PART 2 - CHAPTER 6: A Man & His Promise

Eric was feeling the urge of giving up on waking Jack out of his broken state. He couldn’t help but feel that Jack had completely lost it. The guy had barely eaten, talked, and hadn’t left his room in weeks. Eric opened his door and saw a hopeless and agonied Jack lying on his bed, staring at nothing as usual. He noticed his cold dead eyes, making it seem as if he were dead himself.

Jack only had one thing echoing inside the endless void that he’d once called his mind, and those were the words Angela told him that night which brought his life to a stop. “I never had a brother…” Such words kept repeating inside his hollow mind, every morning, every night, every single day.

Eric tried snapping his fingers in front of Jack’s soulless eyes, but it was useless. He didn’t react one bit. He didn’t even blink. Eric smacked his lips, then shut the door. He sighed and decided to head out for a while.

Eric felt like eating out to get away from such depressing vibes. He drove to the town and headed to the pizza place Randolph loved so much.

When he arrived and stepped out of his car into the bright cheerful town full of life, Eric walked in and placed his order. He looked gloomy and unmotivated, so he stepped outside for a moment to smoke. Looking up at the beautiful blue cold sky and thinking about Randolph and Angela, he realized how much he missed them. There wasn’t a day he wasn’t thinking about them. He wished Jack would tell him what happened between the two instead of rotting himself away like the waste of life he was slowly becoming.

After smoking his cigarette, Eric walked back inside and accidentally bumped into someone. “My bad yo. Didn’t see you there.”

The person in particular was a girl, one who was very well dressed, wore glasses, and had a brown ponytail. She turned around. “O-O-Oh! No, I’m sorry! Was I in your way, sir?” she asked, waving her hands around nervously.

Seeing the girl react like that reminded him of Angela when they’d first met, which brought a smile to his face. “It’s fine. I was lost in my own world, lil momma. Say girl, where are your parents?”

“Oh… well I like to come here after school to eat with my friends or myself!”

Eric continued smiling. “You’re a weird girl aren’t chu? Telling me all this info to a man like me.” Hearing her say that made him realize not everyone in Detroit or Flint were bound to failures. “But that’s sweet to hear. Don’t stop what you’re doing or you’ll end up like a bum!”

She giggled, then noticed how gloomy he looked before, so she wanted to see if she could cheer him up. “I know it’s strange asking this, but you seem like you might want an ear.”

Eric accepted her generous offer and had lunch with her. They both sat down and started eating. “I’ll say this again, you’re weird for asking a strange older guy to have lunch with you,” Eric said.

She laughed. “I like to hear people’s stories about why they were sad, happy, or seemed confused.”

Embarrassed, Eric coughed. They talked for a good couple of minutes until Eric got a phone call. He answered it and found out it was time to do business, so he got up.

Before he left, Eric paid for both lunches and asked, “Say, what’s yo name girl?”

She smiled. “Thanks for paying for my lunch. My name is Veronica. It was a pleasure to talk with you.”

Eric hesitated, remembering that name from somewhere. Suddenly, he had a flashback of Angela when she was asleep on the couch one night, saying a similar name in her sleep but with a mean tone.

“Say Veronica, do you know someone named Angela?”

She crossed her arms and placed a finger on her chin. “Hmmm. No, I don’t think so? Why do you ask, mister?”

Eric grinned. “I was just curious about something. Do you know someone named Jack?”

When she heard him say his name, her heart raced rapidly. Everything felt spinning and fuzzy. Her knees were heavy until she couldn’t take it. She fainted, hitting the ground hard. People noticed and immediately started treating her. Eric was the first to her aid. He pulled his phone out and called an ambulance. Scratching his head, he was confused as to why she’d fainted from hearing his name.

The ambulance arrived and they took her away in a stretcher. As they put her in the ambulance, Eric noticed that she’d left her wallet. He grabbed it and out fell a photo of her, three other girls, and…

“Is this Jack?” Eric asked. He didn’t know what was going on, but he didn’t have time to investigate, so he handed the paramedics her wallet and walked away.

Eric looked back one last time, thanking her for reminding him how important friendship was. He knew what had to be done. It was time to get Jack back into reality and to rescue Angela.

