Chapter Text
For Vic Becker, life has always been boring. It was normal for the twelve-year-old boy to spend time at home or at one of his uncle’s houses. The grey hair boy barely care about that instability, he is already use to going house by house. Don’t take it badly, obviously he cares about his family’s sickness, he worries every time they relapse and are forced to stay in the hospital for days, he also worries when he is not allowed to see them, not even for an hour or so. his dad, instead of letting him stay with them, he sends Vic far away with one of his uncles, so he can’t catch the sickness that is rounding between them.
Today was a day like that, another day in the guess room of his uncle Dj’s (his father’s best friend, a really outgoing person in his opinion) apartment. He has what he needs; a desk, a closet, a bookshelf, a nightstand and a bed, the bathroom is on the hallway. Vic lays on his bed, book between his hands, with not much to do because his uncle is working on his project, his family is in the hospital, and he has no friends. It is normal for Vic to find some sort of shelter on narrative or educational books. But his favorites have to be science fiction or space books, he reads those books like a worm. In this occasion, the sensation of having paper under his fingertips, something so mysterious yet simple at the same time, he likes that sensation. But what he definitely doesn’t like is when he likes a character and they die or do something stupid, he does not like that.
He also doesn’t like the idea of not doing anything. Vic is someone that works better doing multitasking. He lets out a small growl while he puts the book on his legs and lets his head touch the wall.
-why didn’t I listen to Cho?- he ask himself with a growl
His older brother had reminded him to take his computer; he reminded him three times. He forgot it at home and can’t go back to get it (doesn’t make sense that he can’t go to his home but his parents have told him that the sickness stays there for a weak and they have to disinfect it). Right now, his phone is charging, and he can’t do more than read and he doesn’t want to because he is lazy, Vic decided that the roof was more interesting than his book at that moment. Like any twelve-year-old boy, he let out a growl before letting out a dramatic sigh, almost like a sulk, but it wasn’t because he is older.
-boringgggg…- he complains while hitting his head to the wall
Sometimes he wishes to have friends to talk to. Well, he has his brother, but they are not here right now.
-aaaaaaaah…- he complained when the book fell to the ground before he could catch it
Now laying on his side, watching the book with hatred. Seriously? A piece of paper wanted him to get up? Didn’t it understand he doesn’t want to?
Traitor
With irritation on his face, Vic still laying on his side, stared out the apartment window. Although he could not see down from where he is, he knows he isn’t missing anything; the same green tone of the grass and the lonely tree that only changed on winter and a couple of times in summer, the playground where he has seen a couple of kids tripping and falling (yes, he admit it, he has laugh when that happens) and the two, almost rotten, benches that stay on the same place. He isn’t missing much. And, neither can he hear the arguments of the “couple” that live on the upper floor, that couple spends 24/7 yelling and arguing with each other. Yeah, there is nothing to do now. So, he decided to have a stare fight with his book that is still on the ground. He has to admit that this book has a beautiful cover and back cover, it is of a greyish green with golden details and in big letters with the same shade of gold is the title, in the center of the cover is an image of a forest. It is a good book so far, until it decided to have a fight with him.
the jinxed forest
-curse you- Vic hissed, doing a pout
-who are you cursing?- the adult’s voice didn’t make him move
-this unhappy thing- the grey hair boy sighs
The adult walks up to the corner of the bed and raised a brow when he spotted the book.
-it’s winning- Vic pouts again
Dj lets out a silent laugh
-don’t tell me I’ll have to teach you boxing so you can win against books- Dj laughs while messing his hair
Vic lets out a weird mix between a grunt and a giggle by the action
-please! Maybe that way I will win against books- he turns to look at his uncle
He is a big and athletic man, hair on braids, glasses and the skin shaded between copper and a reddish-brown. Vic is sure his uncle could fight anybody, but Dj is a pacifist, calm and smiley. Dj is his dad’s best friend, since childhood is he is not mistaking, with his uncles James and Aiden and his aunt Jaiden.
