Chapter 27
WHAT SARAH SAID
But I'm thinking of what Sarah said
That love is watching someone die
So who's gonna watch you die?
So who's gonna watch you die?
So who's gonna watch you die?
- Death Cab for Cutie
I
The lights in the hotel lobby kept flickering on and off. A stain on the wall dripped towards the floor, never quite reaching the bottom as it dried before reaching the end. Seth stared at this spot, his gaze locked on it as the night sky persisted and then gave way to the inevitable sunrise. A few pedestrians came and went, ignoring Seth's blood-soaked hands with cracked knuckles begging to scab over. He kept staring at the stain, finding solace in this fixation, a temporary respite from the relentless screams of Sarah, her voice morphing into all the mortal wounds he had caused, each flicker of the light illuminating her unrelenting presence.
“Seth,” he heard his name, but it seemed distant. Vulpix, on his lap, perked up to greet the stranger. To Seth, whoever this person was felt unimportant. What mattered was witnessing this stain overcome the impossible, if only to prove that it could.
“Seth,” a hand jerked his shoulder, but he didn't want to feel it, didn't want to leave this spot, waiting for that impossibility to occur.
“Seth,” a hand gripped his chin, forcing him to look into Emily's stern face. His expression was blank except for the splatters of blood that seemed to have randomly marked his face. “Put your fucking hands in your pockets and go upstairs to shower. You will not show him this, do you understand me?”
“Where is he?” Seth asked, his voice still distant.
“Hopefully still asleep. I came down to ask the front desk if they had seen you. Now, let's go.” Seth staggered up the staircase to Room 409, the chants of Sarah following him as Emily guided him on and into the room. The sunlight bathed Erin, who was asleep in one of the beds, his feet up on the headboard, and one arm bent in such an unnatural way that Seth couldn't even fathom how he could sleep like that. The voice of Sarah began to fade as the oddity of his son's sleeping posture allowed a slight chuckle to escape Seth's lips.
“He hit me three times last night,” Emily said, obviously hearing the amusement in his breath.
“I've got it from here. Thank you, Emily.” He closed the door, separating them, and proceeded to remove his blood-soaked clothes. Seth untied his shoes, noticing blood splatters all over them. He let the water rush over the shoes in the sink, creating a faint pink waterfall in the basin before it swirled down the drain. It wasn't perfect, but it was as clean as he could get them. He placed the canvas shoes on the floor by the door.
The water continued to rush over Seth as he attempted to clean himself. The cut knuckles on his hands reopened, and the filth and grime seemed to stick to his body, refusing to yield to the cleansing water and soap. After half an hour, he finally gave up, donned fresh clothes, and walked out of the bathroom to find Erin bouncing from one bed to another with an uncanny burst of energy.
“Daddy, Daddy, Daddy! Are we going to take on Lt. Surge today? There's no way we could lose with them!” Erin blurted out, his excitement palpable.
“We?” Seth responded, not really wanting to take Erin. They had been lucky with Koga, but he didn't want to push their luck.
“Yeah, we! I won the last badge, so I'm going to win this one too!” Erin responded loudly and determined.
"Erin, I was thinking of going alone today." Seth said, avoiding eye contact with Erin, hoping not to get drawn into his son's wishes.
“No!” Erin answered sharply and passionately, pointing his finger down as if asserting his authority. “You’re taking me right now!”
“Erin, I just—”
“It should be fun, and I need to catch up on sleep because of this one. It'll be fine,” Emily cut in.
Seth looked back at Erin, who was nearly on the verge of a temper tantrum. “Fine, give Emily a hug, and let's go.”
“Yay! Bye, Emily,” Erin said, giving her a kiss on her freckled cheek. “I'm gonna win!”
“Good luck!” Emily yelled out as she flopped onto the bed when the door closed.
