“I just think he’d be more productive if he followed Gary’s footsteps,” Robert argued.

Chet’s jaw clenched as he listened just beyond the door of his parent’s dining room.

His mother’s soft voice wafted through the door, “Give him space, Chet doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

“Humbug,” Robert coughed, “At nineteen Gary had already advanced enough he was getting offered contracts. By the government!”

“Chet’s engineering though, that’s impressive,” his mother interjected.

Robert’s hacking laughs rattled the silverware. Chet cringed; he could hear the phlegm at the back of Robert’s throat slapping against the uvula. “Engineer? I went through his room earlier, and I couldn’t find anything even the poorest of pawn shops would buy. One of the things…” Robert laughed, “One of the things he made used stardust. Stardust! Must have cost thousands, and you know what he made Jackie?”

“What dear.”

“A flashlight! What a worthless-”

Chet barged through the doors to see Robert and his mother sitting at the table cutting through dinner. His mother immediately went red in the face; however, she was so pale already that could’ve been due to the most recent heartbeat. His father shook his head as he entered, scoffing silently.

Chet tried to act casual as he pulled the hand-carved dining room chair out. It slapped against his hip loudly.

His mother winced at the noise, “Dear, it seems-”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Robert asked.

Chet froze, the front two legs of the chair scraped against the floor panels and the back legs hovered in the air. His knuckles were white against the wood.

“Dinner,” Chet spat.

“I think not.”

His mother raised her index in the air, “Robert, don’t you think-”

“Quiet Marie.” He commanded, and she dropped her palm into her lap.

Robert’s sunken eyes peered at Chet, “Have you talked with Gary about joining his team? He was very generous in offering you the chance.”

Chet stared back and imagined how good it would feel to sink his knuckles into that curmudgeon’s face, “No.”

“No what?”

How good it would feel for his skull to crumble against the wall, “No sir.”

“Gary is coming over to your room. You will speak to him and accept his offer. You will do it with a smile and say thank you for the generosity. Only until then you may have dinner.”

His breathing was shallow, “You’re restricting food now? What next, water privileges?” Chet glanced at his mother, “Really?”

She remained silent.

Robert slammed his hand against the table, the silverware rattled against the plates. “Look at me when I am talking to you, not her.”

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Chet remained his eye contact with his mother for a few more seconds of solidarity before looking at Robert.

“I’m so sorry sir. Please continue,” Chet said with as much grit and sarcasm as he could muster.

Robert’s already frowning face deepened into a scowl, “I am not the bad guy here, don’t be angry with me. I’m just trying to make sure you don’t stay the failure you already are.”

Chet fought for control of his face, his upper lip trembled, and his nostrils flared. His eyes watered from the sheer frustration. He slammed the chair back under the table. Green pees rolled off his plate and off the table. His mother gasped. Without a word, he stomped out of the dining room, to his room, and ripped open the door.

Standing in the center of his room, brandishing Chet’s stardust flashlight, was Gary. His hair, an ethereal blond, basked in the glow of the device.

“Hey bud, come in.”

Chet closed the door of his room behind him, “Thanks for the invite.”

“No problem.”

Gary waved around the flashlight, “Pretty nifty, and you made this all by yourself?”

Chet didn’t like the way he worded that, “I did.”

“Got a name for it? Personally, I would go with ‘The Starlight’.” Gary smiled, each tooth sculpted to perfection and as white as any light.

Chet had to admit, that was a good name. However, he wasn’t in the mood to compliment, “What are you doing in my room, Gary.”

Without dropping the device, Gary let his arms fall to his sides.

“You haven’t accepted my offer to join the team yet.” Gary placed his hand over his heart and pouted, “I’m hurt.”

Chet stepped closer, he was within two arm's length of Gary now, “Cut the shit. Robert set you up to this didn’t he.”

Gary made eye contact and smiled as if he was consoling a child, “Why don’t you call him Dad? Are you really that callous?”

Chet lunged forward, grabbed Gary’s lapel, and slammed him into the workbench, the tools near the edge wobbled, “You know why.”

“Some things are better left unsaid.”

He leaned forward. Now the only thing keeping Gary from landing on his tools was Chet holding him up.

“Let go of me Chet,” Gary hadn’t blinked, his lazy smile lay frozen on his face.

Instead of heeding his advice, he grabbed Gary’s neck and flexed. “Leave… me… al-”

Gary pursed his lips, and in an instant, Chet was free floating. His fingers had slipped from Gary’s throat. His heavy trunk slammed into the floor; the back of his skull followed. Darkness clouded his vision. He gasped for air, but he couldn’t catch his breath.

A hairless arm slithered around his neck like a python and whatever air that remained in his lungs was forced out.

“Listen closely little brother, I will tell you this once,” Gary whispered; his damp breath tickled his ear.

Chet scratched at the arm around his neck and slapped the ground as he struggled. He was a fish caught by a hook.

“You are nothing. Dad is disappointed in you. Mom pities you.”

Chet swung his fist behind him and connected with something solid. Immediately, the pressure increased twice fold. Caught in an iron cage. His lungs screamed for a breath.

“You will accept my offer. You can even tell Dad that this will be like a tryout, save him some disappointment.”

Anything. Oxygen.

“Do you understand?”

Chet slapped the ground and Gary rolled him off. He coughed hard and greedily gulped down air. Gary leaned over him and scoffed.

“This is for your own good Chet. Think about how successful you’ll be under my wing; our family can finally be together again. Proud of each other. You just have to check your pride at the door.” His shadow covered him, “Or off the floor.”

Chet clawed to all fours, and he heaved.

Gary grabbed the Stardust flashlight and tested the weight in his hands. He grabbed the base like a baseball bat and swung it against the edge of the table. The metal held true.

Gary grinned, “Huh, the structural support is at least stable.”

That was the one compliment he gave before he slammed the device into the table, shattering it into three pieces. He sauntered toward Chet, who was now on his knees. The remains crunched under his boots.

“Don’t try to choke me out like that without at least some semblance of technique. It’s just embarrassing at this point.”

Gary dropped a card in his shirt, it slid across his skin.

“We’ll be in touch little brother. This is the beginning of something beautiful.”

He got on one knee, or at least that’s what Chet thought he did. His vision was still spinning. Gary leaned forward and Chet clenched his fist, ready to go down swinging.

Gary enveloped him in a hug.