11. Seven

George: Hey look, a door.

Jeremiah: That was… fast?

George: Complaining?

Jeremiah: No I just hope it's as good as the last one.

Aaron: Following the order, I'm guessing it's Lisa's.

Jeremiah: Let's get in then.

𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙪𝙥 𝙤𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙟𝙪𝙢𝙥𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧.

George: Of course he ran again.

Lisa: Let's go

Jeremiah: Yeah.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙧𝙪𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚. 𝙅𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙖𝙝 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩, 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙖 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙨.

George: Looks like someone's having a good morning.

Lisa: No but seriously, whose memory is this?

Jeremiah: Wait, it's not yours?

Lisa: No, I don't remember anything about this place

Jeremiah: Oh right, where is Aaron?

𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙨𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙝.

Jeremiah: Oh Aar…

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜.

Woman: Aaron, come out.

Aaron: …

Woman: Aaron, you know I don't like it when you hide from me. Get out NOW!

Aaron: ...

Woman: AARON!

𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡, 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙩.

Woman: Aaron, my boy. I'll be back soon, please come out. Ok?

𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚

Woman: Tch

𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧'𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙖 𝙘𝙪𝙥𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙨 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣. 𝘼 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙤𝙮'𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙥𝙤𝙥𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙩.

Jeremiah: Aaron, what is this all about?

Aaron: What does it look like?

𝙅𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙖𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙗𝙨. 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙮 𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛.

George: So you were one of those.

Aaron: One of what?

George: Broken home kids.

Lisa: George!

Aaron: He's right. There's no harm done. My memories are still kinda fuzzy.

Jeremiah: I'm so sorry abo…

Aaron: Save your words. What I should try to avoid now is her finding me when she comes back. I'd rather you not see anything happen. Please.

Jeremiah: All right, partner.

Aaron: Partner? We've become awfully close, haven't we?

𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙞𝙩, 𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙜𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙞𝙢. 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣'𝙨 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨.

Aaron: But you said…

Woman: A stupid kid's still a stupid kid. It's harder to fool a bunny. So why haven't you been bringing your mates home?

Aaron: GO!

Woman: What?

Aaron: GO NOW!

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙞𝙛 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢.

Jeremiah: But Aaron...

𝙅𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙖𝙝 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙤𝙛𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙪𝙣 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙠𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙥𝙝𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝. 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙨 𝙅𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙖𝙝'𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙙𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙪𝙨𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙠𝙞𝙙 𝙠𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙘𝙧𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙠𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙮𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡. 𝘼𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙛𝙩, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙣 𝙪𝙥 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚. 𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙬𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙝𝙚'𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙝𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨, 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙡𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙞𝙣, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙮 𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙖𝙩 𝙪𝙥 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙡.

Aaron: Hah… it didn't hurt as much as I remember.

𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙖 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙣'𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙢 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙨𝙤 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩.

Aaron: George, I think I know why I like the number 7 so much now. She always hit me seven times on the same spot on different parts of my body.

George: You counted?

Aaron: Yeah, I pick up on things like that.

George: What was she talking about with your mates?

Aaron: I think I can remember now. Look in that drawer, the second one beside the mirror.

𝙅𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙖𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙬𝙚𝙧.

Jeremiah: Are those fingers?

George: Not just fingers, toes are here as well. Your mother killed your friends?

Aaron: No, I did. She told me to do it.

George: Why will anyone do this to their kid?

Aaron: Do… do you pity me, George?

𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙨 𝙪𝙥 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙮 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙅𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙖𝙝.

Aaron: I'm cold

George: Don't worry, you'll be ok. N will be here soon and all this will go away.

Jeremiah: Yeah it will only be a matter of time.

Aaron: Dad?

𝙅𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙖𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙; 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙞𝙛 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧.

Aaron: Dad, is that you?

George: Uhhh…

𝙅𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙖𝙝 𝙣𝙪𝙙𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙙𝙨 𝙨𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚.

George: *clears throat* what's up, kid?

Aaron: Dad, it's really you. I've missed you so muc…

𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣, 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩.

Aaron: There are so many things I want to tell you, daddy.

George: I'm sure there are but not now. Now you have to get some sleep.

Jeremiah: Sleep? What if N comes?

George: But he needs to rest.

Aaron: But I'm not sleepy, I want to stay up more.

George: You have to sleep now, Aaron.

Aaron: Ok but can you do one thing for me?

George: What's that, kid?

Aaron: Ki… m…

𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣'𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣

George: Say it again.

Aaron: I said… kill… Mum.

𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙅𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙖𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙖𝙩 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣.

George: Aaron, killing is bad. No one deserves to die.

Aaron: But mum kills. She kills many people and she says if she gets caught, I should say I did it. I don't like it here, dad. I want to play football with you again.