Enough family things. Vic stared a moment before realizing that Dj was going out. As he saw the chance, Vic asked:
-are you going out? - his voice betrays his excitement, just like a five-year-old trap on a twelve-year-old’s body
-yes, I must go to the supermarket- his uncle showed him a piece of paper, probably the shopping list -do you want to come with me or are you staying in the book fighting club? -
-I’ll go with you!- Vic quickly got up and searched for his shoes
-alright- Dj smirked -I will wait for you in the living room and bring a sweater, it’s cold outside-he said before getting out of the room
Vic graved his black sweater and put on his blue shoes, disconnected his phone and picked up the book and left it on the desk, and went out of his room to the living room. The decorations have always called his attention, posters, action figures, game consoles and a lot of colors put strategically so it didn’t look bad. Vic had always found it curious how everything was certain order inside a big disorder. He would like to have something like that when he gets a home for himself.
-ready?- asked Dj
-yes-
Both got out of the apartment, Dj made sure that the door was lock to walk with Vic to the elevator, there the kid pressed the button to the parking lot. It was a short four-minute trip down, Vic used that time to ask:
-what are we going to buy?-
-food and a couple of other things- answer Dj
-yes, I know that, but what are we going to buy?- he asks again
-well; vegetables, fruits, cilantro, toilet paper, bleach, cereal, meat and chicken- he said before adding -and the things you will probably ask for, that’s all- he wink at Vic
Vic nods, ignoring the comment of the adult. Ones they arrived to the parking lot, both got out and walk up to Dj’s grey and well care for car. Happily, Vic got on the copilot’s seat and put on the seat belt, it was a weird occasion when he could actually sit in the front row of a car. Dj started the car and in a couple of minutes they were already out of the parking lot and on their way to the nearest supermarket. The music coming from the radio doesn’t call his attention and even though he doesn’t bother being silent with his uncle, he rather have something in the background.
-how is the project?- Vic asked, looking out the window
-it’s doing fine, there has been a lot of advances lately and if we keep the speed, maybe we could finish by the beginning of next month- Dj said
When they stopped at a traffic light, he saw people walking on the sidewalk, some talking and others with bags on their hands. What are they talking about? What’s on their bags? Where are they going? Those are the questions he asks himself every time he sees someone he doesn’t know. He is curious. Creating things on his head is an ability he has exploit every time he can. Ones the car continued its way, he lay his head on the window, a bad idea because a bump on the road made him hit his head against the window. He decided to sit straight looking at the windshield.
-have you thought about the proposal?- asked his uncle, eyes on the road
-what proposal?- confusion is evident in his voice
-school-
Oh. Oh. That proposal. A couple of days ago, his parents suggested the idea of him going to the same school as his brothers, they haven’t enrolled him at a school because of their financial situation but now they wanted his opinion (not that it counted) he was given a week but, right on time, they fell sick. Vic bit his cheek.
-I don’t see the need of going to school, I’m already progressed a lot on my studies, and having to keep someone else rhythm will only slow me down- he chose his words carefully with the intention that his point of view was the only one, he push some grey hair out of his eyes
-so, you haven’t thought much about it, I am right, aren’t I? – the man with dark orange hair rolls his eyes
-not so much- Vic mumbles -but! It is true, and what else can I learn if I already know almost everything?- he continued, with a grimace on his face
-what you need to learn in a bit of humility, Vic- Dj interrupted him before he could say more -look, I’m not saying you aren’t smart, you are and a lot, but smart people know that they need to give opportunities to new experiences. School not only will reinforce what you know, but you will also know people, kids your age. Friends of your own, and don’t tell me your brothers are your friends because we both know that those three have little time before going to university. We know that Chosen and Dark are sixteen about to turn seventeen and Second will turn sixteen in a couple of months. Vic, they won’t always be by your side, you need friends your age, kids of eleven, twelve or thirteen and smartness is not only what you have, other people are better at mathematics, art or sports, you know that right? Going to school will make you grown as a person and, who knows, maybe you will find someone smarter than you- Dj finished, winking his eye at Vic
Vic stayed quiet. To be honest, he doesn’t know what to say. It is true, his brother would soon go to a university (time goes faster than what he would like) and when that happens, he will be alone. Alone.
