Two Page Shorts - Nick Venom (big ebook reader txt) 📗

members. I could even meet more and get to know about my parents’ past and learn about my culture.”

Jarvis nodded. “Wow… I didn’t know this.”

Andy nodded his head, a dishonest smile on his face. “I don’t like talking about myself too much. Plus, there’s nothing much going on in my life. Unlike you, who was able to get a girlfriend, albeit a gold digger; I haven’t had much luck with women and my only friends are you and a hobo who disappeared long ago. I think he said his name is Wing-San or something.” He explained. Jarvis nodded, taking in all of the information with his mouth wide open. “Well… We should get going now before it's night. We have to go and explain to the workers what happen and try to pay for it?”

“What if we run before they catch us?” Jarvis joked.

“Well, if you want to be branded as a criminal, then go ahead. However, I want to meet my aunt face-to-face and not behind bars while asking for bail money.”

Jarvis smiled. “Well, let’s go show society that we’re still functioning.”

“Half-functioning, at least.” He joked. Both men laughed out loud before they decided to leave. Andy packed up his stuff and made sure the gas and water were off before heading downstairs. Jarvis followed him, glancing at his destroyed apartment. 

Andy ignored the apartment, reaching the front desk where a drunk employee was sleeping. “Miss?” He said, shaking the woman. 

She refused to wake at first, but a few good shakes woke her up. She stared at Andy with irritation, barking “what ‘ya want?”

“We’re turning in our keys. And-” He took out some money, getting some more from Jarvis. “-this money is to fix up damages in his apartment.”

The receptionist nodded, barely listening to him. “Sure, whatever.” She took the money, stuffing it into a drawer of her desk. She waved them off before going back to sleep. Andy stared at her, dumbfounded by her attitude. Although unprofessional, for a cheap and deteriorating hotel, it made sense for her to act like that. Who wanted to work at this hotel?

Jarvis turned away from the receptionist, walking out of the hotel. Andy followed behind him, stopping on the doorstep to bask in the warmth of the sun. “What a beautiful day.” He said out loud.

Jarvis nodded. “It feels… strange. Like we’re in the eye of the storm. Temporary peace and warmth.”

Andy patted his shoulder, walking out in front of him. “Then let’s follow the eye until we reach our destination.” He remarked. Jarvis nodded, a small smile on his face. 

“You’re right… let’s follow the eye!”

***

 

 

The two men traveled on foot to the address Andy was given. They couldn’t afford to take buses or trains, instead, walking the entirety of the trip. They watched as the scenery slowly shifted. The grays, blacks, and browns of the slums changed to blues and greens of the suburbs. There were fewer hobos and deteriorating buildings crowding the neighborhoods and fewer empty plots taking up space. It was a fresh breath of air for them, who lived in the slums for years with rarely any ambitions or motivation. However, now it was different. They had crossed into the suburbs and left the slums in the rearview mirror of their invisible car. 

Andy looked around their surroundings, glancing at the addresses of the houses they passed. “My aunt’s house should be… close?”

“Don’t tell me we’re lost,” Jarvis remarked.

Andy shook his head. “We’re not… We’re just… Yeah, we’re lost.” He gave up on making up an excuse. “Well, anyway…” He said in an attempt to change subjects. “Have you figured out how your power works?” He asked.

Jarvis had explained everything that happened to him during their couple of days of walking. Every single detail was brought out from him being kidnapped to waking up in a capsule to being attacked by a man masked in black at the hotel. Andy was surprised at what he was hearing, but he already trusted and believed Jarvis. 

“Not really,” Jarvis said as he stared at his palms. “All I know is that it comes out of my hands and I can use it as a torch. I don’t know how to control it or anything.”

Andy furrowed his brows. “Based on what you said, you escaped your capsule. Maybe you can’t use your powers because you came out early. Whatever they did to you wasn’t fully done and you are unable to control it is a symptom of it. It’s like you have defective powers.”

“Thanks for calling my powers defective.”

“You’re welcome.” Andy retorted, rolling his eyes. “Now, there has to be a way to control it. Maybe you have to… I don’t know, uh… channel it through your body or something?”

“Channel it? That would make sense, but… how do I do it? Should I sit down and try to meditate or something and see if that helps?”

Andy shrugged his shoulders. “Your guess is as good as mine. I’m just throwing out suggestions and seeing if any of them stick.”

Jarvis nodded. “I’ll try to meditate and see if it works. When we sleep tonight, I’ll do it.”

“Make sure you do it soon in case that man reappears. Your power is too unbalanced and experimental and you’re too inexperienced to get into a real fight. Especially if it’s someone like you that has full control over their powers.”

Jarvis nodded. “I will.” He said as he took out the only box of cigarettes he had on him. He lit a cigarette before he inhaled and exhaled a big puff of smoke. He took several more puffs before he felt his stomach grumble loudly.

Andy smiled an honest smile. “Once you’re done with your cig, let’s go eat. That restaurant over there-” He started, pointing at a burger restaurant a block down from them. We should have enough for a small meal or something. We’ve only eaten free samples and leftovers the last couple of days. I’m surprised we’re still walking.”

