One, Two . . He's Coming For You

Part 15: Not This Time

Anti sat on the couch in the living room, hunched forward looking at the small marble in his hand. It glowed green just like his other eye used to.

'I don't understand what kind of power this little thing could possibly hold. How could it keep as much power in it as I used to have?  . . . . even half of it? It's absurd'

But what interested him the most were Marvin's earlier words.

'Their spirits . . . are still here?' he snorted to himself, 'How fucked is that? For them to see me moping around all the time for so long. Like a coward. Jackie's wrong. This one, anyway. MY Jackie probably hates me even more now.'

With resentment building, Anti let the marble fall out of his hand and onto the floor, 'I don't need you. . . . I don't want you'

He kicked it softly across the other side of the room, watching mindlessly as it rolled under a chair.

If he left it there forever, would it collect dust?

Would it wither away like he was ready to?

Anti sighed heavily, hanging his head in his hands. If they were really watching him, he didn't want them to see him cry any more than he already has.

He remembered how things used to be. It felt like so long ago now.

Of course, the bad times when they ignored or outwardly expressed their distaste for him were there.

But the good times were practically stitched in his mind. He chose to remember those moments instead.

After he cut his throat for Jackie and the hero actually looked concerned. It was the first form of acceptance he ever got from them all. Henrik had swat him over the head while he fixed him up and Chase had scolded him, telling him to never do that again.

Jameson was the worried the most for him and held his hand even though he was completely fine. Marvin just watched but Anti could tell he was worried about the lengths he went to, to prove his loyalty to them.

Then there was that time during Christmas they let him spend the day with them willingly. It was the best day of Anti's life. They all smiled and laughed together and Chase even let him play games with the kids. Stacey, Eva and Sammie even had him decorating cookies with them like one of the kids.

Anti had always worked hard for their affections, though. Trying to get on Marvin's good side, he had helped with his and Evan's shop before the plant incident. He had accidentally bumped into a potion that broke over a venus flytrap, causing it to grow  . . . exponentially. Marvin and Evan had come back from lunch seeing the plant nearly have ANTI for lunch.

He tried to help Chase with the videos he like to make for his YouTube channel but every time Anti touched the camera, the video would get corrupted or the photos would come out distorted.

Then there was the time he helped Henrik with the Pheno Reactor. That turned out alright and they got along but he was never allowed near the computers or controls . .. of which there were a lot of. He had to stay still in a chair and not move. One time, he had accidentally gotten too nervous and glitched, making his computer restart making him lose some very important files. Good thing the good doctor always kept backups.

Anti had always loved Jameson and they'd bake together but once again . . . Anti was not allowed anything electronic so he was only on cutting or stirring duties. One time he had accidentally caught the microwave on fire.

Then he remembered how he had tried desperately to get on Jackie's good side.

Anti smiled at the memory.