BackFromPast


	Back From The Past Kilthalia There are two kinds of men in this world, a woman’s man and a man’s man. A man’s man is someone that all men look up to and want to be like, and has the ultimate testosterone. My ex is the biggest man’s man of them all! “Tell me what you see,” “I see my parents fighting. My mom’s protecting me from my father; he’s infuriated.” “Now go on further in your life, any family?” “There’s……” he doesn’t continue. “What? Who is it?” “My…..wife…..Al, Alison, Alison Wyette. Beautiful thin face, light makeup, dark wavy hair, brown eyes.” His psychiatrist is taken back with the name and description, like he described a ghost from her past. “How long were you two married? Tell me what happened to her.” “We were married 3 years when she disappeared. The last time I saw her we had made love that night, that morning she was gone with no trace. I was heart broken. Absolutely heart broken! I had loved her SO much!! WHAT DID I DO WRONG??!” He had begun to tear up and actually started crying. He uncontrollably held his hands to his face and unconsciously smeared the tears. His psychiatrist tried to calm him down. “What happened to you after that?” “I went into crime to find a new love. After loosing her I felt that all women are traitors and aren’t good enough for me. They’ll always be complaining and unforgiving. The only one true love I could ever have after the loss I went through is the one thing that can make a man happy and give him whatever he wants; money. Loads of money, and the only way I was going to get the amount that I wanted and deserved meant that I was to become a villain and not just any villain, but the best!” She awakened him from his hypnotism. By this time most of the tears had dried. He woke up and glared at her hateingly at the memory she had dug up. “You made me cry, didn’t you!?” he asked threateningly. She did not answer, but allowed him to wipe his eyes in silence. “Take me back to my cell, this session’s over!” As he slept in misery, his young psychiatrist was on the phone. “Hi, Mom. Listen, I have this patient here and he talked about you,” The next day he was still asleep in his dark cell, left in solitary confinement and no light. There was a rapping at his metal door and a guard’s voice said, “Negaduck, you have visitors.” He grumbled at the light and at the interruption of his sleep and turned over to avoid seeing the visitors and the light. “Negaduck, you remember yesterday when you described a woman?” asked his psychiatrist. “Go away!” he growled sleepily. “D, Drake?” He turned around to the new female voice, or rather, old familiar one. “A, Alison?!” “Hi honey,” she smiled. Getting right down the topic of why she was there, “You remember our last night?” “Yeah, how could I forget?” he growled. “This is our accomplishment,” she brought forth Negaduck’s psychiatrist. “What??!” he barely said. “Her name’s Matilda. She’s your daughter,” “What?!” Matilda also barely said. “Are you telling me that my patient, Negaduck, is my father?!” “Yes,” Negaduck interrupted, “W, why?! Why’d you disappear on me??! I loved you! What did I do wrong??!” “Nothing dear. It was me. The fact was that you were too young for me! When we married you were 18 and I was 27!” “Bull shit!! All that mattered in life was love and you ruined that for me!! I don’t want to see you ever again!! You ruined my life!! Get out of here, NOW!!!” “Let’s go,” Matilda suggested and the women left, locking him into his darkness and solitude once again. “Why do they always do that?!” The next session Matilda decided to talk to Negaduck instead of hypnotizing him, as she always did. “I can’t believe you’re my father,” “Yeah, well get used to it,” he snapped. “Have you anything to talk about?” “And you’re leaving this question open to a homicidal, psychotic?” “Uh,” “Let me continue.” He snapped, interrupting her. “How about we talk about the psychosis between people like me and you, hmm?” “If you like,” “I like,” he grumbled. “Uh, let’s see….Motive! What’s your motive?” “To get what I want.” “Ok, umm. Knowledge, how about that?” “High school diploma and a degree in weapons specialist.” “Uh, yeah. Really?” “Really,” “Well then, howww abooout……equipment?” she dragged out in thought. “Steal it, collect it, take care of it.” “Well this is progressive,” she said sarcastically. “How about love?” “Love,” he muttered under his breath. “Love betrayed me!!! I don’t need it, nor do I want it!!!” “Father, what if I found someone who had mutual feelings? Would you talk to her?” “Don’t call me that!!! Don’t you ever dare say that again!!!” he jumped up and stalked over towards her. “Alright, I’m sorry!” she cowered as his shadow loomed over her, details of his face hidden from by the shadows. His eyes were insanely angry and he gritted his teeth. He slowly raised his hands to possibly hurt her. She didn’t know what he was going to do; he was dangerous for this reason, he was unpredictable. How could my own father do this??! , she thought. “Daddy, don’t!” she begged, desperate. “STOP CALLING ME THAT!!!!!” He went for her throat and squeezed. Her eyes were squeezed shut in fear. Still in anger, he looked at her as the guards came to restrain him. He looked at her not seeing a resemblance between the two. She looks more like her mother, regardless of the father! I have to get outta here really soon! I’m going nuts here!!!! “I need to get out of here,” “Of course, you need rest,” “NO! I mean out of this facility!!” “I, I’m sorry, but I can’t do that!” “Exactly, I’m breaking out and there’s nothing you, or anyone can do about it!! And what kind of daughter wouldn’t help her father!!?” “But you’ll get hurt! They’re serious here about people who break out!” “I don’t care!” he snapped. “Anything’s better than staying here!” He was dragged out of the room. Later that night, when the place was on shutdown Negaduck got up and pulled out the bobby pin that used to be in Matilda’s hair. He had stolen it when he tried to kill her. Unfortunately there were no bars on his window and too bad he didn’t even have a