Who: Chester Penasa & a whole bunch of people, but mainly his mom What: Trial When: Night of May 3rd Where: Indulgence Circle Status: Narrative, finished Warnings: Body horror warnin’ for Chester as always- being impaled, smoking, swearing, spoilers for my own comic lol,
The wind was howling, screaming louder than his own thoughts. Chester lit a cigarette and watched as the smoke was stolen by the wind. He looked out across the abandoned carnival he was hiding out in. No one would come looking for him in Abandon, they’d all be too busy. Another exhale filled his crevice with more smoke as he pondered the world he’d visited for a moment. Like a fading dream on a sleepy Saturday morning it weaved in and out of his thoughts with each breath.
A quick side glance to his arms revealed that the marks were still there. Pulling his sleeves up he could see them clearly, Anger on his left arm and Violence on his right. This ain’t no dream. This whole place ain’t one. Chester chewed on the end of his cigarette, This is probably one of those trials everyone was talkin’ ‘bout. Wonder what’s in store for me. Can’t do much I don’t already know. I’m a real piece of shit for leavin’ everyone like that. He pulled the brim of his cap down further over his eyes while he thought about it. He’d really just up and abandoned everyone in the blink of an eye. What a damn coward he was. He grit his teeth and bit through the end of the cigarette. With a sigh he put it out between his fingers and tossed it away over his shoulder. The cigarette evaporated into ghostly smoke before it hit the ground.
“Charles Jackson Penasa what did I tell you about throwing your cigarette butts?! Use an ashtray!” Chester’s eyes shot open faster than they had when he was a kid. He rolled over and looked down at the sound of her voice. The familiar race of primal fear at her anger sparked life in his heart.
“Ma?!” He vanished and reappeared in front of her. She looked exactly the way she did the day he died, still dressed in her usual blue checkered house dress. He knew if he asked she’d have some kind of crackers in her pocket along with her favorite rag. The one with Alice had embroidered a blue flower over the hole he’d made when he’d hit Edward and it got caught on the chair. “What.. What are ya doing here?! This ain’t ‘eaven…”
“I could ask you the same thing!” She reached for his face and cupped his left cheek, her thumb minded the glass that was embedded there, “Just look at you! Oooh my poor poor little chestnut.” Chester’s eyes welled with tears that he didn’t hide as he mom took off his hat and fixed his hair. For the first time in a century he felt like he was floating while she tutted and looked over the rebar sticking out of his chest. She hesitated in touching it, like it was a playground scrape she wasn’t sure how to clear away the dirt from.
“Ma… Ma I’m so sorry.” Chester covered his face and cried harder. She pulled him into her arms and squeezed him from the side. He buried his face in her shoulder and sobbed, “I fucked everthang up. I’m in ‘ell.. I’m not ya good little boy like ya wanted me ta be. I’ma greaseball.” The rest of his words melted together as he blubbered. His mother rubbed his shoulders while he cried.
“Charlie, don’t say things like that. You’re still my little boy no matter what. Even if you’ve done the things you’ve done. I still love you despite it, there are people who still love you.” His mother spoke softly.
“She’s right, you know.” “So hurry up and get ya’re head out ya ass, cause we need ya.”
Chester looked over to see more people from home. Felix floated just a few feet away with Tobias beside him. On his otherside was Alsike. “You really think that little of me that I would leave you to wallow when you refused to let me? This is my vengeance.” Alsike crossed his eyes while he spoke. Despite his closed off stature he wore kind eyes, the same ones Chester remembered his old friend wearing before he stopped aging.
Chester’s mother laughed lightly, “See? I know my words can only go so far with comfort.” She looked pained while she spoke, “But when you hear it from so many loved ones it’ll add up. You haven’t gone to Hell yet, it’s not too late to make up for the sins you’ve made.” She put Chester’s hat back on his head and straightened it out, “So start now.”
Chester didn’t even get a chance to speak before the world around him was the apartment he’d woken up in. He sputtered and looked around and grabbed his hat off his head. He could still feel the warmth from his mother’s touch. He spun around slowly before curling up in the air. There were still so many things he’d wanted to ask…