Justice sighed as he leaned on a railing. Out below him was a massive park. The cool breeze froze the air around him as he exhaled. Winter was coming but fall still had its beauty in the park. His gaze wandered down to a park bench where he knew if he’d sat down he wouldn’t want to get up for awhile. The bench seemed to win in its favor.

Justice looked up at the blue sky, the birds flying south passed by without a care. He sometimes wished he could be a bird. To fly away and be lost in the flock, not be grounded by human problems. A soft kick to the leg brought him back down to reality. He smiled a bit, already knowing who it was without looking.

“Jeremy, what brings you here today?” The youth joined him on the bench, handing over some hot drinks in the process. 

“I was walking with mother when I saw you walk down the path. Thought I’d drop by and say hi.” Jeremy took a drink out of his sweet flavored drink, letting the warmth run in his body. 

“Ah and here I thought you were a stalker.” Justice smiled, as he took his turn for the drink. The smell of white chocolate graced his nose. His smile grew even more. “I am right, you are a stalker. You know my favorite drink.” He teased. 

Jeremy blushed. “I am not. You yell at me all the time to buy that junk.” 

Justice snickered. “And what junk are you drinking?” 

“Hot cocoa, that ain’t junk.” He said proudly. 

“You mean isn’t.” He corrected. 

“You!!” Jeremy barked back. Justice busted up laughing as he turned his attention back to the park in front of him. 

“Thank you.” 

“Ah, anytime….Hey, can I ask you something?” His bright eyes shone curiosity. 

“Yeah sure.” He took another sip. 

“Why do you come here almost every day?” Justice stopped drinking, turning to look at Jeremy. His gray eyes mirrored that of sadness and a bit of anger. But Justice didn’t put it against the boy, after all, he didn’t know. 

“My sister took me here the day she died.”

Jeremy regretted that question he asked. He didn’t like the sad face that graced his friend. “I am sorry. I didn’t mean to…” Justice knocked his employer in the head. 

“Don’t be, it was so long ago.” He looked back at his drink. “My sister bought me white chocolate because she knew I hated the milk chocolate. So that’s why I drink it all the time.” Justice ran his fingers through his red hair. “Ah, sorry, I haven’t told that to anyone before.” 

Jeremy stood up in front of Justice. “Don’t be.” This time in turn, knocking Justice in the head, a little bit harder than intended. Justice looked on in amusement. Jeremy was a kid alright. “If you ever want to talk about anything, I’ll be there to listen, but in turn, I don’t ever want you to say sorry to me. Besides I am your underling, I have to look out for you.”

 Justice cracked a smile. “Underling…you make it sound like I’m the devil. But I do appreciate it. So thank you.” 

Jeremy smiled. “You are welcome.” 

“Jeremy!!” A woman called for the youth. 

“Ah, mom’s calling. I’ll see you at work tomorrow Boss Man.” Jeremy waved as he ran off. Justice smiled, as he rested his hand on his cheek. This park for him, was full of happy memories, of old and new.

Error 11

*****************

“Wake up, you have to. You aren’t like me, so wake up.”

“Damn it, Answer me!!”

“You have a reason, my reason is waiting.”

“Wake up, wake up.”

**********************

The soft smooth red silk that played on his battered hand, almost looked as if it was blood. 88 moved his good eye to the flowing red, his vague look seemed to be lost between two worlds. The world of the dead and the world of the living. His voice spoke once more as he held onto that hair.

“Sarah….” He cried out like a little boy.

The woman in front of him froze. Her wicked smile fell away into fear. Then fear melted away into something else, acknowledgment. 00 knelt down, grabbing onto 88’s gripping hand. This grip was softer, not like the first touch she gave him. 00 landed on her knees, before she took her arms and wrapped them around 88, pulling him closer.

“Justice, where have you been?” 00 cooed, her gray eyes matched his lone one. The cloudy innocence of something new and innocent, yet already spilled so much blood.

