𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗺&𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲

Red-eyed Robots, Pt 2

Once we get to the park a few blocks ahead, Everett reveals his walkie-talkie and contacts his friend.

"Hey, J-Hacker, you there?"

Silence crackles on the other end, then:

"Yeah, I'm here E-Dog. Whatcha' got for me?"

"Unfortunately, Vee's grandparents have been turned. I need you to meet me at that park near Dingy Joes."

"Aww, Dingy Joes? That place is great, I'm really hungry now."

"J-Hacker, focus!"

"Right, right, food later, save the world now. I'll be there in ten."

Everett hooks his walkie-talkie onto the waistband of his trousers.

"E-Dog?" I question with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah. It's a cool name, I like it."

"Of course you do." I sigh. "So anyway, what do we do now?"

"We wait. When J-Hacker gets here, we can think of a plan to save your grandparents."

"No." I blurt.

"No? Don't you want your grandparents to be saved?"

"No," I repeat. "I-I mean, I do. But there is no need. My grandparents are fine."

Everett looks at me strangely and sighs. "Look, I know you're scared, but I'll help you an—"

"No. I'm not scared. I'm perfectly fine. This is all fake. My grandparents are fine and haven't been abducted or anything. I'm going home." I say defiantly and turn to walk off.

Everett grabs my arm and yanks me back. "You aren't going anywhere." He says darkly. "I know you're scared, Violetta. But this isn't the time to be denial. I will help you, but you have to stay strong."

"O-OK." I stutter, tears brimming the edges of my eyes.

I desperately pray in my head to wake up from this nightmare, hoping everything can go back to normal. Maybe if I say it enough times in my head, I can convince myself nothing has changed.

"Good." Everett says, still eyeing me closely as he releases my arm and leans back on the slippery dip.

Soon, J-Hacker comes running towards us. He's puffing and panting, lifting his purple circled glasses as he wipes at his eyes. He's wearing a striped t-shirt with denim overalls and sports these weird-looking sandals. His light brown hair almost looks golden in the sunlight and is tied back in a manbun. There's no other word to describe him but as a teen hippie.

"Sorry... I got here... As fast as I could." He breathes out.

When he catches sight of me sitting at the top of the slide, he straightens up and fixes his glasses on the tip of his nose.

"Well, hello there, pretty lady. And who might you be?" J-Hacker inquires in a deep, flirtatious voice.

Everett whacks him upside the head. "Her name is Violetta."

"Oh," mumbles J-Hacker in realisation. "Hey, pretty lady, I'm sorry about your grandparents, that was just slack of those stupid robots to possess such a beautiful young lady's guardians like that."

"Umm, thank you?" I say nervously.

Everett glowers at his friend while J-Hacker responds with a look that's supposed to be innocent, but merely gives him that constipated toad expression.

"Anyway," Everett says, "do you have any plans?"

"Actually, I do. I was thinking of using Vee as bait. So while she has the robots distracted, we will have two buckets filled of water and we'll pour it down on them from a high, hidden vantage point. Your alien mum didn't like the water you accidentally spilt, and you said she went berserk because of it, so I'm guessing water must do some nasty damage. Huh, what do you think?" J-Hacker grins like he's a genius and just figured out a plan for world peace.