Uppercut

Uppercut chapter 27-Johnathan Clockwork

"What does it mean to be alive?
Books show that there are many definitions of what living is. The most basic definition of living is simply one who is not dead.
Or a pursuit of a certain lifestyle.
I feel as though I no longer fit this definition.
For my body may still live but my soul has long died.
My compassion, my morality, my vision of the future.
Very few things remain of the past I had once lived.
Hmph the past, what a funny thing, a person's past could be full of anything.
My past was filled with happiness, hope and finally pain."
———————-Mr.Clockwork
Many years ago
I was four years old when I had my first encounter with Soul.
I was outside sitting under a tree writing in my book, working on my designs.
"What are you doing?"
My brother Willaim ask, he walked up to me with a stick in his mouth.
"I'm just writing down a few design ideas." I continued to draw pictures of car design as William sat next to me. William was 6 years older than me.
"Geez little bro, when did you become so good at drawing stuff like this?"
William took a closer look at my design.

"I don't really know they just sort of burst into my head."

"Burst,"
William grabbed my head and shook me a bit. 
"We can't have your head exploding, what will mom think? We better call the doctor and make sure it's not contagious."
I chuckled as I knocked his hands off me.
"What are you two doing?"
We quickly stood to our feet as our father Oswald Clockwork stood before us.
"Nothing we we're just-"
Before William could explain, my father shot a bullet past his face.
This was not the first time our father had fired upon us.
"Why didn't you block that with your smoke William?"
Father asked him, taking a few steps forward.
"I uh...I was..."
Father punched William in the gut knocking the air out of him.
William fell to the ground gasping for air.
"WILLIAM!"
I quickly tried to help my brother.
Father gave him me a gaze telling not to interfere.
I lowered my head and took a few steps back.
"You may have been born with a core William, but you lack intelligence, and conviction. Your little brother has already become quite the genius, what have you done?
I will not allow anyone of my blood to disgrace the family name."
Father crossed his arms and looked down at William.
"What is going on out here!"
Our mother Sophie came running out, and immediately tended to William.
Unlike father , she was gentle and kind.

"That's it honey breath, just breathe slowly."
She looked up at Father with furious eyes.
"How could you?! He's your son, they both are. I told you to stop this!"
Father turned on his heel and headed for his office.
"Johnathan!"
He called out to me.
I gulped and took a deep breath before taking a few steps forward.
Mother quickly grabbed my hand.
"You don't have to go, stay with me."
She told me, her voice was soft and gentle. It would always calm me and William down. However there were times I couldn't listen to her.
"If I don't follow him he'll hurt both of you."
I released myself from my mother's hand and walked forward.
Even though I was young I could think and act like an adult when the situation called for it.
I followed my father to his office.
A wooden desk and big red chair behind it.
A large window to see out into the world.
I sat down in the small red chair in front of his desk.
Father sat behind his desk and leaned forward.
"Show me?"
He asked me to show him the work I had been doing.
I handed him all my designs, and father began to look over them.
"Impressive as always my boy. Who knows what you'll make when you're older."
He continued to look over my design's with a smile on his face.
"Father, why did you have to hit him like that? I know that William will surprise you one day."

Father sighed as he put down the sheets of paper.
"The other leaders are expecting me to make him the next head, since he's my oldest. Not to mention he has a core, a natural one at that. He needs to be ready for what's to come. He'll need you a lot more than you'll need him.
You could make it on your own, you're a smart kid. He just needs help getting there, do you understand?"
I slowly nodded my head, Father shook his head.
"Go on now, tend to your brother."
I got up and left the room.
However I didn't go downstairs immediately.
Instead I stayed and listened. I could hear two voices in there.
Even though my father was the only one in the room.
"Geez you really do have a way with kids Ozzy boy."
I heard the second voice say.
It was a voice male, it sounded calm yet evil.
"I do what's best for my kin and the future of this company. Whether they like it or not is not up to them.
My sons will make me proud or they are of no use to me."
After I heard my father say that it ached my heart.
"Hmmm,
How old did you say your son Johnathan was?"