window!! So, his goal was too break out of his stupid room and then to find the nearest exit. Making sure that no guards were around when he picked the lock and he set out. The best plan of action was to find a ventilation system. Too bad he didn’t have a vent in his cell. That would have made it so much easier!! Whoops! A guard was coming and he had nowhere to run, or to hide! He had to think fast or else! Awe crap!!! He looked up and saw a vent…..three stories up!! But the thing was that it was possibly accessible, only if he could get up there! This facility was like a tall indoor courtyard with a roof. Thinking quick, he jumped up and started climbing the piping that extended throughout the floors. They probably supplied electricity to light the halls. When he reached the first floor a prisoner behind him, in his cell whispered to Negaduck, but he told him to shush. The guard turned the corner passage in the wall, passed by looking up to make sure everything was in order, but missed seeing Negaduck. After the guard was far enough away the prisoner tried to get the masked mallard to bail him out but he ignored him and continued to climb to the next level. Man, was it a pain climbing straight up!! Upon reaching the second story a guard that was patrolling spotted Negaduck in the distance and called an alert. Without rest Negaduck started up to the last floor, trying to make good time. On the third floor the guards were closing in. The ceiling was low enough so that standing on the railing he could reach a pipe that led directly to the vent of choice. Three guards tried to shoot him, but were unsuccessful in hitting him. From below he heard the cries of Matilda who begged them not to shoot him. Then she asked Negaduck to give up and surrender. Both parties ignored her. Kicking in the cover he swung into the vent and made his way to freedom. After what seemed like forever in the maze of pipes he felt an air current growing. It became stronger and stronger until it felt like it was going to pick him up and take him to wherever it felt like taking him. They must have turned on the fans to get me out! Trying to grab hold of something, anything, he was sucked backwards. Faster and faster then he saw the fan in sight! He, being sucked in by the fan, was forced to the frame that held the contraption into place. Then, just as fast as the fan came on, it slowed. He pulled himself away, just inside the tunnel to his right. Negaduck sat and rested from that near death ordeal. Panting, he looked down next to him and saw a skeleton. Startled, he jumped back, farther down the tunnel. Calming himself he went back and realized, “One Eyed Willy? Is that you?! Geez, and to think no one knew what happened to you!” He realized that this once a person had no legs below the knees. They had be chewed up by the blades, “What a horrible death, but worthy of a villain; escape,” Willy’s beak was wide open in an eternal silent scream of pain. Negaduck spent a good few minutes, as the fan stopped, to honor the villain then took all his belongings. “Don’t worry Will, I’ll give them to Emilia and the kids,” he assured his fallen comrade. Suddenly, the fan began again and Negaduck understood why Willy died. He must have been resting and got caught by the fan again. Then the masked mallard noticed that Willy was pointing down the tunnel and toward the left. “Thanks Willy!!” Negaduck called as he quickly scurried down the tunnel. He understood why the skeleton was pointing to the left; there was a fork in the road, so to speak. Negaduck traveled down the left tunnel, but was still feeling the pull of the fan. Was he to suffer the same fate as Willy??! Fighting the current, he traveled on, trying to go faster. Then, he saw in the distance, light. It was so tiny and far away, he though he’d never make it! The fan kept getting faster and pulling in more air… Air!? He was felling the cool air of the outside!! He just had to make it!! He just had to!! It was so near, how could he give up now??! He pressed on, stressing his muscles to the limit. Slowly, he got closer to the outside and the light grew brighter and brighter! When at last he could see out side, then he fan became really strong and he was exhausted! Desperate, he grabbed the gridiron of the vent and held on for dear life! He wasn’t going to bleed to death by some fan that chopped of his legs and left him for rodent meal in some stupid ventilation shaft!! Just as it seemed that he was too tired to hold on, the fan slowed again and Negaduck quickly pried the cover off and looked down for an escape route. Down was right! He forgot the not only was he three stories up, but he was on an island!! He looked below at the water breaking on the rocks. He though about jumping it, but he didn’t know how deep the water was and there was the possibility of becoming rock paint. The fan started up again. There was only one thing to do; jump for it! Wait! He realized that there was a slim escape route further. It was a walkway going around the perimeter of the building, so he took it, hoping to find deeper water. Careful of the high winds out there, he sidestepped his way to the corner. When he reached his destination he looked down and judged that it was deeper than the water he first saw. A running jump would suffice in getting him to a safe depth. Except for the fact that there was nowhere to start running! He decided to just push off the corner of the building to give him more distance between the deeper water and the rocks. He did so and let go of the corner of the building as he plummeted to the depths below. Negaduck hit the water hard and luckily was not splattered by rocks. Instead, he was submerged a good twelve feet. Swimming to the surface he got some air to breath by and began to swim for St. Canard. When he first escaped out of his cell it was night, when he reached the outside it was, like, eight in the morning. Upon reaching the shore of his beloved city, dusk was already well upon him. Cold, wet, tired, achy, and very hungry Negaduck slowly limped back to his hideout, holding