The Battle Within

What Others Don't Know

Tails finished the book and set it down. He cried and slammed his fists on the coffee table. "No one understands...." He said to himself. He got ready. It was that time of day. The knock came on the door. He hesitated. He knew he had to open the door. If not they would get him some other way and hurt him or worse...Sonic. Tails opened the door. That same Blue Robot. "Hello...Tails." It said mechanically. Tails froze. Shivers were sent down his spine. "What do you want!?" Tails said frightened. The blue hedgehog-like robot pushed the fox down roughly. "You know what I want Tails, No tricks this time. The last invention you gave Egghead almost cost me an arm and a leg." Tails shook his head. "Why would I give it to you!?" He yelled. Tails felt something metal connect with his side. He moaned as he was flipped over. "Give me a new invention." It said roughly. Tails let the tears fall. He felt the metal hit his back scraping down his flesh and fur. He sobbed. The pain all too familiar. Again...Again...and yet Again the metal hit his back. The robot snarled. "I'll be back in a week. If there is no new technological invention for me to present back to headquarters then ill make sure you talk...even if it costs you an arm or leg.....maybe...even a tail." The blue robot snickered and left. The door still swung wide open. The sun shining down on the fox's back. The blood glistened in the sun like diamonds. Each drop shed from the excruciating pain the fox had revived. It had been going on for a long time now. Tails tried to get up but fell back on his face. Tears became pools underneath him, which began to color pink...then a red. The blood dripped onto the floor. Each drop a splatter of endless forgotten hope and pain. Tails lifted an arm up the pain starting to become numb. He hoisted himself up. He touched his back gently and winced from the pain. He wiped his face and made his way to the bathroom. Each effort of limping becoming far too often. He closed the door behind him. He looked at himself in the mirror. A broken mess. He wanted out of this. He needed a way out. He looked into the mirror. The mirror behind him revealed the red divots, like little rivers of red. He pulled out the cotton swabs and slowly worked the scratches till nothing but the red marks were left. Blood had stopped. He hated the last parts of this common process. He took the rubbing alcohol and dabbed it in each wound he groaned from pain. The tears beginning to fall once more. He put all the used supplies in a bag and tied it off. He carried it into the bedroom where his clothes laid. He grabbed a shirt. He tried to slip it on slowly but no matter which way he did it he always ended up with pain. He closed his eyes as the shirt made its way over the wounds. Covering them like grass covering the dirt. No one would know what happened. That's how it was. No one could know or they were in danger of the same unethical torture. Tails picked the bag stained red and took it outside. He walked as straight as possible but the same pain always followed in his footsteps. It never left him, always clung to him. "Hey, Tails! How has your day been?" His friend from down the street said smiling. Tails managed a smile. "Oh hey Cream, uh nothing much, just the usual; clean the house, take out the trash, do the dishes...." Cream could see the red-stained bag. She looked concerningly at the fox. "What's that Tails?" She said pointing. Tails quickly put it behind his back. "What?" He said nervously. She shook her head. "Somethings been going on with you Tails, and I'm determined to figure out what. You haven't been the same for a while now." Tails opened the trash can and threw the bad in it. All evidence if the situation being erased. "Trust be Cream." Tails said closing the trashcan and walking back towards the house. "You don't want to know." He closed the door and looked around. He walked over to the counter and began washing the dishes.

Cream stared at the fox as he shut the door. She couldn't figure out what the fox was hiding, it was he just changing in a way she didn't understand. She went over to the trash can and looked inside. She pulled the bag out and looked at it. Something was going on. Something big, and she knew it. She set the bag back into the trash. She would figure this out. Once and for all.