By this time, Fernando and Celia had been wandering around, according to their estimates, for a week and a half. Inspirational or not, the tycoon's speech had worn off quite a bit. Both were tired, hungry, and irritable. The pair plodded into a park. In moments, they plopped down on a bench. Giant, lifeless tress surrounded them. Fernando turned wearily towards Celia.
"I'm tired...I'm hungry...and I need a bath! Shit, I haven't seen a restaurant in the longest fucking time!!"
"You think I like it?!" snapped Celia. "What's complaining gonna do about it?!"
A few moments of silence passed. Fernando shook his head.
"Man...I don't know..."
"Don't know what?!"
"I don't know if I can make this trip...I-It's so fucking disappointing..."
"What about the tycoon?! Don't tell me you forgot him already!!"
Fernando let out a loud, strangled sigh. He tugged on his hair.
"Okay, goddammit!! OKAY!! I'm hurtin'!! I've seen so many disappointments in my life!! I feel this is just gonna be another one!!"
Celia instantly grabbed Fernando by the shoulders, looking him straight in the eyes.
"Get a hold of yourself!!"
"I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN HANDLE IT!!"
Celia finally saw the real Fernando for the first time. She saw him fully for what he was at that very instant. An angry, hurt, frightened little child. Celia couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She clasped his hands.
"Yes you can."
"I-I-I don't know-"
"You can!! Trust me-"
"Oh Gawd...Jeez"
"Don't give up!! Don't give up!! I'll help you! Okay?!"
Fernando's eyes searched the ground for something. Anything. Anything to calm his tormented nerves-
"COME ONE, COME ALL!! COME AND TRY PEARRE LUFFARE'S CANDY!! ONLY ONE DOLLAR!! COME ONE!! COME ALL!!"
The voice echoed all around them. Celia and Fernando immediately looked for its source.
"Who said that?!" exclaimed Celia. "Where did that come from?!"
"COME ONE, COME ALL!! COME AND TRY PEARRE LUFFARE'S CANDY!! ONE DOLLAR!!"
Fernando hastily turned to his left.
"That way!! It came from that direction!! Let's go!!"
He got up, and ran off. Celia stared on, full of alarm.
"Fernando!! Wait!!"
She went after him. They ran into a heavily wooded area. After rushing past dozens of trees, the teens entered an enormous circular clearing. At its very center sat a large Cadillac sedan. On top of it stood a figure holding a megaphone. Surrounding this were three more figures at tables. From around the edges of the clearing came still more figures, running towards the Cadillac. The central figure held the megaphone up to its mouth.
"COME ONE, COME ALL!! COME AND TRY PEARRE LUFFARE'S CANDY!!"
Fernando stared at the central figures hungrily.
"Candy!! Just what I need to relieve my nerves!!"
"I-I don't know Fernando!! Look at all those people coming-"
"Fuck that!! I'm hungry!!"
He darted off towards the Cadillac. Celia had no choice but to follow him. A sizable crowd of teens formed around the car. Celia studied the three at the tables. Apprehension crept through her. There was something very wrong with this picture. These three didn't belong together-a young African American, wearing massive gold chains and a leather outfit, a white man dressed in a business suit with attache case, and a Hispanic woman with two small children at her side. All of them had an impassive look on their faces. On the roof of the car stood a tall Hispanic, wearing a black jumpsuit. There was a coldness in his eyes that unnerved Celia to the bone-something ominous, something evil. She grabbed Fernando's arm.
"I-I don't like the looks of this. Let's get out of here."
But Fernando wasn't listening. All he cared about were the bags of candy that lay atop each table. Celia looked at the teenagers. They all had that same look Fernando had-that hungry, eager stare, mouths salivating. The man on top of the car spoke.
"Hello!! My name's Pearre Luffare!! I'm glad all of you could come here today!! Got lots of candy to sell, and I know you kids are hungry!! The bars are one dollar apiece, and bags are six dollars!! My representatives are here and eager to satisfy your needs!! There's enough for everybody here, so there's no need to rush!!"
Celia tugged on Fernando's arm.
"Fernando, don't buy that shit!! I have a bad feeling about these people-"
"Get off me!! I'm starving!! I'm getting myself a bag!!"
He yanked himself away from Celia's grasp. Fernando got on line behind three others. When his turn came, he gave the black teenager six dollars. In turn, the teenager gave Fernando a bag. He snatched it from his hand and pushed his way through the ever-growing crowd back to Celia. She eyed him uneasily.
"You shouldn't have bought that!!"
"Man, stop hounding me!! I'm hungry!!"
Fernando reached into the bag, taking out a bar. Ripping the wrapping off one end with his teeth, Fernando spat it out and took a huge bite of the snow-white candy. No sooner did Fernando finish did he feel a thrilling rush shoot through his body. It felt good- really good. Fernando turned towards Celia, smiling stupidly at her.
"Let's go, babe."
He plodded off. Celia followed, but kept her distance. There was something really strange about that candy. She looked back towards the crowd. It had grown enormous, and more people still kept coming. Shortly, both left the park. They were heading towards a small, beat-up building nearby. Celia stared at Fernando in disbelief as he devoured the candy in his bag with a savage, unholy passion. He burped a couple of times as he stuffed chunks of white candy into his cheeks.
"Fernando...My God...What are you doing?!"
Fernando eyed Celia for a brief instant, a sick, insane gleam of ecstasy on his face. Something had happened to him, thought Celia. Something bad. No, something awful. She could sense it. The feeling filled her with repulsion-
"GET YOUR PAPER HERE!! GET YOUR PAPER HERE!!"
Celia looked up. In front of the building stood a newspaper man, a stack of papers on a table beside him. He waved one over his head. And beside him, a couple of feet away, sat a bum. A bum that looked strangely...familiar. They approached the pair. Fernando had finished swallowing the last of the candy. As he looked up, he saw the bum. His eyes widened in shock.
"M-M-Miles?!?"
It was Miles, all right. But he looked a lot different. Much older. Dirtier. More raggedy. His face was streaked with fatigue, depression, and anxiety. A strong odor of urine emanated from him. His clothes were disheveled and torn. He looked up at Fernando, and spoke.
"Mister, ya got a quarter?"
Celia and Fernando stared at Miles in disbelief. Celia cautiously approached Miles, stopping a foot away from him.
"Miles!! My God... What happened to you?!"
"D-Do I know you, l-lady?"
"Miles!! It's me-Celia!! This is Fernando!! Don't you remember us?! We were with you a few days ago!! You joined up with a preacher!!"
Miles gazed at her absently. He turned away for a few moments, staring off into space. Then he looked back at Celia.
"Lady, ya got a quarter?"
She slowly backed away from him, not believing this was happening. Celia momentarily glanced at the stack of newspapers nearby. Something caught her eye. A news item on the front page. A photo. With a familiar face.
"Gina!!"
Celia snatched up the paper and read the headline above Gina's picture. It said the following:
21-YEAR OLD GINA NAPLES, STAR OF THE
MOVIE SMASH, SEARCH FOR LOVE AND THE
NEW SITCOM, SIBLINGS , IS SHOT AND KILLED
BY OBSESSED FAN.
Celia's jaw dropped. Tears instantly burst forth.
"NO!! OMIGOD!! NOOOOOOOO!!!!"
She dropped the paper and ran off, crying. Fernando instantly picked up the paper, and read the headline.
"Oh... shit!!"
He threw the paper on the table and ran off after Celia.
"Celia, wait up!! WAIT UP!!"
She kept running until she reached a tree. Celia fell against it and slumped to the ground, crying hysterically. Fernando rushed to her side. He knelt beside Celia.
"Y-Yo Celia-I-I'm sorry-"
"I TOLD HER NOT TO GO!!" she screamed. "I TOLD HER NOT TO GO!! But would she listen?! NO!! Oh no, she WOULDN'T LISTEN!! Oh Gaaawwd..."
Tears surged from her eyes. They wouldn't stop. And Fernando suddenly remembered the tycoon's warning-"Beware of the people you meet on your way to Assimilation Point!! Some of them might try to prevent you from getting there!!" As soon as he remembered this, a sharp pain tore through his abdomen. Fernando hunched over, grabbing his stomach.
"Fuck..."
Suddenly, a brilliant light shone upon the pair. They immediately looked up. A gigantic oval building stood before them, a golden gate surrounding it. Celia gaped at it with utter disbelief.
"Oh Lord..."
"What?! W-What is it?!"
"I-I-I don't believe it!! It's Assimilation Point!! WE'VE FOUND IT!!"
She jumped to her feet and rushed top speed towards the building. Fernando ran after her. But something was terribly wrong. Fernando felt himself become more and more sluggish every passing moment. He couldn't keep up with Celia. She ran through the gates of Assimilation Point. Celia then spun around and saw Fernando stagger forward. She knew instantly what had happened. Her eyes widened in horror.
"Fernando!! Fernando, COME ON!!"
"It's too late for the boy, my dear."
She instantly turned around. A tall, elderly man in a three-piece suit stood behind Celia, looking at Fernando in sadness.
"W-Who are you?!"
"I am the head of Assimilation Point. I detected your presence, and decided to come to your aid."
"B-But what about Fernando?!" exclaimed Celia. "Whaddaya mean it's too late for him?!"
"Observe."
Celia turned towards Fernando. The boy dropped to his knees. Huge explosions of pain erupted inside his body. He screamed in agony. Fernando soon began to cough hard. Blood burst from his mouth. Then, to Celia's total horror, the boy began aging rapidly. His hair grew white in moments, and it began to recede into his now wrinkled head. Fernando's muscular body became thin and frail, his skin turning from light tan to gray. He stared at Celia and the headmaster in soul-wrenching terror.
"AAAAIIIGGGHHH!!!! HELP ME!!! I DON'T WANNA DIE!!! HELP ME!!! URRRRGGGHHH!!!!"
Fernando began to gurgle loudly. His body stiffened and his eyes crossed. Finally, he fell back onto the ground and lay still. Moments later, his flesh turned to powder and fell away, leaving a skeleton. This, in turn, underwent the same metamorphosis. A gust of wind carried the remains off. Celia abruptly turned away. Her stomach heaved ominously. The headmaster walked over to her, placing an arm around her.
"I'm sorry about your friend. But he has no one to blame but himself. He chose the wrong path, and paid the ultimate price for it. You, on the other hand, have nothing more to fear. You have arrived at Assimilation Point, and here you will learn what is necessary to succeed in life."
That statement was enough for Celia to will herself to settle down. She looked up at the headmaster, a set of tears in her eyes.
"Thank you. Thank you for coming to help me."
The headmaster smiled. As they turned towards the school, Celia saw a crowd of young men and women from all nationalities, wearing red graduation uniforms. All of their faces were filled with pride and confidence. The headmaster looked down at Celia.
"These are the alumni of Assimilation Point. Now armed with the knowledge of how to succeed, they are now ready for life. You shall become one of them."
Celia was overjoyed. SHE MADE IT!! Now she would become someone!! Celia Velez now could be somebody in this life!! The crowd of graduates beckoned her forward. She went eagerly towards them.
"DON'T GO IN THERE!!! IT'S A PACK OF LIES!!!"
The headmaster hastily turned around. Celia followed his gaze. Just beyond the gates knelt a young man. He was dressed in the same graduation uniform as the alumni, but there was a big difference. His robe and hat were torn almost beyond recognition, and his face was puffed up and bruised. Blood flowed from his nose and mouth.
"DON'T GO IN THERE!!! IT'S ALL LIES!!! They lied to me!! They lied to my parents!! THEY LIED TO EVERYONE!! Assimilation Point's BULLSHIT!!! DON'T GO IN THERE!!!"
Celia quickly looked up at the schoolmaster. He seemed to recognize the boy. A look of apprehension appeared on his face. His eyes darted down towards her.
"C-Celia, come my dear." he said urgently. "You'll be late for registration."
"B-But who's that?!"
"Never mind him! Let's go."
The headmaster swiftly put an arm around Celia's shoulder, and led her towards Assimilation Point. Celia gazed at the alumni's faces. The pride and confidence that was there had turned to confusion. Celia looked back one last time at the boy. His pain and depression seemed so genuine. And the headmaster's strange reaction...Anxiety crossed Celia's features.
She'd made it!!
Hadn't she?!
END
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