“It’s not like I meant for it to happen, it just did…I didn’t wake up one day and say, ‘I’m gonna fuck my sister!’ The heavy pound of the judges hammer stopped him in mid sentence. It was August 29 th , 2000. Eric Silver sat in the booth quiet now since the judge shut him up. His father had stuck by him defending him, while his mother, forcing his sister to be there, sat on the other side. He knew his sister didn’t want to be there and felt terrible they were torturing her like this. Eric Silver is 21 years old, his sister is 15, but looking at her you wouldn’t be able to tell. Her name, by the way, is Arial Silvers. The judge yells, “One more comment like that and you’re history!” “I’m sorry judge…may I ask you one thing?” “Go ahead.” “Why are you torturing my sister like this? She doesn’t want to be here…she doesn’t deserve to have to sit here like this!” The judge slams his hammer down, the crowd had gotten riled up by that. The judge says, “30 minute recess! Everyone but the family, lawyers, and the defendant out!” People filed out quickly. Both lawyers walk up, Eric heard everything said. Eric says, “Judge…if you will at least grant me this one wish I won’t act up again in court…for all that my life is worth.” His mother screams, “Your honor! That bastard just wants to have an…” “Irene!” Her father yells back, “What about Arial, she’s practically in tears!” The Judge yells, “Enough!” Both stop. He sighs and says, “Arial Silvers, are any of your close friends here today?” “Yes sir…Sara Thompson and Vicky Lore.” “Officer, bring them in, then walk the 3 back outside, make sure the press and the public from both sides stay away from her. No if, ands, or buts.” “Yes sir.”
Eric gives a faint smile at the sight of his sister finally leaving this hell. She looks back right before leaving to tell him she loved him. Eric says, “May I speak to my mother or not?” “Your family, go ahead.” “You claim to care about her mom? Look at yourself, forcing her to sit there thru this shit like it’s not real. She loathes you at so many levels for bringing her here you’ll never get her love again.” His father smiles widely at him. His mother stares at him in anger but knew him to be true. His mother sits down at long last. The Judge says, “No more evidence is needed for this trail. Both sides agree.” They nod. Eric says, “I already know my sentence…why make everyone wait? Just shoot me now and be done with it.” “After the trail you are to enter my chamber alone. Remember that. Officers, make sure he does.” “Yes sir.” “Bring them back in, it’s time to end this.” Everyone but Arial and her 2 friends were brought back in. The judge says, “After hearing all the evidence I find Eric Silver…
It truly did start out innocently. Eric had just returned home after 4 tiring years of college all the way across the country in California, he is actually from North Carolina, the media had blown the whole mess so large it was taken to Virginia to be trailed. His family lived in a small, tiny town called Caroleen. Let’s take it back to the day Eric was arriving at the Charlotte airport. His sister and father stood happily awaiting him in the terminal. Eric looks out from the plane, it had just landed. He had truly been gone for too long…last he knew his lil’ sis was 11 and a squirt. He had no idea what been going on since then. He finally gets off the plane and retrieves his luggage, over the past 4 years he had changed from the dorky teen into a handsome young man, plus a star basketball player. He sets his stuff down and looks around hoping he’d be able to spot them. All of a sudden a teenaged girl flings herself at him nearly making him fall backwards, she yells, “Brother!” Eric could not believe the young woman in his arms was his sister. His father walks up as he sets her down. Eric towered over his own father by now at 6’8“, which made his sister look like a child but for a girl she was tall at 5’10”
His father says, “Welcome home son, glad to see you finally became a man.” “In more than one way father.” He looks down at Arial and says, “Who are you and what happened to my stick figure sister?” Arial blushes from that. His father says, “Come on, your mother will be getting home soon and will be…” “I’ll wait right here if you don’t mind.” “Wha…why bro?” Eric glanced at his father, his father says, “Eric…it’s been 4 years…come on…” “I already booked a condo not far from home. Only 2 blocks away. I may come to visit but don’t expect a miracle.” Arial says, “Why don’t you want to see momma? She misses you like crazy?” Eric says, “It’s complicated squirt.” “Hey, I’m not a squirt anymore!” “Can’t prove it to me.” Eric now leaves with them. Arial says, “Dad…I’ll catch a ride with Eric…see you later.” His father says, “Your mother will be saddened by this Eric but it’s your grave. See you later.” His father leaves at last.
