|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- IRREGULAR SHIRT--CUP 17--"RICH" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Irregular Shirt  ||  -------> (Cup SRis017, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "Thing is," he said, "my parents are criminals. Successful ones. I was an accident, see? I was always in the way. They treated me like shit my whole life, then they just..." Janice looked at him with a sympathetic look. He continued. "They had to leave the country. And they just... they left me their mansion and this huge sum of money. Really fouled me up." "Huh?" "I don't know. It's like, they didn't do it 'cause they loved or even liked me... just... it was an easy and convenient way for them to prove they were great parents. I mean, I was at school, and my Mom... I was coming back from class and I saw her coming out of my room. She wasn't even planning on seeing me in person. She came back in my room with me and showed me what she left... all these documents and stuff. Said everything was mine, she and Dad were headed for the islands--she wouldn't even tell me where, somewhere in the Yujja region. Said they just struck it rich. I said, what the fuck Mom, aren't you rich already. She said no--RICH rich. I started crying like an idiot. She kissed me on the cheek and was gone. That was my senior year. I always thought I'd go to work--be a writer, start from the bottom somewhere. But with that fortune now in my hands... why? Why work?" Janice could see his eyes welling up with tears. "Come on." she said. "At least they gave you that gift. They must feel something for you." "I don't know. I don't think so." "Are you in touch with them?" "Not really. They write me sometimes, but they don't tell me where I can write them. They send... photos. Like they're showing off. I don't even--I mean, it's just so sick..." "What is?" "Them! They have--I don't know--like a--a harem or something. It's..." "A harem?" "Yeah. Can you believe it? They have tons of husbands and wives, I don't know what the hell going on with them. I know they're into drugs, too. Way into 'em." "Wow." "Yeah. You know how well you can live in that part of the world with just a modest sum of money?" "Uh-huh." "With the fortune they have--god only knows what's going on. I hate them. I really hate them. Sometimes I just wanna liquidate all my assets and give it to charity. Or set up a charity or something." "Why don't you?" He paused. "'Cause I'm too damn selfish. I'm just like them, I guess." "No you're not." Their eyes met, and Fratcher felt a blast of love surge through him. He turned away. "They knew." he said. "They knew the money would ruin me, corrupt me. It's what they want. They want me to be miserable and be just like them." Janice sighed. After a little while, Fratcher said "You must think I'm a real loser being so miserable with all that money." "I don't." Fratcher felt weird. He loathed himself for bringing his fortune up. He did it to impress her, to turn her on. He wanted to get her into the mansion, make her really wet. Damn! It's working, he thought--they're turning me into a monster. Just like them. "Look." Janice said, pointing. He looked and saw it. A street sign. Whazey Way. "Yup. This is it." "Great!" He didn't want to go on Whazey Way. He wanted to bring Janice back to the mansion. He wanted to do her. And he hated himself for it. Her youthful wonder and enthusiasm. He used to have it too. Before the monsters took it away. "Now to find 1775." she said. "Yup." And he felt it. He sensed it. The weirdness. The warping. The lost. The mystery. He knew he wouldn't be back to his mansion that night. As he watched the sun set, he just knew. Whazey Way was a one-way street. He could feel it. He wanted to yank Janice back, spirit her back to the mansion, get away from this weirdness. But he just couldn't. He couldn't crush this wonderful girl. He wasn't like his parents. He wouldn't let himself be. -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----