Chronicles of the Unknowns: Intervention

Chapter 27

"What?" I asked, not really believing the words that I'd heard.

"Celeste made me kill my own parents. I killed my own parents," he said, looking at me like I was dense.

"Why would she do that?" I asked.

"Because she and evil cunt who only cares about her own self interest," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

"Tell me what happened. From start to finish," I insisted.

So Kyler told me. He told me from the beginning to marched through to the very bitter end, and suddenly I understood why Celeste had brought me here. Why she wanted me to speak to this bitter, angry, hurting teenage boy.

Because as Kyler told me his story, I realized that his anger was misdirected. His parents were humans and had refused to back down. They had caused a lot of issues for Unknowns. His parents had him thrown into one of the research programs and experimented on. And when push came to shoved, they had to be disposed of. They needed to be out of the picture in order for Unknowns to progress. Celeste told him that she would do it, but he dissented. So she told him that he would have to do it, much to his dismay. In the end, Kyler decided if anyone would face his parents it would be him. But deep down, Kyler had loved his parents.

I wrapped my arm around Kyler.

"You know, one of my friends killed my father. He was a very bad person. An alcoholic and verbally and physically abusive toward me. And he handed me over to a doctor that did a lot of the same things you went through. And my friend did what I couldn't ever bring myself to do, because despite everything I loved him with all of my heart."

Kyler leaned into my shoulder and cried.

"I hate her so much," he sobbed.

I held him while his tears flowed. I understood how he felt.

"But I think I hate my parents more. Because despite everything all I wanted was for them to want me. And I hate myself for killing them," his voice cracked.

"It's okay to feel how you feel. You've been through a lot," I said softly.

My eyes drifted back to that wooden board. I saw that list of names and slowly a picture was coming together. I had a feeling Celeste had created this graveyard. And as I looked at the first name, with such a young, young age, I wondered what had happened to little Tommy. What Celeste that had lead to his death.

What had she done on June 23 that led to those mass casualties?

All of a sudden, I wasn't so sure about her anymore. What type of person forces a teenaged boy to make a decision on whether or not he kills his parents?

I felt my resolve about my own values strengthen. Those people in that building could have been like Kyler's parents. We'd taken parents away from their children. Brothers away from their sisters. My conscious would never allow me to force someone's hand like Celeste had done Kyler's.

And yet, in the back of my mind, I understood her thought process. Because one boy's heartbreak, one person's sacrifice, meant life for hundreds of others. It was a price she had been willing to pay. And the fact that she had been willing to pay it made me weary. I'd thought only villains were capable of that type of ruthlessness. But it clearly lived on both sides of the fight.

All I could do was give him a much needed hug. Once he'd let it all out, I decided it was a good time to head back. Then I caught sight of Celeste off in the distance.

"You go ahead. I'll catch up later," I told Kyler. He nodded and left. I ran over to meet Celeste.

"Why?" was all I could muster when I reached her.