his cramped side. Wrapped in his favorite comforter with a box of tissues on one side and diner on the other side he held the thermometer in his beak and switched on the television. The reporter on the TV said, “And what makes this worse is that escape convicts who value their freedom are harder to catch!” “Bet your ass on that one, Chuck,” Negaduck grumbled with a horse throat. He switched on some cartoon channel and awaited Gosalyn bringing him the soup that was brewing in the kitchen. In the meantime he ate his toast with jelly. In all truth, he wasn’t feeling well; he hasn’t since he was nearly half way done with his swim about three days ago. “Her y, you go, Lord, Negaduck, Dad, sir,” “Mmm, thnks,” He wasn’t his normal grumpy self, all-sick as he was. His Gosalyn sat with him and nibbled on her diner as well, as the two of them watched the evening’s cartoons. “Lord, Negaduck, Dad, sir?” He looked at her. “How long are you going to stay home?” He said, looking back at the television, “As long as it takes to get better,” They didn’t talk all the rest of that night just how it always was. That night Negaduck laid awake staring at the ceiling. He rolled over on his side and wished someone would keep him warm for he was really cold and seemed that he couldn’t keep his own temperature up, though he had a fever of 102. His stomach hurt and so did his head, right behind the eyes. The medicine didn’t help at all and only made it all seem worse. I just have to keep my mind off it, he thought. The mallard got up and got dress then set out on his motorcycle with numerous weapons hidden behind his back. Feeling in a morbid mood he hid The Trouble Maker and set out for a killing rampage. The street was surprisingly filled with people that night and from where he stood he started shooting people. Taking aim he would pick them off easily, even when they were running away. Just down the sidewalk, on his side of the street, he used his new scope on his sniper rifle to snipe some unsuspecting victim. A face stared at him through the scope. Lowering his weapon he saw that it was a little girl’s face. Bright blue eyes and curly blonde hair held back by a red bow. He walked up to her, his rifle in his hand and he looked down at her, puzzled, as she looked up to him. Cocking his head to one side, he patted her head and led her away from the blood bath. What’s it with me and the sweet innocent girls?, he thought. The next day the city was in mourning as 21 people were brutally murdered last night. Negaduck, slumped on the couch, and had the girls on either side of him. He activated the Play Station and proceeded in playing Need for Speed 3 with one of the others. The girls kept loosing, but had fun anyway. There was a call and Gosalyn jumped up to get it. “Hello?” she asked in her sickening sweet voice. “Oh hi, Megsy! Huh? Um, I think Lord Negaduck doesn’t want you to come over. Why? We’re…” She was interrupted by a tin can that hit her reminding her to not blab about what they did in that house. She had turned to see who threw it, but the other two were busy playing the video game. “Uh, you know we’re a little busy over here, ok? Why would you want to come over anyway? You know, let me think about what you guys could do….Ummm, go steal from a jewelry store or something, ok? Ok! Bye!” Gosalyn walked back to the living room and gingerly sat down. “Who was it and what did they want?” Negaduck grumbled. “Oh, that was Megavolt and he wanted a job, so I told him to go rob a jewelry store, is, is that alright with you, Lord Negaduck?” “Yeah, just as long as it doesn’t bother me! Marie, would you like to go out with us two and help me do a little errand?” Gosalyn was exaggeratingly shaking her head, but Marie ignored her and said cheerfully, “Ok!” Little did she know she was going to assist in armed robbery! When they got back Marie hid in the room that she and Gosalyn share and cried. Gosalyn sat next to her with her hand on her shoulder. “I know he seems nice and all, but he really isn’t!” “Girls!” Negaduck called up. “I’m going out; why don’t you two do 1,000 prank calls to keep your selves occupied?!” “O, okay Lord Negaduck!” Gosalyn responded quickly to appease him. With that they heard the front door slam shut. Outside: “Blade!” Negaduck exclaimed, startled. “Hey Negsie,” “What are you doing here??!” “I thought I’d come over and have some fun with you.” She ran her finger along his beak. “Heh, heh. Not here though. Your place?” “Fine.” *********************************************************** “Where could he be?!” Gosalyn worried. “Doesn’t he always stay out this late?” “Yeah, but he does have hours that he’s out! He’s never been gone this long!” “Radio’s said nothing about him getting arrested or him being out at all!” “I wonder where he went,” Gosalyn rested her beak in her hands as she leaned on the windowsill. The perspective is looking at Gosalyn from the outside. We are pulled away and the scene shows the destruction that Negaduck’s done over the years in the Negaverse. The air is gray, the clouds are yellow and the filthy, destroyed city gets smaller as we are pulled above the clouds. There is still no sun up there. It will never shine in this dimension. Now looking at the planet, we find that all of it is like the destroyed St. Canard. A pair of eyes snap open and look around, startled. “Drake, what’s the matter?” “Oh, Alison. I just had an awful dream!” “Ooh, my poor baby! C’ mere.” They snuggled closer to each other. “Ally? You’ll never leave me, will you?” “Huh! Why would you ask such a thing?!” “Just wondering. Goodnight sweetheart.” “Goodnight, dear.” ********************************************************* “Villain, Negaduck, just took out the entire police force! Citizens, stay in your homes! This is a nation emergency! Moscow is in ruins, Tianamin Square is a parking lot, DC is a graveyard, LA in shambles, and the ancient city of Jerusalem is crumbling as we speak! I repeat! Stay IN your homes! SSSKKKKK Yes, stay in your homes, then that will be easier for me to KILL YOU ALL!!! I Negaduck