The Museum of Freaks

Past

It was midnight. Despite the night lamp, Tommy couldn't sleep. After they left the museum everything had seemed normal, but felt wrong.

Tommy was terrified of the Dream creature and its capabilities. Clearly he had no idea.

Wilbur was still awake, Tommy could hear his guitar playing in the other room.

He had tried explaining what happened to Wilbur, but the episode had gotten blurry. He wasn't sure of what he saw and didn't see.

Suddenly the house's old telephone rang. They rarely got calls, but never this late in the evening. Tommy could hear Wilbur stumble across the hallway to reach the phone in time.
"Hello," Wilbur answered. Tommy listened in hiding to the conversation.
"yes we was at The Museum of Freaks today"

"What, no, I had no idea"

"I will"
"My brother?" no he can't possibly have done that" he laughed.
"are you sure?"

"Idk about the escape but I assure you he is no freak. How dare you disrespect him like that. you know what. I'm gonna file a complaint against you"
"yeah no, yes, yes that is understood and goodbye"
Tommy had gotten up from the bed and stood in the door opening looking at WIlbur.
"you hear any of that?'' he asked nervously.
Tommy nodded.

"Okay, I'm gonna need u to tell me again exactly what happened earlier okay" they walked together to the living room and jumped down on the green couch.
Tommy started telling the whole story, from when The dream first scared him, to him calling Wilbur for help in the historic room.
The dark room was still blurry, he had heard other voices, and maybe even had a conversation with one. But he could not remember anything more specific
"Tommy, I'm sorry, I should have realized how scared you were," they hugged.
"The museum called. They think you might be a freak, there was a security camera that took photos of you and random spots of light, when the power had gone out" Wilbur explained.
Tommy looked down on the floor. He was lost for words.
"Apparently only the light's electricity had been cut for a short moment" he continued.
"Normally I would say we should take action, and let you be tested so they know you aren't a freak. but-"

A knock sounded on the door. Wilbur jumped up the couch.
"That was way too quick," he started going around in circles in the small living room.
Tommy stared at him in confusion.
"Stay here, don't move or make a sound," he took long steps out in the hallway and reached the door.
"I'm sorry we didn't order pizza," the door closed again.
"phew Tommy, my heart just went through the roof man"
"Wilbur what the fuck is going on, what's wrong with you"
"I need to tell you an ugly story. And I'm sorry in advance" Wilbur sat down on the couch again.
"The reason why I got so scared before, was because of the freaks. They are very rare yet they somehow manage to thrive. anyways.
You're still a kid, but when we both were younger we lived out in a cabin. There was this creature, who took care of us, as if we were his children. A couple years went by, and some hunters had tracked the creature down. He fled, and so did we. That's how we ended up here in a shithole apartment in the city."
"What was the creature?" Tommy asked curiously. He had no idea that he had had someone else in his life beside Wilbur. he must've been very small when they left.
"He looked like an old man, but he had wings. Black bird wings. Much larger than that fairy lookalike at the museum of freaks"
"But Wilbur, you said they were scary, and we should fear those freaks". Tommy stood up on the couch and pointed at him.
"-Why do you think?" He didn't seem to be bothered at all.
"all us humans viewing them as insects"
"Tommy, time and time again they have hurt people, done more bad than good, HURT US" Wilbur looked away.
Tommy sat down on the couch again. He was right and he knew it. He didn't want to see WIlbur in pain.

"But, to some extent they are being treated unfairly. They should not have to be tortured and tested for god knows what"
"So you do have sympathy for them?"
"I don't think anything should experience fysical torture, the psykologic should be more than enough. I don't want you to be trapped in some box to be tested. Who decides when enough is enough, if they already have what they think to be true?"
"I don't wanna go to prison"
"No no, nobodys going anywhere, or-" Wilbur went silent.
"We gonna go on a small vacation, we just tell the school you are sick"
Tommy nodded.
"Come on let's get you to bed again" Wilbur lifted Tommy on his bag, and let him piggy ride to his own bed.
"goodnight"
"night"