***

At an unknown location, where a big facility-like factory that was glazed in brushed silver and steel, having glass planes scattered across the front, Dr. Cato’s employee walked into his new office with news that brought a burden. He began pacing back and forth out of fear and nervousness, feeling shocked from what he’d just been told.

“God dammit!” Dr. Cato yelled as he slammed his hands on his desk, which caused his employee to jump. “How did she regain her memories?”

The employee swallowed out of worry and opened his hands out as they shook. “Well sir, we did all the reports and from our understanding, she’s regained all of her memories… somehow,” the worker said.

“I know that, genius!” Dr. Cato shouted, while sitting back down on his huge leather chair. He took a huge deep breath and relaxed himself. “I’m simply asking, how?”

The worker hesitated to answer at first, feeling as though he might be punished or fired, but he gave himself the courage to look at his boss eye to eye.

“W-We don’t know that sir. She’s fully aware of everything now, but the cross was still on her.”

Dr. Cato gently rubbed his face, feeling more frustrated and scared. “Damn it all. Get Mathew over to her location in ten minutes!”

“Yes sir!” the worker exclaimed, then walked out of his office and closed the door behind him.

Dr. Cato adjusted his leather coat, stood up, then walked out of his office and headed to the room they had Angela locked up in. He walked along the long empty white hallways as his shoes angrily echoed through the lifeless tunnels.

Angela, who was locked up in a giant room of glassy solitude, engraved with glistened and blinking holy crosses of gold, heard the angry echoes approaching. She panicked and started crying out of fear. Dr. Cato walked into the room. Seeing him triggered Angela’s fear enough so that even when she tried to open the door, she would soon regret it.

A huge shot of electricity coursed through her body, sending her flying backwards against the side of her bed. Her hands were smoking and the pain was immeasurable. Dr. Cato quickly noticed and approached the glass, checking if she was alright. Seeing her stand back up from such a horrid shock made him sigh in relief and tap a button, turning on the speakers inside her glass prison.

Before he could speak into it, he talked to himself, amazed from what he just witnessed. “How is she able to touch the knob? I don’t understand. She shouldn’t be able to grab it, let alone approach these walls with the crosses engraved.”

Dr. Cato cleared his throat and leaned into the speaker. “How are you doing today, my love? Did you sleep well?”

Angela ignored him, but that ignorance quickly vanished when she picked up one of her pencils and started stabbing the glass window. Dr. Cato sighed and tapped another button. It released a purple gas into the room, causing Angela to gag and quickly pass out.

Shortly afterwards, Mathew showed up. He walked behind Dr. Cato and patted his back. “What’s happening?”

Dr. Cato stayed silent for a brief moment, then surprised Mathew by slamming his hand against the glass wall. “She remembers everything!”

Mathew gasped. “No way! How though? After you brainwashed her again, I thought that would do the trick!” He gripped his chin and squinted, thinking about how she’d regained her memories. “It’s worked before, but why now? What happened?”

“I don’t know…” Dr. Cato stared at Angela, who was fast asleep. “Normally when I do brainwash her, I make sure she forgets everything and I do mean everything, even her parents.”

Mathew shook his head and grabbed Dr. Cato’s shoulder. “You’re still on that? Listen man, wasn’t it her father who wanted her memories wiped?”

Taking his hand off the glass, Dr. Cato tucked it into his coat pocket. “No… it was her mother. Her father wanted her to know the truth, but I have no clue why she wanted to hide the truth from him. Even when he was asking about it.”

“Hmm, who’s his wife? I don’t think I’ve ever met her before. What’s her name?”

Dr. Cato leaned his head on the glass, brushing his hair against it. He kept staring at Angela, feeling his guilt grow stronger.

“I don’t even know her name, that’s the funny part. I’ve only met her twice. That family was always strange from the get go.”

Mathew stared at Angela. “I’m guessing she's been misbehaving a lot?”

“Yes… yes she has. But rightfully so, my friend. If I were in her shoes I’d go mad with anger.”

A sinister grin grew on Mathew’s face, which disgusted Dr. Cato. “Hasn’t she? Rightfully so! I beg to differ, bwahaha!” He cracked his knuckles and stretched his arms.

“Uh, Mathew. What are you planning?”

