Vial Happiness

Chapter Fourteen - Call

            “Excuse me?” This couldn’t be true.

            “You heard me.” The deep voice was similar.

            “Why are you calling me?” I asked.

            “To give you a warning.”

            “What do you mean?”  Nothing made sense, I did nothing wrong.

            “You are a threat to this society.” Caesar stated. “Your relentless actions are causing more citizens to resist the vials.”

            “Like who?”

            “Like your mother.”

            I was bewildered. “There’s no way that someone like my mother would stop taking the vials.”

            “Of course, that’s what you think.”

            “Because it’s true!” I began to raise my voice.

            “Settle down there, kid.”

            His tone pissed me off, “Can we get back on the subject?”

            “Sure, as I was saying, I am giving you a warning for your actions. I’ve already punished you once, but you can’t seem to learn.”

            “How have you already punished me?”

            “Oh Prescott, you simple minded fool.” He began to laugh. “How do you think your father died?”

            I froze, there’s no way that was true. “He…died in a car accident.” I began to shake.

            “Correct!” Caesar yelled. “And guess who the driver was?”

            “I-I Don’t know.”

            “Let’s just say…someone of my work.” Caesar menacingly laughed again. I was shocked. I breathed deeply.

            “You fucking psychopath.” I whispered, trying to contain my anger.

            “So, I think that should resolve our problems, see ya!” He hung up the phone. I stood there. My mind began asking multiple questions at once.

            Brianne walked in, “Who was that?”

            I couldn’t reply.

            “Prescott…” She began to get worried.

            I screamed. I screamed terrifyingly loud. I clenched my fist and punched the center of the wall.

            “Prescott!” Brianne yelled.

            “He killed my Father!” I could barely make the words out. I explained the phone call to Brianne. She covered her mouth in shock.

            “This is sick.” She sighed.

            “What can we do?” I asked. “How can we stop this corruption?”

            “I don’t know.”

            The doorbell rang. Brianne volunteered to answer it. I sat against the wall, processing everything. There are so many Heartless in the world, why was I a problem? I didn’t want to harm Caesar. I just wanted to live a normal life.

            Brianne came back with a concerned look on her face, “Someone’s here for you.”

            “Why now?” I walked with her to the front door, and there was Mother. Not only was I surprised to see her, but I was more surprised to see her crying. Caesar was right, she wasn’t on any narcotics.

            “Why are you here?” I asked stubbornly.

            She wiped the tears from her eyes, “Your Father’s funeral is tomorrow, I would like you two to attend.”

            “How did you know I was here?”

            “Derrick told me. Prescott, please come.”

            I wanted to tell her the truth I had just learned, but her heartbroken face stopped me from doing so.

            “Okay, I will. When and where is it?”

            “Ten AM. At the Rochester Cemetery.”

            “Yeah, we’ll make it.”

            “Would you like to come in?” Brianne asked.

            “No thank you, I am too exhausted. I should probably leave now.”

            “Wait,” I called out. “I need to ask you something.”

            “Yes Prescott?”

            “Why aren’t you taking Narcotics?” I didn’t want the answer to be what I heard earlier.

            Mother sighed, “Because of you.” She turned around and walked away.