9. The Day After

Bex slowly opened his eyes. His head was ringing and his vision blurred. He felt like a mud horn had just ran him over.

"Honey he is waking up." Bex heard a familiar voice say in a soft but urgent tone.

"Hey buddy. How are you feeling?" Bex heard a deeper but still familiar voice say.

Bex didn't know where he was or how he got there. The last thing he remembered was... that's right the raiders and... his sister... and then.. the lines and forcing them together into the...

Bex sat up as fast as he could projectile vomiting across what he now realized to be his bed. The thought of the ball of raiders he created flooded his mind as well as the voices of his mother and father.

"Well good morning to you too" Marc said with a chuckle while receiving a back hand and a famous glare that could make ice melt from Deb.

"Honey we are so glad you are alright. Your father and I found you and your sister pretty banged up and by yourselves with that pile of I don't even know what. Did you see what happened and who saved you? Was it a beast or a person?"Deb said in the standard in being nice because I want an answer mom voice.

Bex didn't know what to say. He didn't know if he could tell his parents that he had killed someone, let alone multiple armed raiders with strings he pushed together.

Bex must have been taking to long to respond because Marc said "Son, do you remember what happened?"

"I remember hiding, and then finding us. They threw us on the ground and pointed rifles at as. Albi tried to help me stay calm and they started hitting her" a tear started to run down Bex's face.

"Then I yelled at them to stop hurting her and started hitting the both of us. And then I seen them take my droid out of the transporter and... Oh my droid! Is it ok? Did they take it? Is it broken? I mean I know it's broken because it's in parts but is it ok?Where is it? Mom dad?"

"Slow down there champ" Marc sighed

"Your hunk of junk is fine and no worse than when we bought it. What happened after they took it out?"

"I closed my eyes to try and calm down while they kept hitting me...I was just so angry dad. Why did they take our stuff? When I opened my eyes that pile of them squished together was floating there and I just passed out." Bex said while slightly turning green at the thought of the raider meat ball.

"It was floating there?!?" Marc and Deb said in unison.

"That's what it looked like I was really dizzy from them hitting me. My head still really hurts." Bex said rubbing the lump on his forehead.

"He was probably delirious between the fear and concussion." Marc whispered to Deb

"Alright son. Well you close your eyes and get some rest."

"Ok dad. Do you think you can run to Char's house to get me some more holobooks on droids? See if they have any on R4's. I really can't wait to start working on it. It can help us out with chores and give me someone to play with and talk to.... Mom? Dad? Why do you guys look so sad? What's wrong?" Bex said seeing his parents look at each other with a look that didn't sit well with him.

"Son take a deep breath and relax. We will talk more in the morning." Marc said rubbing Bex's leg and standing up.

"Just promise you will check on the book please dad? I'm probably going to be stuck in this bed until I'm better, by the way is Albi ok I know she passed out somewhere between my own beatings."

"Your sister is fine Bex. She is resting like you should be. I will go look for the book son. Now get some rest."

As his parents left the room Bex could feel something was off and that they were not telling him everything. Along with that thought and feeling came a sharp pain in his head. He decided to take his parents advice and lay down and was soon asleep. He tossed and turned and moaned a bit from the pain.

"What are we going to do?" Deb whispered to Marc.

"We can't tell him Char is dead. I don't think he can take it, especially in the state he is in."

"The boy is going to have to get used to death. He is growing up and we can't shield him from the world forever. I was about his age when I lost my grandfather. The boy looked up to Char and he deserves to know. Plus he will figure it out sooner or later. It's better if he hears it from us now." Marc responded.

"You are right honey. I just wish there was more we could have done." Deb said with a dejected look in her eyes.

"You and me both honey." Marc said as they proceeded to embrace each other wishing to be able to do something different to save Char.