George: I'll get you out of here, ok? Don't worry.

Aaron: …

George: Kid?

George: Aaron?

𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣. 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨. 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙅𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙖𝙝 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙞𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢.

Jeremiah: I guess we know why he turned out the way he did.

George: People are shaped by people at the end of the day. I don't think I've been this pissed off in a while.

Jeremiah: Same here. What kind of sick mother would do something like this?

George: I don't want to sound like a hypocrite but if I see her right now, I might just do something I won't regret.

Jeremiah: Oh yeah, I'm sure our punches that no one can feel would really hurt.

George: It just doesn't make sense. We can only watch. You have any idea how useless I felt with that door shut behind us?

Lisa: I can't believe I was so mean to him. I didn't know that he would be so…

𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙖 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙪𝙜𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙘𝙧𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜.

George: It's ok. It's ok.

Jeremiah: So this is Aaron. It seems he's been looking for his dad.

George: He's just a kid at the end of the day. Guys, I've been thinking about something and I think I can put it out now.

Jeremiah: Ok, what's it?

George: I don't know if it sounds crazy but I want us to spend all this time together.

Jeremiah: Us? You and Lisa or you mean all of us?

George: The latter. I don't want to have to leave any of you to suffer for eternity all alone or have to share the same fate as Hana. If we are going to spend all that time here, I'd rather we do it together.

Jeremiah: But you don't even know anything about yourself yet. You don't want to find out what you did when you were alive?

George: I have to admit I do. I can't lie but then what's the point? We can't change anything, we will just be left with guilt or regrets, why not just settle? This might sound insensitive but think about it. You have no control over the events you're going to encounter. Before you get to the one you want to see, do you know how many steps you'll take and how many doors you'll enter?

Jeremiah: …

George: You don't have to agree, it's just what I thought of.

Lisa: You should know my answer; I'll always stay with you.

George: Thank you, Lisa.

𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙.

George: Jeremiah, your answer doesn't have to come now. I have made up my mind to settle in the best event I see fit. No more discovering for me. You can talk it over with Aaron when he wakes up.

Jeremiah: Alright. Oh he is getting up.

𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙪𝙥 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙚. 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮. 𝙃𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢.

Aaron: N… N isn't here yet? I was already scared that I overslept.

George: Are you ok?

Aaron: Yes, "dad"

George: What?! You remember that?

Aaron: Ahh… so you were the one I was talking to.

George: Damn it.

Aaron: Don't let this kid body fool you. I'm still a genius, old man.

George: …

Aaron: Thank you. My dad was never really around but talking to you felt like he was actually right here.

George: Anytime, kid.

Jeremiah: Ok so it seems we are done here.

Aaron: Not quite, she'll be back. If I can remember correctly, this is the day it happened.

Jeremiah: What?

Aaron: Watch.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧 𝙗𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚.

Woman: Where's my boy?

Aaron: Here, ma.

Woman: You've been very bad and you know what happens to bad boys?

𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙧. 𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙗 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙊𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨. 𝙄𝙏'𝙎 𝘼 𝙆𝙉𝙄𝙁𝙀.

George: Kid?

Aaron: …

Woman: Good boy. Now count from 1 to 7.

Aaron: 1

𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚. 𝙃𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝟮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙪𝙥𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣. 𝘼𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨, 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙡𝙮 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙪𝙥 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙤𝙙𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙚. 𝟯. 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙧𝙪𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙗𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧'𝙨 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠. 𝟰. 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙠. 𝟱. 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠. 𝟲. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙗 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮. 𝟳. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙.

Aaron: That's seven, mother. Am I a good boy?

Mother: I… alw…a knew you were ev…l.

𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙗 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣'𝙩 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚. 𝙄𝙩'𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧. 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢. 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚'𝙨 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣, 𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙. 𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙅𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙖𝙝 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣'𝙩. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙖 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙. 𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙖'𝙨 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙗𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙧.

George: LISA!

Lisa: I'm coming, George.

𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙖 𝙧𝙪𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙧. 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙬 𝙨𝙤 𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙞𝙩. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨. 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩. 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙢. 𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙩 𝙖 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙞𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙧.

Aaron: What was she looking at like that?

𝙃𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩.

Lisa: I thought you were a killer because you were made into one, Aaron.

Aaron: What do you mean?

Lisa: YOU HAD A SMILE ON YOUR FACE WHILE YOU KILLED HER.

Aaron: So?

Lisa: So? Is that all you have to say?

Aaron: Look. Lisa, I don't want to talk right now.

N: I am here! Seems Aaron and Lisa still aren't getting along.

Aaron: Please just ask the question and let us leave.

N: No one wants to stay?

𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢, 𝙉 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙃𝙚 𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢.