The Boy and The Psycho

The End Of Something

2006

Silently, the six of us slowly make our way into the snowy courtyard with our black umbrellas protecting us from the falling snow.

I stand beside Mom as I cry silently to myself. We all gather around Ben's casket and mourn silently.

Pogo and Dad quietly join us under their umbrellas as well.

"Your father is ready to give the eulogy, children," Pogo announces.

"The world is full of injustice. Good people die along with the bad. This cosmic equation will never change unless evil itself is wiped from existence. Thankfully, there are powerful forces pushing back against the wicked and iniquitous, individuals who have the strength to pull together against insurmountable odds to face adversity with unblinking courage, and not to hesitate to sacrifice themselves for another. Unfortunately, none of you are such people."

I scoff to myself as I look down at my shoes.

"Despite years of training and weeks of preparation, you allowed Number Six to die on this mission."

I scoff again but louder, "it wasn't our fault," I shout up at Dad through my tears.

"Excuses? I will not hear them, Number Eight. The Umbrella Academy has failed one of their own, the consequences of which are dire. Hold on to this feeling, children. Let it fester in your hearts... so there is never a next time. Training will be canceled today out of respect for your brother. We resume tomorrow at 6:00 a.m." Dad finishes and walks away followed shortly by Mom and Pogo, leaving us siblings crying silently with the company of each other.

"It wasn't anybody's fault," Vanya sniffles as she looks up at us.

"How would you know, Vanya? You weren't even on the mission," Diego questions as he wraps an arm around my shoulder.

Vanya looks to him and then to me before angrily stomping back into the academy.

"Nice going, asshole," Luther spits.

"What? We were all thinking it," Diego throws his arms up.

"Oh, so you're thinking, Diego? That's a first," Allison sniffles angrily, never making eye contact with Diego.

Diego drops his arms from my shoulder, "screw you!" He shouts before stomping off into the academy.

"Hey! Dad was right. We should've done more. This didn't have to happen," Luther explains to Diego as he and Allison trudge across the snow together into the academy.

I look from my shoes back up to Ben's casket, then up to Klaus, noticing he was still there. I smile slightly at him before blowing a kiss to Ben's casket and making my way back into the academy.

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"...at the time of the assassination. The FBI believes they may have been acting in concert with the alleged shooter, Lee Harvey Oswald. Vanya Hargreeves, wanted in connection with the deaths of several FBI agents inside the federal building at Dealey Plaza. A Cuban exile known only as Diego..."

"Cuban?" Diego asks.

"...who recently escaped from the Holbrook Sanitarium. A bare-knuckle boxer with suspected Mafia ties who fights under the alias "King Kong." Allison Chestnut, a Negro radical responsible for instigating and organizing the recent riots at Stadtler's lunch counter. And finally, Klaus, the controversial cult leader and known tax evader. The FBI is asking the public to be on the lookout for this unidentified boy and girl, who they believe is being held hostage by the suspected terrorist network..."