Doctored Chance #NaNoWriMo2019

10|The Next Pom

"All right," Teddy said, folding up a newspaper as he came towards the dining table. He passed the paper towards the groping Tobias and took a seat beside his fiancé. Around his waist, he wore a sheet like a skirt, for the sake of Tobias, who was morbidly embarrassed that he couldn't fit any pants in the household. All three of them wore makeshift skirts together. "Let's play a game: 'Guess the next pom'."

Viola Mae moaned and leaned back in her chair. "Oh." She rolled her eyes. Her socked feet stuck out at Tobias's side of the table. "But it's so obvious."

Tobias looked blankly between them. He slid the newspaper into the pocket of his robe and wearily rested his elbows on the table. His moved his quivering hands away from his plate to silence a rattling.

"I'll go first," Teddy volunteered, ginning. He pointed his knife at Tobias, aiming for his attention. Tobias twirled his fork in circles, unaware. "Oetherium."

Viola Mae cupped her hands around her mouth and tilted her head back to heckle, "Obvious!" She punched his shoulder. "Everyone can see he's going. He's been pulling his hair out for weeks—that's a sure sign. That and how he's taken to public crying about the so-called 'grey line' between heroes and villains. But, to be honest, nine out of ten matter-molders—historically—have gone pom. It's a surprise that he's lasted this long as a hero. Remember, the last six generations of matter-molders picked the other side right off the bat."

Teddy shrugged, smugly glowing. "Your turn."

"Give me a minute to think. Way to pick the easy one, Teddy Bear."

He shrugged again, smirking, then leaned across the table to tap the wood next to Tobias's fork-fiddling hand. Tobias straightened, blinking out of a daze, and pushed up his glasses to try and make Teddy clearer. It had not been clever of him to take three of those painkilling tablets without reading the recommended dosage. He had foreseen fogginess, but had been mistaken to think that having a foggy head would keep him from thinking. It didn't stop the thoughts from coming, it only made them more infuriating.

"You look drunk, my friend," said Teddy. "Do you want to go back to your room and sleep it off, or—"

Tobias waved his hands in front of himself. Everything seemed to be spinning sideways. "No, no. I'm fine."

Viola Mae pursed her lips. "Tobias, please don't abuse those pills. Some people say they're addictive."

He gagged and shook his head. "No. I won't. I won't take any more."

"I mean, if you're in pain, I don't want..."

"Don't worry about me, please," Tobias said. He picked up his fork. "Tell me who you think will be the next pom."

Teddy grinned and raised his beer. "That's the spirit."

Viola Mae groaned and shook her head. "I don't know. I'll say... Zing."

"Interesting... Very interesting." Teddy nodded, stroking his chin. "I can see it. He's visibly shaking every time they get him on T.V and is always quick to anger. And hiccups all the time, which is just not right. Any thoughts, Tobias, my mummified friend?"

Tobias purred sleepily, poking at Teddy's cooking. "I don't think Zing is going power-mad. I've heard rumors of Parkinson's disease running in his family, and I wouldn't be surprised if he has it." He pushed up his glasses to rub his eyes. "Though I can't explain the hiccups. But, when have hiccups ever been sinister? Oetherium, on the other hand, is losing his mind. It's not his powers that's doing it, but if he gets carted away, I can definitely see him using them unwisely and getting sentenced to the P.E.N.T.house, rather than the retirement home."