When and where (Fruk)

15

"Before we begin, I feel it is only right to explain why this is happening in the first place!" He started. He was still setting things up, and I only watched him. "So, Once upon a time, two people fell in love...You two, to be clear," he added. He looked back at us in a disgusted way. I looked over to Francis, and he only sat in shock. Like he was about to lose it. "Those two idiot lovers decide one day...Hey! Let's have kids...We can raise two kids and give them love...oh, but there is a catch! As soon as they start acting up, we will traumatize them with a lack of love and parenting and eventually dump one of them off to their angry uncle, who hates his brother so much that he decides to abuse the kid! Funny! Right?"

My heart sunk into my chest as he said those words. "That isn't us..."

"See, that is where you are wrong, FRANCIS! It is you both...just not yet..." Alfred glared at him and tossed one of his tools on the ground. "So, Said kid who was sent away to live with his abusive uncle eventually comes home to his 'dear' parents, and they don't like the way he turned out in the two years the child was away for..." He paused. He walked over to Francis and began to pull his chair beside me.

"I realized something on the next day I came back...as I looked at how differently you treated my stupid brother from me...you loved him more; he was the favorite! I realize that! But, I also realized...that I would rather be dead than live with this agony..." He smiled at me and began to do something to our chairs.

"So, I steal Dear old dad's old travel device....Why didn't I just buy one? Well, I didn't have much money, and it would have been faster to take his old watch. The watch he told us so many stories about...including how he met our 'Papa'...and how it led to our dear Dad! Finding a cure for his husband's immortal state..."

My jaw dropped, and I looked at Francis, shocked. "Do you mean..." Francis started but was cut off. "It is exactly how I mean...Arthur here figures out a way to cure your condition...and soon after, the two of you lovebirds get married! How pathetic! Now...What could I do that would end my suffering, and break the two of you up, preventing each other from meeting, and never having kids? Because let's face it...you two should not be parents..."He spoke. I was still shocked to say anything.

I was destined to be a horrible parent...

I don't even care about the fact that Francis and I got married...I was heartbroken at the fact that I could never be a good dad. That I was so horrible my kid did not want to be born. "Ah, but there was a catch to me going back in time. The first time I traveled...I had tried to cure dear papa, but I failed! I was the one who cursed him to be immortal! It was an accident...but I still did it. It is really funny...and I did not realize what I had done till I tried to travel back to my time...getting stuck in the time before my dear dad ever invented this stupid watch!" Alfred yelled. It had seemed like he was throwing a tantrum and a reasonable one.

"Look, I am sorry...but you can't do this...what about your brother?" Francis asked.

"Pfft...all you care about is stupid Mattie! Who cares about him? It makes this all more enjoyable...to finally see that goody goody get a smack in the face for once."

"You will kill him and yourself?"

"Yes...and I will enjoy it..." he spoke. He stood before the screen and began to mess with this device again. "No matter what I tried to do...the two of you kept meeting each other...so, you will understand every bit of how I feel...until I am satisfied..."

The jeopardy music grew louder, and the lights turned on, revealing a huge room, a room that looked like the jeopardy room that I used to watch. "Please...we can change things...I will build the device to send you back!" I tried to say, but he shook his head at me. "Oh...you will...and so much more..." he laughed.

I cringed in my chair and looked over at Francis, who was close enough for me to reach for his hand. He gently grabbed my fingertips, and I held onto him in return. "Let's start with Arthur! There are four categories! Three questions in each. One is super easy; the other is super hard! The middle is medium," He started.

"Invention, Truth, Past, Future...I will give you a freebie to start off...take your pick! Also...the longer you take to decide will mean you get shocked by the high-voltage chair you are sitting in, and if you get it wrong...the same thing will happen. If you get it right...you live to see the next question!" He cheered. Damn! I really raised this kid?

I suck!

"Fine!" I spoke. He cheered happily and began to dance around. "What is your pick?" He asked. I looked at the board as the music played and felt myself sweat. It was a freebie, so I will choose the hardest one in the hardest category. "What is Three-Hundred for Future..." I spoke. I shut my eyes tight and heard him laugh. "As expected..." He spoke. He clicked a button, and the question popped up.

"What did Arthur do to Alfred when he went through his inventions when he was ten..." He spoke, laughing. I clenched my jaw, seeing the question. "How is he supposed to know that answer if he hasn't lived it yet!" Francis spoke up. "Shut up! Answer!" Alfred demanded. "Also...I should mention that the harder the question, the higher the voltage...to win the game, you need to get the most points, and the price would be Francis living...I can't kill Arthur since I need him to build the device..."

I took a deep breath and watched as the timer began to go down. What would my future self have done? If I got angry about that, I must have told him to stay out in the first place, right? That means I would have yelled at him...right?

"What is...Yelling at him..." I spoke nervously. He tilted his head at me and smiled. "Eeee, the answer was, what is...beating him with a paddle..." He spoke. My eyes widened, and he began to tsk his tongue. "You got that wrong...and you know what happens?" he asked. Alfred happily pushed the button...and I felt excruciating pain flow through me. I began to scream in pain, and I tried to pull my arms from the attached chair but could not.

"Please! you are hurting him!" Francis spoke. The pain stopped, and I began to breathe out deeply, trying to compose myself. It was hard to ignore the obvious pain that was still prevalent in my body. "Great! Both of you know how this works! Next is Francis!" He cheered.