“What do you think? Looks like someone needs to be given a holy spanking to cleanse that nasty attitude of hers!” He started rubbing his hands together and laughed more, making Dr. Cato feel annoyed and uncomfortable.

“I would rather you not do such a thing to someone her age. It just seems very wrong and revolting, not to mention highly inappropriate.”

“Woah!” Mathew drove his hands forward, bounced his head. “Shut the hell up with that. I may be twisted but I’m no monster, my friend. I’ve got this.” Mathew approached the door, but Dr. Cato grabbed his shoulder and stopped him from going further.

“Don’t you dare lay a finger on her,” Dr. Cato said in a menacing tone.

Mathew raised both hands up and backed up away. “Okay, okay, have it your way. You’re the expert.”

Dr. Cato sighed. “You have no idea how much it pains me to see her like this. The way she cussed at my staff, how she stabbed the glass just now, and her hair… Those-those highlights!” He clenched his fist and ground his teeth. “That damn bastard turned her into a degenerate! Damn that kid!”

Mathew patted Dr. Cato’s shoulder, calming him down. “Trust me, there’s no one I wanna hit more than that punk kid.” He pulled his sleeve, exposing a scar Jack had left on his arm from the time he was attacked by him. “I’ll never forget the day that crazy son of a bitch stabbed me. He even had the audacity to kick my crotch and throw pills in my mouth before escaping! Disgraceful punk! But, I gotta say… the kids got balls.” Mathew chuckled and smiled calmly. “Too bad I’ll have to rip them off if he ever tries anything fishy the next time we meet.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, I don’t think he’ll ever rescue her. Even then, how would he even find our location?” Dr. Cato finally smiled and patted Mathew’s back, feeling a sign of hope emerge.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Mathew said.

“But do remember this, my dear friend, if you ever cross paths with him, he won’t hesitate to kill you. From what I’ve heard he’s killed more people than we’ve met in our lives.”

Mathew gulped after hearing that, and a single drop of nervousness glided down his face, which brought some worry into a big guy like him. “To think that punk would become a psychopath. Oh how those wretched streets have taught him to become a failure… and even a damned killer.”

They both stayed quiet for a moment, until they both laughed at the idea of how much of a failure he’d actually become. Mathew even mocked Jack, acting out how he used to talk to himself in the tapes and making fun of people who had schizophrenia. Even Dr. Cato joined in, imitating Jack when he was chained up, screaming out of agony and pain when he told him the truth about Angela and this supposed nurse named Carolyn. He also chuckled about how she put the final nail into his emotional coffin when she no longer claimed him as her brother.

As the two continued their childish acts, they didn’t realize that Angela had finally regained consciousness. She slowly got up with her hands, and as soon as she lifted her head, she spotted them laughing and mocking her brother, which brought out angry tears of sadness to leak out of her eyes.

She coughed from the nasty gas and tried catching her breath, but the gas was still affecting her lungs. After many attempts at catching her breath, she finally regained air and inhaled as much as her little lungs could handle.

“S-S-Sh-Shut, UP!” she cried, slamming her tiny smoked hands against the glass walls.

They noticed and directed their attention towards her. Angela stared into Dr. Cato’s eyes with such hatred and growled at him like some angry dog.

Dr. Cato squatted down and placed his hands on the wall where hers were set on. “Angela, why do you hate me so much? I’ve done everything to help you, sweetheart.”

Angela gritted her teeth, still growling rabid-like. “You ly-lying piece of crap!”

He gasped. “Angela… I—”

“You’ve hurt me. I hate you! I just want my brother!”

Hearing her say such things made Dr. Cato angry. He couldn’t understand why she chose that degenerate over him, even after all those years he’d spent caring for her.

“What are you talking about, Angela! I never harmed you?” Dr. Cato exclaimed, questioning his own statement and morals.

The frustration building inside her started overwhelming her mind, so she slammed her fists on the wall like a deranged person who seemed on the verge of melting down.

“Yes you have!” she yelled angrily, which made the doctor retract a bit out of surprise.

“Angela, what are you saying? I—”

“You let strange people in white and black insert needles in me, burning my very flesh and saying words I don’t even understand!” She lowered her hands, retracted them towards her chest, and gazed at the floor.

