so when a Black kid gets kidnapped and gets tortured by a group of White people it doesn’t make the news but if a White kid were to get kidnapped…it would make the national news.
Oh geez, uhh… well..
Max got drunk after he ran into a tree. Why did he run into a tree? I was trying to stop him from drinking. Anyway, uh, after he got drunk we, well I wasn’t really doing anything, kind of… turned some stuff to gold… we talked about some stuff and then… we did some… naughty stuff together…
*Sighs* Pure, I need you to tell me again… without minimizing your involvement. You’re in trouble with me already. I need to know where your faults are so I can determine exactly how long I think Max should be grounded from you. So start again from the beginning – and don’t hide anything important, I’m warning you.
Okay… but dont call me Pure. Please.
Well, it pretty much started with Max asking what BDSM was. I then told him what it was and he just… pulled out his flask and wanted to drink. I, like I already said, tried to take it away from him. He wouldn’t give it to me and ran away, so I chased him. He ended up running into a tree, but otherwise he was fine. And then he just… drank the entire flask while I drank apple juice. When he was drunk we turned some stuff to gold, but the cat was his idea not mine! I just wanted to turn trees and a puddle to gold! So, when we turned the things we did to gold we just relaxed for a while. And them Max requested we’d do… uh… “it”….and.. we did.
And that’s pretty much all. We didn’t do anything after that.
Right… your name’s ‘Maven’, Isn’t it? I’m sorry.
How old are you two?
We’re… both… ten…
*groans – Jesus Christ...*
Okay… at your age you should absolutely not be engaging in those sort of activities – even with each other! You’re too young! At this point you don’t understand the full consequences of your actions lead to.
W-well.. anons… actually turned us into adults…
But it’s still bad I guess… since we still had the mindset of ten year old boys…
THey turned you…? Hnng… *He mutters in Spanish about grey-faces*
It is still bad. You two are too young. I’m sorry, but there needs to be some actual growing up before the two of you should have even considered doing those sorts of things.
Yeah.. I know… we’re still too young…
But they do that all the time! They turn us into adults and make us… do it! And sometimes they even force us to do it! And it’s not just Max and me, no, almost everyone! Darcy, Jon, everyone!
But you should know that you really don’t have to. Anons… grey-faces… you do have the ability to ignore that power. It’s tough (within our confines) but it’s possible.
In the meantime… Max is grounded again. And I’m going to be keeping a close eye on him.
….“Grounded” What is- You can ground Max?
That… you know, that time I told him he couldn’t play with you anymore. I ‘grounded’ him. It means he has restrictions.
Oh.. so that’s what being grounded is! Wait- you’re not gonna… lock him up? I thought people would always get locked up when their grounded…
… No. Whoever the hel– er, heck locks up their children like a prisoner when their grounded has serious issues. He has limitations now, yeah, but I’m not running a jail. I don’t even have a place to lock him up in…
Yeah… I just always thought that- Eh, whatever, must’ve been a thing only my parents did..
… I’m sorry, Maven. I hate that for you. No, that’s not what parents are supposed to do.
Huh… well, my parents did a lot of messed up stuff… didn’t even send me to school..
They sound messed up.
Yeah! It was! Well, there was something I had to do what called school but… I think it wasn’t. Because I don’t think school is being forced to suck your fathers- …maybe I should stop talking about this.
*Carlos freezes. He’s quiet for a moment.* I’m… I’m very sorry, Maven. That’s… that is very… you absolutely shouldn’t have had to go through any of that.
“Th-they…”
Max shivered, clearly fighting back tears as he tried his best not to
cry. “Sometimes they h-hit me… or.. lock me outside and don’t let me
ba-back in…” He whimpered, tears slowly forming in his eyes.
