the other group members at our party. There was a particular girl named Becky.
I saw that his eyes widened and lit up a bit; there seemed to be some emotional connection I may have struck there.
I know you. She told me that she was bewildered by the sight of you dragging off one of her friends.
"You guys have known each other since elementary school," she shared with me. She also told me a story about how you guys first met.
During the first couple of years when you didn't have a mother, many of the kids would bully you. She stepped in and confronted them when you were just a little coward.
She also frequently mentioned to me how close you two were, laughing and sharing the memories you two had together. To be honest, that made her start to cry. Also, she never got the chance to tell you that she was secretly crushing on you.
Too terrified of the stability of your friendship. Your relationship with your father would suffer further as a result of your dating.
Why does everybody want to keep deciding my life for me? Can I not be in control of my own life and actions?
Aren't you letting your dear old dad control you? Was it what you wanted, for him to put a demon in you and to run away from your friends? We might not have seen eye-to-eye too often or been very close. But I can tell you that I do still care about you; you are my little brother.
"Why do you guys keep trying to sell me all these lies?" he said, looking confused and lost.
I could see something inside of him becoming unstable; he was becoming unhinged.
I decided to push him further; maybe he was at his breaking point. They weren't lies, Josh, no matter how much you try to deny it or hide from it.
Dad might be leading you in one direction. But your path has always been your own to choose. Your friends and I, on the other side, are still here for you.
There are more of us than there are of him, and they want what's best for you. Instead of using you like a guinea pig. To fulfill some self-proclaimed goal.
Josh, why are you still standing there?" A voice came from the room up ahead.
A tall adult man was walking towards us.
Father, I...I...was just about to.
It appears as though someone may be trying to convince you to be disobedient.
Haven't you failed me enough? First, you bring the girl half-dead. Now you can't finish off your brother. It's your fault your mother died because you were born weak. Are you going to stand there and let her death be nothing while you waste your useless existence?
Wow, pops, Nice to see you again, too. Love what you've done for my little brother. Using him as a guinea pig for your pleasure. I heard you want to try to make him stronger. Give him some treatment that will allow the demon to take complete control.
So is that ultimately what you want? To get rid of Josh and his free will. To let him be a mindless demon. What are you going to do when he becomes like Frankenstein and turns on his father?
That will never happen. I have ways of controlling him.
Father, so you don't want me even to be myself at all? At that point, why not just hire more demons?
I wanted to become stronger, but I lacked the heart and ability to grow stronger, despite my desire to do so. I will not yield to a demon's manipulation. Because I knew I had the intellect to handle it, I adopted that course of action when I saw the chance for it to empower you.
So you would rather not have a son at all. Just a mindless zombie, he grabbed, looking back at his father, he said through his teeth.
You're already halfway there, a demon and mindless.
You know what, brother, I'm going to take you up on that offer. Get the girl, and I will take care of Pops.
I placed my hand on your shoulder. When you get through this, could you leave from here? I want to see you on the other side. I told him as I raced off further into the catacombs.
"There's not much you can do for her," Father shouted at me.
Does it matter what condition she's in or what experiment he tried? I'll figure it out when I get there.
Upon arrival, I saw Kaysi inside a giant hyperbolic tube. There seems to be a mask over her face providing oxygen. Wires hooked up to electropods placed throughout her body. She floated there in the waters, slumbering and still.
I think I've seen her before. I can't remember when, but I did recognize her name, Kaysi. Some of her features were similar to those of a girl I met in elementary school. Could it be a coincidence?
I don't have time to think about that. I need to get her out of here. I looked for ways to shut off the machine and to try to drain the water. There are many buttons, gauges, and cords. Damn it, I kicked the thing. Why can't this have a manual?
Just then, red lights started flashing through the entire lab as alarms began to blare.
Did I accidentally activate some security system?
"Well, son," a voice came over the intercom. You wanted the girls so badly; I figured I'd help you. Once she's out of that machine, she won't survive. There is no life left in her.
"Oh no," I thought to myself. What happened to my brother? Is he still alive? This can't be anything good.
Don't worry, I took care of that useless rat for both of us. Father bragged as if he knew my concern. Now you've got to decide: do you want to come find me and your brother or save your friend?
I felt so much anger boiling up inside me that I didn't know what I could do. My heart racing, I was panicking. What happened to my brother? I wanted to know, and he needed to know.
