Captain Marvel: My Mother (BOOK II)

Chapter 34

" The best lightning rod for your protection is your own spine. "

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

(Five Decades Ago: Pacific Coast Highway, California)

The moon and the stars had watched the Earth and remained in the dark sky. They saw the two men travelling on the peaceful seaside highway. Both tired, Amnon-Selah and Mar-Vell kept walking and waiting for a ride to hitch-hike. They had come all the way from Los Angeles and gone to San Francisco. The Pacific Coast Highway was the only place where they continued their journey.

" Mar-Vell, are we there yet? " the Kree-Lizard boy asked and paused as he got tired.

" Nope, not yet, " the bearded pink-Kree wanderer and beggar replied.

" Where are we? "

" Getting closer to Monterey, " Mar-Vell heavily sighed and angrily raised his voice, clenching his right fist. " For damn Hala's sakes! If only I can carry and fly you to San Francisco, we could've been there in minutes! Why can't I do it?! "

" Why?! What's wrong? " Amnon asked and looked concerned at his older cousin.

" I'm getting old, Boy! " he ranted and wept. " I'm not even getting younger! I used to fly great distances and go everywhere throughout the cosmos, just like Great Uncle Methu-Selah! I can't do that anymore! I just can't! This is so damn wrong! "

" Mar-Vell, I'm so sorry...." the Kree-Lizard hybrid sadly spoke. " If I could have done something to help you. "

" No, no, no, it's not your fault, Boy! I feel I'm getting more useless than ever. I know how it feels to be like you, being a worthless piece of crap in the cosmos! A loser! A zero! A forgotten weakling! I wished I never existed in the first place! "

" Mar-Vell..."

Amnon-Selah felt sorry and gently patted his older cousin's back. Mar-Vell rubbed his eyes using his purple scarf as his both eyes watered and ran down on his face. The Kree-Lizard hybrid and his relative both sat down on the ground and remained silent, looking at the calm ocean kissing the starry navy blue sky. Amnon reflected and recalled his days back in the MTF facility before meeting his cousin. He knew how it was like to be a worthless, useless, and abused Kree-682 hybrid clone. His experience was darker and more melancholic than his cousin.

" You know, you had a chance to be a hero and protect yourself from those who harm you, " Amnon calmly broke his silence. " You told me you had superpowers a couple of days ago in Los Angeles. Me, I was maltreated and experimented like the most horrible SCP object. Everyone thought I was like him, but no. I should be saying your words to myself. You were right, Mar-Vell. Everyday I was facing my own death sentence, it was never my choice. I never fought back against them, for I was too afraid and helpless. No one intended to visit me. Until, there was one MTF personnel who voiced out to stop 682. Then, Skoúro came to visit me and rescued me from that earthquake. "

" So, you have experienced a lot, haven't you? "

" Yeah, if only there's a way to erase my memories and forget them all, that would be my experience in the MTF facility. "