RED PARALLEL

Chapter 27: Beaten French Fries

He had nowhere to go. No way he'd leave the house. But what had just happened was crazy. Owen went berserk just because of the gay thing. Traviz was just kidding, he didn't mind much. Truth be told, he was getting used to Owen's treatment. It was so him, to act super weirdly kind. Annoying, but they were okay. They were fine. Owen was nice. His food was great, he listened and talked to him without making him feel as if he were an idiot. "Troy, though I think you're stupid, do not expect I'm gonna ease up and talk as if you were a baby. The thing is: you have a beautiful brain. Just try to use it sometimes. Not only when you're rapping." Yeah, Owen loved his raps. He always laughed at his jokes.

Owen, a month before Christmas, had sat next to him and said:

"You seem odd. Wanna talk about it, or may I just stay here watching your moody face and drown myself in sadness too?"

"What?"

"..."

"Ah... It's nothing. I'm just missing The Crib..."

"I see." Owen sighed as if he already knew it. "Why don't you get back there, then? Get back to your huuuge black people Hip-Hop dancing family? I know you miss dancing too. That battle popular phenomenon."

"Are you crazy? They messed up with me, as you said."

"Yeah, they're interested in your money. But if you like them, there's no help. You're stupid, what can I do..."

"Hey..."

"I'm kidding. But, put yourself in my shoes."

"Yo, why would I do that?"

"You'd rather be at The Crib. You don't like staying here. I feel kinda bad..."

"I- No, I like it here."

"Uhum..."

"I do! I'm, I'm just a bit bugged, but dude, I'm fine..."

"You don't have to lie to me..."

"I'm not lying! I'm good, your food's awesome."

"I can send it to your Crib, you don't have to stay here..."

"Phants, stop, I'm cool."

"Okay. But I wonder if you'd leave my house if I decide to establish a Caesar's salad exclusive diet..."

"Hahaha... I would, bro..."

New Year passed weird as fuck. He tried to find a cool beat from the fireworks' boom, but they were so random he gave up.

He would not leave, no. But damn. He was not enjoying the burger's sad trips. Owen had stopped cooking. Eternal days of tragic eating. And the guy wouldn't talk. The longest dialogue was:

"Take this dirty cat out of my house."

"But he was hungry."

"You what, gave him french fries?"

"How do you know?"

"Take him out, now."

"Or what?"

"I'll kill him. I have knives and I'm not afraid to use them. You know I hate animals."

Luckily, Traviz had found a place for his feline friend. A granny's house. The old lady was sleeping on her bench, and he sneaked inside her house and left the cat with a bunch of other cats. If they ended up killing each other, he'd never know. A week later, he found himself considering visiting the granny, when he realized how gay that was, so he decided to focus on the Helen subject.

It had been hella time since his last sex. The funny thing was that he had spent months without any sexual desire. He even forgot he had a dick. He needed desperately to get back to 'action'. Playing video games had his fingers aching and his head on the verge of imploding. He had eaten all his nails, rubbed all parts of his body, vomited five times, hit the elbow several times on the edge of the table, slipped a zillion times over the furry carpet, and slept and slept and slept. And Owen would walk out the house smoking, get back home smoking, and lock himself in his cave room.

"Whatchu doing in here?" Traviz once knocked on the door, in lonely desperation.

"Go away."

"Ugh... God save me..."

"God doesn't exist."

When he thought things couldn't go worse, they did. On a Saturday afternoon, Traviz got home carrying his 'God save me' one-liter b-soda. He, thirsty as hell, had opened the bottle in the middle of the living room and the drink spilled down and splashed on the carpet. The furry thing sucked the black foamy liquid and it spread through a considerable length. Traviz was in the middle of his long and sad curse, when Owen appeared from behind, grabbed him by the neck, and threw him down the floor. It had been a long time since Owen's last maniac epic nearly assassin attack. Traviz didn't understand where that strength came from. One way or another, he found himself lying next to the black flood, feeling half his bones smashed to little pieces. Owen glanced at him from above, his green eyes frozen in a terrific mad state. He said nothing and walked away. Traviz spent the next hour rolling the empty bottle in his hands - because yeah, there was nothing left after Owen's attack - and wishing the carpet would just suck him as it did with the b-soda.

Just take me, stupid carpet. Take me...

Bottle has nothing and none

My mouth is dry, I want some

No b-soda, but he smoke

I ain't dope, I don't hope

I am far

Far from The Crib

I go hard

Hard on my rib.