now RULE the world and ANY survivors, if any, will submit to ME!!!!! HEH, HEH, HEH, HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!” “Mommy, I’m scared,” “Me too, darling, me too.” ********************************************************* A pair of groggy eyes open, slowly. “Morning Negsie,” “I had the weirdest dream, Blade.” “I’m sure. Musta had too much vodka, huh?” “Maybe.” He got up slowly and held a hand to his aching head. “Here,” she handed him some medicine. “Thanks,” “Sleep well?” “Eh, guess so.” “Have fun?” “Yep.” He stated simply as he downed the pills. “Good, I like to keep my guests entertained and happy.” He glared at her from the corner of his eye, then looked towards the window to see the rain beat down on it. “You ever dream of the past?” “Huh? Why?” “Never mind!” He got up and went into another room. Minutes later he came back in his villain outfit. “Leaving so soon, darling?” “Yeah. Got things to do.” “Negs?” He looked at her. “Do you ever think that there could have been an ‘us’?” “I don’t know.” “You ever gonna find someone?” “Maybe; but for the time being, my reputation is the most important thing in my life; no time for relationships.” “Well, I can understand that!” “I’m sure you can.” Simultaneously fixing his cuffs, he looked at her. He went over to her, “I’ll see you later, k?” “Alright,” They kissed, then left leaving her sitting on the bed. ********************************************************* “NO, NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” His eyes snapped open and Negaduck found himself behind bars. Beads of sweat rolled from his temples down to his cheek. God, he thought, I hope I didn’t say anything out loud! “Sleep well, Negaslime?” an over weight police pig asked, only momentarily taking his attention from his donut and coffee. “What, what happened?” “Oh. Don’t you remember?” “No.” “Darkwing musta hit you on the head harder than we thought!” Negaduck realized that that he had a lump on his head and it hurt to touch. “Well, ta fill you in, you ransacked the business district and, of course, Darkwing Duck came in and stopped you. Ya battled it out for about an hour and a half. Ya got distracted when the squat team moved in and Darkwing had snatched up a chair and bashed ya over the head with it!” “Oh.” he grumbled deeper than the cop could hear. “I’d get comfortable, if I were you. You’re gonna be here a while!” The cop walked away laughing. What is happening to me?! Why is my conscious going back and forth from the past to the present??! I can’t even remember what I did last because of it! Maybe Morgana cursed me er something? Na, couldn’t be. I woulda seen her before any of this happened. But speaking of the witch, maybe I should see her and inquire about it? Negaduck took out a paper clip and used to try and unlock the door. As he fussed with the lock his vision was blurring out, but he was conscious. “Oh no! Not again!!” ********************************************************* “Darling, where are you??! Where are you, Alison?!!” a young male, worried and concerned duck called throughout the small house. Not thinking, he went in search of her at the places he thought she might go. “Scratch” was one of the places they liked to watch brawls break out. Of course the time of day he went to go look was the one time of the day they were closed. The two of them would occasionally sneak in and help out. It was a place she introduced him too, so he was the stranger there. “What are you doing here?!” “I came to find my wife!” “What are you doing here?!” “I just told you, you moron!” ********************************************************* “Negaduck! What are you doing here?!” “Morgana.” “Welcome back to earth. Now tell me what you are doing here!” “Let me in…please.” He was fatigued and leaning on the doorframe. “Oh so now we’ve resorted to manners, have we?!” “I need help.” He looked up at her with bloodshot eyes. She let the mallard through the doorway. “Well that’s an understatement!” Morgana said to herself, but loud enough to be heard. “Morg, something’s happening to me. It’s driving me insane here!” “Too late for that, I’ll wager.” “Ha, ha, very funny.” He said, unamused. “Well, what seems to be your problem?” “I have flash backs.” “Well that seems normal, for any mortal!” “Morgana! They’re real! It’s like I go back in time to when I was… younger!” “Really?” she said more as a statement than a question. “And I’m just as nieve as I was. It’s not like I retained any memory from later in my life. It’s like I’m traveling back to that time!” “Well, this is a very odd case then!” “A very odd case of what??!” “I don’t know.” Morgana got up and went into her vast library with Negaduck at her heels, curious. Using her magic she fetched a book; a big, old, red book levitated down and set itself on the table and opened. Morgana Macabre flipped through the book, skillfully with her magic. She examined the pages with her brows furrowed. “Negaduck, I’m sorry, but there is nothing like what you are explaining here in this book, and this contains everything!!” “What are we going to do now?!” “I’m going to go to the international witches and warlocks meeting next Saturday evening. I’ll post your problem to them.” “No way in hell you’re going to say it’s about me, witch!!” “Negaduck, I have to! It’ll help you and if I don’t they’ll kill me! It’s part of the rules!” “Rules schmules!!” Morgana interrupts the short duck, “No butts, now let me handle this!” No comments from the peanut gallery. “Now why don’t you stay home until I get the answer. Ok?” “What does it matter?!!” “The you won’t get arrested again!” She got him there. Negaduck stayed quiet and simply went back to his hideout and locked himself in. Then it occurred to him that he never got the chance to return Willy’s things to Emi. “It’ll be nice to see her again,” He went back out and tried to remember where the Flockheart’s lived. “I hope they’re still on Death Roe,” Zooming on The Trouble Maker, Negaduck zipped through the streets and his vision was blurring again. “Oh crap!! Not