Chapter 2
Breaking several traffic laws, Anon continues to hurriedly drive himself and the other terrified three to the nearest hospital, not too far away now. The silence does little to help the seemingly infinite Tinnitus stuck in everyone's ears. No one could even begin to know how to feel. The chase of their lives had just ended not even 5 minutes ago, and death kept his presence heavy amongst the four. Anon had begun to shake from the leftover adrenaline, nearly hindering his driving. It didn't help that what was thought to be a scratch on Anon's forearm from earlier had ended up to be a gnarly gash , leaking blood on his clothes and unfortunately the driver's seat as well. The pain was beginning to set in, and it felt like a flamethrower had his arm torched at point blank range. A sharp intake of air does little to numb the pain. Fang is about to say something to Anon, but the thought quickly leaves her head as soon as it comes. She still had to let him concentrate, lest he crashes the car after escaping what would have been certain death if it weren't for his bravery earlier.
The hospital finally starts to come into view. Come on now, it only gets easier from here. Looking right and back, Anon can see small cuts and bruises on everyone else from the shattered glass and the janky ride. It was like they had all just gotten off a ride of Dino-horn Bobsleds. However, it's the least of Anon's worries, as keeping them alive and safe is what actually mattered. Pulling up to a free parking spot surprisingly close to the entrance, Anon and others let out a collective sigh as relief finally washes over. The beaten up NasCar finally begins to rest from its damage given to it earlier. After taking everything in for about a minute, everyone begins to get out of the car, one by one. Anon begins to lean against the door of the car, but doesn't get a chance to recuperate as a furious looking Naser is already speedwalking towards him.
What the hell is he doing?
"Hey-"
POW.
Stars. That's all that Anon can see as Naser's sudden sucker punch in the face makes Anon land right on his ass. Callouts to Naser are left ignored as he's already grasping Anon by the collar with one hand, clenched fist in the other. A booming voice scarily similar to his father's comes out of him.
"YOU! You've got some fucking explaining to do! What the FUCK was that?! Why did we just happen to be in danger when we were all together?!" Naser raises his fist higher. "Maybe I can beat the answers out of you!" However before his fist can make contact once again, Anon's gashed arm suddenly stops the fist from getting another punch. The fist the other arm to everyone's surprise collides into Naser's face with just as much force, immediately unclenches, then heads right to his throat, holding him hostage in a choke hold. Now fully standing up, Anon uses both hands to choke Naser while he fails to do so himself. Yes, it's in the position you're thinking of.
Fang and Naomi rush in to break up the fight, worrying it was about to turn deadly.
"NO, ANON, STOP!"
"NASER!"
The two rush in and force the others apart, Anon tries to rush back in, but Fang suddenly yanks him back. It takes both of the girls' strength to keep Anon away, who's currently in a fit of rage from Naser's previous actions.
"UNGRATEFUL SON OF A BITCH! I JUST SAVED YOUR GOD DAMN ASS! YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO PUNCH ME AFTER THAT?! I'VE KILLED BASTARDS FOR DOING A TENTH OF THE SHIT YOU JUST PULLED! FUCK YOU! I-" Anon gets the instant realization of what he just said, and the feeling of his shoe being shoved down his own throat returns. All the rage that was just there 5 seconds ago had all vanished like a handful of sand in the wind. Anon stops trying to break free and keeps his eyes locked on Naser. Cold. That's all Anon felt as he froze in place. Then the shaking began. No more words could have formed out of his mouth if he tried.
"...Anon?"
Fang's concern did nothing to help the situation. Shaking heavier than before, Anon instead stares at the asphalt below him, clenching his teeth as the waves of emotion continue crashing down. This is it, they were going to leave him behind. He's once again going to be back to square fucking one. Just when he thought that he had the ones to call family as well. The blood still seeping it's way out of Anon's nostrils starts to burn, forcing him to stain his shirt with a wipe using his good arm. Maybe there's a way to save this relationship, first time for everything as they say.
"Um, Anon, I think Naser's right. We really need to know why that happened. What's going on?"