He doesn’t like the idea, he doesn’t like his solitude
-I’ll think of it- he mumbles, driving his stare far away
-you still have a week-
-I know- (it looks like little time) he didn’t say the last part
The following minutes were just silence; he didn’t hear the music anymore because his thoughts were louder. Was it selfish of him to think that way? But it is true, wat it? Or had he believed in another reality. Maybe his uncle is right (why?) and he doesn’t like that he is right. Why are adults right most of the time!?
They arrived to the supermarket sooner than Vic expected. His uncle parks the car, and both got out of the car, Vic ran for a card (he looked both ways before crossing the road, he is not dumb) while Dj locks the car. Ones they were together again, Dj push the shopping card and Vic follows him, when they enter the supermarket, they cold wind of the air conditioning welcome them right on the face alongside the weird sound of the doors.
-let’s look at the vegetables and fruits first- Dj pushes the shopping card to that section
Vic followed and stared at the over mutated carrots on the basket. It’s funny, at least to him, the thought of using those to make snow mans like Olaf, even though magic is a complicated thing, Vic is aware he lacks any kind of magic so he can’t turn snow mans to live but maybe one of his brothers can.
-how many carrots do I grab?- Vic asked, he guesses that carrots are on the list, he graves a plastic bag
-four of them- Dj said while examining some tomatoes before turning to the carrots -just make sure there in no mold of weird spots- his uncle graved a carrot, examined it and then shows Vic how carrots were supposed to look like
-ok- Vic graves that carrot and searches for other three similar to that one
Ones he had the other three carrots on the plastic bag and tie it up, he puts that bag on the shopping card and helped to put the things on the card when passed to him, though he spent some time organizing everything so there was space for the other things. His dad normally says that organization is something important that is required for life, he had applied that to his life though maybe a bit too seriously. Really seriously.
-leave the bag, Vic- Dj leaves another bag on the card, this one full of apples -a little mess is not that bad- he winks for the fourth time that day -why don’t you go search for the cereal while I go for the toilet paper?- he offers while walking
-and can I get one?- Vic asked
-just one-
With a big smile, Vic ran to look for the cereals, he ran a bit more before finding the aisle full of boxes and boxes of cereal from different colors and heights all put on shelves for him to judge. Still with his childlike grin, Vic looked around the contestants, taking seriously his role as a judge, looking at the mascots, the color, the flavors and the shapes. At the end, the winer was a box with cinnamon triangles and, well, the other boring box that was already on the list. Happy with his choice, Vic decided to go and look for some cookies, taking advantage that no one was watching over him, his decision was quicker, he graves a chocolate cookie with more chocolate on top. Normally, he will prefer his mother’s cookies, but this will do for the week. Now, he had another mission. Looking for his uncle, he decided to look in the meat aisle.
He ignored the stares of the rest of the people, Vic got to the meat section. Seeing the freezers with meat and fish and other things was always interesting to him. But his uncle is not there. Neither on the frozen food section. So, he changed his way and goes to the cleaning section, the smells of the disinfectants bother his nose, but he found those chemicals interesting. Mentally, he is doing the list to make sure he doesn’t need anything: he does have toothbrush and toothpaste, so yeah, he doesn’t need anything.
He continued to walk, this time to the bathroom section, there, he found his uncle who had put the toilet paper on the shopping card. With out a doubt, Vic puts his selection of things in the shopping card with a playful smile, Dj raised a brow.
-cookies?- Dj asked, picking up the blue package
-I wanted sugar- Vic shrugged his shoulders
His uncle just puts the package on the card and continues walking, Vic follows from behind, they arrive at the register to pay what they graved. Today, there were not so many people, so that explains why there are only two register boxes open. On the first one there is an old lady and on the second one there are two more people, his uncle decided for the first one, it turns out that that may not have been the best move, as far as Vic thinks, because the old lady was slow and probably did not have cash. Vic starts to sway back and forth while Dj cheeks his phone. Vic stared and examined what was on the shelfves; candys, gummies, chocolate and more candys.
