Chapter Text
The beginning of the end
(The worse of nights)
October 31rst, 1973
Every decision matters
Sobs. Sobbing was all Robin could hear. He couldn’t tell if it was his or Ernesto’s. It was loud, and terrifying.
There were other noises. Other things to hear. The sound of something slicing, blood spilling, yelling, and finally the sound of his brother’s muffled screams.
The sobbing stayed loud. It rang in Robin’s ears till it truly was all he could hear. The vomit coating his throat begged to spill over again, but Robin couldn’t let it. All he could do was stare. Watch. Look. Look as his brother’s fighting stilled, painfully slow. Robin felt like it’d ever end.. and a part of him didn’t want it to. When it ended, it would be quiet. When it ended, Ernesto would be dead. He couldn’t die. Robin couldn’t let him die. Robin swore he would never let him get hurt. He couldn’t move from where he had been tied to the iron chair in the corner of the room.
He wanted to look away. He never wanted to take his eyes from the horror. He wanted to scream. He never wanted to make a noise again. He wanted to fight. He wanted to hide. He wanted to run away and never have to deal with- with any of this. He wanted too much. Too much.
Robin wanted it to stop. The shaking, the screaming, the blood, his brother- his brother.. He wanted to close his eyes and pretend. Pretend it was all normal. Pretend everything was okay, that he and his brother were safe- safe at home, playing board games on the wooden floor of his room.
But it didn’t stop. And Robin couldn’t pretend.
All he could do was watch. Watch and listen to the- the- his brother. His. Brother.
Robin was crying again. It was quieter, though. Probably because it was just his. He was angry. Fucking pissed. And scared. And anxious. And- and so many things.
He was angry at many things. At what happened, at that- that man for- for-
..
He was angry at his brother, too. Which felt wrong. His brother didn’t do anything. He didn’t deserve to be angry at. Robin knew that- Ernesto was the nicest kid Robin’s ever met.. just. He. He needed to be angry at him. Why did he have to leave? Why did he have to leave and leave Robin behind?
….Currently, above all of the tangles of Robin’s different feelings, he was so pissed he could kill. That rage had turned into tears in his eyes. His eyes couldn't believe what was happening.
“No- you- you don’t understand. My- my brother- Ernesto- he’s- he- he got-” Robin couldn’t manage to get the words out. Just the thought of Ernesto being truly gone was too much. “He got taken. We got taken. By- by a man. He had a mask- he-”
“Yeah, yeah yeah, kid. I’ve heard it all tonight.” The officer in front of him rolled his eyes, not looking away from the burger he was eating. “Save it for the real emergances, won’t you? Some people could actually be dyin’ out here. I don’t need any more pranks tonight.”
Robin stared at the man, mouth half open. He couldn’t process what had just been said to him- not on top of everything else that had just happened. “Wh..what? P..pranks? No- no- I’m not-”
“Drop it, kid. Don’t waste my time if it’s not a real emergency. Why don’t you go back to y’ur house and find a candy basket? Go trick or treatin’ like all the other kids out here.”
The vomit from earlier crawled back up his throat. His eyes couldn’t break from the man’s face. His rage lessened for a moment into something else. Something softer. Something he didn’t understand.
“You.. you don’t believe me?” He asked, not sure if this was really happening or not.
The officer finally looked down at him, raising a brow. “You’re the seventh kid to come up to me with a story in the past two hours. It’s Halloween night. There’s tons of pranksters out there. Go find another way to get your entertainment, kid. Stuff like this just gets in the way when someone’s really in trouble.”
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His- his brother was gone, and it wasn’t a real emergency.? Robin should.. he should go to just.. walk it off? Walk off his brother-
..
“Okay.. sure. Sorry for the bother…” Robin mumbled, sounding as confused to his own ears as he felt. Robin walked off, shoving his hands into his pockets.
His brother was gone. Taken by that monster. For good. Robin would never see him again.
And.. And.. And he was supposed to just deal with it? Like.. like his brother wasn’t gone? For good?
Robin wanted to scream. He wanted to punch someone. He wanted to cry.
He wanted his brother.
“Robin? Hon? You’re back early.” His mom greeted him at the door with a gentle smile, already walking up to give him a kiss on the forehead. Robin couldn’t deal with it without thinking about Ernesto. Usually mom gave Ernesto a hug first, then Robin. But Ernesto couldn’t get hugs first anymore. He couldn’t get hugs at all. That stupid bitch.
No. No-nonono. Ernesto wasn’t stupid. And he wasn’t a bitch. Robin was just.. he was just mad. At him. At his brother who didn’t do anything wrong. Not a thing.
His vision got blurry.
“Hon? Are you alright? You’re tearing up..” His mom sounded concerned, frowning. She shouldn’t be worried about him. Robin was still here. “Where’s your younger brother? Did he stay out to go trick or treating?”
“...” Robin held back another sob as he considered the question. Stay out. Ernesto would never get to stay out ever again. He’d never get to do anything ever again.
“..Ernesto..” Robin heard himself sniffle. He couldn’t bring himself to say it. Anytime he tried, all that would come up was vomit. He couldn’t even think about it. “Ernesto’s gone.”