A shook Naomi interjects. One glance tells Anon she is frozen in fear from his words. Further observing the world around him, he sees the siblings have similar expressions on their faces. Anon desperately tries to get something out of his mouth, anything- but no noise comes as all words repeatedly die in his throat. What was he supposed to say? Anything he'll tell them will drive them off, and it'll just be darkness all over again. The drug deals, the forced murders, the underground hierarchy, the stored wealth... any one of those are going to make them run. Standing in the same place for the past minute or so had left a pool of blood from Anon's wounded arm, and everyone is STILL frozen. Someone do something, damn it! He'd rather pass out from blood loss having said something than nothing at all!
"Please, tell us. You know you can tell us anything, right?"
Bullshit. Anon was certain the moment he revealed a speck of his past, it won't matter anymore. Naomi gets the case of the waterworks once more as her shaky voice shows more desperation as she speaks.
"Anon, please, please, PLEASE! I'm begging you, please! Don't leave us in the dark! We need to know what's wrong with you, we want to help you, PLEASE!"
Naomi is facing head down, gripping both sides of Anon's jacket, sobbing a tsunami out of her eyes. though, to Anon, it hadn't felt real for a second. She only pretended to care about him just to get closer to Naser. There was no way that he was going to tell her jack, not after her showing that she's a manipulative bitch. She had the gall to stab strings into Fang and his hearts for her shitty, selfish reasons and expects him to do her bidding again? Not on your life, "friend". Anon immediately shoves Naomi away.
"NO!"
"No, God, please..." Anon's voice raises as tears fall once more, projecting to everyone now.
"I can't, I fucking can't! Because the second I tell you anything about my past, you'll just run off! Yeah, you! All of you! You don't even have to lie to me about it, I know it's inevitable! Every FUCKING time! When I'm done, you'll fly your asses to China just to be as far away from me as possible! Please, you all are the only family I've had in the longest time! I love you all more than you could imagine! I haven't felt happiness in a decade and you're forcing me to just abandon that when I finally get it again?! You're telling me that you're not going to get in that car... drive off..." Anon's voice simmers as it turns from angry-depression to pure hopelessness. "...and leave me behind and... go where... I can't find you?"
Naser slowly stands up, staring at what seems to be right at the gateway to Anon's soul. Thump.... thump, thump. Naser starts to walk almost gravely toward Anon... No, wait, it's a speed-walk again?
Oh shit, is he doing a full-on sprint?!
WHAT-
Naser slams into Anon, wrapping his arms around him in a bear hug, constantly re-adjusting himself as if he would slip into a black hole if he wasn't giving the hardest embrace he could. The momentum eventually slows down, finally bringing them into a full stop. Anon goes from feeling absolute shock, then love, then fucking clueless, then back to love, all in the space of an attosecond. He couldn't believe what was happening to him, but it felt real. For the first time in a while, he's self-assured with the thought that he's finally cared for again. Waterworks were crashing through the dam again, but that was the least of Anon's concerns. He's needed this hug for all of his life, and he finally got it. Naser finally speaks to glue in the assurance. Even he can't hold back silent sobs of his own.
"No... We're never going to do that... never. We're staying with you, no matter what. We're not leaving family behind..."
"At least I won't... I'm with you. You'd better fucking believe it."
Anon slowly raises his arms.
"GOD..." "DAMN IT!"
Anon returns the gesture, wrapping his arms around Naser just as hard as he was. Naser could have never expected that Anon was keeping this inside of him for all of these years. It's funny, he thought that he had been through a lot of shit. Anon proved to him in that moment that there's always someone out there who's suffered more than you. In this case, the gap felt almost infinite. Naser knew exactly what he was feeling, but it had to have been multiplied ten fold. When he jumped off of a roof and broke his wing, he hadn't told a soul outside of his immediate family how it happened. It nearly split his spirit to the bone.
Naser wondered how Anon hadn't ended his own life yet. Going through what he had and living on must take an impossible amount of resolve. He's probably the strongest person he's ever met, and there probably won't be another that comes even close.
Walking up to Anon, Fang finally breaks her silence, beginning to take everything in.
"Anon... you don't have to say anything to us. You don't owe us anything. If it hurts to think about, then don't worry about it." Oh, it hurts to think about a LOT. He couldn't walk off without letting them know about who he truly was. They needed some slack cut for them, as they were literally inches away from death due to his presence at a bad time. Slowly letting Naser go, the two are freed from the oxygen-denying hug as Anon responds.
"No Fang, I... you guys deserve to know. I've already caused way too much trouble as it is, but all of you need to promise me something first..."