He doesn’t care; he already has his things … but … it’s worth the shoot
-can I have a chocolate bar?- he asked, looking at his uncle
Dj puts down his phone and thinks for a couple of seconds, then he dramatically sighs with a smile on his lips
-just one, and don’t tell your mom, she’ll kill me if she finds out I just leave you grave the candy you want- Dj pats his head and messes up his hair
Vic giggles with the action. Ones he was free from his uncle’s hand, Vic decided to grave a chocolate with blue wrapping and red logo on the center. Vic puts it on the card when they start to walk. The lady attends them quickly but with professionalism, scanning the things and putting them on the packaging area where Vic puts things inside bags while his uncle pays for their things.
-it will be 300 points, sir- said the cashier lady
His uncle got his credit card out and paid without a problem, ones that were put off the way, he helps Vic packs things up and graves the heavier bags while Vic graved the lighter ones, both walk out of the store. With long steps to keep up with his uncle, they put everything on the trunk, Vic got inside the car while his uncle got inside the car and started it. Within a couple of minutes, they were already on their way back, calmly looking out of the window, Vic thought about school, what his uncle said was said and he dislikes the fact that he is right. He remembers, when he was like ten, his brother, Dark, had said that school was nothing like the ones that appear on movies, it was the contrary, a place where they slowly kill your imagination and prepares you for an adult life. He also remembers how his parents scolded Dark for saying that. That same day, Second, had explained that the best part of school is the friends, because you meet people that will stick to you in the good and bad moments. Second said that because he does have friends, Vic doesn't have any. He only has his family, his mom and dad, his brother and his uncles.
Maybe he does need friends.
They arrived sooner than he expected. Vic just got out and began to carry things, obviously, Dj carried the heavy bags while Vic got the lighter ones. After waiting a bit, both got to the elevator and Vic pressed the eight-floor button (for Vic, that ride up will always be four minutes, no more). When they arrived, Dj opens the door and Vic enters the apartment and leaves the bags on the kitchen bar, taking off his black sweater and throwing it to the living room couch.
-What’s for dinner? – Vic asked, looking out the window, the sky was turning a deep navy blue
-I thought about making caldo de res* tonight- Dj was focused on taking things out of some bags to put them on the fridge -there is not much hunger right now and we have everything we need to make on so, em, could you put this away while I clean the potatoes?-
-alright- quickly, Vic puts something away on the kitchen drawers, the cereal goes up on the big drawer, fruit goes on the metal basket and the vegetables go in the fridge’s drawers
At the same time, Dj was already cutting the potatoes and when Vic finishes to put most of the things away, he helped with the cutting while Dj started to prepper the meat. Both talked calmly, news on the background as Dj turned on the tv a couple of minutes ago.
-so Chosen was sure that Dark had taken his favorite shirt. Turns out, Second had found it on the laundry and decided to use it as a towel to clean up his paint brushes, you should have seen how angry he got! I thought he was about to explode the house!- Vic laughs when he remembers Chosen’s face while chasing Dark and Second with his hand in flames
-I can imagine his face- Dj sighs with a small smile on face, already use to the chaos on the Becker house
-cursors, the way he screamed and the way the wall ended up burned- the smell of smoke and burnt concrete came to his nose, those burns are so common for Vic that he can smell the smoke without the fire being there.
Dj laughs but stops when his phone started to vibrate, someone was calling and Vic got curious and moved to take a small peek but couldn’t see anything and his uncle graved the phone quickly and answers the phone.
-hello?- Dj started to walk to his room but before disappearing into the hallway, he puts his phone on his shoulder and look back at Vic -could you, please, finish cutting the vegetables? And don’t touch the pot, I’ll do that, alright?- and after that he was gone, Vic only heard the door of his uncle’s room closing
Vic stared, stared at the hallway with his head slightly moved to the left and a brow up, curiosity in his gut, crawling to his back like ants but when against the bugs, it was probably something from work. That had to be. So, he got back to cutting the vegetables, the carrots in circles and the potatoes on small cubes, to his side, the pot gave off the smell of meat and soup. The temptation of touching the pot was there, Vic looked at it from the corner of his eye. Many times, his dad, compared him to a curious cat, always heading head first to situations where he shouldn’t be in the first place with just one purpose; experimenting and learning. He had played with fire before, he remembers his mother scolding him and the pain in the palm of his hand. He decided to leave the pot alone.