What in the actual hell? Carlos thought angrily. That was unacceptable. “I am so sorry to hear that, Max,” he said softly. “You’re right – that is not something parents do.”
yeah… it usually starts moving after i eat.. but it has been awhile.. am i really cold? *he tilts his head abit*
Yeah… or, at least colder than me. Wow… this is really
strange. *he scoffs at himself* Sorry, sorry, I’m just… confused, and in awe.
really? *he looks kinda surprised as he holds his arm close to his chest. he fixes the bandages* i don’t think anyones ever been ‘in awe’ at this…
Well… the way I see it you’re not really dead. Like, you are, but you’re still able to talk and think
and stuff. This is fascinating… grisly, but fascinating.
huh *he smiled slightly as he hopped off the bed* well… thanks i guess ? it’s weird though, knowing you could die at any given moment and it wouldn’t mean anything, not really.. *he wondered off to the door and waited for Carlos*
*Carlos follows him, feeling better about things now that he
knows Max is okay… more or less.* How long have you been like this, Max?
… just about all summer i think… which reminds me, i still have to find a place to stay after summer.. that’ll be fun… speaking of fun, wanna go hunting with me?
Uh… *there was a lot of stuff that Carlos wanted to respond
to, but one thing at a time* Hunting? Don’t you need tags and stuff?
what i need is food, and normal food doesn’t work anymore…. i’m kinda like a zombie in that way
Ah, I see… I suppose. I still think you might need tags or
you’d get in trouble though… I’m pretty sure poaching on this land is illegal.
Some rich guy owns it or something.
mr campbell? eh, he won’t miss a few squirrels… one time i caught a bird! *he smiles* i was careful enough and i got to keep the skull! after that i tried to glue it to the wall but it got stuck to my hand… *he chuckles* … as much as it may sound like it, i don’t actually like killing, but if i don’t i black out and hurt people
Uh, wh-what? Have you… given hot dogs a try? They’re
relatively cheap and they’re still made of meat. Kind of.
not.. that i can remember? but i think that’s mostly cause i don’t have any money … why are hospitals so expensive?
Are… they still trying to get money out of a dead boy? Wait…
I suppose if they could still charge you, of course they would. I can pick up a
packet of hot-dogs next time I go to town, if you’d like. And maybe a fishing
license too, now that I think about it. That way things would be a bit more
legal here. *he hums, contemplating* I’d need to get some tackle and a pole too…
you need a license to fish? i thought that was just for driving… *he looked up at the other* and the hospitals don’t know i’m dead, aside from a handful of people in camp and you, no one knows about me
That’s… all kinds of messed up. About the hospitals, I mean.
*he sighs* Well, about the fish – yeah, you need a license. Otherwise there’s
no limit on how many fish people can get and then the lake will no longer have
fish in it. A license is just a word for an ‘I’m allowed to do this’ paper.
huh… so how do you get one? do you have to get every time you want to fish?
No, it lasts for a few months. then you can get like four fish per day. You just have to get bait and tackle. It’ll do until you get home. Do… do your parents know about this whole… *he gestures at Max*
my parents… i don’t think they’ll care, and honestly, i don’t care what they think cause i’m never going back to them again *he crossed his arms angrily*
*Carlos is just confused. But he then got a little angry.
What could his parents have done to make him believe that* They wouldn’t care
that you’d been in a fatal… event?
no, because they don’t.. they don’t care… *he looked away, quickly drying his eyes* but it doesn’t matter, because even if i have to run far away, they’re never getting to me again!
Max, I… it’s okay. I didn’t mean to upset you. Though, I
want to ask… what did they do to make you believe they wouldn’t care?
where do i start? the years of telling me that i’m nothing? dropping me off at camp way to early cause they just couldn’t wait to get rid of me?! *tears started down his face without his notice* or the sleepless nights of crying?! *he covers his mouth before pulling his hood of face, his voice cracking slightly* b-but who knows, right?
*Carlos feels awful for bringing it up, and he knelt down
beside Max* Hey, hey… I’m sorry, kiddo. I’m so sorry… *he reaches into his coat
and pulls out a packet of tissues* Here – have some. *he tugs down Max’s hood
so he can see the tissues.* I’m sorry – I just wanted to know. I’m sorry –
shame on them for making you feel these things. They ought to know that what
they’re doing is not helping your mental state at all.
