The P.U.L.L || #Wattys2017

Chapter 46: The Past

The mastermind began walking around them as they helplessly lay down. "This is one of my latest invention. It increases the gravitational pull of earth on a certain spot and the only ones who can't be affected by this are my men and myself. Of course, this invention is still in beta so I'm not quite sure about its side effects. The four of you should be honored. You've become a test subject for my precious invention." He then nodded towards Karl, motioning him to drag the four of them nearer to the power-source.

"What are you doing?!" Rick shouted.

"Oh, I can't explain it to you since you're just pure brawns after all." The mastermind told Rick. "Let's just say, I'm conquering the world using all of  you."

Then, the mastermind, looking at them with a smirk, coolly grabbed Gladiola and Joshua's hands and put them palm-to-palm. "Enjoy the remaining seconds of your life while I put the power-source into its full power using your combined unlockers." He guffawed as he inserted both their hands in the hole on the side of the power-source.

Suddenly, Gladiola and Joshua began to feel the immense amount of energy inside the power-source, making them feel the strain on their heads. It didn't take long for the two of them to fall into unconsciousness.

.....

W-where am I? Joshua asked himself, his eyelids fluttering.

Joshua could see a powerful ray of light flashing down at him. A few people in white uniforms fluttered about, alarmingly talking to each other while doing a few signals. The people in white uniform also wore masks and gloves and there were marks of blood all over their bodies. Joshua glanced towards his shoulders and he began to see a familiar person beside him. "H...hang in there...Joshua." The person beside him muttered. "H...hang i...in there." He faintly said.

Joshua's sight began to get clearer and he began to recognize the faces of the people wearing white uniforms. Suddenly, on of them flashed a powerful flashlight at his left eye, making it dilate in response. "He's still hanging in there!" The person said.

Mom?! Dad?!

No doubt about it. Joshua recognized the people in white uniforms. They were Rick, Emma, Gladiola, and his parents. And they seem to be operating on someone since there were lots of blood marks on their bodies. As he glanced once again on his shoulders, Joshua recognized the person beside him...

It was Rick, but he looked much younger. "We c...can do this..." Rick stuttered as his blood began to flow from his mouth. "Everything will be...alright...everything will be alright." He repeated.

Rick?! What happened?! Why are you vomiting blood?! And why do you look so much younger?! Joshua began to wonder.

To his surprise, he began hearing a few scuffles happening just a few steps from where they were. As Joshua began to dwell on the thoughts of his parents being doctors, he could hear a girl's voice seemingly trying to force her way inside the room he was in. Joshua tried to crane his neck, but what followed was something painful he felt coming from his stomach. He could still hear Rick, murmuring that everything will be okay. Meanwhile, all of their parents were trying to fight back their tears as they did the operation.

Why are they doing an operation to me? Joshua asked himself, trying to recall everything that happened before then. 

"It's no use!" Joshua's mom sniffled. "Our sons won't be able to survive at this rate." She continued. 

Joshua's dad then came to console both his wife and his only son. "Everything will be okay." He assured them. "Joshua and Rick can endure this. I'm sure." He said, trying to hold back his tears.

Suddenly, the scuffles from the outside could be heard getting louder and louder. The little girl's frantic shouts were now really clear to Joshua as he tried to get a better look.

Suddenly, a little girl anxiously approached where he was, with tears in her eyes. Her face was a little bit swollen since she was evidently crying for hours. But even though she looked so young, Joshua could quite recognize that she was actually Gladiola. 

What's happening? Joshua kept on wondering while trying to assess his current situation. After thinking for quite some time now, he finally concluded that it was neither a dream nor a reality. If it was a dream, then it would have felt unreal even though it's happening, but I could feel that this has happened before in my life, sort of like a deja vu. Joshua said to himself. But if it's a reality, then it would have felt real, but I could clearly see that Rick and Gladiola are in there younger forms so this shouldn't be the case.

With that said...

Is this a memory?

"This is our last choice." Mr. Bradshaw muttered underneath his breath. "Our sons' lives are at stake here Mr. Russel and this is the only thing that can save them. But we don't know if there are side-effects or not, I can't guarantee that they'll retain a hundred percent of their memory if we do this but this is our last strand of hope to save our sons."

Joshua's dad looked at Mr. Bradshaw then shifted his gaze to his son in a critical state. He knew that both their sons will die any time soon and the solution that Mr. Bradshaw proposed is their only best course of action. "Even though they lose their memory, it's fine." Mr. Russel answered. "I'll come up with the way to bring their memory back but for now, please help me save the two of them, Mr. Bradshaw."

Mr. Bradshaw nodded. "I will, for your son and my son's sake." He answered. "get the DNA splicer ready!" He ordered.

"Wait?! Joshua will lose his memory?!" Gladiola asked, trying to hold back the tears that hasn't flowed out from her eyes yet. "Joshua won't remember me anymore?" Gladiola anxiously asked once again.

"Gladiola, please stay outside." Mr. Quiller told his daughter. "We can't afford to have any distractions, Gladiola, so please."

"I will, but please let me talk to Joshua first." She sobbed. "Joshua, please don't forget about me, okay? Never ever forget about me, no matter what happens, okay?" She requested.

"I...I won't." Joshua struggled.

"Promise?"

"I...promise..." Joshua managed to tell her.

Before his last breath left him.