Masters's Son

One

I walk back from school, the long trek back relaxing to me. My mind has been on overdrive since Jazz left for college.

I get home to my parents in the basement again, messing with whatever they've decided to ignore me completely with. My sister, Jazz, has always been more successful and smarter than me. Otherwise known as the favorite. I'm currently failing math and not doing so hot in Science either. I'm that kind of kid.

A loser. A wimp. Completely useless to society. No friends either. I'm not sure why I was put into the world. After I was born, I was always close to my mom. But as I got older, that changed. She became just as distant as dad. At first it made me sad, still does, but it got better once Jazz started to care for me in their stead. She took care of me.

But happiness never lasts long for me. Ever.

She became more busy, joined clubs, getting involved with different school activities. I'm proud of her, truly I am. I'm just sad she had to go. In a way, like mom did. She's in a college really far away from here. So even on holidays, I don't know if I'll be able to see her.

I walk into my room that's on the upstairs floor. I can never focus on one thing for too long. Example: my homework. I set my bag beside my computer desk and flop onto my bed. School is terrible.

A bang comes from downstairs, the familiar, but extremely rare, sound of my parents walking out of their lab. The sound of their feet come up the stairs. They get to the front of my closed bedroom door.

Visiting already? But it's so soon. Note the sarcasm.

One of them knocks thrice. Most likely my birth giver. But dad is something else. He chimes in faster than you can say ghost! He barges through the door and smiles at me like someone would at a friend in the lunchroom. We are so not friends, heck, we're hardly family.

"Guess what Danny-boy?!" He booms.

I couldn't give a fuck.

I hum an answer, or more of a 'what?' than anything. The sooner he tells me, the sooner they leave. I'd rather not see either of them at all.

They practically bounce with excitement. "Come on sweetie." My birth giver says and pulls me up. They rush back to the basement floor but I take my time down both flights of stairs.

Once I reach the basement floor they're off the walls. I walk over to my excited biological 'parents.' "Look honey, we finally did it. We built the portal to the Ghostzone!" My birth giver says with a wide smile.

I don't care about your stupid portal! I doubt they even remember how old I am.

Even if I'm angry with them, the only way I'm getting out of this as soon as possible, is to be nice. I can get through this, it's fine.

I give a small nod. "Me and your father wanted you to be the first to see since Jazz is away," ah, so that's why. It would've been her in my place if she weren't away. "Watch this." Father picks up a cord with a plug and another with an outlet.

"3, 2, 1..." nothing but a spark went off.

How exciting.

They look so disappointed. If I actually cared, I would've felt bad for them. "Maybe you're missing something?" I suggest.

I don't care for it—for them—but I just want to leave.

"Yes, you're probably right. Dear, let's go to the store to get a few parts. Maybe we're missing a spring?" She pats the large man on his back. He gives a firm nod and a new look of determination replaces his sadness. Yay, good for him. Okay, Imma leave now.

"Well, bye Danny-boy! Watch the portal for us!" or I can stay here because my neglectful parents want me to watch an immobile machine that kept my parents from ever seeing their children that is located in the basement.

That's cool too, it's not like I wasn't about to try to do my homework for once anyway.

They're out of the lab in a flash. I'm alone again. I could just leave. Eh, screw it. I'm going in.

Maybe I should put on a hazmat suit, just because. I may not care entirely about my worthless life, but for now, yes. I want to die over something I can control, not by one of my 'parents' stupid inventions.

Once the hazmat suit is on, I walk into the giant, circular portal-thing. It's neat if you're into this kinda stuff but personally I'd like something less sciencey and more astronomic. I've always been fascinated with the stars, not that they would know that.

There's a lot of cords and wires running in and out of the portal. Thick and thin, on the floor and walls. What sort of insane person would you have to be to think a normal house could generate this much power all at once? Oh yeah, my parents.

Me being the clumsy piece of crap I am, I trip over a cord along the ground of the portal's inside. At first, it's fine. Just another bruise to the list of many. Add that with a minor sprain and I'm fine. I stand with a little help from the wall and lean into it for some support. I was never here, I should change out of this suit and pretend I fell while going back upstairs. Would they even care if I get hurt?

I hear the portal begin to whirr as it starts to come to life again. My eyes widen at the sound and I gasp, turning to the back of the machine.

A green mass glows a few feet from me in the center of the wall.

Chills go through me as panic drops to my stomach. A deafening boom goes off and shocks run through me. In a matter of seconds I'm electrocuted and I scream. It's excruciating. No one should feel a pain like this.

Never.