now!!” ********************************************************* “Mommy, can I get a motorcycle?” “Now, Drake, you know you’re too small for a bike!” “I don’t care! I want one!” “Aw baby, here, have a cookie,” She gave her son a freshly baked chocolate chip and almond cookie. “Thanks Mommy, I love your cookies, y’ know,” “I know, baby,” “But mommy, can I at least have a skateboard??! Maybe for my birthday??” “Aw, darling, you know we can’t afford such luxuries.” “You and Dad got Rose a doll! Why can’t I have something??!” “Drake, dear, life is cruel, live with it, grin and bear it! Now, why don’t you hide in your room before your father gets home and beats you for asking questions?” “Alright, Mommy,” ********************************************************* “Wh…Where am I??” “Y’ aight, mista? Tooka bad tumble dere! ” Negaduck looked up at the homeless, gray bearded gentleman, dressed in raggedy clothes sewed up multiple times. He realized that he crashed his beloved motorcycle and, he himself, was a bloody mess. ‘Lucky to have survived at all!! Damn these flashbacks!!! He got up, with a little assistance of the bearded man. Negaduck rejected the assistance and held himself up with the pole that he apparently had hit at one point, as his blood was on it. He began limping away, trying to figure out where he was, with no such luck. His vision wasn’t helpful at all as he couldn’t read the street signs, due to a bang, or two, to the head. He only walked on, incoherently. He stumbled along for god knows how long till he couldn’t walk any further. He collapsed at the base to stares from of a house. Conscientiousness left him as his blood stained the sidewalk. “Mom, I think he’s coming around!” “Good word, dear.” To Negaduck she said, “Negaduck? Can you hear me??” He could feel a hand on his cheek and the soft cushioning underneath him tilt to one side as someone else’s weight was on it. “Negaduck? Open your eyes.” Negaduck smelled the familiar perfume of lilies on her feathers. He thinks he smiled at the memory. “Emilia?” “Hi, Negsie,” He reached up and took her hand in his and kissed it, hoping not to creep her out with his bloody lip. He realized that it wasn’t any more. Apparently, Emilia felt this too. “I cleaned you up, Negs. What the hell happened to you??! You’re a mess!!” “Long story,” “I’d love to hear it, but you must rest now. I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight,” She kissed his forehead. He smiled slightly, then his eyelids closed against their will and went limp with unconsciousness again. ********************************************************* He was at home when they took him. It was horrible for his family to witness, but it was either be taken to prison or his family watching him be shot on sight. Emi, I miss you so much darling!, thought the one-eyed duck. That night he’d make his escape. He had to see the family again! In the ventilation shaft, the fan swept him up in its fury. And in its fury, started eating away at him. He screamed in pain as his foot was ripped off. The fans stopped and he scrambled for safety. He needed to find a way out of this labyrinth for others to be saved. Villain dignity, is was the last gift he could give any other of his kind. He found it too. Down the tunnel off shoot by the fan, there was a fork in the road. He looked down to the left and found his way home. The roar of the fan started up again. He was sucked backwards, his clothing sliding along the smooth piping. A snag was all that saved him. There was a part of the pipe that got ripped up with the wind and it snagged his belt, thank god. But then the suck of the fan still pulled him in, getting at the other foot. He screamed again as the fan had more of it’s meal. It persisted, gnawing, the pain so great it stopped hurting. But he loved his family so much! How could this happen to him!!?? Suddenly, his eyes were tired and he felt weak. The fan started to stop, clearly rubbing, polishing away the exposed bone of his legs. Sleep. That’s what he wanted to do. NO!! Emi! Trino! NO!! In a feeble attempt, he called out, “I want to go home,” His eyes shut and he knew it was his time. Why? He was so young. But then again, villains never die old. He swallowed hard and concentrated in pointing the future it’s way out. The fan started again. He strained to keep the future’s destination on track as he screamed in agony as more of his bone and muscle was torn away. His eyes were squeezed shut, but he wanted to see his way to his new home. Negaduck, take care of my family! And all blacked out. ********************************************************* The next morning, Negaduck awoke with a splitting headache and was sore all over! He tried to get up, but refrained from doing so because it hurt so much! He heard slippers on the carpet and the aroma of scrambled eggs, buttered toast, orange juice, coffee, and bacon fill the room. Negaduck smiled a little smile at the sent. Emilia helped him sit up and even gave him an extra pillow. “What did I do to deserve such wonderful treatment?” She sighed. “Negaduck, you’re the friend of the family. You deserve that much respect,” She handed him his coffee and he took a long sip, hoping to soothe his wounds with the heat. “So,” Emilia began. “What happened to you?” “It was my own fault and it should not concern you, Emi. I actually did this while coming to see you.” “Really? What about?” “It’s about Will,” Emilia gasped and held a hand to her cute bill. “What happened to him? Where is he? Is he all right? Is that where you got these?” She held up the belongings that Negaduck got off the body. “Yes,” It was then that he noticed that he was not in his usual attire. “It’s not like he gave me his things. I came to tell you…he’s dead.” She started crying. As she cried Negaduck rubbed her arm and told the rest. “I had found him in a ventilation shaft while I was escaping the Block Island Maximum Security prison. It looked like he was there a very long time. He was a skeleton.” Now the tears really started to roll. Negaduck leaned her over so she could rest on him while