#iycsth

Life is not easy, of course, when you’re the middle child, when your mother left home without coming back because she hated your father, when your father hates you because you look like your mother, when your father ignores your younger brother and he has eyes only for your older brother.

It is not easy, at all.

Let’s say your father is the major general of the base. And now let’s say your father, his team, and your older brother, all of them, they hate aliens. Deeply.

How life can be easy, when your best friend IS a fucking alien?

From Ripp's Blog "Ripping Apart"

"01:12 AM

I feel so lonely in this military base. Big Brother and Little Brother are surely sleeping, and my Fucking Father is snoring like a fucking train in his bedroom. The wall is so thin, I can hear every single breath. But it's the silence that really drives me insane. The silence between the screams and fights. The peace between the tensions.

Seems like I can't shut off my brain. I keep hearing FF and BB voices in my head, and their voices are just taunting me, reminding me of all the things I can't say, all the things I can't change. I hate feeling so powerless.

I just wanna leave, like mom did. But I can't leave LB, he is always so sweet and innocent. He wants everyone to get along. He doesn't fully understand all the tension and the conflicts between BB, FF, and me. He's the only one who makes me feel like someone actually cares. LB always tells me it'll get better, and I wish I could believe him."

Ripp felt a pain in his chest as he was writing about Buck, and he could almost hear Tank's arrogant tone in his head, telling him how much better and smarter he was than Ripp, in everything. And Ripp knew it was true.

"Johnny and Ophelia are my only true friends, the only ones who understand me" he thought.

"And they are so precious. I am a useless disaster, and yet Johnny and Ophelia love me as I am"

Ripp published the post, rubbing his eyes tiredly. The room seemed smaller and more cramped than ever, the walls closing in on him.

He stood from his chair and stretched, when on the computer screen appeared a MSN notification. It was Ophelia.

RippedApart: (1:38 AM) If the General finds out I'm out in the middle of the night, with you, he'll kill me. Or he’ll have Tank kill me, just for his own amusement.

ShadowDancer: (1:40 AM) My aunt too, but we won't get caught, I promise. Just a short walk, the stars are beautiful tonight. And we'll be back before anyone notices we're gone.

RippedApart: (1:42 AM) Alright, alright. You're not gonna let me say no, are you? Fine, let's do it.

ShadowDancer: (1:43 AM) Don't worry, I've got this. Now get your shoes, I’ll pick you up in ten minutes.

And that because he made you a promise...

Cassandra, did you really think he would marry you?

Come here, my dear, you deserve better.

The voice on the other end of the line was vague. They assured Lincoln that everything would be explained upon his arrival at the base.

"This is General Grunt, and there's nothing to worry about. We just need you here for a little conversation. You'll be fully briefed when you arrive."

The Strangetown Military Base 47 was situated in the most remote area of the city, at the base of a colossal crater.

Lincoln Broadsheet entered the base's conference room, where General Grunt with two colleagues were waiting for him.

General Chester greeted him with a firm handshake. "Mr. Broadsheet, nice to finally meet you. We have a task for you. Take a seat."

"We've called you to a specific article," General Luger began. "We want you to write an article about a local boy named Johnny Smith. He's half-alien, with green skin. This article should be about his school and sports achievements. It is not necessary to write something worthy of the Pulitzer Prize."

Lincoln nodded.

"We want this article to be positive, painting Johnny in a favorable light," General Chester added. "We believe that there may be other aliens in... Well, somewhere. This article could potentially draw them out."

Lincoln had mixed feelings about the assignment. A part of him cringed at the thought of using a teenager's alien heritage for military purposes, but how not to feel honored to have been chosen to write it?

After a moment of contemplation, Lincoln took a deep breath.

"I understand the importance of this article for you, gentlemen. I'll do my best to write a positive piece about this Johnny Smith. But if I'm going to portray him in a favorable light, I'd like to interview him personally."

General Grunt nodded in agreement with Lincoln's request.

"Very well," he said. "You are free to interview the young Smith. But remember this, Mr. Broadsheet: the true objective of this interview must not be revealed to anyone. There will be severe consequences for you if our real intentions become public knowledge."

"And who do you think is the father? Does your mother have a boyfriend? She’s pretty... Nice," Gordon giggled.

"My father died less than three months ago. It could be him... I need you to get me more chores, Gordon, please! Beau is still in diapers, and you can’t know how much diapers cost!"

Gordon laughed even louder

"And I’m very, very careful never to learn it, little Dustin. I’ll see if I can get you involved in my next... secret mission. See you in the next few days, man."

Almost a week passed without Dustin hearing news from Gordon, and his mother Brandi was getting "worse and worse".

"Dustin, your brother Beau only wants you!"

