Oncest - Back to the past

Act 1 "The Thneedbergs" : Chapter 13

Act 1: Chapter 13
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3rd person POV

*time skip*
In the distance, one can hear the engine and the constant honking of what used to be an ordinary family caravan. However, that was not the case.

Onceler was sitting on his bed. The whole day he was a complete and utter mess full with awkwardness and the need (and fear) to run away and never to come back. He spent his whole day thinking about possible outcomes and how to avoid potential risks. Let’s be real, he couldn’t run away. This is all he has left; a home, a donkey called Melvin and, of course, the love of his life, Kerstin Thneedberg. Oncie could try to get her to come with him, to run away with him, yet he knows for sure that she would never leave her brother behind, not under the current circumstances.

Onceler starts shedding some tears as he tries to remember the time when his life became a twisted nightmare, full of false hope and a woman,  whom he’ll never be allowed to be with. He heard a voice inside his head, telling him to just give up, never to even try fighting against his older self.
Greedler... Damn this man. Onceler doesn’t understand it. Why would someone like the Greedler’ visit’ his younger self, only to toy with him, to control him? What’s even worse than that, you may wonder? Greedler makes him feel like no one has before. Onceler, for once, feels used and betrayed. What are the odds that your future self travels back in time, just to abuse you? 1 in 100000000000000 and the lucky one is him.

Heck, he stole Oncie’s virginity, something valuable, something Oncie has hoped to be taken by Kerstin. He had to admit; it felt good at the end. The beginning may have been shitty and straight-up fucked up. Neither okay, nor accepted by... well anyone. The only word to describe it: wrong.

Onceler trembled by the thought of enjoying what they did the night prior. Even if he’d run away, wouldn’t Greedler be able to locate him? -Yet,- he wonders -what made Greedler travel back in time?- Onceler couldn’t possibly know about the existence of the Lorax. However, he felt that something was slightly off. Oncie could feel the presence of someone watching him. The young inventor shakes as he feels eyes peering through his back.

The sound of honking brought him back to reality. ‘They are coming.’ whispers the voice inside his head. Honestly, he has never been so close to a panic attack before. Another honk as well as the noise of a car getting closer by seconds. ‘They are near.’ It says again. Automatically, the Onceler turns towards his front door, shook and fear written big and in bold on his forehead. As if a demon has possessed him, he couldn’t help but do as the voice demands. The vehicle pulls up, another long honk follows before the Onceler could make out the familiar, yet annoying voice belonging to his mother. ‚They are here! ‘

Shaky hands reaching out to turn the doorknob with sweatdrops mixed with tears rolling down his face, as he felt the need to gulp. As soon as the door opened, his mother was already there, hugging him. The hug, however, was everything, but not motherly. He could see it now. As if he got hit by a frying pan, he finally knew what the Greedler was talking about. Oncie welcomes his whole family with a friendly and optimistic charisma. However, deep down, he wanted to cry, scream and run.

Greedler hates his brothers, and so does Oncie. For many years he has been nothing but their disappointing and bullied younger brother. They wanted to be the cool kids, with a wide range of followers. Growing up surrounded by nothing but hillbillies, fighting for a good reputation was hard. (if you were the black sheep that is)

While being in standby mode, the Onceler tried to explain the current situation with him closing down the company and to rub it in their stupid fake grin, that he, the Onceler, had a girlfriend. A cute and girly one too. Right when he had them pay attention to him, he felt the presence of someone evil. A chill running down his spine, as he recognised the last person that he wanted to see today, smiling at him with their arms crossed and back leaning onto the truffula-tree; the Greedler. Oncie was scared as to what his older self would do to him if Oncie told his family about closing the company.

"Oncie? Are you still here with us?" This entitled human being, aka. his incredible and helpful mother - just no- looks at her son with a glimpse of concern plastered on her face.
/Oncie... That's right./ The Onceler thinks to himself, not paying attention at all. He was too in shock to really talk back, let alone process the whole family-reunion thing. His eyes were locked on Greedler's self-satisfied face. /Why are all selfish people in my life so concerned about my ridiculous and childish nickname? Everyone except the perfect girlfriend of mine. Don't blow this up, Onceler./

"ONCELER!" Her tone now sharp and filled with so much agony, even the Greedler got scared for a second or two after hearing 'his' mother's voice. Onceler stares down at her, turning his head away in return to not keep eye contact with his older self, and with a small smile on his lips, looking pathetic, he answers. "Oh, mother mine. I am sorry if my behaviour has worried you. Business is doing undoubtedly fine. It's just an itty bit stressful." Hugging her, she lets out a yelp, not expecting her youngest offspring to suddenly do that. "It's alright, Oncie... Now, you stated in your letter that you have been seeing the mayor's sister if I am not mistaking?" She holds his hands in her own, leaving him to feel embarrassment. His two brothers were behind her, both not believing what they have heard their mother asking -they can't read...-

"Our little faggot of a brother has a girlfriend?" "What is she? A lesbian?" Chet and Brett said. Still leaning onto a tree, Greedler hears loud and clear. Happy to listen to them talking shit about her, yet sad to be born into such a family. It hurts the older one as much as it hurts his younger ego, he even felt pity seeing him in his current state. Did he feel empathy, sympathy for young Oncie or just sheer hate towards his family?

