There it was the fall and return of childhood. Benedict stared at his brother expecting him to come home now. Expecting the other to put all this rebellious nonsense behind. Monty didnât come home anymore. He went out more, never lingering in the house with the old man who shouted not recalling who his own sons were. There was always questions about where the older man was and who was talking to him.
Ben became thankful for that nurse tending to the old man. He went up on his toes peering out the window hearing shouts. Ben huffed seeing those kids with numbuhs painted on pans and washboards outside firing at teacher who was clearly just trying to teach those unruly kids a lesson. The younger huffed watching some girl get thrown into the lawn. He sneered see a tendril that looked like a ruler poised to destroy the girl. Â A blast made him turn his head to see who prevented the girlâs rightful punishment.
Those stupid square shades, that dumb washboard with fading white zero painted on it. Monty always had a habit of saving people at the right moment. Though Ben was always saving his brother from their family. He saw his brother rushing towards the girl. What did these otherâs need with Monty? They were just like Pappy; making demands and wearing out their stupid operatives on these missions for ice cream or a fountain of youth.
Ben lowered himself to the floor his hand clenched. The younger turned heading into the house his mind brooding on those kids outside. What good did they do? Nothing, they didnât make the world a better place. They just kept making it worse, making Adults lash out and bringing nothing but bother complaints. His hand shook forming a tight fist. Ben pushed the door to the basement open; he gulped looking down the old stairs. No light ever made it into this place; the nurse and maids said there was no point in changing the basement light. They said the doctors told them it was best to hide any reminder of who pappy was away. âHis head might explode.â Ben muttered walking down the stairs.
He held the railing pausing on the last step. This was where his familyâs legacy was jammed, in a basement to rot away. Monty had said it was best; he told his younger brother that the supreme leader of KND told him there wasnât a need for someone like them. That wasnât true, there was a need for their family, children would run rampant like they are now if his family didnât step up.
Benedict rubbed his hands together thinking of his time in the factory of the nights he had to work to pick up runaway kids shifts. A small glow came from his palms; he smiled looking around the basement. His mind was acutely aware of the shadows that covered his palms forming a protected layer against the small flame the younger made. Ben pulled his right hand away from his left which turned palm up. Ben quelled his excitement when the flame didnât vanish. Â
Ben was quick to pull sheets off old paintings looking at his family. The community after all respected them, well that came from their grandmotherâs side of the family. That respect had been dwindling ever since Monty had erased Pappyâs memories. The flame grew sensing the creatorâs rage at this. Ben touched their grandfatherâs portrait; the man had glasses like his own, even a similar shade of blue, a brilliant blue for brilliant minds. Little fingers traced the brush strokes down to the suit the other wore. He remembered Pappy grumbling about a suit. âIt must be down here.â The younger muttered moving among the family heirlooms. Ben pushed aside old rolled up rugs and baskets. Annoyed grunts left his mouth when his clean white button was covered in dust and cobwebs. Â
Though the efforts of shifting through the items was rewarded when Benedict found the trunk. He smiled tracing the chipped gold painted initials on the trunk. Using only his right hand he unlocked the latches for the trunk. Ben grunted pushing the lid open, he jumped listening to it whack against the brick wall Ben had found it pressed against. He looked up hearing footsteps overhead. Heated shouts made him turn his head down, Pappy was arguing with Monty again. That was new in this house. Ben picked up black material; it felt nice against the pads of his fingers. He smiled stuffing the new bowtie into his pocket. He picked up red framed glasses smiling he set them down pulling off his own black frames. Ben slide on the heavier frames, he looked around before locating a covered mirror he had moved to rest against an old workbench. Ben rushed over pulling the sheet off.
He smiled looking at himself, the frames took up most of his face, but he could only see a mesh of colors that was him. They were stronger then his own glasses. He touched mirror smiling. He could be like his grandfather. Â He could be like this, he could be powerful like his grandfather and pappy had been. He could rid this world of unruly children. Ben rushed back to the trunk tripping on his feet as he approached the container. He took off the glasses his blind little fingers searching for his black frames. The smaller frames slipped on feeling lighter then the others. He stuffed the red frames into his pocket. Ben paused seeing an inky black material. The boy tilted his head running his fingers over the material. It felt nicer then the silk bow tie he had found. âGrandpaâs suit.â Ben said jumping when heard the sounds of things breaking. Pappy must be fighting Monty again. Ben took a deep breath pulling the suit.
The boy sat on the ground slipping his feet into the long leg holes of the suit. He smiled pulling the material till he fit the hole he couldnât fill yet. Ben stood looking at the material that bunched around his feet. He shuffled over to the mirror putting his arms thorough the armholes trying to find where his hand would fit. After getting the material all settled Ben looked at himself. Blue eyes now yellow. âI donât look right.â He muttered upset before shuffling over to the trunk. Ben let out a delighted noise finding a pipe case. He opened the old oak case, his hands shaking seeing the black pipe sitting in the case. It hadnât seen use in years but still smelled like grandfather had just used it. Ben pulled the pipe out rushing to the mirror he put the pipe in his mouth. âBetter.â
Ben smiled looking at himself, he felt better like this. He was supposed to look like this. He wanted to be like the man what wore this suit.  Ben paused pulling one hand out of the suit; maybe he could make one of his own. He looked at his arm concentrating on what he thought this suit looked like on an adult. Shadows struggled being pulled towards his arm. He smiled seeing the same material move across his clothes. Ben shook pulling off the over sized suit looking at himself in the mirror. Black hands reached up touching his covered hair then went down touching his yellow eyes. âI did itâŠI did it!â He shouted the flame in his hand becoming unstable before it went out.
