Side Effects

24 - Fatality

Gasping for breath, Tyche awoke to a warm bed but a chilly bedroom. It was only the memories replaying in his head again - memories of the Periculum Prison.

Slowing his breath down, he pulled himself out of the sheets. He rubbed his eyes. He was not sure of the time, but it was unusually light outside for a winter morning. He checked the alarm. It was switched off.

In a hurry, he rushed downstairs and checked the dining room clock. Eleven o'clock in the morning. He was four hours late when the police force needed his help the most.

Sprinting around the house, he changed out of his pyjamas and pulled on the first things he could find: grey  trousers, a long-sleeved top, and a white hoodie. Dashing to get his brown shoes on, he called to his parents, who were still asleep, that he was going to work.

Unsure of whether they were awake or not, he said his goodbyes anyway. A part of him hoped that they were still asleep, so they would not have to see him before anything bad happened.

With a "love you" to his adoptive parents, he left the house, adjusting a single gun holster he was unwilling to use.

Once he exited the house, he knew what his fate would be. Now it was a life or death situation to everyone he knew, including himself. Shaking, he only stood for a moment, staring at the other side of the road as he delved into whether or not he should turn back and stay inside. He was not even sure which side he was fighting on anymore.

Tyche noticed a familiar man jogging, speaking combatively into a radio.
"Kirralain, where is your current position?"
His dark eyes glanced at Tyche for no longer for a second before stopping himself and coming towards him. Tyche was still frozen until spoken to.

Barnabus towered over him and pointed back at Tyche's door. The expression on his face was unlike him: stern, determined, but somehow regretful all the same. What things had he already seen in the chaos was anyone's guess.

He stepped forward again, magnetically detracting Tyche, who stayed back on impulse.

"Stay inside Tyche, you're not needed in this!"

"But I want to help." Tyche admitted, consistently as unsure of his loyalties as before. "You need more people, look I have a-"

"GO BACK INSIDE!" Barnabus roared suddenly.

Tyche stayed.

Barnabus' body now learned towards Tyche menacingly, stretching every inch of himself to get the child to leave. His white teeth gritted at the sudden sound of his shout. His eyes were pinned at Tyche, widened and bloodshot with his sudden outburst.

After stopping his breath for a few seconds, Barnabus breathed again, neutralising his tone and lowering his arm to rest it comfortingly on Tyche's shoulder. Now with eyes that were solemn, he said.

"You don't want to die. And I don't want you to. To be honest, I don't even know what purpose we're even fighting for anymore. If people want the truth, then I understand that. I don't know why we have to interfere, especially not someone as young as you."

Tyche built up his strength, though his arm stiffened under Barnabus' touch.

"I'm not going to kill. I'm going to be part of it. See the outcome for myself."