Driven By Suffering

It's hard to tell exactly what time Harmonic and his daughter Melodic Death were awakened by the knock at the door. It must've been somewhere around late morning at the earliest. Harmonic gently moved his daughter onto the other side of the bed before answering.

"Hey, bro. How are you doing?"

"Just taking a nap with my kid."

"Can I come in?"

"Sure."

Harmonic's brother entered the house. There were very strong feelings in this home he could sense right off the bat.

"Hey, Melodic! It's your uncle!"

Melodic laughed at his absurd over-enthusiasm.

"She's one in a million , isn't she?"

"More like one in infinity."

"Tell me about it."

"I'll go get Atmospheric and Hard Core. They're playing checkers last I knew."

"You guys play checkers?"

"It was something me and her did after I tried to...you know."

"That's why I stopped by. I wanted to talk about what happened with you while we weren't around."

"Not here. Let's go to the park so the kids won't have to hear. I'll tell you everything."

"Sounds like a plan."

Harmonic went upstairs to retrieve his wife and son.

"What was it that tried to make you off yourself?"

"A lot of things, I guess. There were sexual assaults and muggings from time to time, so it was really hard to wrap my head around. Seeing some of us go hungry in the streets was really bad. I could see death in their eyes. The other things are cans of worms I don't want to open."

"Honey," Atmospheric said as she grabbed Harmonic's foreleg, "It's okay. Tell him."

The warmth and comfort from Atmospheric's touch brought out the strength within him.

"There was a case of domestic abuse about sixteen years ago no one did anything about; including me."

"Woah, man. I'm sorry you had to see something like that."

"The last truly terrifying thing I saw was what drove me over the edge. I ended up medicated and going through therapy for about eight years."

"Holy crap. What happened?"

"I left town for a bit to get some air. When I reached the place with the cliff over the ocean, I found a little girl who'd hung herself. Just sitting here thinking about that stuff messes me up, man."

His brother got up from the bench he was sitting on, went around, and hugged him tight.

"You really are strong, bud. To see something like that and still turn out the way you did is a miracle."

"It's not me I'm worried about anymore; it's my son."

"Why?"

"Atmospheric can explain better than me."

Harmonic's brother let him go so he could speak directly to his wife.

"Hard Core says he can see ghosts," Atmospheric explained.

"I've seen things too," Harmonic's brother admitted, "What about you, bro?"

"I've seen a few things here and there, but I didn't say anything because I'd be put on more meds and called crazy."

"Yeah. I understand that."

"That's not what worries me though. Look over there."

Harmonic's brother looked over towards the swings. Melodic was running around and having a grand old time, but Hard Core was sitting there...Quiet as a mouse..."

"Maybe he's just introverted."

"I would agree with you if it wasn't for the look I've seen in his eyes. They're empty; just like mine were. The feeling of defeat runs deep, and it runs cold."

"Can I talk to him?"

"Do you think you can reach him?"

"It's worth a try."

"I guess you have a point."

Harmonic's brother left the table they were sitting at and approached his brother's youngest child.

"Hey buddy. Can we talk for a minute?"

"Okay."

Harmonic's brother sat down next to Hard Core.

"Your Mommy and Daddy are worried about you. Are you okay?"

"No."

"What's wrong?"

"I see things..."

"They told me, but they think something else is wrong."

"One of the things knew my daddy."

"Uh oh,", Harmonic's brother thought.

"Is daddy okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"He's sad sometimes..."

"That's why I wanted to talk. Why are you sad too?"

"Because of daddy."

"Why does daddy make you sad?"

"Because he's sad."

"You mean he told you he was sad?"

"No. I know he is."

"You just know?"

"Yes."

"I think I get it now."

Harmonic's brother got off the swing and went back to the table.

"What's the verdict," Harmonic asked.

"Did you ever tell them about what happened before they were born?"

"Are you telling me he knows!?"

"Only vaguely, but he knows something's wrong. What's even weirder is, he says one of the ghosts knows you."

"He saw her!!!?"

"That's about the long and short of it."

"It must've been when we went back to that place with them."

"Why would you go back there?"

"We wanted to make the memory there something better than when I first found the girl. That exact same place is where they were conceived, and where I asked Atmospheric to marry me."

"You mean you guys did it there?"

"Yeah..."

"Please don't say it like that," Atmospheric asked, "Your brother really showed how much he cared about me that day. To put it on the same level as meaningless sex feels insulting to both of us."

"Oh. I'm sorry, bro. I didn't know."

"It's alright."

Harmonic looked to his son. The guilt for letting his own pain bleed through to the point it had was eating away at him. He stood up, about to move forward.

"Where are you going, bro?"

"My son is suffering because I was too weak to keep myself in check. I'm going to be the father both of them deserve, I refuse to be labeled as a disciplinary figure. These kids need love and affection just like I did. It's my job as both a husband and a father to keep my family happy."

"I wish mom had felt more like that when I was growing up."

"Let me tell you something; you can feed kids and encourage them to pursue education, but that alone doesn't provide a truly nurturing environment. How you act towards them matters, and I'm going to do the right thing and save my son from going down the same road I did. Both of them should be allowed to fight for decent futures. What's done is done, and I can't change that, but what I can do is move forward and help them do the same."

Harmonic ended his rant and went to his son before wrapping him in a tight hug.

"Daddy's so sorry. I didn't know you were so sad."

"...I'm scared, daddy."

"I'm am too, buddy, but I promise you; we'll get through it. We always have."

"...I love you, daddy."

Hearing those words destroyed what restraints Harmonic had left. The tears flowed like an endless ocean.

"Daddy loves you so much. Mommy, daddy, and your big sister will always take care of you, no matter what. Just be as happy as can every day, and talk to me and mommy when you're sad. We'll always be here."

"I will, daddy."

Harmonic held his son close for a long time. Atmospheric was soon comforting both of them while Harmonic's brother spent some time playing with Melodic. After some time had passed, all of them were lying under a large tree. One by one, they fell asleep. For those brief moments, there was no sorrow. Little by little, they were learning how to develop the hope to keep fighting. The time to reverse the roles and make life recognize them for the warriors they were was inching ever closer.