Cybil (2018) #projectsuper

Chapter 45: Meltdowns

The scene in Tyrone's room was rather depressing. James had turned the lights on to reveal the child having fallen asleep himself from sorrow.

Finding plenty of room on what he guessed was a queen-sized mattress, he laid Cybil on the unoccupied space on it and preceded to shake the boy awake.

After a brief stir, the boy mumbled something incoherent and his eyes fluttered open. It took a second for him to recognize James.

"What do you want?"

The bite in his words hurt, but was expected.

"I... Um... Are you okay."

"Okay? I'm gonna die..." his more irritated tone spoke much louder than if he'd just yelled it.

"You knew..."

The boy got up and yawned. "Yeah, I knew. Just look at my bed."

He did in earnest for the first time. Blotches of brown liquid had dried on the wooden bed frame. Many of them looked very old. Some more fresh ones coated the covers.

"I... I'm sorry..."

"Sorry? Sorry?! My mom's afraid that one day, I'm gonna take a bath and go down the drain with the water! I am, too!" Fresh tears rolled down as a distressed whimper mixed with his voice.

James was silent. It was about the most heartbreaking thing he could imagine.

"Since you're my creator, tell me what this is for!"

He pointed to his crown. Every so often, it flickered with pink electricity.

"Just calm down, and I'll explain..."

Just then, Tyrone began to hold his head and groan. It rose to a painful grit as his headgear sparked at a more and more violent rate. The air itself began to distort around him.

The building force exploded with just enough force to knock the two others off the bed and undo the covers completely. Everything in the room rattled, while Cybil instinctively landed on her feet instead of hitting the floor like James did. She wasn't even awake, to James's amazement.

The blast ended as soon as it began, Tyrone shuddering miserably as a result.

Cybil seemed to wake up while standing (it was as creepy as it sounded) and was shocked to find the scene in front of her.

James got up and dusted himself off. "So your powers are developing..."

The boy's eyes widened. "My whats are developing? I knew it! Now I really am a freak!"

"Don't you dare say that, Tyrone Williams," James hissed, snapping both creations at attention. "You are not a freak, and don't let anyone tell you different."

"Do normal people look like they went to the Burger King auto shop?" Tyrone mumbled just loud enough to hear.

James wisely bit back his response, although he didn't look happy. He didn't need to be reminded how cruel kids could be.

"Go wake your mother, Tyrone. I need to talk to her."

He met the boy's hesitation with a commanding glare. He turned tail and took off downstairs.

"Cybil, follow him." She did as instructed with robotic efficiency.

James made the call, dialing a familiar number.

"Fuller. I need a favor... "