Unsympathetic October Prompt 9: Split
Unsympathetic Emile, Unsympathetic Remy, Victim Patton. Tw knives, mind manipulation, being held hostage, violence, and suggested stabbing.
@unsympathetic-october-2020
Many people knew that Roman and Remus used to be brothers before they were split up. But not many people knew that Patton and Emile used to be brothers as well.
As Patton sat in the local cafe waiting, he felt like everything around him reminded him of Emile. They had been split up early, at only six years old, but Patton still remembered basic things about him. The kid with the pink shirt reminded him of Emile and his favorite color, pink. The kid playing with an action figure reminded Patton of Emile’s love for cartoons. And the smell of the small shop gave Patton a happy, cozy feeling, which reminded him of Emile as well.
Of course, he wouldn’t be remembering Emile so much if he hadn’t agreed to meet Patton here. They hadn’t seen each other since they were six, and Patton had had a hard time figuring out Emile’s address. Logan had helped him track down his elusive twin, and Roman had helped Patton anxiously, but excitedly, write Emile a letter.
The three friends had celebrated when Emile finally wrote back a week later saying that they could meet up at a cafe near his house. Luckily, Emile lived only about an hour drive away from Patton, so Patton had eagerly agreed. How he sat at the cafe, waiting for his long-lost brother to appear.
Thirty minutes past the time Emile agreed to meet, Patton looked around nervously. He still wasn’t here. Had they missed each other? Had Emile had something important come up? Maybe he had gotten hurt! If only Patton had gotten his phone number or something.
The bell at the front of the shop rang, and Patton glanced up. A man in a pink shirt with a brown vest entered, laughing with another man with a brown leather jacket. They walked up to the barista, who took their orders. As they said their names, the man in pink told the woman to write his name down as Emile. The man in the brown leather coat paid in cash that he fetched from his large, tan purse. As the two men finished ordering their drinks, Patton walked up to them.
“Hello! My name’s Patton! Are you Emile?” Patton asked the man. In response, the man grew a lazy smile.
“That’s me. And you must be my brother! Good to see you after all these years! This is my boyfriend Remy.”
Remy gave a peace sign. “Sup, girl. How are you doing? Sorry we were late. Emile and I lost track of time.”
“That’s fine!” Patton said in a jovial voice. “I’m just glad you guys are here now! It’s nice to meet you, Remy, and it’s so good to see you Emile!”
“Likewise,” Emile said. “I’ve thought a lot about you after we got split up. Why I couldn’t be with you, who you were, that sort of thing.”
Patton frowned. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard the story of why we were separated. My parents always said it wasn’t important.”
Emile’s grin broadened. “Haven’t you heard? I guess Remy’s managed to cover it up from the news and such.”
“You know I’d do anything to help you, babe,” Remy told Emile, wrapping an arm around his boyfriend.
“Sorry to interrupt you two, but... heard what? I haven’t heard anything about you until I sent you the letter.” Patton looked around the cafe. It looked more grim since he had entered. The cozy feeling was slowly being replaced by a fight-or-flight one. He glanced back at his brother.
“It’s because I have powers!” Emile said, spreading his arms. “I know, it sounds completely illogical, but trust me.”
“Powers? That sounds so cool! What can you do?” Patton wasn’t sure if Emile was telling the truth or not, but he hoped his brother wouldn’t lie.
“Well, I was planning on having a party today. Why not make it right now?” Emile raised his arms, and the people in the cafe stood up as one. They didn’t look any different, but now they were staring expectantly at Emile with blank eyes.
“Let’s give my brother a welcome he won’t ever forget!” Emile shouted at the people around them. Suddenly, five of them darted forward and grabbed Patton. “Let’s see... tie him up on that chair.”
Remy pulled out his large purse and shoveled out rope. Why would you keep rope in your purse? Probably to tie people up, Patton reasoned, as the zombie people tied him to a chair.
As Patton stared at Emile’s face, a memory long forgotten rushed back. Emile, only six years old, holding a knife as his friends surrounded a crying Patton. He had forced the memory out of his head as soon as it had happened, choosing only to remember the good side of his brother. Or perhaps the memory was forced out of him until now. Patton felt a tinge of fear he hadn’t felt for a long time, not since the last time he’d been with his brother.
Remy picked out a sharp looking knife from his purse, and he handed it to Emile. “Welcome back, brother,” Emile said, walking over to the tied up man and pointing the knife at Patton’s chest. “I’ve missed you so much.”