II
The sky was gray as I walked toward Vermillion City with my dad. I hated rain and storms. They were bad guys. I looked up at my dad, who kept looking forward toward the giant wall around the city. I didn't know why, but he kept looking straight and never looked down at me anymore. I think he's mad at me. I miss him smiling. He always smiled around Mommy, but ever since we left home, he just seems sad and doesn't play with me anymore.
A giant rock wall rose up at the side of the road as we passed the last house in the town. It was perfect and so tall that climbing it would make me even taller than Dad.
"Be careful," Dad said as I climbed the rock wall in no time at all. It was beautiful up here. Is this how Dad and Emily see all the time? There's so much to look at. The boring houses with cracked windows or big boards for doors fell behind us, and Vulpix was walking below me, constantly looking up. That's it! I can finally get the best of her from up here. In a flash, I was flying through the air, and boom! Darn it, missed again.
"I will get you, Vulpix!" I said, running after her golden tails as she hurried up to get away from my quick movements. I looked up, and the wall was even bigger. It was like the giant mountains we saw when that big electric Pokémon, what did Dad call it? "Hey Dad, what was that big Pokémon who was shooting lightning at us called?"
"Zapdos," he said again, still looking straight. Does he know I am down here?
"Oh, that's right!" I said, trying to draw his attention down here. But I can't stop thinking about how excited I am to take on Lt. Surge. Daddy said he uses an electric type, so I definitely need to bring Torterra. I wonder if Dad will let me use Rhydon.
"Hey Daddy, can I use Rhydon?" I asked pleasantly, pulling his arm wildly hoping to get him to smile just once.
"Maybe, we'll see when we get there," Daddy said, passing me a small glance.
"You're gonna be so happy, Dad. He is gonna bring out all his Pokémon, and I will be like Torterra, use Earthquake, and they will shake and fall down, and I will win!" I said to him, looking up. His beard is getting longer. I always hated that it itches me when he gives me a kiss. He laughed loudly at this, which made me smile more, and I spent the rest of the time to Vermillion trying to outspeed Vulpix, which I totally did a couple of times.
"Alright, buddy, I need to hold my hand here," Daddy said, reaching his hand out. He had giant cuts on his hand that seemed to be bleeding. I reached out but only gripped his fingers; I didn't want to touch Daddy's hand; it seemed like it hurt.
A big man in black with a giant R on his chest came walking towards us and asked for, "Identification," which Daddy handed him. I think it was a bunch of papers. I could have just told him I was Erin; why hand him papers? After he walked away, Daddy kept looking around at everyone other than me. His head kept scanning everything, but he just wouldn't look down at me. I saw him begin to tap his foot, so I tried to as well, but man, Dad can tap fast; I keep messing up.
"Daddy, can we go yet?" I asked, but he didn't answer. He just kept tapping his foot and looking up at everyone, who was looking at us as well. I thought I saw an Abra, which I always thought was really cool, but I guess I was wrong, as it was gone after I blinked or something.
The man walked back to us, smiling and showing us all his teeth. I didn't like this smile; it seemed scary, like he was trying to show us every tooth in his head, which quite frankly he should keep to himself because every tooth was very much not in his head.
"Thank you!" The man in black said very nicely. I guess I was wrong; he is a nice guy. "Enjoy your stay."
We walked past the giant walls, and the city seemed happy. Everyone had cool Pokémon that they were walking around with, and we began walking under the big buildings, and I heard the ocean. I loved the ocean when we were walking here. It was so warm and fun to play in with Vaporeon.
Daddy still wasn't looking at me but kept looking at everyone else, like he was trying to examine everyone really closely.
"Daddy, can we-"
"Erin, I think we should come back to face Lt. Surge another time. Let's go." Daddy picked me up, and I started to kick my legs.
"No! I want to face him today." Why couldn't we face him today? Daddy turned around, and there were two guys dressed in black like the nice guy at the wall. One even had a Scolipede, which was super cool. I loved their purple-red bodies. Daddy turned around, and my heart got happy again. Maybe we were facing Lt. Surge. He began walking faster; he must really want to battle him.
