Chapter Text
PROLOGUE.
Sometimes life can have unpredictable, unsoughted inconveniences beyond our comprehension. Mistakes can be the major cause of it, but we learn from it. Then there's a negative occurrence that makes us questioned to ourselves: 'do we deserve this?', 'shall we face the consequences and move on to a new day?' We all wonder the possibilities of how we could've prevent the problem from happening, but it's unfortunate that our minds is limited to what we know about the future.
A tired sigh escape from Henry Wu. His brows knitted together, frustrated from trying to understand what could possibly be the missing piece for project E750: a puzzle that needed to be resolved soon. He's been throughly analyzing the results from E750's database, noting that its DNA spontaneously developed a genetic change. The genetic code for E750 had been replicated, but there's a gap in the genome that is required to have a specific, supplement ingredient for receiving effective results on a human body—for he had promised to create a cure for ceasing infectious and hereditary diseases—the process of it is deficient.
A white mug placed on top of Dr. Wu's desk next to his computer had been lifted up towards his lips, he takes a short sip before setting it back down. Satisfied with the aftertaste of bitterness from his caffeine beverage, it's the said-only source of energy, proclaimed to be sufficient for keeping his mind awake. He closed his eyes as he held the bridge of his nose, leaning back in his chair with his other arm resting on his lap. Undoubtedly exhausted, his motivation is what kept him going. The documents for E750 were splayed out on top of his desk—notes scribbled here and there—not nearly taking any consideration of organizing his workspace in spite of the safety policies. One of the files has an image of a giant locust with a small print showcasing "E750" on its back, while the rest is just information about its genetic history/structure. It's the first locust for its unusual size after Biosyn's team ran some...strange tests on it.
Ever since Henry moved his studies out of Ingen and transferred to Biosyn, he had grown skeptical over the owner's interest in his work. Lewis Dodgson, a.k.a the CEO, convinced Henry to work with Biosyn by promising him that their technology and associates can provide better support for his study. However, in exchange for providing such assistance for Henry, it involves a requisite agreement that Biosyn is allowed to take fifty percent control over his work no matter how displeased he gets. And as much as Henry would like to dismissed the arrogation deal, he knows Biosyn's technology is far more advanced than Ingen's tech. So with no other choice and in need of achieving his goal, he caves in by signing the contract.
The lab door suddenly opens, but it didn't startle Dr. Wu. Clicked heels covering the lady's footsteps, she came to a halt when she found Henry remaining seated in silence. Her honey-blond hair styled in a loose bun, smooth and silky skin complimenting her charm, her dull brown eyes letting everybody knows that she's...Soyona Santos. To her acknowledgement that Henry isn't bothered by her presence, she cleared her throat before calmly stating, "apologies if I'm interrupting you Dr. Wu, but Mr. Dogeson will like to see you." She adjusted her bracelet as she watch Henry shift uncomfortably in his seat from hearing Lewis's last name. He turns around- only facing her with a frown, his eyebags indicating his lack of sleep, it makes Soyona wonder how many hours he been staying up all night for.
"What does he want now?" Henry questionably grumbled. He's not really in the mood to speak with Lewis right now, especially when he's already stressed with his own work of errors.
Soyona's professional demeanor remain nonchalant even if Henry's choice of tone is notably annoyed. No matter the attempt of free-will, she'll never let anyone ruin her representation, especially Henry. She is Lewis's assistant, after all. She turns her back on him and briefly informed, "I was told he wants to show you something." And with that, she walks away and left the lab. No other explanation needed, just kept it concise. It's one of Biosyn's main element to get things done around here.
Keep it brief. Keep it professional.
Henry raised his brow at this. Normally he's requested for Lewis's unsoughted speeches, or bringing up unremarkable ideas on how to make Biosyn run better as a business. There'd even be times where they'd argue over unauthorized experiments that isn't equivalent to Henry's work. Now hearing Lewis wanting to show him something is news to Henry's ears.
He gets up from his chair and briefly adjusted his coat before walking out the lab and headed his way to Lewis's office.
Biosyn, a.k.a Biology Synthetics Technologies, is a genetics company similar to Ingen and Mantah Corp. These three companies run under different practices. Ingen works with traditional and modern philosophies of medicine as they progressively seek ways to improve quicker solutions for treatment. While Biosyn synthesize a cure from DNA and genes, Mantah Corp prioritize their work on producing advanced machinery for labs. In 2014, Lewis Dodgson made a deal with Daniel Kon, the president of Mantah Corp, for their technology. Now in an ongoing partnership, Biosyn had became the world's advanced genetic research facility in history, leaving Ingen as second.