Clare held onto Will’s head, who was now fading away faster than she had hoped. The whole scene that played out in front of her was something she knew she would never forget. That is, if she lived. The sound of a door opening made Clare freeze with fear, her grip tightened around Will as she turned her head. It was an employee from the PM shift. The poor girl had no idea what the hell she had just walked into.

Her scream seemed to bounce off the walls. The sudden shock and rush of blood seemed only a mere memory of what she once was as she blew up like a balloon. The human body was now just a chunk of flesh that sloshed on the ground. 00’s gray eyes seemed to glow green with anger to have her moment with her brother disturbed. Clare began to shake, so scared that she couldn’t blink. Tears started to fall from Clare when 00 laid her eyes on the other two occupants of the room. 00’s eye’s faded away back to gray, as she turned her attention back to 88. It was 88’s turn to shake. 00 once again, killed without a thought.

“Sarah…” His mind wandered back to the Daycare. Of the toy he stepped on, the soft smacking sound with every step. The metallic smell in the room that was different from the metal that was merged with him. 88 leaned back, his warm back connecting with a cold wall. His gray eye focused on her face. 00 smiled a smile similar to Sarah but it wasn’t Sarah. Justice’s memories mixed in with 88’s current view of the nightmare. For that short moment, it clicked. This person in front of him wasn’t Sarah. That poor girl died that night in an alleyway. This thing was what was left in the broken and smashed body. The fear, the hate, bitter soul of a monster wanting revenge. The only thing holding her back from a total massacre was the memories of a little brother, a father who loved her and a life that was cut short. 00 had every right to be angry but to take it out on the innocent was no better than the men who took Sarah’s life.

88’s hazy eye, turned clear. There was nothing clouding his hesitation now. With his newly fixed arm, he reached out, extracting the blade hidden within. In one quick moment, the smiling face was no longer on the naked body. Hair and tendons cut, merged with the flowing blood that pooled on the ground. The body fell limp into 88’s embrace. He held on tight, tears flowing down his good eye. His bad eye cried blood. His gaze fell onto the smiling face finally set free from the mistakes that lead to her resurrection. Somewhere in all that confusion 88 closed his eye and faded away into nothing.

********************

The sound of beeping, a heartbeat rhythm, played in the hospital room. A very rugged Will opened his eyes to a puke colored room. Will moved his left hand, noticing that it was heavier than usual. He moved his head seeing a sleeping Clare holding his hand. A small smile fell on his tired face.

“Hey there. Looks like I’m in Heaven. I got an Angel by my side.” He whispered jokingly. 

Clare’s eyes shot open as she leaned forward. “Will!!” She called out rather loud, causing the man to wrench at it. 

Will felt like he was suffering from a hangover. “Don’t yell baby, I’m not dying.” He flirted with a smirk.

Clare fumed. “I’d be mad at you if you weren’t on drugs. Still, you and your sense of humor amazes me at times like these.”

Will looked out the window of the hospital room. “I wouldn’t be saying it if we were dead.” His eyes fixated on the gray moving clouds. “How did we get out? I don’t remember much after fainting.”

Clare sighed heavily then got up to close the hospital door. She made her way back to Will, taking a seat where she was almost minutes ago.

“88 killed 00 when she was distracted. I saw it happen but I still don’t understand it.” Clare went back to thinking then spoke again. “I think if 00 was more aware of what was going to happen and less confused with what was really going on. It would have been a lost battle.” She crossed her arms. “After that Terri and 23 came in. They took 88 out of there before calling the cops.”

“Ha, Cops! Where the hell were they when the shit hit the fan?” Will shot out. Clare sighed again, growing more irritated. She knew the drugs would affect his system, she prayed it wouldn’t have been that bad but playing God for awhile, she wasn’t sure if she was allowed to.

“Wait, they took 88 out of there?….Then called the cops. What the hell is that about? I’m the one still alive, 88’s already dead.” 

