North, East, West & South

Chapter Nineteen: Love Triangle

The living room was a mess. Broken bottles and empty bottles of liquor were everywhere so as used condoms. Todd dropped out of school to get a job to take care of his mum but she didn't care, she continued her hooker business and slept with men of various calibers both at their place of choice and her apartment even when Todd was around.

"I don't get you at all."

"What don't you get?" Todd replied while his mum took another puff of weed. They were in an apartment they both shared together. It was a crappy apartment. It had blood and food stains on the carpet, floors and walls. Todd never knew his father because his mother had an orgy while she was high on crack and had no idea who gave her the boy. She had always been an addict and a shitty mum but Todd stuck by her she made the decision not to abort him and did her best to raise him. Her parents disowned her and she was left on the streets. She sold drugs and even sold her body both for money and pleasure though she would've happily done it for pleasure alone but despite her addiction she still had Todd in mind. She named him after the only boy she ever loved but felt she didn't deserve him, she still feels she didn't deserve a son like him but doesn't let him know how grateful she was that he came into her life. Todd never knew if she really cared for him but he somehow felt it and trusted his guts and in the connection they both had.

"That girl, what's her name... Ummm... Rachel, she's not right for you." His mum said lying comfortably on the worn out sofa smoking weed.

"We've been over this mum, I like her and there's nothing wrong with her." Todd replied.

"She looks weird and she gives out negative energy. Trust me when I say I know what's right for you." She said.

"Yeah right, you think she looks weird? Have you looked in the mirror lately?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't think you're the person to tell me what's right for me or for anyone when..."

"When what? Go on say it!" She barked, got up and threw a bottle of whisky that was half empty at him but missed. It hit the wall and added to the stains and stench of alcohol in the apartment.

"You know nothing! You don't know what's right for you. You got pregnant and have no idea you even had sex talk more of who you did it with!!" He barked back.

"You little piece of shit! I should've aborted you when I had the chance." She said to his face and went into the bathroom.

"Well I wish you did, that way I don't have to go through this bullshit!" He yelled, took his backpack and left the apartment slamming the door hard so she would know he was angry. She fell on the bathroom floor and bursts out in tears. She turned on the shower and laid on the floor with her clothes on, popped a few pink pills into her mouth and swallowed them. In a few minutes fell unconscious.

"Umm, I'm Todd. I don't have a tragic back story like you guys; I'm an ordinary guy who still leaves with his mum." He said clearing the awkward atmosphere Rachel and Kavax created after snapping out of his flashback.

"So how did you know Rachel?" Neha asked.

"Well she was busy fighting a lunatic who called himself the fisherman. He could get into people's mind and fuck it up making them do crazy shits. Her teammates were already affected and she was the only one left to fight him. I was nearby and well my life sucked and I didn't care much so I went to help out." Todd said.

"The fisherman got into his head and made him fight me." Rachel said while laughing and everyone laughs along except for Kavax who smiled a little. He couldn't help it but feel a little bit jealous. Todd has known Rachel for a very long time and they only got together due to the situation at hand.

"Why did he have to show himself now?" He yelled loudly in his mind.

"Anyways I got pissed off after trying my best not to hurt him I flung him into a wall and he fell unconscious for a while and the mind control wore off." Rachel said.

"I later woke. My head was hurting and bleeding and then I saw the black stuffs come out of her. I think the fisherman tried to enter her mind but went mad. She turned to me with the goo and her red eyes. The goo attached to me and slowly healed me."

"He wasn't even scared when he saw me. He was the first person that saw me like that and was still okay with it. Anyways after that we hung out and got to know each other." Rachel said. They started telling jokes and teasing each other and were busy loving it that they had no idea Neha and Tyler were gone. They snuck away up the hills. Kavax went to hunt for fishes in the river near their campsite while Rachel and Todd were left at the camp site. Rachel was looking at Kavax while lost in thought.

"Rachel, I have to tell you something, Rachel!" Todd called her back to reality. "I don't know if you ever noticed though I try to show you. I feel very strongly about you, I..."

"Todd, I can't..."

"Let me finish first." He cut in, "I love you Rachel but I know you'll never feel the same way about me. You're drawn to intensity I get that." He looked at Kavax who failed over and over again in catching any fish. He took off the cloak and turned into the beast. "I just want to tell you..." He held her hands, "I'm ok being your friend." Kavax turned to see them holding hands and later on they embraced each other. The beast was hurt but he tried to shrug it off. Tears ran down his furry face but he focused on catching the fish while failing at holding back his tears.

"Hey, how you doing?" Kavax turned around again to see Todd next to him. Rachel was alone at the camp site.

"I'm good." He replied staring at Rachel.

"Isn't she amazing?" Todd asked staring at her too.

"She's a good one, take good care of her." Kavax said wiping the tears off.

"I love her but I don't really need to do that." Kavax was confused. "We're just good friends. She likes you." Todd said to him with a smile on his face though his eyes were watery with tears.

"Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine. You have to take good care of her. She's too special for anyone." Todd said wiping away the tears before they fell.

"I don't deserve her. It'll all end when we find our way out of here but in the brief time we'll be together I'll love her and keep her happy. I promise." Kavax promised him.

"What a weird love triangle. We both don't feel worthy of her." They both laugh with tears in their eyes. One was happy the other was in pain but still smiled. Todd wanted to just vanish but he knew he still had a responsibility. His mum, she must be waiting for him. For her sake he had to get back. There's a lot of things they never told each other and being trapped their made him realize he should've told her sooner.

"I hope you're ready." A voice whispered into Rachel's ears, she sprung to her feet. Her eyes wide open like she was expecting something big to happen. She was alert.

"What's wrong Rachel?" Todd asked running to her followed by Kavax after seeing her acting all weird. The ground suddenly burst open and huge cracks ran through the whole dimension. Trigon rose out of the abyss with an orb in his hands and a sinister smile on his face

"What the...?"

"Is that your dad?" Todd asked as fear swallowed him whole.

"Yup, that's my sweet daddy."