Upon arriving at the CEO's office, Henry would find Mr. Lewis settled in his comfy chair, facing the window while holding a black and golden pen in his right hand. The theme for the room is heavily engrossed with autumn colors that is mostly dominated by redish-brown, primarily covering half of his furniture with polished wood, except for his chair appearing black leather. Jot of his precious little bear figurines remaining placed on top of his shelf; supposedly has a history behind them. And picture frames with different, beautiful scenery of forest paintings—done by an unknown artist—were hung on the walls in different sections of the room. It made Henry wanna roll his eyes at the thought of Lewis decorating his premises as the same aesthetic, yet he doesn't have the energy to do so.
Before Henry would open his mouth, Lewis unexpectedly turns around, surprising him at how he manage to easily sense his presence without a word.
"Ah, Dr. Wu. Do you know what year it is?"
Henry lift his brow, but proceeded to nod, "It's 2016, sir," he answered with bit of hesitation in his voice.
"Exactly," Lewis begin, "I've taken part of this company for four years, promising that I'd enhanced our research philosophies to constructive ideas; now got me to a point where I finally unlocked a new perspective." He got up from his chair and slowly walked around his desk, fidgeting the pen between his fingers as he looks down for a moment. His eyes lingering on the muted green-colored carpet, designed with obscure lines and shapes—been gifted from the Kon family quoting, 'It brings great fortune for the company.'
"Dr. Wu," he continues after a short pause, he looks up from the ground and faced him with an odd smile, "I propose a solution to our E-750 problem."
"And what will that be?" Henry asked, curiously drawn to his unknown plan.
There's a hint of mischief in Lewis's eyes that made Henry feel uneasy. He went back to his desk and set the pen down before returning his attention on Henry, "I think it's better if I demonstrate it to you, instead. I mean that's the main reason you're here, right?"
"I suppose so," responded Henry, resisting the urge to use his improper tone like he did with Soyona a few minutes ago. Like what else would he be in Lewis's office for? Celebrate his upcoming birthday?
"Right. Well," Lewis pulls out a slim remote from his pocket and aims it at the desk before continuing, "your study worked with an ill locust. E-500. You try to adapt its genes by infusing it with a compound of D-1's (Dominixious-Cure-One) substance and a healthy locust's genome, but the results came in ineffective. Your theory is that if you placed both beneficial components into one's infected body, it can become immune. But after testing that theory on E-700, it deceased by a genetic malfunction."
He turns on the hologram, presenting an image of a locust and a human standing next to each other with both of their DNAs shown in comparison. "Then we have E-750; another locust that is ill. This time, you transmitted that same process on E-750, but it still resulted ineffective. You did manage to update D-1's competence to cease the bacteria from effecting the locust as a temporary break, but it's still not enough. However, the bug is still alive. That is why I assigned my team to do some experimental research on E-750 to understand why its reaction is different from the other locusts. Nothing personal, really."
That last statement hit a nerve for Henry. Their argument from last week felt pretty personal; recalling back to how Mr. Lewis got defensive after getting called out for sending a few of his team members to change up Henry's work behind his back—all ending with a weak excuse of, 'It was a misconception theory.'
"Where are you going with this?" Henry bluntly asked, vaguely standing before him with both of his hands clenched into a fist behind his back.
Lewis smugged, as of though he expected that kind of reaction from Henry. He removed his glasses to wipe off the dust from his lenses, then puts them back on before proceeding, "from what we gathered in our database, E-750's DNA remains intact in spite of the aftereffect of its unusual size. We noted that its genes are-"
"Genetically mutated," Henry interjects.
"Precisely."
A single press on a button made the hologram to zoom in on the human DNA.
"So, Mr. Kon and I have been discussing about the concept of your study. We built a compound that is replicated to D-1, but it's modified to manipulate the host's brain to reconstruct the individual's DNA through replacing it with it's own genetic code. We call it...E-2 (Endoixious-Cure-Two): A heavy chemical that contains super cells for boosting the individual's immune system. Take the idea of a cat getting a special shot from the vet to get rid of all the diseases, but instead of it being a cure, it's a developer. We can evolve it into something stronger, something faster, and something even better. We're still in the works of...taming this compound, but it has its perks. All we need is a volunteer to test it out. We figured that a human will have a different reaction than a bug," explained Lewis.
Henry stared at him curiously. "What were the results after injecting the locust with E-2?"
