Dreams of an Absolution

Bright Future (Episode 45)

"As I am breathing right now, another is breathing their last this beautiful morning. I am grateful, yet saddened, as I serve no purpose in this lifetime I am given which could be given to one elsewhere who is more deserving."

That was the final paragraph in Lucas's journal entry for this morning. He then closed his half full chapter book and levitated it back to it's shelf with his finger using telekinesis. Lucas remained in his throne like chair as his cat Smokey was napping on his lap. He didn't want to disrupt his sleep.

"Such a beautiful creature," Lucas said to himself, peacefully resting the palm of his hand on Smokey's back. Lucas himself then shut his eyes as well, meditating in the darkness of his own mind.

*Knock*
*Knock*
*Knock*

Suddenly, three loud knocks had sounded from Lucas's newly replaced door. He instantly opened his eyes, as the sound had startled him. Smokey had remained asleep though. Slowly, Lucas phased through the chair and through the floor. This was so Smokey wouldn't wake up when being settled peacefully on the chair. Lucas then swiftly floated to his front door and opened it.

"Surprise!", shouted Caspian out of the nowhere. Lucas instantly backed away in shock. Caspian and Lucas were all of a sudden face to face at the door. Breathing heavily, shirtless and barefoot, Caspian was covered in sewage, blood, dust, and his orange prison jumpsuit pants were shredded. Upon seeing this, Lucas had a look on his face he'd never had before. He was completely confused, and a little on edge.

"It's you? How did you escape prison? Why have you shown up in this place one more?", Lucas questioned. "Well to talk to you of course," Caspian enthusiastically replied as he switched to an oddly serious tone. Lucas then began to glow his greenish, blue aura as he said in a deeper voice, "You do not belong here. Have you forgotten last time?"

Caspian sighed and replied, "Look, I get it, no amount of sorry will take back my actions from last time. But, ever since I've broke out of prison, I've had something on my mind, other than trying to survive in the sewers. It's about that note you left me."

Lucas's ghoulish aura faded as he was faintly stunned by Caspian's response. "Ah. Very well then. But understand this. I will have my guard up at all times. Move a certain way and I will take your life in a second," Lucas threatened in his deeper voice, as he moved to the side, wavering Caspian to come in. He then walked inside as Lucas used his powers to close the door behind him.

Walking through the shadows of the mansion's massive first floor, Caspian stopped. "This is as far as I walk. I won't go any further," said Caspian, staring at the ground. "You appear rather mature compared to our previous encounter. How interesting. Though, I prefer you make this quick as you smell like a rotting corpse at the moment," Lucas remarked.

Caspian then looked down at his right hand as he began to speak, "Alright. My name is Caspian Maddox." Lucas replied, "Lucas Avadeer."

Caspian continued, "I arrived in this mansion last time as a means of escaping the police. I did some small crimes around the city and a few horrible crimes. I just remember waking up one day randomly full of hatred and with an intent to do bad things. Laughing and doing those attacks against hero society. I remembered nothing about my life before waking up that day a month or two ago. That was, until I got to prison. The torture and pain I had to endure thanks to my cellmate had made me unlock a memory. My only memory. A horrible memory. It was a rainy day when it happened. After the bullies at my kindergarten killed my best friend in front of me, my cat Simon, that's when it happened. My powers awakened. I turned all those kids into piles of bloody chunks of meat and dust along with the teachers. Half the school turned to dust as well as.....my own mother. "

Lucas's eyes widened upon hearing that, grabbing his own chest as Caspian kept speaking. "After that, I remember puking and passing out, before waking up in a police station where my dad was. Expecting him to embrace me and tell me that everything was gonna be okay, he instead punched me in my face, disowning me for the monster I was. I cried once more, and my powers activated again beyond my control. I ended up turning not only my father, but half the police station to dust. I just remember crying and crying, until I was eventually tased, ending my flashback. I remember nothing between that painful memory and waking up attacking people in insanity. But, the tragedy of that memory made my emotions spiral out of control and my dusting had grown stronger, which opened the doors for my eventual escape from prison."

Lucas was staring down to the ground blankly upon hearing Caspian's story. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Caspian then turned to look at Lucas and said, "After I made it out of that prison, I hid in the sewers. That's where I lived for days. Not eating, but living off drinking the horrid sewer water. Depressed, and not knowing what to do or where to go, I remember the words on your note you left on my back. That every saint had a past, and every sinner had a future..." Caspian's expression looked to grow sadder after saying that.

A single tear dripped down Caspian's face. "It's not fair. It all started because I was bullied for being different. I didn't ask to made this way. I never asked to be born." His voice then grew a bit shaky. "My life just got worse and worse from then on. All I ever wanted was a friend. And now, I'm wanted by everyone to be put to death!" Caspian then fell to his knees, bawling.....

"I wish I could take back all the unforgivable things I've done. D...do you think it's p..possible. That I can still be a good person. Please..." Caspian cried, putting his head down onto the floor, hugging his shirtless body.

Lucas's hair was covering his eyes, thinking to himself, "What would you do in this situation? Timothy." Lucas then revealed his eyes, looking down at Caspian with a calm yet stern look on his face. "Thank you for sharing your story. We are very alike, both you and I. Both outcasted from society and without parents." With tears still in his eyes, Caspian then looked up at Lucas, looking surprised from hearing him say that.

Lucas closed his eyes and continued, "You and I both have suffered from the hell known as our childhood. Like you, I was full of hatred, and hatred alone. My only purpose was to destroy a certain someone. That was my life's purpose. That is, until I met him. My friend. My only real friend after Smokey, my cat. The only person willing to ever come to this place and talk to a shell of a person like me. His words pulled me out from my darkness and granted me momentary light. But, no matter how much he tried for me, I once again fell back into the shadows of my thoughts. And that is because the shadows are where people like us belong. So, as such, people like us must stick together to last in these shadows."

Stunned, Caspian's expression brightened, gazing as Lucas shouted, "Caspian! It is true you and I had our feline companions, but I was blessed enough to have a human friend as well to distract me from my hatred and vengeance! Not only that, but perhaps granted me a new future ahead along with the light!" As his powerful words echoed throughout the mansion, light then shined through the dark mansion onto Lucas as he reached out his hand to Caspian.

Then as his eyes glowed and his hair floated, Lucas yelled,"Caspian! I will lead you to this new bright future alongside me as your first human friend such as my friend did for me! I will guide you and show you there is more to these mere shadows! That saying I was given by him, I now pass down to you! Though it may not seem possible, I believe in the vice versa of that saying! Oh how I have hope, that perhaps, even sinners can have bright futures! So what do you say Caspian! Will you stand with me and help fight the darkness!?"

At a loss for words, Caspian's eyes began to shine, seeing Lucas as a beacon of hope. Trying to control his emotions, Caspian dashed up off the ground and hugged Lucas, crying. Feeling awkward, Lucas lightly patted Caspian's shirtless back, slightly cracking a genuine smile.