Arial hugs him tightly and says, “I’ve missed you so much! Watching you on the TV is nothing like the real deal.” “Got any idea what’s happened to the ole gang?” Arial breaks the hug and turns away from him hiding. Eric says, “Sis?” He hears her sniffle and start to break down. She turns back around hugging him again. Arial says, “It was terrible Eric…why did you leave them! Why!?” Eric could only hold her as she beat on him and cried herself dry. He hails a taxi and he gets her in then himself. He gives directions and says, “Sis…what happened. Tell me!” “Jeff is the only one left…all the others…” “Eric couldn’t believe this. Arial says, “Not long after you left a new gang invaded the area. They started to harass me, wanting me to blow them and stuff like that. I refused and began to get bullied. Your friends were quick to my aid and a war started. Oh bro…it was sickening what happened.” the whole ride to his condo she told him how each of his old friends died. He even learned Jeff had lost an arm in the war but came up victorious. Arial says, “I’ve been helping him out ever since then…with little things here and there…” Eric knew where it was heading, he knew Jeff was only human and his sis would want to help him any way he wanted. He says, “You slept with him…” “At one point I thought he was going to kill himself. I had to do something! I couldn’t loose my only friend Eric, I couldn’t!”
He gets her out of the taxi and walks her into his condo. He says, “How is he now?” “I told him about you coming back, he wants to see you again. I left him a week ago to get things straightened out for your return.” “Call him and tell him to get over here, it’s only a block from his house.” “He’d really love it…thank you…” Without even thinking Arial leans over and reaches up planting a kiss on his neck, unable to reach anywhere but there. Eric felt the warmth and gentleness of the kiss despite it’s placement. Arial walks away pulling her cell phone out and makes a call. She walks back up and says, “He’ll be here in a few minutes.” “Go wait at the door for him, he drinks some now right?” “You think I could have gotten him better by myself?” Eric found himself laughing to that comment as she walks away. He goes to the fridge and pulls a bottle of whiskey out, he gets a triplet of glasses down and walks back into the living room. He had the place made and ready to go before he got home just in case something happened. Eric had just poured the last glass when Arial walks in with a man who had grown a rugged beard in 4 years. Eric says, “Jungle Fever.” “Jungle Fever is right my old friend.” “Sit…it’s been too long.” “Indeed it has.” Arial sits down on Jeff’s right, so she had his arm around her, Eric sat beside him and says, “Arial gave me a summary of what happened.” “I wanted her to. It seemed like those bastards waited until you left to invade.”
Eric says, “What did they do?” “They brought guns Eric…not just a pistol or a revolver, I mean sniper rifles, fuckin bazookas, shotguns, assault rifles…the whole nine yards. Randy and his squad were taken out by a single bazooka. Steve and Aaron by sniper, the rest in the final battle due to sniper and assault rifles.” “How did you survive?” “By chance. The police came just in time to save my life. I had nearly died protecting your sister from those disgusting freaks. You had just turned 13 during the final battle, right?” Arial nods and says, “2 days afterwards, it didn’t even last a whole day.” Jeff gives off a smile and says, “All of the enemy who survived were caught and arrested, each of them put on death row and executed, hopefully, by now.” Eric says, “You think if I had stayed around it would have been better?” “Not at all…we recently found out they had been planning it for as long as we had been friends Eric. Since you were gone they wanted Arial as their trophy and total domination over the area. We fought like hell and won the area’s freedom from those free loaders.” “Was Arial ever hurt?”
Arial nods and says, “twice, first time a bullet had entered my arm sticking into the bone. Next time was my fault for being a dumbass and I broke my femur acting like a kid. The bullet I turned into a necklace to always remember…” Eric says, “I wish I hadn’t of left when I did.” Arial leans against Jeff and says, “Not everything went to hell though…” Eric says, “She told me Jeff…no I’m not mad…” Jeff says, “Arial had been there like you had been back when we first started. She still reminds me of you in a way.” Arial blushes, Jeff says, “Not once have I hurt her, called her ugly names, or even order her to do something for me.” Arial says, “Not completely true Jeff…but I guess during sex doesn’t count…” Now Jeff was the one to blush. Eric couldn’t help but laugh and picks up a glass of whiskey. Arial gets one for herself and Jeff and hands it to him. Eric says, “To old friends and new beginnings.” All cheer to that and drink the shot down with ease. Eric says, “You that used to whiskey?” “I prefer moonshine but legal whiskey is okay.” Jeff says, “That came from her mother, not me.” Arial says, “Hey! Not like you ever said no Jeffy.” Eric pours himself some more and offers. He drinks it down again.
