The beatings the human was enduring from the very angry parental were bad enough, but worse was to come. They had to face the child after the child came out of the ICU, but still heavily bandaged, still very weak, and try to explain themselves. Injected with a medication meaning they could not, at least for the time being, tell a lie, they had to be honest, not just to the family, but for once in their lives, to themselves.
@internutter/challenge-03359-i071-unforgettable-lesson -- Lessons
"Why?" It was a child's question, and rather appropriate since it came from a child. The broken wing was in a stabilising brace. There were medicated bandages about their torso. Which had happy little stars on them.
Will, drugged to the eyeballs, said, "I thought it couldn't talk."
"She was coming here for some remedial assistance in becoming verbal," said the Security Goon. "Infant Pij has had plenty of time for that in the ICU." A meaningful glare and a cracking of knuckles. "You will answer her questions."
Which implied there was an angry parental just waiting for another chance to wear holes in their hide. Edge Territory justice was brutal in its own way. "I'm going to sue," Will repeated. "I can get a lot of Time out of this with the right lawyers."
Whoops.
"Hey I didn't want to say that out loud, what the flakk?"
Now the Security Goon's expression was downright malevolent. "You've been given a suite of neurochemicals that prevents the act of lying. They're being constantly administered so you can't just wait for them to wear off. You will answer Infant Pij's question."
"Why?" asked the little bird-being.
The usual excuses, I was in a hurry, you shouldn't have been in the way, they made the doors to those things way too narrow, could not come out. They were excuses and nothing more.
"I didn't even see you," said Will. "I only had my mind on myself. I've lived a lifetime being the most important being in my universe and I don't want to see the world around me in any other way." Wow. What? "Powers, that's disgusting."
Pij, with some difficulty, pulled up the footage of Will yelling about her. "Why?"
"I don't want to admit I'm guilty! That makes me feel bad. You were making me feel bad. No. That came after. You were annoying. I was yelling because you were annoying. I didn't connect the dots until after. And then, like I said, I didn't wanna feel bad. So I made it your problem."
"Why?"
It hurt worse than the parental's physical attack, having to admit to their egocentrism. Having to confess everything, and not being able to shield themself behind a veil of lies. Even to themself.
Will wound up crying about it. Not for what had happened to them for a change, but rather what they had done to others.
Pij pointed with her functional hand and said, "Naptime?"
"Naptime," agreed the guard.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / thebp8]
If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me. Or share them with your friends!
[94 remaining prompts] Please don't send any more prompts for now. Thank you.