That question alone made Lewis revert his gaze back at the floor, remaining quiet for a moment. The room had gotten so silent, that you can hear a pen drop.
Perhaps (from what Henry can assume) the aftereffects were awfully negative to comprehend, which could justify why Lewis didn't mention that part, or maybe he's just trying to hide it for his own greedy reasons. Regardless of what the case may be, Lewis shouldn't push the experiment so imprudently; thus could potentially raise an impact on the circumstance. But unfortunately, Lewis's stubbornness makes it difficult for anyone to pull him out of his headless passion of making money. It will always come first no matter how risky it gets.
Eventually, Lewis brought himself to admit the truth, "the effects were...severe. Test one had a seizure due its brain being fried, ultimately it led to death. Test two had genetically mutated like E-750, but it died from extreme paralysis in the nerves along with brain damage. Test three made some improvements, however...there were some changes in its behavior."
"Like?" Henry pressed on.
"Like a rabid dog, but is manipulated to live, even when the body is slowly decaying. It was exterminated by being exposed to fire," stated Lewis.
"Jesus." The details of it sent an unpleasant feeling to Henry's stomach. His disturbed reaction influenced Lewis to huff out of amusement, as if his explanation isn't something to take seriously. He went over to Henry and briefly patted him on the back.
"Fear not, my friend. My team already made a few readjustments for E-2 before I called in Mr. Gutierrez to be our first participant. I assure you that things are going to be just fine." Lewis said, though his words weren't enough to ease Henry's nerves.
Perhaps greed can make any man a fool.
Thursday, December 19th: PRESENT.
The weather is as gloomy as Darius's history class. Ongoing rants about the new medicine being developed in Biosyn—a topic in which Darius already knew about from watching the news—doesn't quite match with what he should be learning for today's lesson. Not that Darius is complaining, no definitely not. It's just so amusing to him to see how easily distracted his teacher can get from explaining irrelevant things, even though this is government history. Though thanks to one of his classmates questioning about Biosyn's work (for whatever reason), it gives him some time to play his favorite game on his phone while his classmates yawn out of boredom, not really paying attention.
Ensuring that the volume is muted, Darius opens the app, allowing the game to commence with an animated intro of a man running through the forest as he's being chased down by a pack of hungry raptors. The man unfortunately trips over a rock and fell into a puddle, clothes drenched in muddy filth, but that's not the main issue that the protagonist is worried about. He turns around and crawls backwards, watching the raptors slowly closing in on him with fear in his eyes. Growling and snarling coming from each raptor, the middle raptor launches first, then the screen cuts to black, and all you could hear is the man screaming in the background. The title soon fades in: Jurassic Park. And after it finished loading, the frame changes to its home menu that Darius is all familiar with.
Darius smiled. The only mobile game he enjoys playing and never once he have ever gotten bored with it. His brother, Brandon, on the other hand says otherwise—though sometimes he'd join the game with him on PvP mode, so that's at least a win for Darius (despite getting lectures about how there is more to life than just dinosaurs). It annoys him, really, but that doesn't mean he doesn't understand where his brother is coming from. He just wishes Brandon could cut him some slack from enjoying the game a lot, it's not his fault that the game is fun and that it involves dinosaurs in which Darius loves to nerd about, it's more to it than that, actually (believe or not).
Ever since his father had been diagnosed with cancer, Darius couldn't bring himself to stop worrying about him. It's to the point where he has trouble sleeping at night and having a hard time concentrating during school. His mother had noticed, so as a game designer, she created the game: Jurassic Park—so her son can distract his mind away. And it worked.
Funny enough, her game unintentionally created a fanbase with one million users. Now she's known for as the genius who created Jurassic Park for her son's troubles.
As for Darius, he plays it to appreciate his mother's work. (He totally doesn't play it to feel less bored as time flies, totally not).
...
Okay, so maybe he did got a little addicted to the game, but you can't blame him for loving dinosaurs!
The sudden ringing of the classroom's phone disrupted Mr. Hammond's lecture. He ceased his ramble as he walks over to his desk and answers it. For some of the students who were secretly hoping that they're getting picked up, Darius is too distracted to care. That is, until he heard his name get called out.
"Darius Bowman?"
He removed his gaze from his phone and gave his teacher a confused look. "Yeah?"
Seeing that Mr. Hammond got Darius's attention, he points at the door and states, "they want you at the front office, I believe you're getting picked up." He hangs up the phone, then went back to lecturing the class. The students, who were hoping to leave early, dropped their heads disappointedly.
For Darius though, he wasn't expecting it. He pick up his bag, pulls it over his shoulders, then turned off his phone and stuffed it inside his pocket before excusing himself out the classroom.
He made his way through the school's halls and eventually arrived at the front office.
There his brother stood at the front desk signing him out, it's hard for Darius to refrain himself from expressing his excitement over his brother's presence. But confusion soon washed over him as he wonders why his brother is picking him up at this hour.
Usually on Thursdays, Brandon would work from 9:40 AM through 2:50 PM, which during those hours is when Darius is either in second, or third period remaining seated in class all bored. And since it's 10:20 AM, it's pretty early for Brandon to pick him up.
Soon as Brandon finished signing Darius out, he looked over his shoulder and greeted his younger brother a casual nod before gesturing him to follow. Still a bit confused, Darius obliges and followed suit as they both exit the campus building together. They made their way to their father's vehicle in which has been borrowed by Brandon after he got his driver's license—where it's parked under a tree in between two cars with a T-Rex sticker on the back that says, 'Ride on!'—as it held a pair of sunglasses with a smug grin on its face; a special reminder that it was a gift from Darius.
They both got inside after the doors were unlocked, then got settled in their seats and buckled themselves up.
With Brandon starting the engine, Darius noticed that his brother had replaced his old key-lanyard with a new one. His old lanyard had steaming coffee mugs—a representation of him being tired all the time. This one however, this one has dinosaurs on it, which is pretty ironic for someone who (from what Brandon claims) isn't much of a dino-fan like Darius. That claim alone didn't quite aged well, now did it? Darius smirked at his hypocrisy, tempting to tease his him over the design, but he chose to stay quiet about it instead.
Driving off, Brandon starts to explain, "I picked you up early, because mom received a call from the hospital."
Darius felt uneasy from hearing that. He hopes it isn't something he's thinking about right now. "Is it...dad?" he murmurs, swallowing the dry lump in his throat.
Brandon sighs, his eyes remaining on the road shows a glimpse of distraughtness. "Yeah. They told mom that dad's sickness has gotten worse. They needed someone to come in, but since mom is too busy with her work shift, I figured it be best if I take the day off and pick you up instead."
So in other words to Darius, Brandon is the one who suggested mom to stay at work so he can take care of the situation, even though mom can just request for a P.T.O pass since it's a family emergency, is it not? Though Brandon being Brandon, he thinks he has to take accountability for everything. It makes Darius wonder why his brother has to put up with these situations by himself. Sure, he has a job, he can drive, and his age considers him as a young adult, but why should that sign him up for carrying so much weight on his shoulders? It's not fair.
He averted his gaze from Brandon and shifted them to the window, focusing on every car passing by. The city blanketed in a dull, grey hue as the clouds cast a somber shadow over the townscape's buildings. A bitter chill hung in the air, causing the community to pull their coats tighter around themselves shouldn't be an underestimate that this is a sign for potential rain.
Darius can feel his stomach turn from the core memory of his father laying in the hospital bed, exhausted, his body hooked up to an IV, and unable to move. The same man who used to take Darius out fishing every Saturday, or the museum to see dinosaur fossils, is now too ill to do anything. Too tired to keep his eyes open, too tired to even speak. And all Darius can do is...put faith in his father's health.
"...Do you think this will be our last visit?" Darius quietly asked, nervously playing with the sleeve of his jacket; appearing yellow. He knows it's quite a risky thing to ask, but how many more agonizing days will it take for him to finally receive confirmation that his father isn't going to make it, and get on with the funeral already? These crucial visits already made it clear that he isn't going to be at his graduation ceremony. Why not just pull the plug now? Not that his intentions are wanting his father to die soon. No, he wants to endure.
Brandon doesn't really have an answer to that. Who is he to claim that something will happen to their father? Sometimes a miracle could happen. At least he hoped.
"I'm not sure. But...whatever happens, happens. Just know that you're not alone on this, not when I'm here, okay?" He stops at a red light and turned to Darius giving him an assuring smile.
Darius acknowledge his words, but he could only nod without looking at his brother. "Yeah," he breathes out, leaning against the window, frowning. He knows Brandon's presence is enough to keep him feel less isolated, but what about their mother? She has Darius and Brandon, yes, but will that be enough for her to move on? How much will that affect her? Can she manage to take care both of her sons alone?
Jeez, Darius needs to stop before his mind starts to spiral. Maybe naming every dinosaur in an alphabetical order will keep himself occupied.
Knowing it isn't enough to cheer Darius up, Brandon could only bring back his attention on the road and let his brother sulk in silence.
The town slowly get showered by rain; ironically fitting the mood. Each droplet hitting the surface flashed a memory of the time when they signed up for this camping program called: Camp Cretaceous, Darius and his brother got separated from the group on their hiking trip. They tried finding their way back to the campsite, but unfortunately, they ended up on the wrong path and got themselves lost. Worst of all, it started to storm and they had to use the trees for cover. They stayed there till the weather was clear. It took them about five days, surviving only on berries, drinking river water, and at some point they manage to fight off a bear, until one of the forest rangers finally found them and brought them back to their parents safely. Funny how the reporters asked if they got scared after realizing they were lost, and their response to that question was, 'not really'. Because no matter how crucial the situation gets, they'll always have each other's backs.
"Huh. I thought it was only going to be cloudy today. I guess my weather app is busted," Brandon comments, using the wipers to clear off the windshield.
The traffic light soon turns green, making Brandon proceed the vehicle to drive straight.
He turns his head to the right, spotting something through the window that made him lift his brow in wonder—a homeless man standing vaguely on the sidewalk while holding a cardboard sign that quotes,'Biosyn is distrustful!'—isn't something he'd see at this part of town. Meanwhile, Darius doesn't seem to notice.
"That's the city's weather for you," Darius mumbles, deciding to turn on the radio to get rid of the agonizing silence. There was static at first, but soon as he hears a man rambling about Biosyn's medicine is issuing public's concern, it got him curious to listen:
"Medication development shouldn't just be subjected as science, it's a responsibility. When we allow profit margins dictate our ethics, we end up with meds that do more harm than good. I mean open your eyes, people! The world doesn't need another failed drug, or a glossy marketing campaign—it needs accountability and relentless pursuit of what's right for patients. Now thanks to Biosyn's innovation causing a health risk to their first tester, the individual ended up at Nublar's Hospital!"
"Nublar's Hospital?...Isn't that on Isla street?" Darius questioned, ensuring he's right.
Brandon hums for a moment. "I believe so." He makes a right turn on Moot's street, then adds, "could you change it though? I'm really not in the mood to listen to all that science talk."
Darius chuckles. "Sure." He changes the station multiple times, till he finally gave up and decided to hook up his phone to the car and play a song from Tuneify.
(Tuneify is basically like this world's version of Spotify.)
The music starts with vast majority of instruments slowly fading up to it's full volume, then an old man commences his part:
"I took the journey to an unknown...
And I've come back changed, I can feel it in my bones...
And I fucked with forces that our eyes can't see.
Now the darkness got a hold on me.
Oh, the darkness got a hold on me..."
While the music plays, Darius allows his mind to wander.
Song:
https://youtu.be/UZHs5Pm3ELk?si=j9Pq6oSyJukyylkL
Parked in front of the hospital known as Medixal Health Center, Darius and Brandon quickly got out of the car and ran inside before the rain drenched their clothes.
Lucky for them, a bit of rain didn't entirely ruin their outfit; unlike the time they wore pure white for their cousin's wedding and was forced to change after they got attacked by sprinklers unexpectedly.
Inside, they went up to the front desk, informing the medical receptionist that they've come to visit their father. Darius stood there and watched as his brother took care of checking them in—not long for the receptionist to have them seated in the waiting room.
The clock ticks as Brandon and Darius awaited patiently for them to get called up.
Tick...
tock...
tick...
tock...
They both hated waiting. They always have. Their mother's scolding is the reason they've ingrave their intolerance of being impatient. While Brandon learned how to keep himself occupied, Darius has a hard time keeping his knee still from bouncing off the ground.
Dry mouth and sweaty palms. Darius absolutely hates it when he feels this way, especially when thinking about their father's condition. He tries his best to distract himself by pulling out a random magazine from the side of his chair, flipping through it, only becoming more frustrated with the pages not nearly grabbing his interest to read—just pure advertisements on products and such. He tries naming the dinosaurs in an alphabetical order like he did in the car, but it's not enough either. He cursed to himself for not knowing how to keep himself calm without using his phone, since he accidentally left it in the car. His brows scrunched in worry as his heart racing like a marathon made it difficult for him to breathe.
Anxiety is Darius's worst enemy.
Noticing this, Brandon pulls something out of his pocket and hands it to Darius causing him to flinch. "Here," he says, making Darius look at the item in his hand. "It's dad's necklace. He gave it to me when I visited him last month. He told me that as long as you wear this, you'll be able to withstand anything that hits your way."
Darius's heart gradually returned to its composed paced as he accepted the necklace. His thumb caressed the sharp edges of a fossilized tooth; possibly belonging to a carnivore dinosaur. He suppressed a small smile, letting the tension in his body wash off.
"Thanks...," Darius mumbles. He sets down the magazine on his lap, then puts on the necklace around his neck, inspiring a smirk emerging from Brandon's lips; amused by the similarity of his looks from their father.
"Just like dad," Brandon states. Darius looked at him confused for a second, then quickly caught on to what he meant.
"Thanks?" Darius repeated, with hint of uncertainty if he should've said something else.
It didn't matter once he heard Brandon started snickering at his response. "You're welcome. Wish my ex reacted the same way when I gave her those flowers."
Darius chortled. "Is that why you two broke up?"
An awkward topic, but it's something to keep the conversation going so Darius can remain diverted.
"Eh, sort of. There was actually more to it, but I rather not say." Brandon flicks off a lint from his shoulder. There's a glimpse of wonder in his eyes that made Darius believe he still cares about her.
Brandon had always claimed that he wasn't much of a romantic guy like dad, but that would all change after he met Jeyana at work.
Jeyana was everything to Brandon. Sure they have some disagreements here and there, but there were moments where their initial conflict transition to love. Awfully smitten with one another. It was like watching cat VS dog, two complete opposites, and yet both ended up cuddling together on the same bed. And Brandon can never catch a break from his family teasing him about it, especially from Darius.
"Yeah, you don't have to. In fact, I already knew the rest," Darius remarks.
Brandon stares at him in disbelief. "You do? How?"
"Mom has a habit of gossiping," he simply answers with a shrug.
Embarrassed, Brandon leans forward from his chair and facepalmed with a groan. "Oh, lord! She probably heard me on the other side of the living room when I was on the phone."
"Should've stayed silent then, huh?" Darius teases, shifting his gaze to his shoes with a shit-eating grin. "Maybe then mom wouldn't have spilled the beans at the family gathering."
"Oh, shut up. It's not easy once you're blinded by love," Brandon grumbles, as he rolled his eyes. "Not like you will ever experience it, anyway," he retortedly adds.
Darius looks back at him, offended. "What are you implying there?"
Brandon shook his head with a sly smile. "Oh, nothing important." Though that was obviously a lie, Darius can sense it.
Before Darius could encounter with a petty remark, he stops himself as his mind thought back to the question he wanted to ask Brandon lately.
"I been wondering...," Darius started, earning a hum from him, "when's the last time you took a break?"
"What do you mean?-"
Darius cuts in. "You know what I mean. I've been watching you carry so much weight on your shoulders that you've been looking exhausted. I wanted to know why, why you carry so much?"
Brandon silently looks down, playing with the sleeve of his black leather jacket; a common trait that both of the brothers have.
"It's not about how much I can carry—it's about how much I can offer," Brandon responded.
Darius shook his head, not fond of his answer. "By burning yourself out?"
"By having resilience," argued Brandon.
Darius sighs, not seeming to understand his brother's intentions. He knows Brandon is just as stubborn as he is, but at what cost?
Brandon glance back at his brother and smiled. "Relax, D. You'll understand when you're older," he amuses, ruffling through his brother's hair.
"I'm seventeen," Darius deadpanned, swatting his hand away.
Brandon chuckles. "And I'm twenty-three, bro. Which makes me the adult and you the child."
"Teenager," Darius corrects him with a grumble.
A man with a clipboard walks in, causing both of the bothers to end their banter and sit up straight.
The sound of a pen tapping against the clipboard following by a hum with uncertainty singles that the doctor is figuring out who will be the next person on the list. Soon, he brought his eyes up and scans the room, only to be met with weary and anxious faces. "Brandon Bowman?" The doctor calls out, brow raised, expecting someone to reveal themselves amongst the people who were waiting for their own relatives and friends.
Both he and Darius stood up from their chairs and approached the man in the white coat. "That would be me," Brandon replies, as Darius stuffed his hands inside his jacket while looking down at his shoes with having no regard to stare at the doctor.
"Here for Fredrick Bowman, correct?" The doc verifies.
Brandon nods.
He took note on that conformation, then gestured them to follow.
The more they got closer to their father's room, the more it felt like the halls were closing in on Darius. He clenched onto his necklace as his eyes fixated on his brother's back, slowly counting to three to keep his breathing steady, he honestly wish he was at home right now.
