Cyborg - 8 - Parting Ways

I can't leave. If this gem has some importance, this could be my key back home.

 

What will I come back as? I have no idea, but I can't fear the future when my present is in dire need of help.

 

How does the gem work though? I can't just swing it at Ron and hope it does something.

 

Ron: "So, you've found the gem."

 

I quickly turn to where I assume his voice came from, the gem pointed ahead of myself.

 

Ron: "And you don't know how to use it."

 

Ron points his gun at me but I begin to scramble away. He's right, I have absolutely no idea how to use this and he has the upper hand unless I find something to defend myself.

 

Ron: "Running is smart, but your mind is failing with everyone else in here dead. Wasting more time gives me more power you see?"

 

I trip and fall to the floor; I try to get up but cannot. It's almost like I've gone numb.

 

Ron quickly gets to me while I'm on the floor, motionless.

 

Ron: "I've really played with your mind here, Victor. This is your body and you've let your own fear and disgust take control?"

 

I try moving my arm but it is of no use.

 

Victor "Do it. Kill me."

 

Ron: "And waste the perfect time to make you suffer?"

 

I begin to shake uncontrollably, my mind is almost rebooted, all of my fears and mistakes flash before me. I begin to sweat as I try and take my mind off of them but I can't.

 

Ron: "Afraid of Orr? That old man? He's as useless as you."

 

He's right. I'm afraid of a lot of things. What am I to do? I can't simply deny what is blatantly obvious to myself.

 

Ron: "Afraid of not being smart? To impress who? Your father who you also hate for no reason? Do you hate him because you know you're inferior, or is it because you think he hates you? Oh wait, I am you, I know it's both. It must hurt having no confidence in yourself. Luckily, I feed off of it."

 

A tear rolls down my cheek and onto the floor.

 

Ron: "Now you're crying? This really was easy. You were just made into a cyborg, y'know. I don't know why Silas kept your brain in here but I thank him. You're unfortunately not going to see me ruin your life, but maybe you will. There are ways around death in here, not that you'll be smart enough to find them."

 

Ron's right. I am afraid, I'm also afraid of myself. I begin to remember, I begin to remember something profound; an accomplishment. I suddenly stop shaking, I stop remembering, and my arms feel free.

 

I begin to think about more; I need to overpower whatever is holding me down. I begin to remember touchdowns, parties with my friends, pre-game rituals with my friends, until I reach a soft spot in my mind. My family. Though our situation was never the best, I found comfort in what little I remember of us all being together.

 

I find the strength. I quickly turn to Ron and extend my arm ahead of me, pointing the gem as precisely as I can. Nothing happens as Ron bursts out in laughter.

 

Ron: "I could plant one insignificant thing in your mind and make it significant to give you some sort of hope."

 

Ron grabs me as I go numb again.

 

Ron: "You want a view? Your dad had a view when I killed him. Maybe I can land you two near one another."

 

Ron pulls me towards the bridge in the middle of STAR Labs laughing.

 

Ron: "I hate making an event of this but your humiliation makes my day. Or in this case, my whole life."

 

He places me on the side of the railing. I look to the ground to see bodies strewn throughout the grounds.

 

Ron: "Want to play a game of 'I Spy'?"

 

Victor: "Just... kill me."

 

Ron grabs the back of my skull and tilts it down to the ground again.

 

Ron: "I said, we're playing a game! I spy, someone in a blue suit, dark brown pants and red blood all over."

 

Victor: "Stop."

 

Ron: "You see your father? You see what you will look like in a few seconds?"

 

Ron releases his grip from my head and begins to laugh again.

 

Ron: "I am so close but I just can't kill you. So. Close."

 

My sadness turns into rage; He's taunted me more than enough. That's when I remember, in the story with the Re-Gou Ruby. This is the Re-Gou Ruby. The pharaoh got power from it due to being vengeful.

 

I clench my fist as the Re-Gou begins to glow. My right arm turns silver, as I raise it, a blue bolt blasts into the bridge. I look to see Ron hold onto the bridge as his arm begins to vanish. He screams in pain as his eye begins to glow too.

 

Ron: "Oh god please no, I don't want to die, I don't want to die! Help me!"

 

I consider helping him, as he is myself, though the worst version of myself.

 

Ron: "Help me, Victor! Everything hurts! Please oh god!"

 

I fall to my knees as I begin to cry again. I wanted out but Ron's in pain, but who knows the consequences if I save him this time?

 

Ron: "I'm not ready to go. Please... Please!"

 

Ron begins to cry as I get to my feet. I inch forward trying to steady my arm.

 

Victor: "Ron, I'm sorry bu-"

 

Ron chokes as he pleas for his life.

 

Ron: "Don't kill me-please..."

 

He begins to sob as I inch forward.

 

Ron: "D-do it. I understand. Just tell mom one thing for me."

 

I can't handle it. This isn't real. He would've killed me with no hesitation. But he didn't. In the midst of my thoughts, the cannon fires right through Ron's head and a side of the bridge.

 

His decapitated body falls; its slow descent makes me fall to my knees again. I didn't kill him. I didn't. I begin to shake uncontrollably as I look over the edge. There, Ron is on the ground residing right next to my father. I look away as I feel nothing but pain, I look to the moon as I curl up in a ball. The light emitted from the moon grows stronger until I am almost blinded by it.

 

==================================================

 

*beep*

 

*beep-beep*

 

*beep-beep-beep*

 

Silas: "Victor? Victor! I have a pulse!"

 

So this is victory, or maybe even natural selection? This world is where just surviving means taking the hardest hits, what sacrifices must we make to just survive? A thought lingers in the back of my mind that maybe I shouldn't have been so lucky to be alive now, or maybe I didn't want to be...

 

Done