The Initials | Nanowrimo 2023

28| Chaos Walking

"Casey, I know you already saw the mechanism. You probably already figured out how it works in six point five seconds."

"Six point seven five, you really overestimate my ability to read your handwriting." Casey teases, leaning back in the chair when he thinks Topher is moving to strike him, which in turn causes him to lose balance, tipping himself and the chair over.

"I find that hard to believe." Topher yawns, reaching down and picking up the chair instead of helping Casey off the floor before sitting down and sliding to get closer to his desk. "So, what are your thoughts?"

"I think the design is good, solid, not easily breakable, I tried-"

"-But?"

"But," Casey replies, leaning against his brother's desk before retrieving a pencil and Topher's notebook from the desk. "-from the looks of things, you don't have nearly enough output to maintain a solid barrier for more than anything heavier than a paperweight."

"Your insight is always so riveting."

Casey ignores his brother's sulky attitude, looking over the notebook whilst continuing to scribble down his own notes. "What are you trying to do anyway?"

Topher interlocks his fingers together, clenching and unclenching his jaw as he thinks back to the tragedy of the night before. "There were a few people last night...they got crushed underneath falling debris and we couldn't-"

"-that wasn't your fault!"

Topher can't look Casey in the eye so he decides to hold the device, roughly the same size as a basketball, in his hands. "Once deployed, it will create a barrier that will prevent a person from being trapped...in theory at least. But just like all those before me, the barrier cannot maintain a solid form for long."

"Well maybe that's because they didn't have computers...or me." Casey throws the notebook down in front of Topher, his finger hovering over a particular paragraph in his notes. "You're using a silver crystal infused with the elemental mana of a Nature Initial as a power source, right?"

"I found that in all their studies, the tests that used these Mana Cores were fractionally more effective. What about it?"

Casey flips the page to Topher's well drawn blueprint sketch of the T.U.R.T.L.E., quickly firing facts at him until their mind meld. "Well, CPU's in this world work similarly to Mana Cores. I think you need at least three more cores to get enough power to create a barrier that can sustain that kind of weight and cover a wide area."

"From what I know, more cores doesn't equate to better performance, they just allow for the CPU to perform different tasks simultaneously."

"But if we have the four Mana Cores emitting the same frequency and then create a Ward using an infinity rune combine with an amplifying rune and an inhibitor rune then-"

"- then It creates a looping circuit, the force building up and not only creating but sustaining its own energy without getting out of control...that might just work." Topher mutters a breakneck speed, proceeding to poke at his machine. "Although this is only an Alpha stage prototype. Maybe when we get to South Silver Oak Academy, I can borrow a few things to test it out."

"Why don't you just ask mom and dad? They will probably let you use some of the stuff in the lab. They don't let me because I blow things up but I'm sure they'll let you." Casey offers.

"No."

"Okay...why?"

Topher frowns at the smiley face Casey drew over one of his notes, wishing he could say he is surprised. "I want to do this by myself. Without their help."

"So that's it huh?" Casey retorts. "You want the fame that mom and dad have in the Capitals and all the influence that comes with it? Is that it?"
"Before I go, I want to create one thing that changes the world. Something that has an impact, not just now but for generations and generations! Is that so wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong with ambition, it's who you become on the other end of it that matters most."

Topher momentarily considers his brother's words before wiping away the black ooze dripping from his nose. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to snap, I'm just tired."

"Wanna take a break? Maybe go get something to eat? I ordered a bunch of new games when you were away."

There it is, the burden of the Greyson family, the thing that everything always comes back to, the Syphoning.

"I don't have time for this right now Casey."

Topher looks back at his brother, envying his ignorance to the truth but accepting it as his burden to carry alone, knowing that the time between the two of them is running out.

Topher tries to stand up by Casey pushes him back down, hitting him square in the chest. "You never have time!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Look, I'm not a kid anymore alright. I know something is up with our family. Mom and Dad won't talk about it but I know you know."

"Casey, what do you want?"

"I want you to take me seriously, tell me what's going on!"

Topher stumbles to his feet, grabbing Casey by the shirt, keeping his voice low in order to keep this conversation between them. "I'm only going to say this once. Drop it...for your own good."

Topher pushes Casey away, swaying from side to side as he stumbles towards his ensuite bathroom, immediately locking the door behind him.

He waits to hear Casey's heavy footsteps going down the corridor before throwing up a sink full of dark ooze.

After the first heave he silently counts to twenty, only reaching twelve before the ooze starts leaking from his ears.

With each heave that follows, the pain multiplies until Topher can barely stand, his shoulders trembling and ankles struggling to support him.

His shoulders tremble as he weeps, wiping the side of his mouth with the back of his hand, noticing how the black liquid looks red where it begins to thin.

Topher looks at his reflection in the mirror, washing around his mouth, the mix of water and blood drizzling off his chin. "This has to be perfect."

A few seconds later Topher hears Mr. Greyson knocks on the door, knowing it's him before he even says a word since he always knocks three times. "How bad is it?"

When Topher opens the door Mr. Greyson looks past him at the mess left behind, stopping at the splatters of dark ooze dripping from the edges of the sink onto the floor.

"Oh, buddy. Maybe we should-"

"-no! You and mom both promised I would get a year with him."

Topher looks over his shoulder, only now realising how truly bad the situation has become. "Just keep Casey out of my room."