Around 10pm Jeff rises and says, “I need to get going Eric, it was great seeing you again.” “You too man…” “Arial…I’ll call you later…” “you sure…?” “I’m sure…see ya!” Jeff walks out closing the door. Eric says, “How many times?” “Eric…” “What? Just wondering? As friendly…” “8 times over the past year and a half. Mostly it’s been on holidays.” “Only 8?” “I’m not a whore!” “I’ve had more than you in a month than all together for you.” “My brother? The nerd?” “Do I look like a nerd to you? I changed quickly during college.” “All for the better huh.” “I’m proud I changed. Arial says, “I preferred the weaker, nerdy brother…at least he was quick to help me out.” “I’m here now sis…” Arial rises from the couch and says, “How many girls did you have?” “20-30.” Arial says, “What was the longest with any of them?” “A month.” “2 years bro…2 fucking years…you’ve changed more than you think. You once thought a woman should be respected, valued, protected! Now look at you!” Eric rises and says, “My old ideals was that of a damned virgin. I knew nothing of women, who gave you the right…”
Arial slaps him across the face as he rose from the couch. Eric froze from that. She says, “You are just like the rest of the men in this world…I guess Jeff was right, it does take loosing an arm just to realize how special everything you have is. I wish you never came home Eric…go back to California and fuck your bimbo scanks!” With that Arial leaves the room and his condo. Eric stood there shocked by her words, and angered by her quick judgment of him. Eric leaves his house and jumps into his rental car, he catches her not far from Jeff’s and says, “Sis, get in.” “Fuck off!” “Get in.” “Or what?” “Please…let’s talk about this…everything you said was the truth…I need my sister there to keep me straight…” Arial stops still fuming a bit and says, “What?” “You are right…I have changed…only now do I realize this…help me sis…help me get back to my old self…” Arial always did have a soft spot for her brother even when she was angry with him. She walks up to his car and opens the door, she gets in and says, “You remember the old North Point?” “Of course.” “Keep your speed below 40 and go.” “40? The speed…never mind…” He goes staying at the speed limit she wanted, she takes out her cell phone and dials a number. She says, “Hey, Tiff, it’s Arial. Meet me over at the North Point in an hour…tell the others to be there as well.” “Tiffany?” Arial glances at him as Tiffany spoke to her a little, Arial says, “See you then.” She hangs up and says, “Allot has changed since you left…I want you to witness and learn of everything that has changed…some for the better, others not so.”
Eric kept to the speed limit exactly reaching there in an hour. He normally would have reached it in 20 minutes at his speed. They finally arrive, Eric parks and gets out with Arial. Already there were nearly 30 people, some he recognized in cold blood, others he never seen. Arial says, “Tiff…I’m surprised everyone came…” “I heard Eric in the background…told everyone he was coming with you.” Arial smiles and says, “Brother…you are looking at all that remains of the old days. The JBG reduced to only Rick Jones. The GIR reduced to Tiff, Sara, and Alyssa. Plus some others you remember…” “Charlie? The Wreckrat? What are you still doing around here? Last I knew you fled this place.” Charlie says, “I started to back then, but my love and honor of my homeland…I couldn’t leave them…so I stayed and fought like the rest of them.” Eric then saw Sly Fox, a Goth chick who he once saw as a dangerous enemy, stand there in normal clothes. She says, “Same as Wreckrat…I only fought against you and the Defenders because it was something to do. I never had anything against you. When those punks came in I was one of the first to jump to aid the Defenders. Arachnid and her girls fought with us for a long time…” “She…” “Arachnid fought valiantly, showed more balls than most of the men did in the war, but not even she could dodge a bullet Eric.” He saw others as well. Arial says, “We are all this area has to protect the hell of the younger, dumber kids. We became one gang not long after Jeff and I hooked up.” Eric says, “I had no idea any of this happened…” Sly Fox says, “Just like Rocky you promised you would never leave this area Eric…” He looks down.