Anon stretches out his right hand to everyone, giving each and every single one of them a glare that could go down to the deepest, darkest parts of themselves.
"I want you all to promise me that you'll stay by me... I need you to shake on it."
Naomi walks up first. A firm grasp with a hand over the other, along with a push down and a truthful nod seals the deal.
Naser is next. He keeps one hand at Anon's back and gives his promise with the other.
"Absolutely."
Fang finally steps up, giving a reassuring smile while starting to cry herself. She shakes with the same gesture Naomi does.
"Of course... but we need you two patched up first. You both look horrible, especially you. You're still bleeding from that bullet glaze, Anon."
Oh shit, she's right. Better get that fixed before it turns real bad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 Days Later ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Taken into the ER, Anon was given a surgery to patch up his gash, and everyone else was treated for minor injuries. It had unfortunately taken a few days before visitors were allowed in Anon's room. He had ended up with a large wrap around his left arm, underneath it was a good chunk of stitches patching up the wound. Currently staring at the ceiling in the late night, Anon had started to ruminate on the three's promise. He felt their honesty coming off from them as they shook his hand, yet he couldn't stomach the feeling that it was a lie either. It always had to be that voice from the darkest part of his mind telling him that nobody was going to be there for him. But from now on, he wasn't going to let it control his life. He's finally on a new path, and nothing was going to stop him from continuing down that path.
A pterodactyl doctor comes in to check in on Anon, again attempting to give him normal company. Unfortunately, neither Anon nor his friends were safe from the paparazzi. The chase made national news, and every news station was digging for all the information. It took lots of intimidation to keep them away. It was even a challenge keeping them from bursting into Anon's room to harass him. During his time here, Anon and Doctor Crecellius have had a wonderful time talking to each other, finding comfort in the tense situation around them. Unimaginable stress from the press seems to have brought the two together in a harmony of their own.
"'Ello again."
"Hey, Doc."
"You gotta few... ah won't even beat around the bush here. You've got yerself a crowd of visitors waitin' out there for ya, no more than 10 ah'd say. Ah dunno who you want in or out. Nun'a them look like those paparazzi folks though."
Oh, what the hell, let 'em in. Although the Doctor was great, he needed more than one person. He absolutely needed to see the other three after the scuffle, hoping they weren't mentally dead from the pressure.
"I'll take all of them, Doc. They've got lots to catch up on. You can be at ease now, I'll take it from here."
"You sure, Anon? It's a lot of folks to take in at once."
A nod confirms Anon's request.
"I'm sure."
"Well, alrighty then. Ah'll come back to check on you tomorrow, See you then, friend."
Opening the door to Anon's room, the Doctor gestures a welcome before he takes leave. And dear lord, he wasn't kidding! It practically was a crowd, everyone's here! Fang, Naser, Naomi, Reed, Trish, Rosa, Stella-
FANG'S PARENTS AND UNCLE MOE?!
Going into full panic mode from the sight, Anon throws himself out of the bed and holds himself against the corner of the room. That's it, he's dead. Done. Finished. Now here come the bullets to finish him off once and for all. At least that's what Anon thought before Moe spoke up to the terrified human.
"Woah woah woah, hey, kid! It's okay, we're not here to hurt ya!"
Ripley also reassures Anon, noticing the complete fear on the poor guy's face.
"Anon, you're okay. We're not here to hurt you. You can settle down."
He slowly lets himself go from the wall, struggling to stand. Finally regaining his footing, he notices Samantha slowly approaching with an upset look on her face. Anon also slowly approaches, having the words die in his mouth just like before. They stop in front of each other. However, she starts to look angrier than before-
SLAP.
Everyone's eyes go as wide as dinner plates at the scene before them, jaws dropped to the floor. Anon's head is forced to the side, but the disappointed expression on his face doesn't change. He gladly accepted to smack to his face, knowing that it was coming for a while.
"MOM!"
Fang yelps out at her mother's slap, feeling both protective over Anon and terrified at what was going to happen next. However, Anon immediately turns down the intensity with a collected response.
"Fang... it's fine."
"...I deserved that."
Anon sits down on the bed, prepared to spill everything. Breathe in, breathe out.
"Well, I've got some stuff to clear up for you all. Get comfortable, you're gonna be here for a while."