“Gone?” Mom echoed his words, and looked a little concerned now. “Gone where? You didn’t leave your brother out to fend for himself, did you?” She was joking. It was just a joke. It was meant to be funny.
Fend for himself. Robin left him to- to-
..
Robin finally sobbed, letting his built up tears spill over. He sobbed and sobbed and sobbed till it was as loud as his sobs earlier. He stumbled forward, wrapping his arms around his mother. Robin felt like puking, crying, and hiding away all at once.
“Oh- oh-” His mom sounded surprised, but quickly hugged him back. Robin wasn’t a hugger, which was probably why she was so off guard. Robin felt guilty for that too. Maybe he should’ve hugged Ernesto. Maybe he should’ve kept him inside tonight. Maybe he should’ve stayed away from that side of the neighbourhood. Maybe he should’ve told Ernesto to run instead of to just walk faster.
Maybe this was all Robin’s fault.
Maybe Ernesto could’ve still been here
if Robin did something differently.
November 1rst, 1973
August 16th, 1974
“So y’ur telling me your brother died last night, ‘n nobody did nothin’?
“He isn’t dead.” Robin insisted, leaning forward with a sharp glare, rage bubbling back over again. Along with all the guilt and the pain. Quickly, he leaned back into his seat, looking back at his fidgeting hands. “He’s just.. he’s gone.”
“...He’s.. Gone, right. Yes. And you’re saying a masked individual took both him and you last night?”
“...Yeah. Yeah- he did.”
“Okay.. do you recall what happened while you were with this man?”
“....” Robin’s gaze nervously flicked over to the camera in the corner and back at the officer. “..A lot.”
“A lot. Can you elaborate on this? What exactly do you remember him doing to you and your brother?”
“...I..”
The sounds of gagging and a smell of vomit quickly entered the space.
“Ah- shit- pause the damn recording. I said pause the-”
“Robin? Hon? Are you awake?”
Robin groaned as he rolled over, almost falling off the couch. He yawned, refusing to open his eyes as he held onto the sleeve of the hoodie he was wearing. It was Ernesto’s- the last one Robin could fit in still, anyway. “Hrmrmughh… I’m awake.”
“Good! Up up up!! You’ve got to get to school!” His mother gently hit his head with a pillow.
“Mmrhj.. yes, yes.. I will, I promise..” Robin wasn’t all too excited. First year of high school. Not that Robin was homeschooled all his life or anything, but he hadn’t gone to school in awhile.. he had been busy with court stuff.. and mourning stuff.
Ernesto…
..
Still. He needed to go. Ernesto would’ve thought it was the right thing to do, anyway. If he knew Robin had spent a year mourning him, he’d probably try to hold back a laugh… but it was a laugh either way.
Hopefully Robin just stayed alive here.
—
Chapter one
The new beginning of the world
August, 16th, 1974
School. Ew. School. Robin didn’t exactly love school. He never has. Sure, seeing Finn everyday made it better back then, but Robin didn’t even know if Finn was going to the highschool, or worse, still in the same town.
He hated that. He hated everything about this, honestly. Back in middle school.. Robin was probably pretty well known. He’s pretty sure he was, anyway. He fought a few people at least. Then Ernesto.. left, and Robin just.. stopped. He stopped going to school, stopped enough that Mom pulled him out. Then he stopped leaving the house, then it was leaving his ‘designated areas’, then he didn’t get out of his room, then.. Well, then he didn’t leave the bed unless it was to piss.
So.. it was safe to say, Robin wasn’t exactly a fan of school. Or just.. the world.
He remembers back when he thought the world would end. When he thought the world had ended, and there was nothing left for him. There was no will. No World. Not anymore.
But that had changed. Robin had done a lot of thinking in that time when the world had ended. When it was just him and.. him.
Robin’s world had come back. From his bedroom, to the living room, and he even went to go get the mail a few times.
What his world hadn’t come to though, was school. He wasn’t ready to go back. Not really. And he’s pretty sure Mom knew that too. But.. he was going to try. Mostly just for Mom. It might sound silly, but he still remembers the first time he went out to go get the mail for her. She didn’t ask- but Robin figured it’d be.. helpful. So, he took a shower for the first time in two weeks, put on a t-shirt and sweatpants, grabbed his sneakers, and went outside for the first time.
Well. Technically it wasn’t the first time. But- y’know what he means.
When Robin came back inside and handed her the stupid spam letter from some newspaper company she had signed up for a few months back, she cried and hugged him like he just told her he made it back from a war alive and well.
That day changed a few things for him. He remembered that the world hadn’t ended, he’d just forgotten it.
So.. today. He was going back to school. Third week of freshman year. Odd time to start, but.. Robin preferred it rather than going later, or worse, earlier. For Mom.. and for Ernesto. Him too.
Still. If there was anything Robin hated for this world, it was the concept of school.
“Hey. Psst.”
“Psssst. Dude.”
“Dude.”
Robin was doing his best to ignore the kid next to him. Truely, he did his best. He made it kind of hard, though. Robin half hoped he thought Robin was deaf.