she was crying her eyes out. With that he agitated some of his wounds, but he dealt with the pain, just to relieve hers. After a while she got up and wiped her water stained eyes and sniffled. “Well, thank you for his things,” “Sure,” He started to get up to leave, but she laid him back down. “Negaduck, you’re in no condition to even move! I’ll drive you back to your place when you’re better. Ok?” “Alright,” he grumbled. Emilia left the room, but her offspring decided to peek in. They watched Public Enemy Number Two achingly eat his breakfast and read the paper, then left when they too, were called to eat. Ten o’clock rolled around and Negaduck was snug in Emilia’s bed, feeling the sunrays, through the blinds, move across the sky and the room. The four children in the house watched him in curiosity, trying to asses him. Their mother herded them away so he could recuperate. Wise, because he really didn’t want to be disturbed at that moment. He was comfortable without pain. The next thing he knew it was dark out, the streetlamps were shining a pale blue-ish light into the room. Negaduck wanted to make sure he wasn’t having a flashback, because a memory very similar to this happened in his own home back when he was a boy. Emilia walked into the room, closed off the light with the blinds and the curtain. He tried to sit up, but refrained when he realized that it hurt to do so. She must have heard him, for she turned suddenly around. “Negs, are you up to a meal?” He hoarsely answered, “Yeah,” She went to the bedside table and lit the oil lamp to give off a kinder light for his eyes, then she went to fetch him his meal. He actually felt rather guilty, making her be his servant, but she was a godsend, helping tend to his wounds and feeding him. He thought about what was it with the night that it made an ill person feel even more ill??! He shrugged inwardly. If he thought about it even more, he was sure he’d end up with a migraine. She came back minutes later with a warm meal. And as sleepy and in pain as he was, he didn’t very well know where his mouth was at that moment. Emi helped. It was so kind of her. He knew he’d be better in the morning; he was itchy from healing. He didn’t scratch, though; he had tremendous self-control. After dinner, Emi told him that he couldn’t very well sleep on a full stomach, so she brought in a book and read to him. He had to admit now she was treating him like an ill child, but her soothing voice was nice and he rested and nestled down and listened till he fell asleep. *********************************************************** Negaduck! What are you doing here??! He must have scared his long time friend, for he had jumped, startled. “One Eyed Willy? Is that you?! Geez, and to think no one knew what happened to you!” Hi, Negs, how’ve you been? “What a horrible death, but worthy of a villain; escape,” You’re telling me? But…thanks. “Don’t worry Will, I’ll give them to Emilia and the kids,” Thank you. Tell them I miss them and that I love them. And Negaduck made it out alive, unlike himself. Willy couldn’t wallow in self-pity. He had to stay focused. Show him the way out. The next morning he again woke to the wondrous smell of a home cooked breakfast on the way. Hurting less, but more achy, he sat up and laid back, awaiting his best friend’s wife. He had to admit how guilty he felt that he was sleeping in Willy and Emilia’s bed. But, it was her decision, not his. Sure enough, in came Emilia, with a peanut gallery behind her, whom stopped at the doorway as their mother walked in to give him breakfast. “And how are we feeling today?” “I’ve been better.” “Well, that’s better than the moans and groans from yesterday,” “I bet,” He looked at the peanut gallery watching him. They scurried off when they made eye contact. “Emi, what are your kids names?” “Oh. Well, there’s Trino, and in descending order there’s Martha, then Helen, and lastly, Ronan.” “Huh,” She left the room to do whatever. His morning continued much like yesterdays. The youngest, walked in and peered over the top of the foot of the bed. The others followed his example. Negaduck cracked an eye open and they ducked their heads below the comforter’s top as to not be seen. “I know you’re there. It’s ok, I won’t hurt you.” He reassured them. Not like I can, he thought. They peered over again, then stood. The oldest was a long haired male of about 14, next was a 12 year old girl, then an eight year old girl and the littlest was just a kindergartener. Negaduck felt sorry that their father, his friend, was dead. “Heh, I remember when you were just a duckling, Trino,” The oldest was taken back. “Y, you know me??” “Yeah, I do. I held you when you were a new born. Your father trusted me greatly.” “You knew our father?” “We were partners in crime for a while there. I was new at it and your father had some experience under his belt.” The children sat on the bed, awaiting a story of their lifetime. “Oh, you look so much like your father, Trino,” “Tell me what you and our father did?” “Oh, well, I don’t think it’s all that appropriate for your young ears,” “Please?” the children begged. “Well, let me just put it that we weren’t nice ok?” Trino make a disgusted noise. “C’mon, give us a little hint!” He sighed, “Alright,” He paused and then continued, “We robbed banks, jewelry stores, fur factories, cause havoc and mayhem on the streets, promoted riots, shootouts, bombings, the list goes on and on.” “Wow,” the children said in awe that their loving father was so evil. “Yeah, but through the malice he bore toward the world I know he loves the ones he bore with your mother.” The girls sighed at this. “So, what’dcha do to yerself getting here?” “Ug, I’m having troubles, real troubles with flashbacks. But I don’t think any of you have to worry. It’s not contagious and surely you haven’t lived long enough to remember anything to terrible that you did.” “So,” Trino starts. “What you’re remembering is bad?” “Well, not necessarily. What it is, actually, is memories from when I lived at home with my parents.” “What was it like?” “Pretty