Another pair of guys in black stood in front of us, and Daddy began looking everywhere. His chest was beating really hard, and he kept breathing really loudly. He turned to the right and started walking between two buildings on this really small brick street. He was practically running now. I looked on the brick road and saw an interesting shadow dance in the sunlight with a circle playing on it. As I looked up, a giant web and Ariados were connecting the building, peering at us. When we got halfway down the street, under the web, two more guys in black came at the end. I looked behind dad, and the four guys in black now were walking up the alley behind us.
"Daddy, maybe they need help." He looked at me when I asked him this, but he didn't give an answer; he looked scared. Red light emerged on either side of the alley for me, and a bunch of Pokémon emerged from it. Electabuzz, Seviper and Seismitoad at the entrance we were running to, and a Bisharp, Scolipede, Combusken, at the end we came from.
"Oh, Dad, they want to battle. Don't worry, Dad, I got this. Let me see Noivern." My dad's hand drifted toward his belt until a booming voice came from the two guys in front of them.
"Seth Conklin! Don't even think about releasing a single Pokémon! That pathetic Vulpix needs to be put away immediately as well. Failure to comply will result in us attacking at once." Dad bit his lips, and his face seemed drained of color as they began walking even closer to us. Vulpix was growling loudly at them, with bursts of flames jetting from her mouth.
"Vulpix won't return," Dad said loudly, which wasn't a lie; Vulpix hated the Pokéball.
"Then one of my men will restrain her, don't resist, or we will kill the boy immediately!" the man said. Kill the boy? Why is he being mean all of a sudden? We can battle him if he wants; it's not a problem. I love battling!
A larger man walked over; flames were flickering out of Vulpix's mouth when he placed a boot on her head, squashing her to the ground.
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"Hey, Vulpix doesn't like that; stop," I cried. "Daddy, make them stop." Vulpix was wriggling relentlessly on the ground, growling and hissing loudly.
"Now with that out of the way," The older man with short blond hair said. "You are charged with the murder of Butch Miller. Is that him?" He looked behind him at an even taller man with long black hair and an even longer face, next to a really big Seismitoad. Dad was staring at the man with his mouth agape; it seemed like he knew this man but wasn't happy about seeing him.
"Yeah, that's him," the black haired man said quietly.
"Well then, Mr. Conklin, my name is Carr Evans, it seems we have a situation here."
"Let me take my son home, and you can do whatever you want with me." My dad said, but the worry in his eyes was scaring me. I don't want Dad to go with these men.
"You're in no place to be making demands. Throw your belt to the side, and if I even see a flicker of light-"
"You will kill us," Dad said, cutting him off. "Erin, stay right by me and hold me the whole time." He put me down on the ground and took off his belt. The shadowy sphere with four appendages moved above us, but I was too scared to look up and see how close it was. Daddy was shaking badly as he fumbled with the buckle a bunch and hesitated before tossing the belt.
"Please just let me get my son home. After that, I will do whatever you want." Dad begged him again.
"Daddy, I want to go home, let's go," I tugged at Daddy's jeans, but he wouldn't budge. "Come on." Laughter surrounded us, as if they were making fun of me. "Come on, Dad."
"Cute, that you think you're leaving. No, son, you will be staying here with us. Your daddy did something bad, and now payment has to be made," The man named Carr yelled out to me which made the laughter of his friends louder.
"Here, take my money," Daddy said, throwing a black wallet at them. It hit the ground, sliding with a shining red 'R' looking up at the Team Rocket grunts. For a second, I saw that shadow move to follow the wallet, and then each sticking out moved slowly, situating the large circle over us again.
The guy in black named Carr kicked the wallet to the side. "No, Mr. Conklin, we will not be needing money from you today. Grab the boy."
"You stay the fuck away from him!" Daddy roared out, picking me up again so tightly that it began to hurt.
A Team Rocket grunt came from behind us, and I was flung with dads body as one of his fists drove into the man's face. Two other men in black swarmed us, grabbing my arm so tightly it felt as if they were trying to pull it off of me.
