Isaac’s thoughts raced over the news, a fear taking hold of him greater than any amount caused by the conflict of the near future. It was as though his worst nightmares were coming to life, forming a noose around his throat to choke the life out of him; to make what were very well the final moments of his life painful and agonizing, to drag him down into the depths of depression, to remind him-
Small hands wrapped tightly around a single soft and fragile one, it was cold against his palms, limp and lacking in the vitality he had known all of his life. Tears streamed from his eyes, making the already darkened room invisible to his sight they were so occluded. However, so lost to his grief, the pain and sorrow that ripped at his heart and soul, even devoid of tears he could see nothing else… nothing but the face of his mother, the only person he truly loved and knew loved him, in gentle repose; unmoving, sallow, and empty.
He could barely hear raised voices beyond the door of what was his mother’s private medical ward and now could only be thought of as her wretched tomb; he desperately clung to the hope that those voices would be replaced by Her’s, that he would blink, and her soothing voice would appear to ease his agony.
It would not.
The door slammed open, raised voices flowing into the room with the entrance of The Demon, droning on like the disgusting buzz of flies over a corpse. His silent sobs did not halt or break as the malevolent entity made its way to where he clung to his mother’s lifeless hand and loomed over him radiating the familiar displeasure and hate the creature always had towards him.
“Pathetic,” it snarled, uncaring of the other presences still confronting it, and smacked one of its claws across his face. The sting was known to him and elicited no such verbal of a reaction beyond the sound of flesh meeting flesh, and his body meeting the floor. The voices reached a higher tenor, their words lost to him, while he lay on the floor as cold as his mother’s skin. His eyes cleared as grief was replaced with a fury borne from love and resentment, the now dangling arm of his mother igniting a hatred greater than any he had felt before it.
He rose and moved his mother’s arm to rest on her chest, taking care not to handle it too roughly, before turning to stare in defiance of The Demon. Isaac’s eyes slowly made their way up the shadowy form of the monster, before resting on its face… on his father’s horrible face.
His hatred flared at the sight… then was forgotten as his father struck him again, sending him careening into his mother’s bed and into unconsciousness.
- The memory faded, the old pain remained, but so too did that hatred roar to life as greatly as it did the day his mother died. Isaac felt the panic that Killian’s report had filled him with evaporate under his growing anger, his pulse rapid and body unsteady with an uncontrollable fury rather than dread.
“How many years did I spend festering in that anger; in the fear and inferiority my father battered me with as much as he did his hands,” Countless memories passed behind Isaac’s eyes, instances of pain and abuse, terror and tyranny, of all the times he spent quivering in fear, hiding from the demon that wore his father’s face, “And now that monster wants to do what? Wrap his claws around our work? Steal the Cradles for himself?! Threaten my people?!”
“Not on my fucking life,” Isaac hissed, his panic attack bursting under the weight of a vitriol so harsh as to melt through tungsten, “Lupo,” He rasped, voice thick with barely restrained anger, “Let them in, draw as many of your people back to protect everyone just above and here as you can… but do not antagonize them. Your lives are too precious to risk them on that mon- my father.”
Isaac straightened, Killian still hovering close to brace him, “Are you sure, Isaac?” Killian questioned, concern evident in his tone and body language.
“Yes,” Isaac felt a bitter and spiteful calm settle over his rage like the cast-iron lid to a boiling cauldron, “My father’s a snake and a fucking coward, but he will not bat an eye in telling one of his “guards” to kill anyone that stands in his way. He’s not worth anyone losing their lives over,” Isaac stared into Killian’s eyes, making his sentiments clear, “Get them moving… and I’ll handle the rest.”
Killian stared back, searching Isaac’s face for… something, before closing his eyes and sighing, “Alright, Isaac,” he turned his attention away from Isaac to Sara and Eli, now in similar position of support, hovering around Isaac, “You two have him now.”
Lupo turned and walked away, tapping at his wrist pad, leaving Isaac, Sara, and Eli to their own devices, “Isaac, are you alright?” Eli asked, his worry for him made plain, “Do-Do you need us to do anything to prepare for… that man’s arrival?”