"Well..." The youngest of them wanted to answer before getting interrupted mid-sentence by one of the twins. "I told you, mum, he was just bluffing. Onceler, you disgust us. Lying to your family... For that, you should suffer in hell. May the devil take you." Tears were building in the bottom corners of his blue orbs.

Hearing this, the Greedler creeps closer, not caring if he wanted to avoid them initially, he had to save Oncie from his own family. He could see him having a mental breakdown if the older one won't get his past self out of this situation. Heck, he has been in so many of this himself in the past, seeing it as a third person makes him want to punch the living shit out of them. His speed increases with every step forward, for his instincts ordering him to do so.

Onceler was trapped by his family. He felt small compared to them, even if he is, in fact, the tallest of them all. So vulnerable and attackable when standing close to them. His breathing was fast, his body shaking and sweat dripping down his face and armpits.

"Her name is Kerstin Thneedberg. Onceler and her have been in a relationship for a couple of days." Turning his head to look at his saviour, he notices Greedler standing there. His family seems to be at a loss for words, due to them listening to and staring at the 'stranger' standing two feet away from them.

Walking closer, the Greedler continues. "If you wonder if she is wealthy and from higher standards, yes. She is indeed the mayor's younger sister." Greedlers stare was full of hatred, while his voice was everything but harsh. His tone was so comforting and loveable. Onceler was taken by surprise too.

"And who the fuck are you?" "Yeah pretty boy, answer." Brett and Chet ask him with their ordinary we-are-better-than-you-are attitude, something only a mother can love, yet the Greedler wasn't too sure about that part. His mother probably wasn't capable of loving -correction; loving someone, as in not money. Talking about her, the woman seems to be fascinated by the stranger communicating to her and her family, as she tried to ’flirt’ with him. (he was gorgeous and wealthy af) "Boys, leave him alone, I am sorry, Mister. My sons aren't normally like that, please pardon them." She holds out one hand for him to shake, ignoring her gesture, the Greedler gets closer towards poor Onceler, standing next to him.

"Greedler. I am Onceler's business partner. You must be his family, right?" "Oh, that's correct, Mr Greedler." The woman says, emphasizing and stretching his name. A cold shower running down his spine, Greedler felt the urge to puke right in her fake face. Disgusted by her, he shifts his body closer to his younger one’s. "Good. So you are here to work for us if that is true what Onceler has been saying?" Despite chatting with her, the question belongs more or less to Onceler.

"We sure are, aren't we boys?" The twins nod synchronically. /Odd. Could have sworn aunt Grizelda and uncle Ubb were with them too back then./ "Amazing. Candidly we already do have a job for the three of you. You see the truffula-trees provide the needed cotton for the Thneeds, feel free to pluck them. However, don't chop them down." Greedler had his arm around Oncelers torso, pinching him slightly as his speech came to an end, hinting at Onceler's past mistake, which led him to get punished by Greedler, a small yelp escaping the younger one's mouth.

Arguing about whether to follow the easy way and chop down the trees or take the hard and exhausting path, Greedler finally convinced them after mentioning the following. "If we do it the simple way, then Oncelers girlfriend would be mad. As you can see, she is an environmental activist and doesn't allow Onceler to, and I quote, 'destroy nature'." Greedler then holds the hand of his mother before pulling the final trigger. "Just because of her wealthiness does Kerstin think that she is something better. Well... Probably never had to think about her family first. The well being of one's family should always be prior to everything else." Sneaky little bastard sure knows how to aim for the bullseye. What a smooth criminal he is.

They watch 'their' family go to work, leaving both of them alone. Onceler finally snaps out of his paralysis before saying a quiet 'thank you'. Not pretending to have overheard him, like the asshole he was, the Greedler answers with softness in his vocal speech. "Don't worry about it. I know what they are capable of. Believe me..." Locking eyes with Oncie, he cracks a small and sincere smile. "I have been in your situation multiple times." Greedler was so close to him, too close, but Onceler didn't care. His heart skipped a beat, or two.