Run For Your Life

Stanley Stanley

Song: The Bewlay Brothers by David Bowie

May 30

It had only been a day since being reunited, meaning Stanley Barber knows this is a long shot. The boy doesn't care too much as his feet drag behind Bill and his brother. The group is out on their daily walk, which makes this the perfect moment to talk. He'd already let meal time go by, as well as game time, and the other outdoor time. So he has to do this now. Stanley has given Bill time, but he wants time too. This is his brother. Shouldn't he be allowed to get to know him?

The man takes a couple of large strides until catching up. He's stood by the couple in no time, yet Stanley Uris still doesn't seem to notice. Bill, on the other hand, looks to him with an odd glance. Almost as if he's testing the boy to move closer. Stanley Barber, being the man he is, gives no fucks and instead continues to interrupt.

"Hey Stan." He speaks, finally causing the other to look his way.

Stanley Uris smiles, as he does. Despite being an absolute maniac, he's also quite the little angel. "Hi!"

"I was wondering if we could talk? Privately." Barber peeks up, eyes latched with Bill's glaring ones.

"M-Maybe you should-..."

"Yeah of course!" Uris doesn't let Bill finish.

"Stanley." Bill looks at the younger and frowns.

Stanley Uris only smiles, pecks his cheek, and turns to greet the other. "We haven't talked much, huh?"

Barber falls into step, guiding them out of Bill's earshot. "Yeah. We haven't."

"Well I've got some questions." Uris eyes him suspiciously, though Barber isn't sure why.

"I've got some too."

The suspicion goes away in no time. Stanley doesn't have a huge attention span. "Really? Like what? Where did you come from? Are you a clone of me? Wait, no, that wouldn't be possible. We aren't even identical. Do you think we're related? Or you're a figment of my imagination?"

"Uh," Barber laughs, not quite knowing how to respond, "I don't know? I-I think we're related. Maybe I'm wrong, but I just know."

The taller is back to being suspicious. "Oh?"

"I don't want to sound like a freak, but it's like my mind told me." Barber doesn't want to cross any lines, especially since they hardly know one another.

However, he doesn't seem to be crossing any lines. It's almost as if Stanley Uris understands exactly what he means. Perhaps he's reading into something that's not even there. "So you hear the voices too?" He says it so nonchalant.

"Yeah. They told me you were-..."

"Your brother? They told me the same." Uris smiles.

"They said I was your brother too?" Stanley Barber feels as though his smile will never falter again.

The other nods like it's obvious. "Well, yeah. What else would they say?" He waits for a response, but in return only gets a shrug. So he goes on. "But are we brothers or twins? We aren't identical like Bev and Syd. How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"So we are twins. Then why exactly are we named the same thing? Quite odd, right?"

Stanley Barber's eyes seem to look anywhere but him. He knows they should talk and get to know each other, but this is a big part of him. A part he doesn't exactly like to share. However, this is his brother. Don't both deserve an explanation? It's not fair to keep his other half in the dark. Especially when he knows more of the truth.

"Well actually, it's a funny story." Barber starts, throat already drying. Uris nods, wanting him to continue. "I was adopted."

"Really? I wasn't." Stanley looks ahead, not thinking too much on it. But then he stops, lips turning down. The boy huffs while crossing both arms. "Well maybe I was. What does that have to do with anything, though?"

"Well my name wasn't always Stanley. As I grew older, I for some reason deeply connected with the name. So I chose it for myself." His self esteem plummets.

Stanley Uris scrunches his nose. "How is that even possible?"

"The voices. They were always talking about Stanley this and Stanley that-..."

"Woah, really? That's crazy because my voices always went on and on about someone named Stacy." Stanley Uris interrupts.

Barber goes dead quiet at the name, chest beginning to contort and tighten. Is he breathing? Is this what it's like to be paralyzed? Luckily Stanley Uris doesn't seem to notice and instead continues on. "Anyways, I have no idea who that is. I don't think I've ever met a Stacy. Sorry, I'm getting off track. What was your name?"

It's now that Uris realizes Barber is no longer by his side, making him turn and search. The other is a few steps back, frozen in place and visibly sweating. At first he thinks he's done something wrong, but then Barber looks up with an awkward smile. "Stacy." The boy answers so simply, feeling like his heart might explode.

"What about it?" Uris doesn't seem to catch on.

Stanley Barber gives a chuckle. "My name."

"Huh? What was it?" The boy really is dense.

Barber can't believe this buffoon. "My name was Stacy."

It takes a moment for the other to finally realize. There was a lot of hums and mumbling before his eyes go wide, seeming to understand. "What a horrible name for your son."

"No, wait-..."

Stanley Uris only smiles, reeling his brother in for a hug. "No, I know. But I still stand by that." They pull away after a bit, both smiling. Uris looks at the other up and down before giving a slight nod. "Stanley, huh? Suits you."

Barber only shrugs. "I don't know. Now that we've met and talked, I'm thinking it may not suit me after all."

"Well Stanley or whatever name, you're still my brother. And it's nice to finally chat." The boy smiles sheepishly, giving his brother one last hug before parading back to Bill, who hadn't taken his eyes off the two.

Stanley Barber lets out an enormous sigh of relief. Life is strange, but at least he's found a family in all the chaos. After all, what's life without that?