“Well,” He started before inhaling and exhaling smoke. “You’re the one who gave the employee almost all of our money.”

Andy grinned. “You’re the one who destroyed his apartment.”

“Touche.”

Andy shook his head playfully. “Anyway… let’s hurry up. I want to meet with my aunt as soon as I can. Plus, we don’t know when we’ll see that man again.” Jarvis nodded, doing his best to finish the cigarette. Once he was done with it, they headed into the restaurant. Unfortunately for them,  they didn’t notice the pair of eyes fixated on them. “I found you… Jarvis.” The voice grumbled. “I need her back… so you’ll have to die.”

***

They entered the restaurant---known as Cross Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner---and headed to a booth against the wall. The booth they chose had small windows in comparison to the nearby booths. 

Both men sat down across from each other, facing one another. They ordered the cheapest thing on the menus before relaxing on the leather seats of the booth. They ate in near-silence for a few moments before they heard a few shouts and yelps coming from nearby customers. Then a loud shriek came from the television some distance from them. They looked up at the television, watching as a female news reporter spat out many details about a high-casualty event.

“-to our witnesses, a semi-truck flipped and managed to cover all lanes and prevent traffic from moving forward. The semi-truck flipping came out of nowhere and many drivers weren’t given enough time to avoid it. Most collided with the semi while those that didn’t damage their vehicles or crashed into other vehicles. The current casualty total is in the thirties, but it’s expected to climb as efforts to clear up the pile-up are still ongoing.” The reporter explained.

Jarvis shook his head. “Crazy,”

Andy nodded, staring at the television. “I wonder why the semi flipped? Especially to block all the lanes of the highway. Doesn’t that… seem kind of strange to you?”

Jarvis nodded. “Maybe the people who did this to me are behind the pile-up.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Andy remarked. “They kidnapped people and did stuff to them. A pile-up would be easy work for them.”

Jarvis nodded, his eyes engrossed by the report. The reporter continued taking as images of the pile-up were shown. “Today, we pray for the families that lost someone today and those still missing. Police Chief Lanson has declared that he’s using up all available resources to deal with the pile-up and ensure that the people missing are found.” The images then disappeared and the weather report appeared. The reporter was switched out for another reporter, now telling the weather of Chicago and the other cities and towns in Illinois.

Jarvis looked away from the television. He looked at Andy, who stared at him with curious eyes. It looked like he had something on his mind.

“What’s wrong?”

“You already know my plan, but… I never asked about what you’re going to do. If my aunt lets me in, do you want to stay with me or do you have… relatives?”

Jarvis shook his head. “Not that I know of. It was always my parents and me. They had no other kids aside from me.” He explained. “Even if I do have relatives… They would be pretty embarrassed by me.”

“Why?” Andy asked.

Jarvis furrowed his brows before pointing at his clothes, full of dirt and holes. “Not what a normal person would be wearing voluntarily.” He cracked a small smile. He placed his intertwined fingers on the table, his nails digging into his skin. “My parents had high expectations of me. They wanted me to follow my dreams and be the best person I could be. Ha!” He exclaimed. “I never dreamed about living in the slums with a cigarette addiction, a gold-digging ex-girlfriend, and crazy powers.” 

Andy nodded, biting his lip. He shook his brain for the perfect words to console Jarvis. However, even shaking his brain for eternity, the words would never materialize in front of him.

“Well… if anything, I’ll… Maybe I’ll wait for my unemployment check. It should be coming next week.”

Andy shook his head. “What will you do until you get the check? Plus, wouldn’t it be shipped to the hotel? You’ll have to go back and get it from the employees. Who knows if the owner of the hotel charges you for the broken room.”

Jarvis bit the inner part of his cheek. “Y-You… You’re right. Then what should I do?”

“Stay with me and my aunt if she lets us. Otherwise, maybe she could give us some money and we’ll rent out a hotel room. We could do some odd jobs or something until we get proper jobs.” Andy suggested.

Jarvis nodded, soaking in the information. “That… sounds like a good plan. Just one thing - why are you helping me? There has to be something in it for you. You can’t be doing this just to be nice, right?”

Andy smiled. “Jarvis?”

“Yeah?”

“We are good friends, no?” He asked. Jarvis nodded. “Then let me tell you the true reason. I-” Andy started but was interrupted by the sounds of air being cut into. Andy, Jarvis, and many of the customers and staff looked around for the cause of the sounds. Their heads went around in a circle to identify the cause, but nobody could until the sound was too close to ignore. A man, who walked in from a backdoor, entered the main room of the restaurant. The black-skinned man was closer to being middle-aged than young and had fading blue hair to prove it. He wore a leather blazer with a black tee under it. And his jeans were ripped at the knee and his black boots stopped over his ankles. 

The man walked into the room with the swagger of a killer. He didn’t flinch at the sounds of girls shrieking and people yelling at him. He glanced at them, his tinted shades preventing anybody from seeing his eyes. However, everybody could see the wrinkles on his forehead and the large scar across one cheek - and blue veins popping out of his neck. 

“Excuse