Chapter Text
I could never really pinpoint the moment I realized something was wrong.
It would’ve probably been 4th grade. Or rather, what I’d missed of it.
I’d been grounded by my parents just like any other day. A misunderstanding, yelling, trapped in my room for a few days. It wasn’t anything I wasn’t used to.
I don’t remember what I was grounded for. It would’ve had something to do with the pandemic, since I’d been upset from it. There was a lot going on. Quarantine, online school, sick friends, sick family.
…No, I remember a bit of it. I’m sure I cussed out my parents, screamed at them to let things be normal. It made sense they were mad, I’m not really sure what got into me then. I guess kids from school really had been rubbing off on me with their attitude.
I sluncked to my bedroom, flinching as my dad slammed the door and locked it. I’ll tell ya, those days weren’t easy at all. It started off just fine, mom and dad would slide my meals in throughout the day to my room. The only time I was allowed to leave my room was to go to the bathroom and brush my teeth (mom got mad if I forgot to brush my teeth).
Days bled into weeks. Weeks into months, I’d beg to go outside, at least leave my room for a moment but my parents insisted that if I asked for more they’d make my punishment worse. Those days were nerve wracking.
Then finally, in online class, my teacher announced that the lockdown was over and we could return to school soon enough. I was overjoyed.
“Mom! Mom!” I called from my room, knocking on my own door. A few moments later I waited for a response, then I heard her shuffling up the stairs.
“Yes, Butters?”
“Can I go back to school? They announced that they’ll have real school again! Please?”
My mother stared at me for a moment.
“Well, let your father and I talk it over.”
She wouldn’t let me go. Dad said I hadn’t earned it.
I was so upset that day. I told my teacher and some of my classmates that I couldn’t come, but looking back on it I don’t think they really cared. They’d assume I’d be back eventually. Covid was still dangerous, ya know.
Then one curious night, my parents stopped sliding meals under my door. Beforehand I saw them dressed up and getting in the car, driving off. I was getting hungry. So hungry.
There were lots of things I had to learn to do since then. I couldn’t tell you all of ‘em, it’s not like I remember. Oh, but I got my food. Doordash was my best bud after that. But there was one thing that had slowly slid its way into my life. Hell, it’s how I became so great.
I’d been scrolling through Twitter, trying to find something to numb my boredom. However I’d find something I had never heard of before:
NFTs.
It didn’t seem like much at first glance. I didn’t pay much attention to it, but then it popped up on my for you page. Then again. And again. At this point I realized how this must’ve been a sign.
There wasn’t much to do in my room, so I thought I might as well research as much as I possibly could about these mysterious images. But hot dog, they were nothing short of magical.
How could a kid like me afford doordash for 16 years? NFTs we’re an easy answer, if you know what you’re doing. I don’t like calling them “scams,” that just makes me feel evil. Rather a misconception. I didn’t lie, it really does take over your finances. It’s not my fault people misinterpret what I said about them.
I sure am glad I lived in the age I did, I learned all sorts of things from videos, like cutting my own hair. Oh boy, I saw some pretty bad Covid haircuts online but nothing could top mine. I had a mullet for a bit, too. I wasn’t ready to cut the back, and I didn’t like the feeling of cut hair falling down my shirt, so I only cut the front. It was a haircut I think would’ve looked much better on Kenny. Eventually I got the hang of it, and went back to my standard cut.
Oh yeah, kind of an important detail; I kept in contact with him. Kenny, I mean. The almighty, multi-billionaire Dr. Kennith McCormick. He was one of my very first clients. While I was minting my own NFTs on the side, I started up my own business. I must’ve been about 19, putting together a website for it. I realized I didn’t really like how “Butters Stotch” looked on my profile. The name was too blocky, uncomfortable. Made me sound like some goody two shoes, not a millionaire. I thought it over some and came up with a beautiful new name:
Victor Chaos.
It’s powerful, eye-catching, sharp and memorable. It was strong. I could get the paperwork for that sorted out later, probably. I got a good handful of people learning how to use NFTs to gain money though, so they sure did get their money's worth!
Then that special time. I was 26 years old. I’d been catching up with Kenny, and he messaged me about his graduation for his PhD. I was thoroughly impressed.
He and I were calling. Yeah, that’s right. I remember now.
I heard his muffled end on my phone. I was typing away on my computer, tweeting probably.
“Graduation? Well congrats!” I exclaim. I lean my phone against my shoulder.
Kenny laughs. He tells me how he wishes I were there.
I sigh. “We already had this chat, Ken, I can’t leave.”
He curses my parents.
I frown. Oh he’s right, fuck them indeed, but I can’t disobey no matter how bad I want to. This wasn’t something Kenny didn’t know, he’s well aware of my circumstances. But he still persists.