Today is the ninth anniversary of the fire at the “sierra verde” power plant, the first power plant of our city
Vic looks at the tv while remembering everything he knew about the power plant. He moves his grey hair as he remembers that his brothers and parents at dinner had explained everything to him, a mistake on the voltage and a badly placed cable was everything it took for the whole building to start burning. They told him that the fire grew in the places around but by a miracle it never reached the city, the only thing that happened was that there was no electricity for about five months. He has three years old when that happened so he doesn’t remembers much, just a dark room
Detectives are still unsure of the cause of the fire, but the speculations are…
-they used to much amperes- Vic sights as he finish to cut the carrots, leaving the knife aside -the voltage was too high and they didn’t measure the amperes, asides that, the cable must have been badly place, even chip off or something, to create and alternative electricity current form the one already existing, it was only matter of time for it to start to spark and burn everything- he mumbles everything from memory, he doesn’t want to be an electrician but when he no longer has books to read, he looks around his brother’s books.
The journalist continues to explain the fire, showing pictures of what was now standing there, a one’s tall building now reduced to a crisp. The grass around it had never grown back, it should have after six weeks. Well, nature is weird.
-alright, I’ll give the phone to him- Dj re-appears from the hallway phone in ear before passing it to him -it’s your mom-
Vic smiles while graving the phone
-hello?- his smile was still there
-hello there little bug- he hears his mom -how are you?-
-I’m fine mommy, how are all of you? When are you coming home?- he asks while getting out of the kitchen and sitting on the living room couch
-we are doing better, bug- his mom answers -your brothers are fine, your dad still has some fever and I have some dizziness, but the doctors will discharge us soon-
-that’s good- Vic nods -my brothers are there? And papa? Why didn’t he call on the morning?- he takes off his shoes and gets his feet up on the couch
-your brothers are already asleep, and your dad had a cheek up really early today, bug, but I’ll tell him to call first thing on the morning- her voice is sweet like the night breeze
-ok- his smile is still there
-you haven’t gotten into trouble, right?- mom asks, he can imagine her playful smirk -nothing to do with school or candy?-
-no, no trouble mommy- Vic giggles nervously -I have been good, actually I was helping Uncle Dj to make dinner right now-
His mom laughs low, he guesses it’s because she didn’t want to wake up the rest of them, his dad and brothers
-alright then, keep being good- her voice is like a soft melody, Vic focuses more on his mother’s voice than the journalist voice
While he looked around him, he spotted his uncle behind the kitchen bar, finishing the dinner while still watching the news, Vic can’t really tell what his uncle was feeling, only that he sights and dives his gaze back to the food.
-mommy- Vic called -I love you-
-awww, I love you too little bug, a lot- his mom beams from the other side of the phone -well, I’ll leave you so you can eat, remember that you must be asleep at eight, alright?- she adds, still with a sweet voice
-alright, up to eight- he repeats with a smirk
-well, I will call you tomorrow night and I’ll tell your dad to call you tomorrow when he sees Dj available-
-ok-
-ok, goodbye little bug, love you- his mother said
-bye, love you too- Vic said goodbye and in a couple of minutes the call ended
He stays in the couch for a couple of minutes, knees up to his chest thinking: why? It was a cycling question and the one that normally got all the answers. Why is his family sick? Why is he not? He always has different questions depending on who he was asking; his immune system has always been good, that’s because he spends time outside and not trapped inside, because his parents had inherited that sickness and passed it down to his brothers and that he was lucky he was not sick, blah, blah, blah. If he could write every single answer to that question, he’ll probably have a full notebook. It would be easier to say “we don’t know Vic” but, even if that was the answer he got, he would still look for a different answer.
-dinner is ready- Dj puts to plates on the table
The smell of beef and soup made him move. It smells good, not as good as his mom’s soup, but it smells good. Both of them ate in silence while the news finished and a novel started; he didn’t care much about that.
-I’ll give you to eight thirty- Dj said suddenly, bringing his spoon up to his mouth
-really?- Vic asked, thirty minutes more is a blessing
-really, but no phone, you can see the tv-
Vic celebrated that small victory, the smell of soup, meat and steam mixing in his nose while he shows a playful smile. Thirty minutes to do what he wants before going to bed? Of course he took the deal.