Clare gave a stern smile. “Well, about that….” 

Will pushed himself up slowly, resting his back against the wall to look at Clare.

“About “that” what?”

************************

A young boy sat on a windowsill, kicking his legs back and forth. He hummed a song from long ago. His bright eyes seemed to glow behind his grown hair. The wind that blew, gave him goosebumps. The sound of gravel being driven on averted his attention. His smile grew larger, as he called out.

“Mama! Will and Clare are here.” He didn’t give his mother time to answer back as he jumped out of the second story window. He landed with a small thud but no damage was done.

Clare was the first one out of the car, greeting the young boy with a smile. “My! David. You sure are hyper today. Is 88 awake yet then?” 

David’s smile faded away to disappointment. “No, he’s still sleeping.” David followed Clare to the back passenger door. She opened the door to reveal Will in a leg cast. His face a little green with fear. Clare narrowed her eyes. 

“I’m not that bad of a driver you back seat troublemaker.” 

“Love you too sweetie.” He semi-faked fear and sarcasm in his voice. Will’s glassy eyes landed on 23, who made his presence known. 

“Aw, is Will okay?” 

“Yeah 23, I am fine.” Will started to move his way out of the car, as Clare disappeared to go to the trunk. She pulled out some crutches. 

“My name is David! D A V I D!” The boy pouted. 

“Ah my bad.” Will supported himself on the car as Clare gave him his transportation help. 

“Mama’s up taking care of 88. She told me that she’ll meet us in the living room.” David ran up to the front door as if forgetting that Will was handicapped. Clare walked at a slower pace to keep Will near her. A small smile fell on her face.

“I have something to ask.” 

“Yeah.” He said not really paying attention. 

“Will you marry me?” Will smiled. For some reason he wanted to say a joke. But his rational side took over. 

“Yes. Any set dates?” 

“Sometime before the baby is born.” She kept on walking as Will stopped dead in tracks. 

“What!!” The word was almost silent as he felt butterflies dance in his chest. He as full of joy and shock. Sometime in the near future he was going to be a father. “I’m going to be a dad?….Oh my GOD!!” Will hobbled a little bit quicker to get up to Clare in a faster pace. “I love you.” 

“Love you too, you idiot. Now slow down or else we are back at the hospital.” 

“Tsk, calling your future husband an idiot. Not even married yet and you’re abusing me verbally.”

Before they knew it they made it to the front door. Terri stood waiting looking at the two like she was watching some sappy love movie. “Need I get you two a room before the end of the day?” 

She joked. Both blushed and said “No” in unison.

David looked up at his mother, tugging on her arm. “Mama, I’m going to go wait for 88 to wake up. Get me when it’s dinner please.” 

“Alright David, take it easy now.” Terri smiled. Will watched as the boy ran up the stairs. 

“Since when did he start eating? Also, is he growing?” 

Terri nodded. “He is and I can’t explain it. Blood is even running his system again.” Terri turned her attention back to Will and Clare. “Whatever Jeremy did affected the entire system, not just his pet project.”

David listened as much as he could before disappearing into another room. The room was painted blue, almost matching the sky on a clear day. 88 lay on a clean white bed, almost frozen in place. David jumped on the bed, crawling towards 88’s shoulder. The boy laid his head down and fell asleep wishing. Wishing that his friend would wake up soon so he could tell him of his time with mother. To tell him how big he has grown. To tell him what ice cream tasted like. Wishing that 88 would open his eyes.

88’s bandaged hand twitched. Reaching out once again, to something not there.

**************

“Wake up, you have to. You aren’t like me, so wake up.”

“Damn it, Answer me!!”

“You have a reason, my reason is waiting.”

“Wake up, wake up.”

*******************

“Shut up.”

“What? You’re still there?”

“No, I’m just getting irritated. I now know why you don’t answer sometimes.”

“Tsk, I can be so annoying sometimes.”

*****************