"Don’t say that, Mom! Beau adores you," Dustin said, but he thought it wasn’t so strange that he was his brother’s favorite, since his mother had never paid him any attention.

His job, his mother, his little brother, his girlfriend.. Dustin's day were so fast and so busy that he could barely sleep, let alone study!

But every time Dustin came home with a D, Brandi completely lost control, and she started screaming.

Dustin didn’t understand. He didn’t understand how everything changed so quickly.

Of course, even when his father was still alive, they weren’t rich, but at least Dustin could focus on his studies and his friends.

And now he suddenly became the head of the family.

While her eldest son was at school, Brandi often received a visit from Dina. Dina was such a good friend! With her Brandi was feeling still young and ready to live her best life!

And Dina was the right person to confide her concerns to.

"I think I might be pregnant, Dina. By Skip... But I'm not ready to take a test, who would want a posthumous son of Skip Broke? That fucking asshole..."

"Listen Brandi, you’re going out with my sister, her boyfriend and me tonight. Let’s go to dinner and have a drink, we’ll relax! You deserve it!"

"Dustin, I’m going out with my friends tonight. Will you take care of Beau?"

"Mom, Angela’s having a party. I told you last week. Do you have to go out just tonight?" Dustin asked.

But he already knew the mother’s answer.

"You always get bad grades, and you haven’t been going to work lately. We’re gonna have to pay rent in a few days, and Beau’s milk is running low. You know, Dustin, how stressed am I?"

That’s when the phone rang.

It was Angela, and she wanted to talk to Dustin. But Brandi nervously answered that Dustin was not available.

She closed the call and lay down on the couch for a nap.

Dustin was angry, but he was used to repressing his anger. He tried to turn it into energy and committed to doing homework for the next day.

An unwise idea was forming in his mind...

Brandi had a nice night out with Dina, Nina and Don. She had fun, and she was feeling calm, because she knew that in that moment she had no responsibility.

"Nina, didn’t you say that maybe Brandi is pregnant? She shouldn’t drink!" Don said inappropriately.

Meanwhile, at home, Dustin had prepared dinner for little Beau, he bathed him and read him a bedtime story.

Then he had put some clothes rolled up under the covers of his bed, so that in the dark that mess seemed like it was him asleep. And now he was ready to go to Angela’s party... leaving Beau home alone.

Luckily Brandi came home just a few moments later.

"Hey, did you see that great yellow sports car? It must was Daniel’s car, it’s so incredible!" Don said.

"Daniel who?" Asked Brandi.

"Daniel Pleasant, sweety, your son's father in law" answered Don.

He left his first wife to marry ME.

He covers me with attention and luxurious gifts.

The heat of this city makes me weak and sometimes my pressure drops and I pass out, so my husband is building a pool in the garden. For me.

Well, not exactly. He hired Roland to build the pool.

And Roland is the best gift anyone’s ever given me.

Roland is our handyman, and he really can do anything!

He cooks and cleans the house so my husband and I can relax.

And when my sweet husband suffers his age and needs some rest, Roland keeps me company... And you should hear the way he says my name. "Hazel".. So hot!

Happy wife, happy life. Right?

Thank you for everything, my dear husband"

"Honey, I know it’s 7:00 in the morning, but we have to toast. We have to. I finally got promoted! No more night shifts for your wife!"

Loki raised his glass to toast.

"Congratulations, Circe. You deserve this promotion, you've worked so hard for it."

Circe smiled, barely revealing a hint of excitement.

"Thank you, Loki. I couldn't have done it without your support."

"I always had faith in you. You're brilliant and talented. But tell me about this new colleague, this Doctor Newlow. Is he the one who recommended you for the promotion?" Loki said.

"Yes, sweety. He was him." She answered.

Loki took a deep breath, and with just a hint of suspicion in the voice he said

"I see. And how well do you know this Doctor? Are you two close?"

Circe smiled maliciously, feeling flattered by her husband’s jealousy.

"We're colleagues, and he's a good mentor. But that's all it is, darling. You have nothing to worry about, I love you and only you. You're the only man I want."

Loki sighs, softening his tone.

"I know, I know. It's just that when I think about other men being close to you, it makes me feel... Jealous. I can't help it."

Circe looked at Loki with excitement in her eyes.

"Dominic will join us for dinner tonight, and will be briefing us on a great discovery he's just made, and he's generously offered to share it with us so we can collaborate on it!"

Loki gritted his teeth, hearing his wife call Dr Newlow "Dominic".

"You know, Circe, all this talk about work and research makes me think of something else. Something that's been on my mind for a while now."

"What is it, Loki?"

"I was thinking... We've been so focused on our careers, perhaps it's time to consider starting a family..."