Each step echos throughout the hallway, the door with a familiar number on it: 600, opens in slow motion. The doctor stood aside allowing the brothers to walk in. Brandon came in first, then Darius came in second. Both of their hearts sank when they saw the sight of their father laying emotionless in bed. His brown skin- now in a pallid tone mercilessly took away his warmth—only gave the brothers a cold, depressing welcoming than their last visit. For a guy who enjoys snacking on treats without his wife watching, he's scrawnier than his original build. It's clear to Darius and Brandon that he has no strength left to acknowledge their presence—probably just in a deep slumber and need a little nudge to open his eyes—but that's obviously not the case here.
Darius couldn't help but take a few steps back, words unable to reach the tip of his tongue as his mind went blank. His lips trembled with watery eyes, the sorrowness taking over influence his grip to tightened around his necklace as his chest ached. He hates this, he really does. But he has to get through this, right? It's part of the process, anyway...
With a deep breath, Brandon approaches their father first. His right-hand firmly resting on top of the bed bar, looking down at him with sympathy.
Darius wipes off the tears at the corner of his eyes, murmuring, "I remember dad had promised me that once he gets out of this place, he'd take me to go see dinosaur fossils at the museum, but that promise hasn't been fulfilled." There was slight anger in his tone, not directly to his father, but something beyond what their father have promised them: never giving up fighting.
Brandon looks at him emotionlessly, hand still gripping on the bed bar. "Yeah, he did make a bunch of promises. But...-" a quiet chuckle slips out in the middle of his sentence before proceeding, "we all knew he couldn't keep them."
Darius agrees. He stared down at his necklace, thumb pressing hard against the sharp tooth pendant causing it to slightly bleed. A slight pain as punishment for not motivating his dad enough to fight off the sickness. But this is what he wanted, right? To finally see his dad dead? He had prepared himself for this moment, but it still hurts. Is he even allowed to feel anything when it's his fault for letting this happen?
As always, Brandon noticed that look in Darius's face. The one that lets Brandon know he's overthinking, and he doesn't like it one bit.
"It's not your fault, D."
That made Darius remove his gaze from his necklace and shift them to his brother. "How can you be sure-"
Brandon cuts him off. "It's none of our faults. It's what we can't control, so stop blaming yourself. Dad wouldn't want that on you and neither does mom, nor me."
In spite of his self-blame persistence, Darius brought himself to sigh and believe in his words. "Yeah, okay."
Brandon look back at their father. "...If later and if you still want to, I can come with you."
Darius stared at him confused. "To?"
"The museum," he answered quietly.
Darius couldn't believe it. His brother, Brandon, one of the many few people who hates going to museums because it's labeled as 'boring', is offering his company to go with him. Now that's a real game changer right there.
"You serious?" Darius asked out of disbelief.
Brandon looks back at him and gave him a small smile. "Dead serious."
Silence filled the room. The heart monitor beeping in a slow rhythmic pattern accompanied with the mournful moment of watching their father take his last breath.
Eventually, the heart monitor draws out a long beep.
His heart has stopped.
No more pulse.
No more life.
His time has finally come to an end.
Darius found the courage to join in for a closer look, tears sliding down from his cheeks, he wipes them off with his sleeve as he sniffles a bit; though he didn't cease from breaking down.
Brandon remain quiet, though deep down, he wants to cry too. But not in front of Darius. He has to be strong, not for himself, but for his brother.
Their father is not coming back. And they have to accept that.
The medical team rushed in and try to bring back their father through CPR, but it was no use.
He was long gone.
The hospital gave them time to say their last goodbye, but Brandon needed to call in their mother and tell her what happened.
As for Darius, he needed some time for himself.
But before he leaves, he held his father's hand and quietly murmurs, "See you later, dad," then let go of his hand and went up to Brandon before he made the phone call. "Hey, Brand. Um-...if it's cool, I'm going to head back now."
Brandon raised his brow. "By yourself?"
"Yeah. I'm certain my bus pass is still active for this week. If anything happens, I'll give you a call," Darius said, his voice still carries with raspiness from crying.
There was hesitation in Brandon's eyes, but he trusts his brother that he'll come home safely. He knows Darius has taken the bus before, so there shouldn't be any problems along the way.
"Alright fine. The doors are already unlocked, so you should be able to get inside. Make sure you grab your umbrella too, it's in the back of the seats. I don't want mom nagging me for sending you out in the rain," Brandon informed.
Darius nodded, grateful that he didn't ask why he chose to walk home instead of staying in the car. This day has emotionally exhausted him enough to not answer anymore questions.
"And remember-" Brandon added sternly, "stranger danger."