Isaac smirked at the disgust emphasized in Eli’s reference to his father, him being the only one fully aware of the truth behind their relationship, “I’m not fine at all, I want to kill him; strangle him and watch the life drain from him, see the same fear in his eyes that he caused me for most of my life,” Isaac’s voice was thick with his hatred of the man and it took a herculean effort for him to keep his tempestuous emotions from overwhelming him, “But none of us have the time for me to waste on making that want a reality. The Cradle remains our focus, and nothing, not Paltridge or my father will stop me from seeing this to its end.”
He turned to look into Eli’s and then Sara’s eyes, a sad smile on his lips, “I’m sorry to say there won’t be any evaluation… we’re out of time,” Isaac looked away from the two doctors, out over the room to the Cradle, “You asked if I needed you to do something for me… I do. What I need from you, what I need from everyone, is to finish the final preparations… and to keep yourselves safe when my father makes his “grand” entry.”
“I’m not going to deny you if you still believe I need to be checked, Sara,” Isaac prevented an argument he could already see coming, “But we’ll have it done here and quickly. And Eli,” Isaac paused seeing the man’s despondence, “We already spoke, and while this isn’t even close to the kind of circumstances I expected when I first pulled you aside, I could trust no one more than you for what’s ahead.”
Both Sara and Eli remained in silence, contemplating the coming changes, before one of them spoke, “I’ll run to one of the medical supply rooms down here and grab a couple things, I doubt I’m going to find anything that will worry me more than what you’re about to do, but I still want to check.” There was a fire behind her eyes, one that Isaac knew was borne from his father’s presence; as while Eli knew about what his father had done directly from Isaac’s retellings, Sara knew by reading years’ worth of his medical files and finding the patterns of abuse for herself.
Isaac didn’t even have time to reply to her intentions before she stormed away from him and Eli, leaving the two behind alone. Both remained mute for a time with her absence… until Isaac and Eli began to speak over one another, stumbling over each other’s words.
“Eli I-” – “Whatever happe-”
They fell back into silence, an awkward pause stretching between them, “You go first Eli,” Isaac relinquished the floor to him, breaking the uncomfortable atmosphere between them, “We’ll get nowhere if we keep ending up speaking at the same time.”
Eli chewed at his lip, anxiety obvious, “I had hoped that while Sara and I had you alone we could convince you of doing something else… anything else really. But now, with your father here and the rest of the events happening around the world, I know there’s no stopping you,” His face was drawn with worry, aged and weary in such a way that reminded Isaac of the pages of a delicate tome worn by time and use, “I do not want to see you go through with this. I despise the idea of you… dying. But, now more than ever, I realize that sometimes how you feel about someone’s decisions matters a lot less than how they feel about them.”
Elijah grabbed Isaac and pulled him into an embrace, the man’s grasp strong and firm, comforting in a way that threatened to pull him back into his memories, “I don’t want you dying, son. So, if this is truly the only course you see available to us… I will trust and support you, completely, in every way you need and every way you deserve.”
With Eli’s arms wrapped tightly around him, Isaac stood frozen. He struggled, not against the contact, but with the compassion he heard and felt from Eli. It mingled with memories of his mother, her love and care intermingling and superimposing itself over Eli’s trust and understanding, creating a figure that awoke the pain of a loss long buried.
The loss of a loving mother.
And the loss of a loving father, never had.
Isaac’s arms shakily raised, returning the embrace, his hands tightening around the fabric of Eli’s sweater. His eyes clouded with unshed tears and his voice became thick with deep and chaotic emotions as he whispered into Eli’s shoulder, “Thank you…”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
―――――――――
Isaac grunted, man-handling the fiber-optic cable into place, the Cradle making an audible *shunk* as a tensioned coupling locked the heavy wire once it made the appropriate contact. He rose from his awkward crouch, wiping his hand across his face to remove some of the sweat that had beaded on his skin, “It’s locked in!” he yelled, stretching and groaning, his body protesting his awkward contortions.
“Got it sir!” A voice yelled back from around the Cradle, “Runnin’ the checks now!”
The machine whirred to life, its hum vibrating through his muscle and bone to rest in his ears, “This is it,” Isaac’s thoughts barely beat out the Cradle’s drone, “All that’s left is this final check… and one more thing.” Isaac moved around the Cradle, looking up to where the upper room of the PFTU gazed down into this one, watching a few of those closest to the windows work. He clenched and unclenched his hands, fighting against the anxiety that still threatened him, knowing that soon enough that room would be preoccupied by more than just the people that worked for his company.