“Heyyy. New kid. The person sitting next to me at this very moment. With the bandana. In the hoodie?”
Robin admitted defeat when he got a hand waved in his face, turning to his left.
“Hi.” Robin hoped it sounded as deadpanned as he meant it. He didn’t bother too much with socializing. His goal was to live just long enough to make it through senior year. Not force another awkward friendship once they figured out Robin hadn’t existed for the past three years. Well. He had. But. Y’know.
“Hi!” The dirty blonde boy grinned back, waving. “You’re new here, right? Well- I guess I am too, cause- y’know- freshman, but y’know. You’re like, new. That or you’ve never shown up to this class. Ever.” The boy blinked, fidgeting with his pencil as he spoke, looking from Robin’s face to his hair to his shirt to his-
He was just looking at Robin and his eyes couldn’t keep still. There. Easiest way to say that.
Anyway, Robin’s pretty sure he had to respond now or else he would be a complete asshole.
“Yup. First today.” He lifted his paper schedule awkwardly, like a ‘hey look, I have no idea where to go isn’t that cool?’ gesture without words.. sarcastically, of course.
This guy didn’t seem to get the memo. “Oo- hey- we might have some classes together...” He leaned closer to Robin. staring at the paper in the air. “Robin?”
“..Yup.” How the fuck do you respond to that? ‘Yes, that is me, hello?’
..actually, yeah, that is probably the right response to that.
“Sweet. I’m Billy, nice to meet you, man.” He reached out for a handshake, smiling with his eyes closed. Robin just sat there for a moment. He had mixed feelings about this world. It was not what he thought it was going to be. He just wanted to sleep through his classes and pass school with C’s.
Still. He wasn’t totally lost. Robin awkwardly reached back out, shaking the boy’s hand. “..Cool. I’m Robin.”
Didn’t Billy alright know that? Ew. He had already messed up. Robin hated this. Maybe he should just go tell Mom that this was all a waste and-
“Nice!” Billy grinned, letting go of his hand and leaning back into his seat normally. “Well, Robin, I’ve got to let you know that our teacher genuinely, actually sucks.”
“Oh.” Robin blinked a few times, looking back up at the board. Class started in two minutes or some time around there. “That’s.. fun?”
“Aha! No, no- definitely not. But at least I’ve got someone to complain about it with, hah.” Billy chuckled, leaning back. He smiled at Robin, tilting his head. Robin awkwardly nodded a bit, desperately hoping this interaction would end soon. Robin’s physical hygiene still.. wasn’t the best. It was a constant thought in the back of his mind. He hoped nobody could tell, but he’s also pretty sure it’s blaringly obvious. Robin just hoped he didn’t see this kid again after this year.. or better yet, this class. Or this day.
“Oh- also- we have two other classes together!”
…
Oh Jesus fuck.
“And then I saw Griffin, and Griffin is like, so awesome, right? He’s just really quiet- anyway, so I saw him, and he was like, half stuck in this tree, right?”
Robin nodded slowly, silently hoping this guy would just shut up. Not that he didn’t seem nice, but.. Robin hadn’t spoken more than a few sentences weekly the past few months, and that was a lot for him. Mom usually just physically showed up, not really talked. This guy wouldn’t stop talking. It was overwhelming.
He could tell the guy next to him in their little table group thought the same thing. Well- like, thought he was talking too much. Probably not that he hadn’t gone outside in three years and just started saying multiple sentences again recently.
Speaking of- this guy did not look like a freshman. Well, according to movies, maybe he did. But.. he looked like Junior level. He had blonde, poofy hair that was all over the place. Robin thought it was sick though.
He also looked like he could beat the shit out of you. Robin could probably fight him, though. If need be. He’d also run away. That was easier. It made it.. less.. dangerous.
..
Ernesto didn't get to run away.
Robin left Ernesto to-
Robin had to do something to get his mind off of Ernesto, or else he would explode. He hadn’t thought of him much today, but once that train started, he couldn’t stop it. Running, fighting, Ernesto, that goddamn chair, that room, that man-
Robin needed to leave. That was it. He needed to leave.
“Can I go to the bathroom?” He asked the question as he put his hand up, not really caring about his politeness. The teacher already looked pissed, pausing her speech Robin hadn’t even realised had started.
“..Yes, you can. In seven minutes. I don’t allow anyone to leave my class fifteen minutes before or after the bell rings. That’s what transition’s for.”
Robin felt his teeth clench. That was much too long to stay in one place. A lot could happen in seven minutes. You could die in seven minutes, Ernesto died in about that time- Ernesto’s hand could get chopped off in less than seven fucking minutes-
“It’s an Emergency." Robin insisted, straight up ignoring the fact that she had tried to go back to teaching already.
Robin could see the weird looks he was getting from the corner of his eyes. Billy just looked confused.
“Can it wait seven minutes?” The teacher asked, sounding like Robin’s interruption was nothing more than an annoyance to her.
“No.”
Robin needed to get out of this goddamn room. This goddamn school.
“...” The teacher sighed, waving her hand, gesturing for him to leave. “Make sure you sign the-” Robin was already out of his seat and, by default, the class before she could finish.
This was the worst fucking start to the world.