Chapter 18: 1.15 — A Lie Never Hurt Anyone
…Shit in ice, that’s worse than getting a punishment.
“W-why?” I asked, trying to stall for some time to think of a lie.
I didn’t like lying.
Okay, sorry, that was a lie.
I do like it but not to people I’m close with. Especially to my Uncle. But you know, desperate times...
“I thought I’d use that to get to the station today. Get my heart pumping and stuff, you know?” he said.
And ofcourse, that’s what he said.
But why, why, why today of all days?!
“You can’t!” I blurted out in a higher tone but quickly recovered to my usual one, can’t let him know something’s wrong, “I mean, y-you can’t, um, because-cause then…h-how would I go to the, um, college then?”
“Take the bus,” he said waving his hand, “It’s just for one day, kid. I promise I won’t destroy it.”
No, uncle, you destroying it isn’t the problem, I fear it’s already destroyed…ofcourse I didn’t say that.
“Um, it’s…it’s in the repairs,” I said the lie, an idea appearing in my head, “Yes, that is why I was late. A-A kid, a real non-monster non-tentacled human kid, who was a boy—not that it matters—suddenly came in front of me and I...um, kinda slammed myself and the cycle on the...um, on the wall.”
“Wait what? Are you hurt?” he asked, trying to spot any injuries. Not that he would find any.
Also, why couldn’t he? I swear I saw a bone sticking out of my arm. And I’m also pretty sure that multiple bones in my body must’ve fractured during the fight. Yet I woke up just fine—sure, with a lot of pain too—but still!
I wonder if the magicians healed me somehow.
Or maybe all that Ruh crap also helps in healing?
“No,” no wait, I should say yes, “Yes, but nothing major. I went to Walia-uncle’s clinic and got myself checked at. It was a mild rash—scratch, I mean, nothing much.” Why did I say rash? It’s not an allergy! “The cycle actually had gotten a lot of damage so I went to get that repaired.”
“Why’d you go to Walia? He’s so far,” he asked.
“That’s a...good question. Well done. I can see why you are who you are. Um, I went there because the rest of them were closed. Infact, he himself was about to close the door but kept it open for me for a while. That’s why it took me so much time to get home. And then I also forgot to unmute my phone so I wasn’t able to hear it ring...Sorry.”
“Oh, what time did you come home?”
“I don’t know, somewhere around—” wait, no, I shouldn’t give anything specific, “I don’t know, I was too tired and sleepy to remember that. I rang the bell but I guess you must’ve slept off. I ate dinner and went straight to bed.”
Yeah, he’s gonna know I’m lying to him. There’s no way I’m a good liar.
“Oh, that’s fine then,” he said smiling but then immediately dropped it, “Not! Divine Justice kick!” He yelled as he made an exaggerated motion of some high rise kick.
He did it slowly enough for me to block it.
“I see, you have been training. But no amount of training will help you escape from my…Justice punch!”
And as the weird name implied, yes, he did punch me. In the gut. Not hard, ofcourse.
“Are you crazy?! What kind of an uncle, no, adult does this kind of crap?!” I screamed but it’s not like my stomach was in too much pain.
Do you see what I meant by him being strange?
Like just picture this—a grown man in a police uniform acting like a wacko and yelling attacks like some cartoon superhero. What’s normal about that? Who yells out things like a divine kick or justice punch at his age? Heck, not even kids do that now.
It’s like some weird switch just flips inside his head that turns him into some weirdo!
I should really call child help services up or something.
Ofcourse I won’t though. This is just something he started doing when I started living with him. As a kid, interactions like these cracked me up and for a moment, for that tiniest of the moment, made me forget about the loss.
Thing is, I grew up and got over it.
And apparently, again, my uncle didn’t.
And by the way, no. I have not been doing any training or anything. As I said, he probably doesn’t realise I’m not a kid anymore with faster reflexes…plus, he makes very slow movements.
“You do the crime, you get the punishment. As simple as that,” Uncle said, blowing on his fist as if it were some freshly fired hot gun.
“Now I don’t care why you got home late.” I feel like he should though…not that I’m complaining right now. “As I said before, you’re at that age anyway so no matter what I say, you won’t hear it. All I ask is to keep me in the loop.” He offered his hand for me to get up.
I, in my irritation, stood up without any help.
He pulled his wallet out and removed a few notes of cash out, “Take this for the repairs. Make sure it’s completely fine instead of taking it just as it is. Double-check it, got it?”
“Yes, kaka,” I said, feeling bad for taking money from him and for lying too, ofcourse. But what was the alternative? Tell him that a 12-foot tentacled monster disguised as a small kid chased me down the forest while black-clothed mages rescued/kidnapped me?
He’d definitely be rethinking my drug comment.
Sure, he’s my uncle and my only family, but he barely believes me when I say I can see ghosts.
Plus also, you know, he did punch me in the gut.
It’s only fair I get some compensation for the damages. Mental damage, ofcourse.
Uncle took his bag and tiffin and made his way out towards the car. And with that, my sweaty morning began with a lie, an interrogation and weird combat.
Can already sense the day’s gonna be great!
P.S. not sure how well the sarcasm comes off of the text, but yes, that was sarcasm
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone