Parasites: The Journey

Ep. 01- Oh, Penelope.

Summer 2011

They all sat in silence, trying to come up with some way to take away her pain. Penelope had been crying for days, she cried until she passed out on Alex’s lap. Like any good guardian, like any good cat, she was loyal to Alex. Never left his side, never let anything hurt him. She protected the child and destroyed anything that could cause him agony. But, she couldn’t protect him this time, she couldn’t destroy the pain because he was the pain. He was hurting himself.

So naturally, Penelope suffered. She cried, and begged for him to put throw the drugs away, put down the knife. And we he wouldn’t, she felt a piece of her die. She felt so worthless. And naturally, her brothers and partner suffered. Darin who couldn’t even cure her frown, he had lost himself and could no longer heal. K-C couldn’t make her anything to cheer her up, she was too focused on the boy. Cris, poor Cris hurt the most. Penelope’s skin had grown pasty, her hair dull, her kisses… Lifeless.

So here we are now, in Penelope’s tree house. Where she lay still, worn out from tears. Her family gathered in thought.

“Penny,” Cris kisses her forehead and turns to her friends with dark yellow eyes filled with desperation, “What do we do?”

                Darin and K-C walked silently with Cris to the lake, they were out of ideas. They had tried laughter, but Darin had died and was reborn, brought back as a vampire. He could no longer genuinely laugh. K-C had drawn her countless gifts, he had even drawn her face in the stars but she couldn’t smile.

“C’mon guys,” Cris pleads, “There’s gotta be something. K-C, you’re the artist can’t we draw a device or something. Maybe, erase her pain?”

“Are you barking mad?” K-C turns to Cris, her British accent was evident now. They always tried to hide their accents as to not confuse one another, but in this time, they focused on their dear Penny.

“He has a point,” Darin removed his hood running his hands through is short black and white hair, “Trying to erase a person’s pain is to take away the emoting in it. Though, it isn’t impossible, it’s hard enough as it is, but in Penny’s unstable state… it could kill her.”

“So we’re just gunna let her go insane until she becomes an,” Cris struggled for words, “empty shell!”

“What do you suggest we do?!” Darin looks at Cris.

“Talk to the host! He has control over everything,” Cris points to the house on the other end of the lake, “Make him fix Penny!”

“Oh, yeah like that recluse will do anything,” K-C sneers.

“Hey! He may not be himself,” Darin gets defensive moving towards K-C, “But, that’s my kid there! And I will kick your ass if you speak ill upon him!”

“Darin,” Cris steps between the two men, “There’s no need for you to get angry.”

“How can I not!” Darin growls, “Ya know, this started when you arrived!”

“What?” Cris glares at Darin in shock.

“You came not only months before the drugs started two years ago,” Darin points his finger at Cris, “You started influencing Penny, making her skip out on readings and lessons, causing trouble for all of us!!”

“This is not my fault!” Cris shakes, tears forming in her eyes.

“Yes it is!” Darin pushes her back.

“Darin!” K-C grips his shoulder, causing him to jerk back.

“NO!” Darin’s eyes have grown pitch black, his fangs bared at that new comer, “SHE’S KILLING MY SON!”