Dr. Cato’s eyes quivered in sadness. “No… no…”

“Some even tried beating me! And…”

Dr.Cato trembled out of guilt. He felt devastated that he was finally hearing something he was unaware of. “But I-I didn’t…”

Angela whimpered and he tried speaking to her, but she punched the glass. “And for what? Why do people hate me? Why… wh-why…?” She covered her face and cried.

Dr. Cato was speechless. He couldn’t respond after hearing her confessions. He felt so horrible. Mathew tried reaching out for his partner, but Dr. Cato slapped his hand away.

He stood up and leaned his head against the wall once more. “You remembered those too?”

Dr. Cato had flashbacks of all the times Angela was tested on and tortured, but he had no idea that she was being beaten behind his back. In his mind he tried his best to think of anyone who’d had the audacity to do such abuse to a helpless girl like her, until—

“Mathew… You did those to—”

“Nu uh, don’t go there. I know I’m the first to come to mind when it comes to those things, but the answer is no, my friend. It was those men in black robes belonging to the church.”

Dr. Cato turned round and stared at Mathew. “Yeah! The church you belong to, lying asshole.”

“Dude, I didn’t abuse her. I swear to God! And you know how much of a Christian I am.”

Dr. Cato sighed, then brushed his assumption for the meantime. Mathew seemed to be telling the truth from how he was reacting and expressing himself. The fact that he swore to God meant he was most likely not lying to his friend. Dr. Cato rubbed his face and looked back at Angela, who was crying into a deep depression.

“I’m sorry… I was just trying to help you. Honestly…” He balled his hands into fists as bitter tears started flowing out of his eyes. “I was trying to help you!”

Angela stopped crying for a second. She realized his words weren’t just filled with emptiness, they were emotionally driven and seemed to be truthful. She slowly lifted her head, but something seemed off with her eyes. Even Dr. Cato noticed and felt a bit scared.

She giggled slightly, though her giggle produced by her throat sounded much more gentle and innocent. Angela expressed a gentle grin, one made from nightmares as she looked into Dr. Cato’s remorseful eyes.

“I hope he kills you, you worthless piece of…”

As Dr. Cato gasped, she suddenly flew back from an electric shock that pulsed off the walls, which made her fly away and hit the other side with such force that she passed out. She fell face-first into the soft ground.

“Angela!” Dr. Cato was about to open the door until Mathew stopped him, putting his arm out. He knew what had just happened.

Mathew saw the engraved crosses slightly glow when she spoke in a more soft, soothing tone different than her own, which brought out a smile to his face as he chuckled from amusement.

“Relax, my friend. Heh, that’ll show her. Damn girls gotten crazy, hasn’t she?”

Dr. Cato was shocked, but he was too sad, especially from what she’d just said. “Why did she say those words to me?”

Mathew looked to his worried friend. “Cato, listen it wasn’t her that was saying those things. It must’ve been that thing, there’s no other explanation to it.”

Dr. Cato only glanced at him then pushed his arm away. “Just watch the room for an hour… I-I want to take a nap to get rid of this awful burden of guilt and sadness that’s engraving into my damned soul.”

Mathew sighs. “Alright, whatever suits your boat my friend, but before you leave how about you watch me beat some sense into the girl who said those dreadful words to you. What do you say?”

Dr. Cato pushed him and snarled. “How dare you suggest such a revolting idea! Mathew I don’t want to hear anymore of your suggestions because the more they come out of your mouth the more I want to just punch you right at your damn smug face!”

Mathew sighed angrily. “Tch, whatever. Just go take your damn nap before you give yourself a stroke.” Dr. Cato clenched his jaw and smacked his lips. “What? Go already so I don’t have to keep hearing you weep over the stupid girl.” Dr. Cato finally walked off angrily and headed back to his office.

Mathew stared at an unconscious Angela as his anger grew. “It wasn’t her who said those words as I mentioned, my dear friend Cato. It was… Her.”

Walking down the long white hallways, a horrible feeling of agonized guilt was drowning Dr. Cato in his own dense shame. He couldn’t even walk ten feet with all those burdens weighing him down. He dropped to his knees, and broke down again, feeling regretful for everything he thought were solutions to her problems. But they were nothing more than hopeless answers to his own selfishness.