I’m sorry for all the trouble. Really…*he covers the bruise again*
David: Oh, don’t be, Max. I just want you to be happy and
safe. You can’t be with those people, so we’re going to change it!
But…how?
Carlos: The police won’t let your parents keep you once you
tell them what happened. There will be an investigation. During that time, you
don’t have to stay with them.
Don’t tell the police!
David: *looks conflicted* B-but Max…
Carlos: Max, we have
to! You literally have hand-shaped bruises from before camp, and you tried to
hurt yourself. What’s happening at your home needs to stop. Now.
I’m sorry for all the trouble. Really…*he covers the bruise again*
David: Oh, don’t be, Max. I just want you to be happy and
safe. You can’t be with those people, so we’re going to change it!
But…how?
Carlos: The police won’t let your parents keep you once you
tell them what happened. There will be an investigation. During that time, you
don’t have to stay with them.
Stop…lying to me…I thought you were my friends…friends don’t lie…
//stranger things reference because im absolute traaaaaaaash//
Carlos: *frowns. He’s touched that Max thinks of them as his
friends…. But is sad that he was trying to dismiss it* We are your friends, Max. We want to help you. And I told you…
scientists don’t lie.
David: Neither do Camp Counselors! Except when pretending to
send a kid to the moon! I would never
lie to you, Max!
I…it really was my fault okay? I don’t…want to lose anyone else…I feel clingy and annoying…I feel like…they all hate me…*he reaches for David again*
*David just rubs his shoulder comfortingly* Nobody hates
you. Or… nobody that matters hates you. What… what do you think was your fault?
*Carlos remembered that David didn’t know the whole story
yet.*
I…I killed my dad…it was…all my fault…I should have been…less stupid…
*David is confused.* W… what? Why would you say that, Max?
Carlos: Max, why don’t you start from the beginning.
I…was walking with my dad…and holding a stuffed toy…and I dropped it and it rolled into the road…and I ran out to get it and…a car was coming and my dad jumped infront of it and…he died…my mom said I should have died instead…
David: Oh… Oh my god, Max… I am so sorry that happened.
*hugs the boy closer.* I’m so sorry… that’s terrible, Max! You should’nt have
seen that – and your mother absolutely should not have said something like that
to you! *he pauses, and sighs.* Max… that is awful. I’m so sorry…
She didn’t just…say…horrible things…*he lifts his shirt a bit to reveal a huge bruise spreading from his upper thigh to his hip up to his bellybutton* I’m fine though. Its not the first time and it certainly won’t be the last.
She
didn’t just…say…horrible things…*he lifts his shirt a bit to reveal a
huge bruise spreading from his upper thigh to his hip up to his
bellybutton* I’m fine though. Its not the first time and it certainly
won’t be the last.
*David is dumbstruck and for a moment can’t find words to
say*
Carlos: It is absolutely
the last time! Neither she nor your stepfather will lay a hand on you again,
Max.
*David blinks, but then his face gets determined and he
nods* Right!
N-no…please…don’t…you
don’t understand…they’ll…kill me…if they find out that I told
someone…*max is shaking and sobbing uncontrollably*
Carlos: Which is exactly why you’re not going back to them.
David: *is rubbing Max’s back and at first is confused at
Carlos. But he quickly nods* Absolutely! You shouldn’t go back to a place that
will only hurt you!
B-but I have no where to go…I have to go back…
Carlos: Right now, you have camp. So you’ll be here until
the end of the summer. It’s the perfect time to call CPS and have that house
checked out. David and I will both attest to what you’ve told us. If you have
any relatives…
I don’t…have any…please…don’t call…please…I have nowhere…I have to go back…
David: Then I’ll take you! You’re not going somewhere where
people don’t appreciate how wonderful you really are!
The Perfect Scientist 