"Daddy, no!" I gripped my father so hard around the neck, clawing, digging my nails into him, doing anything for them not to take me.
"You bastards," my dad yelled out again, gripping me. I didn't know whose hand was whose, but I saw the anger and fear in my dad's eyes as he stared into mine. My fingers finally gave way, and I slammed on the ground. I couldn't talk or breathe; it was as if all the air had been pushed out of me.
"Give him back!" He was slammed to the ground too, and I saw blood start to trickle out of his nose.
"Let go of me!" I finally yelled out, the air filling my lungs again. His weight was so heavy, and something was digging into my back, causing me so much pain. "Please." I couldn't help it; I wanted to be strong, but tears started to flood down my face. "Please let go of me," I sobbed. But he just dug in harder into my back.
For a split second, I saw Vulpix's eyes flicker white, and then I looked at my dad. He was pushing up on two men, attempting to force him down to the ground. "Let him go!" he roared out, and then the bottom of a boot collided with his face, crashing his body to the ground hard.
Carr hunched down towards dad with a mean smile on his face. "Mr. Conklin, a price has to be paid, a life for a life." I saw Seviper inch closer to him, purple liquid falling off its fangs, staring at dad.
"And I already told you. Take me, just let my son go!" The hair started to rise on the back of my neck as Electabuzz drifted closer to me. And the shadow above me was getting clearer as what looked like a whole other circle attached to the bigger circle. A clicking sound was heard and getting constantly louder.
"That's not how this works, Mr. Conklin. You do not get to pick whose life. Poor Darren here loved Butch, and you took that from him. So now he gets to decide which one of you gets to pay." The group laughed even louder at this as the tall black-haired man stepped closer to me.
"Please just kill me, Please, Don't hurt him." Daddy was begging, tears falling freely from his face as he squirmed, still with two men pressing on each arm. But Daddy can't die; I need him. We have to fight Lt. Surge. Why would they do that?
The man named Darren walked in front of me showing me only his back and blocking Dad's face. Then with the loudest intensity I have ever seen him, he screamed, "No! You bitch, face me. NO! Kill me!" The shadow above me was even clearer now, and the clicking was practically in my ear. A giant yellow and purple leg struck down inches from my eye.
"Daddy!" I screamed. I just want to go home, please. And out of nowhere, I felt a pinch on the back of my neck, and it felt as if someone poured fire into my skin.
"Erin, Erin! No!" Daddy was screaming, but all I could say was "ow" over and over again. It hurt so much, please someone help, why are you all laughing? Help. Light flickered again, but stronger this time, with a ball of red flames engulfing Vulpix and the boot that held it down. As the ball of fire grew, blue flames washed over the red.
"Erin, look at me!" I heard Dad yelling at me and crawling towards me, but the pain was finally getting better. He finally got to me, it was nice to feel him again. Daddy was looking at me, it was hard not to smile.
"I’m fine, Daddy." The pain really was gone, but my-
III
Ninetales’ grey body emerged from the blue flames. The Team Rocket member's head, whose boot had been pressed against her skull, now lay clenched in her teeth, his spinal cord waving wildly with each of her violent movements. Dropping the man's head, her grey tails with blue tips waved erratically as more blue flames erupted from her mouth, engulfing the men who had been holding Seth down, causing them to scream in a fiery inferno. The intense heat washed over Seth as the scent of burning flesh with the chorus of screams flooded around him. But that didn't matter to him. The weight pressing down on him was gone, and he scrambled, releasing Primeape's Pokeball before crawling on his hands and knees to his son.
In a flash, Ninetales headbutted Ariados off of Erin, smashing it into the building wall. Her tails slammed against the shocked man who had been holding Erin down, knocking him to the floor next to her. In almost an instant movement, she bit him clean in half, his blood dripping off her muzzle.