Isaac felt his wrist pad buzz against his skin, drawing his attention down to the device –
“Eta: 9 Minutes. – K. Lupo”
- Isaac closed his eyes and inhaled through his nose, tamping down on his building anger and fear, “Not now,” He exhaled with a shaky breath, feeling only a modicum of control, “But soon.” He approached the engineer that had originally called out to him, “You can handle the rest of the checks in the center, I’ll take over from here,” Isaac nodded with his head over to the bunker-like structure.
The man hesitated, looking between the small station connected to the Cradle and Isaac, before backing away from the machine, “Gotcha, sir.”
Isaac watched the man walk away and saw him be overtaken by a small group of people moving in the opposite direction towards him. Sara, Maria, and Elijah approached, a bevy of emotions dancing across each one of their faces. Isaac smiled their way as they drew closer, only looking away from the Cradle’s computer for a moment, “Here to send me off before my father gets here and I fuck off to… well, I’ll be honest, I don’t know where the hell I’ll be going exactly, once this is all done.”
“Isaac,” Sara spoke with a tone of frustrated concern, “This is serious, you don’t have to go through with this. We-we might have more time to figure out another way, if you just give us the time, I’m sure of it.”
“She truly believes that.” Isaac digested Sara’s offer, her plead. It was… tempting to give ground, to cling to the small hope that Sara might be correct, that he didn’t have to give his life in some final desperate bid. But, listening to the clock in his head tick away, he knew there was no turning back. He wasn’t going to risk everyone’s lives for what might only amount to a couple more minutes of living his own, “As tempting of an option that might be, we both know I’m not going to take it. I’d love nothing more than not having to jump into this machine and consign my continued existence to the flip of a coin… but I’d rather I be the one having to risk that coin flip now, than have all of you do so later without a ‘best two out of three’ to back you up on.”
“Still using those weird fucking expressions of yours…” Maria grumbled under her breath.
“I read a lot as a kid,” Isaac flashed a wide toothy smile at her, “Probably too much in fact. But, I love using them and that’s all that really matters.”
“It’s a defense mechanism,” Eli chimed in with small flash of humor, “He’s nervous, and doing his best to draw your attention away from that fact by getting wordy.”
“SHHHH,” Isaac shushed Eli, “Just because I’m not going to be around for much longer doesn’t mean you can just go and start giving my secrets away.” He winced as he finished the sentence, realizing that he may have been too… direct. Glancing to the side, body still facing the Cradle’s computer, he could see the tension in the three much clearer after his slip-up.
He sighed, rubbing at his brow above his glasses, “I’m sorry if that was too far,” Isaac swiveled towards the trio, “but it isn’t something we can just pretend won’t happen, or avoid even speaking about.”
“It won’t if you don’t go through with this.” Maria interjected, “You don’t actually have to enter the Cradle, you’re just…” Her voice grew harsher the more she spoke, “You’re just running away from everything and pretending it’s for some great cause!”
“That’s too far, Mari!” Sara chastised.
“Agreed.” Eli’s voice rumbled with disappointment.
“Oh? So I’m just supposed to forget that all of this started with him misleading us, for months! I’m supposed to trust the guy who lied to us about the fucking world ending, that he’s doing all of this for our good and not because he’s just some-some fucking coward!” Maria’s voice was frantic and wild with anger, reaching a piercing tone that overwhelmed even the Cradle’s deep thrum.
“I believe you have said enough, Mrs. Muñoz.” Any further arguing halted between Sara, Maria, and Elijah, instantly at the tone of Isaac's words.
His voice, cold, clinical, and reptilian, sent a deep chill slithering down their spines, “I understand your distrust of me, understand your anger; and I accept it. But, what I will not have, is for you to equate my giving my life; for you, your loved ones, and an entire world of others, with the actions of a coward! I will agree with you that I am many things, that I have been a coward before. But this-” Isaac placed his hand on the Cradle, feeling the cold metal vibrate under his touch, glaring at Maria all the while, “This decision of mine is the furthest thing from an action of cowardice I have ever made. And I will not stand you spitting on my sacrifice while I still live.”