I also have been sent here on a mission, and I need to fulfill it.
This girl is going to die anyway. But maybe there's still a chance for my brother. He didn't exactly say he was dead.
As the waters finally vanished over Kaysi, the tube opened up and released her. She came sliding down the side of the tank as I caught her. She was limp and lifeless. I felt for a pulse, but there was none there. Held my head there for a second in sadness.
I took the mask off her face. I decided that at the very most, I'll carry her back home, or she can have a proper burial with her friends and family.
When I removed the mask from her face, I could see her more clearly. This was the girl years ago who was in my elementary school. As a matter of fact, this was the same girl in middle school as well.
Man, she had changed so much over time.
In middle school, she didn't recognize who I was. I changed my name to D so as not to bring up my past. I left school suddenly, and I'm sure it broke her heart. She was such a weak, fragile thing back then.
Then again, her lifeless body didn't seem much different from now, so frail.
I also remember in high school for a very short bit of time. I went through a dark, rebellious state. Got into a world of trouble. She was there as a first-year student at school, and at the time, she was in the wrong class. I hid my face and tried to ignore her. Until she let out a witty remark telling me to cut the mop of hair I had.
She was right, though; within the next week, I ended up breaking up with my girlfriend and cutting my hair. I was such an idiot.
I didn't realize I'd known this girl my entire life. And yet I hesitated to come down here and get her. This must be the reason why there's some connection to our soul ties. I had not hesitated; I may not have been too late.
I picked her up and proceeded to head back where I came from. I hope that the portal is still open so I can get home.
I took a few steps when I felt a twitch in her arm. Were there still signs of life? I heard someone say once that the body sometimes still moves when they're still alive in it, even after death itself.
I rush to put her down, feeling for her pulse gently. I think I was not quite sure. Maybe I was giving up my hopes. I swear I felt a slight tick of a heartbeat.
"Forget it," I shouted to myself. I placed my lips upon hers and began to perform CPR, trying to resuscitate her.
After a few minutes of pumping on her chest, she cracked a couple of her ribs. She coughed up water. I was confused about how she got water in her chest. She had an oxygen mask on.
I looked back at the machinery. I noticed that someone had sabotaged the hose leading into the machine. There was a small screw shoved into the hose.
Was my father trying to kill her when he knew I was here? Why did it matter to him? He knew he would more than likely be able to stop me.
I felt for a pulse once more. She was breathing, and there was a slight pulse, but it was so faint. I needed to get her out as quickly as possible if there was any chance of her surviving.
I took her and ran back to the exact location that I came to when I first appeared at the shore inside the cave.
Damn, when we arrived, the portal had closed. Something must have happened on the other side.
Evan. A sick, faint voice called out.
Brother, you're still alive! I thought Father got to you.
As you can see, he did. His body was covered in blood and many injuries.
Doesn't matter, I'll find a way to survive. I'll be sure to show you another way out. You get the girl out of here. I'm surprised she's still breathing.
Yeah, barely. Dad tried to sabotage the machinery.
He is frustrated that his challenging subject had some type of defensive barrier around her. By the time we got her back, wings burst from her body and covered her. There wasn't much we could do. Every tool we tried to use broke. It's almost like her skin became iron.
Wow, that's interesting. I never knew that could happen to someone.
Yeah, that's a Waymaker's self-defense system. It seems like they had an immune system protecting her body.
Okay, Big Bro, we're here. This portal is open right now; it'll get you back on the other side.
Josh, I told you I want you to come with me.
As you can see, there's not much left to me. Also, I have some unfinished business to deal with when it comes to Dad.
I'm not leaving here without you. I stared him dead in his eyes. Who knows when you're going to have the chance to leave as well?
All right, you persuaded me to go ahead, and I'll be right behind.
No, I am not an idiot, Josh. You've got to go first.
"Damn it, running out of time," he said as he jumped through the portal.
I went through the portal holding on to Kaysi. When we arrived, we were back at the lake. It was still dark and stormy outside. Lightning was striking through the air.
Underneath the water, I had a dream that I was floating in the water. A Kaysi came and woke me.
It's strange because she's sitting here in my arms, still asleep.
When I got to the shore, my brother was nowhere to be found. He must have taken off on his own. I'm a bit worried, though; his injuries looked life-threatening.