"Erin, look at me!" he said as he began to pick up his son. The two bite marks were already extremely swollen, and a black ooze was freely oozing from them.
"I’m fine, Daddy," Erin said, smiling a little and showing off his dimples, and then his body fell limp.
“No, no, no, no, no, no.” Seth repeated, laying his son down and putting his ear to his chest, hearing no heartbeat or feeling any rise. “Come on, buddy, don't do this.” He put all his weight on Erin, attempting CPR, something, anything. “You're okay, just keep smiling, Erin.” More blue flames poured from Ninetales, washing over the alley, engulfing Carr Evans, Darren, Ariados, Scolipede, Bisharp, and Combusken in flames as it erupted onto the street.
Electabuzz, Seismitoad, and Seviper were gaining on her, but a fist grabbed Electabuzz. Before any electricity could exude from it, Primeape's fist was already buried in its chest and its body fell limp. Seviper went in to bite Primeape, but Primeape grabbed its neck just below its skull and, in one single motion, tore the flesh and skin from its bone, flinging its parts to the side. A scream roared out of Primeape as he ran towards Seismitoad, it's fist jolting out to counter Primeape's advance. It was useless; Primeape easily avoided it, and his own fist slammed into Seismitoad's face, who was then catapulted into the brick wall. Primeape then grabbed Seismitoad's red left eye and pulled it out of its socket before repeatedly smashing his fist into what was now a mass of unidentified flesh and water.
Twenty more presses, and he breathed deeply into his son's mouth, trying anything to bring him back. “Come on, you said you were going to kick Lt. Surge’s butt. I need you, Erin, please.” Twenty more presses down and another breath into his lifeless son. “Don't do this to me. Erin, come on!” Seth was now screaming loudly, desperately hoping to see the bundle of joy reanimate and bring life to this dark alley.
“Erin! Listen to me!” Seth yelled out. He pushed twenty more times; he heard Ninetales growl loudly at something, but Seth didn't care who it was. He was bringing back his son.
“I am here to help,” a deep voice said to the side of him, but Seth couldn't dare take his eyes away from his son's face. Was it getting paler? He gave him another breath, but still, there was nothing, just his still form, not even his usually curly, wavy black hair seemed to animate.
Ninetales' growls were silenced as a firm hand, draped in black leather, gripped Seth’s shoulder. “I have a place; follow me.”
“No! I need to bring him back!” He yelled at the stranger, still pushing hard on Erin’s chest; seven, eight, nine.
“They are going to be all over this area in the next minute or so. Bring the boy and follow me.” Seth looked up to see a tall, blond, spiky-haired man; his eyes had crow's feet marking his age. He had seen this man once before when his father left him for the war.
“Let’s go, Mr. Conklin. To my gym.” He got up and grabbed Seth’s pokéball belt as Seth carefully lifted up his small child. Erin’s arms dangled in the wind as his father carried him, running across the street and towards the giant building his son had so desperately wanted to go to, to prove to his father how great a trainer he was becoming.
He would wake up once they're there. There will be an antidote, something. He is gonna be fine. Seth held him closer as Ninetales and Primeape ran next to him, each with one eye on Erin's still form in his father's arms.
IV
The lights flicked on as Lt. Surge opened the door and hit the switch next to him. A large room with bright red carpet unfurled before him as Seth walked the distance, swiped everything off his desk, papers fluttering around to the ground as he laid Erin softly on the desk.
"Where is the antidote, hurry," Seth demanded, not daring to take his eyes away from Erin. His chest still wasn't rising, but it's okay; he is just weak. As soon as he gets the serum, Erin would be his bright, happy self.
"Antidote?" Lt. Surge asked, picking the papers off the floor without protest.
"The fucking antidote. You said you were here to help!" Seth yelled, looking down at his monstrous frame.
Lt. Surge stood up towering over Seth and began walking to the door. The only sound echoing in the large room was his heavy footsteps and Primeape and Ninetales' labored breathing. "I will give you some time," he said before closing the door behind him.