awful. Huh, listen to me. I must be messed up if I’m telling you all this. I better go before I become a burden,” Emilia stands in the doorway. “Well, if that’s how you feel, then I’ll take you home,” “Thanks Emi…for everything,” She gave Negaduck his costume back washed and mended and the two of them set out with her children waving their good-byes to their visitor. In the car, the passengers were rather silent. It was a scary silence that needed to be broken. “Negs, why don’t you ever visit much? I always said you were welcome in my home,” “Well, my choice career would probably affect you and your family by way of ‘harboring a felon’ and I didn’t want to hurt you in that manor.” “Aw, you’re very considerate! But you know, Negs, it was like that with Will. And I haven’t seen anyone since he left, never to be heard from again,” She started to tear up. “Aw, Emi, I’m sure all he thought about was coming to see you and be with you and that’s why he did what he did.” “sigh I know, but it is tragic, for me and for the kids.” A long silence. “Too bad we weren’t in a relationship,” Negaduck slowly turns his head to look at Emilia, with a shocked look on his face as she drives. She glanced over at him. “What? Why not?” “Emi! That’s not like you to say that.” “Negs, I’m lonely. I’ve always liked you. Please, won’t you even consider?” “Well…” He thought long and hard. “As a last resort, I suppose,” “Thanks,” Emilia stopped the car just outside the bad part of town. “I trust you can make it from here?” Negaduck gave her a hurt look as if to say, ‘You’re not going to drive me to my home?!” Emilia added, “Wouldn’t want me to know too much about you, huh?” “Ah. Alright then. I’ll see you…whenever.” “Ok,” And before he got out, Emilia bravely kissed his cheek. Stunned, he thought long and hard about his encounter with Mrs. Emilia Flockheart. Negs was always such a fast healer and it didn’t take him more than two weeks to fully recover from his crash. He thought about what Emilia said and… thought about it. He had to admit that when Emi and Willy were seeing each other, so were Negs and Emi. But Willy trusted Negs with even his life. Too bad he couldn’t save his, but there was that return help. Negaduck decided that it was time to put the press to good use. He was now going to help his best friend! The microphones were all pointed in his direction as he spoke. “And today I will lay my friend to rest, for that is what he truly deserves. And I hope that in the future this hell hole will be shut down and torn down!!” But minutes later, Willy’s boney body came forth on a stretcher, still in the position in which he died. Negaduck took off his fedora as Willy made his appearance. Negs, with his free hand, traced the outer rim of his friend’s bill, caringly. Thank you, Negaduck. Please take care of my family. I’d trust no one but you! “Rest peacefully, One Eyed Willy,” A tear would have made its appearance, but Negs held it back as best he could. Negaduck’s eyes followed as the stretcher and Willy were taken to the boat to be sent to the mainland. Unexpectingly, Emilia and her children showed up! “Oh crap,” They had seen the skeleton and knew who it was. Negs ran up to them to distract them. “Emilia, what are you doing here??!” “We’re here for Willy! We’re his family and we will support him even in death! You know that!” “Yes, you’re right, but… Didn’t you think abut your children?!! Isn’t it disturbing for them to see him…like that??!!” Trino walked up to Negaduck and said, “It’s better for us to see him and remember what had happened than not to have,” Negaduck admitted the lad was wise beyond his years. The boy continued, “Being that now we know where Dad will be going, will you fill his place?” Negaduck was taken back, in shock. He snapped his attention up to Emilia. “You put them up to this??!” “No. I merely told them that if anything had happened to their father that I’d like no one but you to take his place,” Negaduck could feel himself getting angry. Being put into this position was less than wanted. He wouldn’t let himself sleep in Willy’s spot, guilty for “taking his place”. The relationship he and Will had that decade and a half ago was a bond no one could ever break. It was formed before Negaduck, and it formed before the notorious One Eyed Willy. It was formed on a solidifying foundation when they were standing on soft soil with nieve minds. It was formed before their minds were twisted and evil. It was formed with a young teen and a good friend of barely adult age, himself. Fifteen years later, Negaduck felt so wrong to be there. He sat up in bed. “Negs, what’s wrong?” He felt Willy was watching him. “I’m sorry, Emi, I can’t do this. Willy’s on my other side.” “You know we’re starting off at the beginning. He’s fine with it. You know he trusts you that much!” “I know, but… I’m a feral duck in a soft comfortable bed, in a nice warm house. I can’t do this and feel it’s right.” “Well, You’ll get better with time.” “No. I don’t think I ever will. I’m not in love. I’m not a domestic duck. I’m not a father role model for your impressionable children.” “Negs, don’t say that!” “I’m going.” And simply with that, he got up and tried the couch downstairs. But Willy’s eyes followed him even there. He was about to get up when Trino came into view. “Can’t sleep?” “What are you doing up?!” “I can’t sleep either,” “What, knowing there’s Public Enemy Number 2 sleeping in you father’s bed?” “You talk about yourself like you’re the devil himself!” “Aren’t I?” “If you’d look inside yourself, you’d realize you’re not who you think you are!” “What does your mother do fer a living?” “She’s a social worker with the ability to talk with the dead,” Negaduck paused, trying to digest that tidbit of information. “Oh.” He paused again. “You outta get to bed, young man!” “Yes sir!” Trino said with spark and went to his bedroom. Negs headed outside and sat on the steps. Maybe he’d feel better out there? No chance. Willy followed him even out there, but the emotion changed with this phantasm. Before it was like jealousy, now it