The Bond

Ch 23

"Oh my fucking God just shut up until I finish my sentence." Michael gritted his teeth in annoyance, pinching the bridge of his nose tiredly. "I just realized that you're being annoying because you care about me." Michael nodded his head as if he was right. "You helped me with Alice and Mark's problem."

"... What? Don't be so confident. I did that for myself because you're my only vessel and I don't want my vessel to break." Ennard sounded offended, genuinely offended.

Michael snorted. "Oh shut up," he said. "I'm sincerely thanking you, if you don't do that, I don't know what will happen to me later." Michael shrugged his shoulders. "Therefore, thank you." Michael's smile was etched on his face wide and earnest. "You're not as bad as I thought."

There was no response at all for several minutes, yet Michael wasn't expecting a reply from Ennard actually.

"I don't understand."

"What?" asked Michael in bewilderment.

"Get ready."

Michael's brow furrowed. "What do you mean—"

BRAK!

Michael jumped out of his chair as soon as the front door of his house was opened with such force, he immediately looked at the person who had just slammed the door—Michael's eyes were wide; Mark. Mark was standing in the middle of the door gasping for air, causing Michael to shudder, then Mark smiled crookedly. Michael stepped back as Mark started walking toward him, he was wary—Mark might do something he didn't expect.

"What do you want?" Michael could hear his own voice shaking as he asked.

"Simple," Mark replied calmly. "Answer."

Of course, Michael knew what Mark meant. "I'm not going to give you the answer you want," Michel said, trying not to flinch. "Whether you're a close friend of mine or not, I won't tell you things I don't want others to know. Please understand."

Mark exhaled. "Michael, Michael," he said in a desperate tone as he shook his head. "I want to know what really happened to you, so I can help you. Didn't I say that the day before yesterday? I care about you, Mike," Mark said rather pitifully, Michael gasped as his back hit the wall and Mark drew closer.

"No ...."

"No?" Mark repeated his word, one eyebrow raised. "But ... you look miserable, Michael. I just want to help you to lighten your burden." Mark's brows knit together, his eyes showing he's disappointed.

Michael turned his head when Mark's hand touched the side of his face. "Mark, stop it," Michael said desperately.

"I know you're depressed," Mark replied quietly, his smile soft as he looked at Michael. "I know how you feel, you feel you can't trust anyone anymore after the incident, that's why you hide it from me. You see, my intentions are really good, Michael. I want to help you, but I can't do it if you don't tell me."

Michael's brow furrowed. "You don't know how I feel," he replies, his lips quivering. "Forcing me won't work, I'll never tell you. Understand that."

Mark laughed. "Well maybe I don't really know how you feel, but that's not the point." Mark stroked Michael's cheek gently, Michael was still trying to avoid the physical contact by turning his face the other way. "But it looks like it's difficult to carry all the burden, doesn't it, Terrance?"

Michael's purple eye rolled swiftly over to the man before him, his lips parted slightly. "Did you ... just insult me?" Michael asked with a blank expression, but his voice sounded heavier than usual.

"No?" Mark replied that he didn't understand—pretending to be more precise, Michael realized that. "I didn't insult you, Terrance. But isn't it hard to bear all that burden? The burden of the incident you created yourself."

Mark was knocked back instantly, Michael clenched his fists tightly and his teeth chattered. "It was an accident," he answered hoarsely.

"Accident? The plan to put his head in that fucking robot's mouth started with you, you came up with the idea!"

"I—I didn't know it would end—end like that!" Michael exclaimed in frustration.

"That doesn't change the fact that you planned it!" Mark said angrily, he stepped forward to grab Michael by the collar tightly. "You were the pioneer of the idea, you caused it all, we were willing to be by your side after the terrible incident but you left us! You decided not to talk to us anymore, and you think I can accept it like that? Think again, Terrance!"

Mark's words made him nauseous, dizzy started to come. Michael felt unsteady and lost his footing, his vision clouded by tears. "I ... I just ... feel guilty ...."

"As it should be!" Mark screamed in anger, Mark pushed him down onto the wooden floor only to grab him by the collar again. "That's the way it should be ... you should think again that what you did was unforgivable, Terrance. Unforgivable." Mark's voice grew weaker as he looked down, Michael desperately trying to keep the tears from spilling out. Then Mark lifted his head, looked him straight in the eye. "You killed him."

Michael shook his head slowly, exasperated. "I never wanted ... I didn't—"

"You killed him!" Mark's exclamation cut Michael's words, Mark gritted his teeth. "Don't deny it! Whatever your reasons, you killed Evan ... and how much you regret it, Evan won't come back. It was your fault, Terrance."

"No ...." Michael bit his lower lip until it bled, as he covered his ears tightly the tears could no longer be held back and finally flowed down. "It's not—please stop ...."

Mark pursed his lips, he held Michael's shoulder carefully. "But I'm sure Evan wouldn't want to see his brother suffer alone either," Mark said softly. "Therefore, I am here for you ..."

Mark's words stopped when Michael suddenly grabbed his arm—he even winced in pain at how strong the shorter man's grip was. Mark gasped as a wire slowly wrapped around his arm, one coming from behind Michael, then another. However, his panic was replaced by shock when Michael lifted his head with black liquid, which he thought were tears, flowing from the corners of his eyes. The robotic blue eye glanced coldly.

Mark didn't have time to react at all when his body was smashed against the wall with ease, a cracking sound was heard. Pain radiated down his back. Mark gritted his teeth against the pain as he tried to get up, before he gasped when Michael pressed his foot against his head until he lay back down with a thump.

"M-Michael—" Mark could barely speak because of how hard Michael stepped on him until half of his face was actually pressed against the wooden floor. Mark could only see that fiery blue eye glancing at him without lowering his chin at all.

"You have no right to call his name."

Mark gasped; this is not Michael's voice.

"Scum."

Mark didn't know what happened after that, his vision darkened completely before he lost consciousness.