"Nooooooo!" Seth picked up a picture frame from his desk and flung it as hard as he could against the wall. The wooden frame splintered immediately, and glass shards ripped the picture of Lt. Surge on the docks, smiling with his Raichu next to him.
"Come back to me, Erin." Seth started pushing on Erin's chest once more, resuming the CPR. Ninetales laid down next to Seth, closing him off to the room, creating a barrier from the outside, as if this intimacy would help Erin. Primeape collapsed with his back to the wall, watching his trainer push desperately on Erin, an emptiness that took his eyes.
Seth lost count of how many times he attempted to bring his son back. At one point, Lt. Surge returned, and Seth explained who and where Emily was, but that seemed so long ago. The minutes seemed like hours, and he felt as if he was trying to breathe life back into Erin for days. Each time he counted to 20, he would say, "This time it would work. This time he would lighten this dark fucking room with his smile." Then nothing.
V
"I’m fine, Daddy," Erin said at the end of Lt. Surge’s office. His pale face and hand were holding his mother's pale fingers as she stood suspended in the air with blood trickling out of her severed legs onto the floor.
“You couldn't save him,” she reverberated softly in the brightly lit room.
Seth was collapsed against the desk, looking, not at his son behind him lying dead on the desk, but at Erin and Sarah taunting him across from Ninetales, Primeape, Torterra, Noivern, Metang, and Rhydon.
“What the fuck are you doing with me!” Emily’s voice carried through the door, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Seth felt tears well up in his face, and his heart just stopped. He couldn't feel anything in his body.
The door swung open, and Emily and Seth’s eyes connected. The defeat written on his face caused Emily's expression to immediately drop, and a questioning frown took its place. Then her eyes lifted above him to the desk.
She dropped to her knees, unleashing an anguished, blood-curling, gut-wrenching scream. She clawed her way to the desk. Her legs were so unsupported that she dropped once her knees completely buckled under her, where she laid flat on the red carpet, screaming. Inching her way closer to the desk, Torterra moved out of the way as she inched even further up. She finally made it to the desk by Seth and gripped the top, taking all her effort just to lift her eyes enough to see Erin’s face.
She dropped again, her back hunched over, and repeatedly slammed her forehead on the floor. “I told him to go,” a bang as her forehead collided with the floor again. “I told him to go.” Bang. “I told him to go.” Bang. “I told him to go.” Bang. She looked up again, blood was seeping down from her hairline into her eyes. Every feeling and emotion was gone from both of them only leaving behind pain. Bang.
VI
The door creaked open again after an unknown amount of time. Seth and Emily sat in the same position under the desk. The blood on her forehead was now dried under her chestnut hair. Lt. Surge’s office was completely destroyed. Papers, picture frames, knickknacks, office supplies were thrown to every part of the office. One stapler was impaled into the wall, sticking out halfway, as more papers lay beneath it. The room was filled now with their eleven Pokémon all out, laying or sitting on the destruction of the room, all centered around Erin.
Lt. Surge stepped over and on his possessions without any notice as he walked up to the grieving parents. “You want to make them hurt?” Surge said simply, looking down at them.
Seth looked up with anger in his eyes as if everything was taken out of him and the only thing to fill his hollow body was rage. “I will watch them fucking burn until I strangle the life out of Giovanni himself” Emily said nothing but had the same fierceness blazing in her eyes.
“Go home, bury your son,” Lt. Surge said compassionately while holding out a Pokéball. “This is a Ralts, when you get home, release her, and she will teleport back to me, remembering your location. I will send word through her as soon as I finalize my target and date. It won't be long. My best informant is already scouting it out. Do you have another flying type?”
“No,” Emily said softly.
“Here is fearow,” Lt. Surge said simply in his deep voice, reaching for another Pokéball on his belt. “She isn't a fighter, but she flies fast.”
“What is this?” Seth asked, still sitting under his son.
“This is the resistance. Welcome to Oak’s army.”