Darius rolled his eyes at that. "Yeah, yeah."
He gave Brandon a hug for one last time, then turns around and headed off, leaving him with their mother on the phone.
The rain still falls, but it's light. His jacket is enough to keep him warm from the chilly air, but almost too warm for his liking. Darius let out a sigh of annoyance. Perhaps he should've taken his sweater instead, the hood part would've been nice to put on right now. He wouldn't have to rely on his umbrella to keep his locs dry.
He isn't sure if he's annoyed at the weather, or at his grief—but the thought of taking days of mentally preparing himself for when his father dies would suppress his emotions—sickens him. He had betrayed his own control, and now he feels weak.
He finally arrives at the bus stop, a bench with shelter should be perfect for today's weather. He took a seat and closed his umbrella, shaking off the droplets before setting it down next to his side. He remembers that he also retrieve his phone from the car and pulls it out from his pocket along with wired earphones. He turns it on, scrolling through a few apps till he noticed his service is not on.
That's strange. Darius could've sworn his mother had paid the phone bill a week ago. Maybe it's just a service bug and will have to wait on it later. He went to his files and sighed in relief. He's lucky he downloaded most of his songs from his playlist. He connects the earphones to his phone, then selected one of the songs he favored.
Soon as the music started playing, he puts on his earphones and closed his eyes as he leans back.
A little nap wouldn't hurt, right?
He's so emotionally exhausted that he let himself drop his gaurd and relax.
With the song playing in the background and with his body comfortable, he doze off to sleep.
Hours go by, and the streets fell silent. Most of the vehicles have either took off, or were abandoned. The sky is still grey, but the rain had stopped. Not a single person in sight except for one.
An individual limped their way through an alleyway. Their movements slow and dragging. Their mouth hang open, wheezing out air as blood runs down from their chin. Their left arm appear to be mauled with inner fluids still gushing out, but they remain unfazed.
In front of their soulless eyes, they can see Darius through the glass wall of the bus stop's shelter. The scent of Darius's flesh encourage the individual to creep in closer, and closer.
The low-pitched groans weren't unheard as the music kept playing through Darius's earphones.
Each dragging step leaves a trail of blood, but the captivating scent of Darius pulls them in near.
Then all of sudden...
BANG!
A hand clashing against the glass wall caused Darius to jump out of his seat, forcing his earphones to come off.
The wet ground beneath Darius's palms made him quickly get on his feet and turn around, appalled.
The individual screech, but the noise was muffled through the glass as their bloody mouth stained it.
Darius took a step back, his heart racing from fear. He doesn't know what's going on, and he doesn't know what that person is..., but his body and mind is yelling danger and he needs to get away from that thing now.
He quickly grabbed his phone and attempted to retrieve his umbrella from the bench but his hand quickly draws back after the individual try to swat at him while crawling under.
"Shit!" He cursed.
Nevermind the umbrella, he'll have to make a run for it.
Soon as the thing crawls out of the bench and approach Darius, Darius started running.
He ran fast and far as he could, but soon as he turns around the corner, he suddenly bumps into someone and fell backwards.
"Argh!-" His teeth clenched as he rubbed his head to ease the pain. But when he looked up to see who the person was, it wasn't a person. It was another thing.
Distorted growling coming from the infected old man, Darius stared in horror as he scoots back.
'This is just a nightmare! This is just a nightmare!' He tells himself.
He tries to prove that by slapping or pinching himself hard, expecting himself to wake up any moment now. But it's not a dream. This is the reality he has to face.
The infected man topples over him, making Darius drop his phone on the ground.
He screams in terror, trying to push the person off of him, but the guy doesn't budge.
He should've stayed with Brandon, he should have. Maybe then he wouldn't be in this situation.
Just as Darius was about to get bitten in the shoulder, a sudden force tackles the infected man to the ground.
Barking and snarling, the mindless infected gets their head mauled to death by the angry jaws of a dog or a wolf (Darius couldn't tell).
Darius pushed himself off the ground and watches as the dog finish off the man with its jaws crushing their brain into mush bits. The body doesn't move anymore, it was now a dead corpse ready to be devoured by flies.
The canine turn to Darius, making him feel unease after observing everything. Instead of attacking him next, it unexpectedly wags its tail out of joyfulness and approach Darius with having no intentions of harming him like it did with the man.
Darius stood there confused, unsure what to do or what to say. Seeing the dog lick its bloody lips is totally not disturbing to Darius, totally not.
Before he could do anything, he suddenly hears a voice calling from afar.
"Bumpy!"