Maria looked down, hands tightened closed at her sides to the point that they paled under the strain of their grasp, “I was almost happy that you were going to see me out, even despite what had come between us today,” Isaac continued, voice clipped with frigid apathy, “But now… Before, I told you I was not petty enough to rub your error in your face, and I won’t start now. But what I am, is vindictive enough to make sure that these will be my final words to you.”
Isaac paused watching Maria’s head raise, tears streaming down from each eye, “I appreciate all that you have done for this company, I appreciate the loyalty and love I have seen you display for those you care for, and I appreciate all that you are even in spite of your hatred for me,” He looked deep into her eyes, let her see the truth behind his words… and made sure she saw the truth of those that followed, “But, for all my understanding and appreciation, I want nothing more than to never have to see or hear you again until I am dead and gone; from this life and any after.”
“Do you understand me Mrs. Muñoz?” She openly flinched at his emphasis around her proper surname, tears falling heavier as though Isaac had struck her physically. However, as she seemed to finally gather her emotions enough to speak, Isaac cut in once more, with deafening finality, “I want you to leave.”
He stared her down, making his sentiments clear, watching her struggle to decide either to follow or refuse them. His sight did not waver from her for a second, unblinking and resolute, until he saw the moment she understood her position.
He looked away from Maria, giving his attention fully to Eli and Sara, while she made to slink away back to the control center, tears still wetting her face. “I’m sorry for speaking to her like that Sara,” Isaac apologized, life entering his voice again, “But there’s only so much I’m willing to take from a person before it becomes too much.”
He could see the conflict on Sara’s face, understanding his position on one hand, and the love for her partner on the other. So, Isaac ended the conflict for her, “Go to her Sara,” Isaac smiled, nodding in Maria’s direction, “Just as I said to her, I appreciate your loyalty and love for those you care for, as well. It would be a shitty thing to do if I kept you from being there for someone you love, no matter my personal circumstances.”
Sara hesitated for a moment before stepping into his personal space, wrapping Isaac into a tight hug, “There’s so much I could say, so much that I want to say,” she said into his shoulder, “But all I can really think of is thank you; for this and for anything and everything else you’ve done for us.” She pulled away, eyes wet with tears, “Goodbye, Isaac.”
Sara hurried off, pursuing her partner, leaving Eli and Isaac alone together once more. They remained in silence for a few moments, in perfect pantomime of the last time Sara had left them behind together; before, as though they were given some shared signal, both men began to smile and chuckle.
As much as the two seemed to be sharing a moment of joy together, there was a note of sadness and melancholy to their humor. The longer they laughed the more their eyes grew cloudy with tears, until the point that drops of water began to stream down and their laughter turned to sobs.
There was no need for words of appreciation or remorse to be shared as Isaac pulled Eli into an embrace. They had made their peace with one another, knew how much they meant to each other, “I’m going to miss you a bunch, Son.” Eli’s voice was far deeper than usual, “I hope you know that.”
“I know,” Isaac whispered back, the skin of his face itching along the trail of his tears, “Though ‘a bunch’ seems like a kind of underwhelming amount…”
Eli let loose a wet chuckle, shaking Isaac through its deep throaty bass, “Of course it does,” Eli pulled back to look at Isaac’s face, “I’ve got kids and grandkids of my own that I’ve got to leave a little love for.”
“Ah, so you do consider me to be like one of your kids!”
“Or one of my grandkids, yes.” Eli agreed, a twinkle glistening behind the water in his eyes, “You’re in the top five of my favorites.”
“Don’t you only have two kids and two grandkids?” Isaac asked with feigned confusion, knowing the answer already.
Eli smirked cheekily back and the two laughed, bleeding away the last vestiges of their shared sorrow. They stepped away from each other, Elijah’s face turning steely and serious, “I’ll have everything handled on my end of things for you. So, just worry about yourself and the Cradle, everything else I have well in hand.”
Isaac wiped away some errant tears, and sniffed, “I know you will. Thank you for everything, Eli.”
Tears began to build in Eli’s eyes again and he rapidly blinked to clear them, “Goodbye, Isaac. And good luck… Son.”
Isaac watched Eli walk away, catching the man rubbing at his face as he did so, and took a massive breath to try and steady himself. He began to turn back to the Cradle, still steadying his breaths to keep control of his emotions, when his wrist pad chimed with a priority message –
“They’ve arrived. – K. Lupo”