Scribbles and Drabbles

Notebook Drabble 1

Predicted Date Written: 2018                                                                                      

There was a bottle on the table. Inside pills sat innocent enough but Benny could feel his heartbeat racing just at the sight of them. He had stuck away from anything that could drag him into that world for so long and now he didn't have a choice. TBM. The thing that had killed his father and half of his older brother's friends. It was powerful, did what it said on the tin and more importantly, it was beyond addictive. Once you started taking it, you had to continue taking it.

That had been what had killed his father.

"Benny," Zarok said, his voice almost painfully gentle as he coaxed the man. Hands rubbing Benny's shoulders trying to reassure him there was nothing to be afraid of. "I know you have had bad experiences in the past but you know us. We would never hurt you but you do have to this," he said firmly.

"Bad experiences, that's one way to put it," Benny said quietly, leaning back on the sofa. The memory of his father deteriorating playing in front of his eyes. The fights and battles he had seen between the users. It had been a few years since his father had died and his brother had slipped away from them all but the memories were still fresh.

"You were in the thick of it for a long time," Zarok acknowledged. "Which is why you knew you could come to us for help. Could have gone to Tantra. They would have made the same offer with far more danger. The deal is on the table. Do you want our help or not?"

"I..." Benny murmured before standing up and pulling out of Zarok's grip. "This was a mistake. I can't," he shook his head, his voice full of fear. "I can't," he repeated, hands curled into fists. His voice turning more pleading on the second time. He needed help. But this. He was almost surprised by how scared he was by this. It had always been a possibility that this would happen.

"Then we can't help you, Benny. A life for a life, you know that," Zarok smiled sadly.

"It's an eye for an eye," Benny whispered.

A tentacle wrapped around his waist and gently pulled him back down on the sofa. Benny went where he was pulled and sat. Zarok now sitting next to him as opposed to standing behind the sofa. Benny leaned against him and tried to ignore the strange feeling of Zarok's shadow form nuzzling against him. He had a rather strange one compared to most. This wasn't the first time they had been like this either. Zarok had been the one to save him a few times when the fights were happening. The one to find him and his sister a place to live after their dad died and his brother left them.

There was a difference between trusting Zarok and trusting Maxinetics though. Zarok had a heart. The Maxinetics not so much. They had openly targetted people during the height of the epidemic to turn into their soldiers. It wasn't like that anymore but there was no telling what Benny would be asked to do once he was theirs. 

"It still counts," Zarok said firmly, his voice taking on a deeper note in his shade form. "We can save your sister's life but you have to give up yours. We can save her but you are the payment, my dear."

"Why?" Benny whispered. "Maxinetics never wanted me before."

"That's not true," Zarok shook his head, leaning back to look at Benny in the eyes. "You were too young for the drug before. You would have been at risk of dying or worse so we were able to wait. We have been planning to get you to join us for a while. After all, you proved to be quick on your feet as a child. It still is a little early but if the situation favours it..."

"You'll take advantage," Benny finished. It was unnerving to know that there had been a plan in the works with him addicted at the end. They had been planning a way to make him sink low enough to take the pills. Only luckily for them, fate had handed them a situation on a silver platter. He looked at the pills again, feeling tired now. Once he took them, everything he had worked for would be gone.

"Honey, no," Zarok shook his head, his neck clicking with the movement. "Not like that. Certainly, we are using it but there are benefits for you too this way."

"So you were planning to back me into a corner. Good to know," Benny almost laughed. He wiped away tears using the back of his jacket before looking at the bottle again. "I wanted to finish school," he said sadly, picking it up.

Zarok just kissed his hair again. There was nothing he could say to that. It was the truth after all. 

Benny took the pill. 

Future Plans: None Currently