He grumbled. He complains about how many graduations I’d missed. My high school graduation, his masters graduation, even our middle school and elementary graduations, if you could count those. Personally, I don’t. Denver isn’t all that far, he says.
“And you think I can drive?” I ask, crossing my legs. “You’d need a miracle and a half if you think I’d come.”
I hear Kenny sigh on the other end. He tells me he’s gonna come get me.
My blood runs cold. “Kenny-“
He hung up before my voice could reach him. I grit my teeth. There’s no way. There’s no way. I open up my texts, spamming Kennith to make him stop.
Oh man, I was furious. Not only that, but I was scared. To think that I’d sneak out of the house without my parents permission? What a nightmare.
This was something I’d expect other kids to do in school. One in particular, oh, he was a sight for sore eyes. Wildest little thing, I was like his personal minion. I’d gotten my fair share of groundings and lectures from the shenanigans he’d get me into. Oh, if only I could remember his name.
I stared anxiously out of my window. This was too sudden, too much. Kenny had offered, brought it up, the thought of getting me out of this house, but I didn’t want that. I was safe here. If I go out there, out in the world, my parents would be furious. I hadn’t even gotten so much as a warning for when I’m let off.
I spent just about an hour looking out my window. Maybe I really was wishing he would come? Maybe I really did wanna be saved? I don’t recall, but I do remember the moment I saw a raggedy old pickup truck pulling into my empty driveway.
My heart thundered out of my chest and it felt like I was choking on the damn thing. I shut my curtains before Kenny could catch a glimpse of me. Crawled underneath the covers of my bed, all too small for someone my age at the time.
Then I heard rattling downstairs. He opened the door. Holy fuck, he unlocked the door. My parents never left the house without locking the front door first, they’d always said so. I knew for an absolute fact they’d locked it. Did he bring a lock pick? I knew Kenny was a tough nut to crack, but golly, I didn’t expect him to fucking break into my house.
My heart beat faster, feeling my lungs surge with air faster than a stampede. I clung to my chest, clung to the blanket, anything to keep myself from focusing on the sound of his friend climbing up the stairs.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump thump. Thump thump.
Creak.
I held my breath. I didn’t move a muscle. All I could feel was the deafening pounding of my heartbeat rattling in my eardrums.
Neither of us moved. I couldn’t see him, but Kenny’s shadow cast over my blanket. I stared into nothing, hearing nothing, feeling nothing. Just the constant beating.
I hear my floor creak once, a slow step. Then I hear it again. Kenny stepped towards my bed. I stopped breathing. I couldn’t breathe, I didn’t dare.
Slowly, the sheet was removed from over my head. I kept my face hidden in my knees, laying on my side.
I heard a familiar croak.
“Vic…?”
He just stares, burning holes into me. He kept his hand on the blanket, hovering it over my trembling figure. I wish I could tell ya what was running through both of our heads. There was nothing in mine, I was so still. Kennith? No clue. But he was thinking. Thinking hard.
Finally my heart sank. I looked up at him with wet cheeks.
Kenny continues to stare, dark sunglasses casting his face. His bottom lip trembles. Why is he pouting? Was he expecting something of me?
We just gaze at each other, little staring contests. It wasn’t awkward, no, but tense. Definitely tense.
With a shaky hand, he reaches for the rim of his sunglasses, taking them off and folding them into his shirt pocket.
At least he’s got two working eyes. I bet right now he’s fixated at my glass eyeball. I swallow thickly.
He huffs.
And he asks if I wanna come with him.
Finally, my gaze breaks from him. My attention is now on the doorway. I had walked across to my bathroom many times over, so my doorway wasn’t so intimidating. But the idea of stepping through it and never coming back. It frightened me. It frightened me greatly.
But still, I nodded. I’m glad I did.
He held out a gloved hand, helping me up off my bed. He didn’t let go once I got on my feet, we walked out of my bedroom with our hands interlocked.
As we silently strode down the hallway, we paused before we descended down the stairs. Right as the flight started, they looked withered and dusty. Unused, unloved, untouched. A sickening ache formed in my stomach.
We walked down the creaky stairs, my feet shuddering at the feeling of a texture other than carpet touching them. It felt almost alien. I shivered.
Then we made it to the living room. The walls, couch, all tattered and pale. I’d forgotten how colorful this house used to be. My grip tightens on Kenny’s hand.
“Can we leave now?”
He nods. He drags me out of the house without another word.
The concrete of the driveway feels foreign on my bare feet. He leads me to his truck and helps me inside. It all happened so quickly. He hopped in, buckled his seatbelt (I almost forgot to do that), and drove us to his college dorm in Denver.
For the first time in 16 years, I finally fell into the most comforting silence.