was concern and a feeling that everything here was ok. Negaduck went back inside and went to bed with Emilia Flockheart. That morning he left for his hideout. Just before he finished turning the knob on the front door, the room was swamped with its inhabitants. “Where are you going, Negs?” came Emilia’s voice. He cringed. Slowly turning around he spied the family looking at him with these suspicious looks in their eyes. He looked to the floor without moving and furrowed his brows. “I’m going out,” he simply said. “Not without breakfast, you’re not!” “I’ll get some later!” “Kids, go upstairs, will you?” Then to him, she said, “No, you’ll have it now and you’ll like it!” “No, I have better things to do!!” “No you do not!!” The kids hid in the safety of the railing as their mother and Negaduck argued in an ever-increasing heated discussion. Their mother continued, the argument further along, “I’m a working mother and I need some form of income as well as someone responsible for my children!!” “Woopty fuckin doo!! I don’t care! All I’ve been doing and will do is save my own feathers!!” “You need to learn responsibility one day mister or you’ll be in the duck pond without a paddle!!” “I am responsible!! Responsible for myself and myself alone!!!” “No!! That’s being self-centered!! You egotistical, irrational, irritating drake that you only think you are!!” “Oh look who’s talking Ms. Perfect house duck!! All you know how to do is cook and clean and pretend to be a hard worker!! I bet you wouldn’t survive an hour in my place!!!” “Neither would you!!!” “Yeah right! It’s the easiest fuckin job in the damned world!!” Scared, Ronan stated to cry. This upset Negaduck to no end and as he went to the four kids, they grabbed up Ronan and ran upstairs. He presided and Emilia came in last. Negaduck was going up the stares in two’s and Emi tried to stop him, fearing what he could do. She grabbed at his cape and distracted, Negaduck pushed her. She had too good a grip, so as she fell down the stairs, so was he. They hit the bottom to that flight and then tumbled down the perpendicular last three stairs. Emilia, without a moment’s waste, pinned Negaduck to the carpeted floor. “I don’t care what comes of me, but when you go to endanger the children that is where I draw the line!!” He mockingly said, “Ooh! Scary!” And he flipped them over so he was on top pinning her down. He had an insane and furious look in his eyes. Just as Emilia got worried, Trino leapt from the railing and landed on Negaduck’s back. Emilia then saw a look of pure pain on Public Enemy No. 2’s face and no sound came from him. She pushed him off and grabbed up Trino as she went for safety. She stopped and looked back to see Negaduck laying face down on the floor, not moving. She let go of Trino and took a step closer to Negs. Still no movement. “Negs?” Another step closer. She realized that he wasn’t breathing! She rushed over and knelt down, and then finding him alive, but the wind was knocked out of him but good. She tried to help him get his breath back by hitting his back. After a bit it worked and he went into a full-blown coughing fit. He sat up and rested on a couch as he tried to get his breathing back to normal. Trino had stayed where him mother left him and the other three peered down from the vertex of the wall and ceiling. Emilia rubbed Negs’s shoulder as he started to calm from his coughing fit. A few were left and they annoyingly upset his oxygen intake. Eventually he stopped his coughing and looked up at Emilia, whom was sitting on the couch he was leaning on. “You ok?” she asked. “You are so confused.” he simply stated. She looked at him funny, but then he continued his thought. “I try and hurt you and the next thing you do is be nice to me and try and help!! What’s it with you people??!” “Negs, that’s what we do. I don’t know how it is for you and people like you, but maybe one day you’ll learn the difference,” “I doubt that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m leaving now.” As he tried to get up off the floor, he realized that he couldn’t and let out a yelp of pain. “Negs! Are you ok??!” “I, I, I can’t get up!” “Maybe it’s your back!” “I…think so.” He rested against the couch once more and it felt better. “Try moving your toes,” “What the hell does that have to do with anything??!!” “Trust me, just do it.” He tried and it was hard to do. “It hurts to do so, but I can, barely.” “I think you have a spinal cord injury.” “Oh GREAT!! Just PEACHY!! That’s the LAST thing I need!!” “I’m going to call 911, ok? Don’t move.” “WHAT???!!! YOU CAN’T!!!” But it was too late. She was already up, at the phone and talking to someone. Trino cautiously came over, now seeing that even if Negs wanted to, he couldn’t get up to hurt him. “I’m sorry,” “Little LATE for THAT, now aren’t we!??” Negaduck snapped, crankily. Within fifteen minutes the paramedics arrived and Emilia let them in. “Where is he?” She pointed to a grumpy Negaduck. The paramedics looked at him shocked, seeing who it is. They eyed Emilia, who went up to Negs to comfort him. Upon seeing him let her touch him, they knew something was definately wrong with him. They cautiously went up to him and assed what was wrong and how to get him to the hospital. Emilia went with Negs for emotional support and Trino was left in charge of his siblings. In the ambulance: “Negs, this never would have happened if you learned control.” Now, being disabled like that, he couldn’t very well raise his voice over a soft talking tone. “Well, if I hadn’t been forced to live in your house we wouldn’t be here, now would we?!” “Well, you’ll thank me in the future! Because of me, you’ll learn how to be a law abiding citizen!” “Ha! Double ha! ME? A ‘Law abiding citizen’?” he mocked. “Get real. And for Christ sake, get a real job!” “Negs, I deal with troubled people, before they become people like you! I know what I’m doing!” “Not with me. Do you know what I am?” “No. What?” “I am homicidal.” “Oh really.” The paramedic in the back with the, in the meantime, knew not a thing they were talking about.