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hoperoiselover · 11 months

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AHSGDGAHGDAJ SCHOOL IS BEATING MY ASS :SOB: GOD BLESS, BUT ANYWAY I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE THIS CHAPTER, THIS CHAPTER WILL LEAD ONTO MORE EVENTS WHERE WE CAN SEE CHARACTERS INTERACTING MORE AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS! (so that the climax totally won't hit harder-) BUT ANYWHO- ENJOY!! <3 :] READ CHAPTER TWELVE ON AO3 HERE! Tw: Alcohol stay safe <3 CHAPTER TWELVE, EYE IN THE STORM

It was using their voices.

His Mother’s tender and soft hums. The same ones that sung him to sleep at night when he had a nightmare. Her voice would echo in the room as she had cradled him in her arms.

He could hear his Father’s rough yet comforting chuckles. He could imagine him smiling, his crooked front teeth and prickly beard. Just like when he used to read bedtime stories to him as he sat on his Father’s leg.

Mark stepped towards the stairs. He could not see anything. The darkness of the stairs wrapped around his feet as Mark stepped closer. His bottom lip quivered. Was it really them? Had they truly come back?

“Mark?.. What are you doing out of bed kiddo?.. Everything alright?” Dave stood outside his bedroom door. He leaned against the door frame, his voice soft and deep.

“I…I thought I heard something…” Mark mumbled as he fidgeted with his hoodie strings. The darkness emitting from the stairs receded.

“Oh Mark… come on,.. Let’s get you back in bed… If you want I can turn on the hall lights,” Dave sighed softly, looking at the little scared boy in front of him.

“...O-okay..” Mark shook and slowly went over to his Uncle. He hugged his Uncle’s leg and sniffed.

Dave was worried for his nephew. The poor boy had gone through so much in his life, and he was so young too. He picked up Mark and held him close as he turned on the hallway lights, “Better buddy?”

“Mhm.. b-better..” Mark nodded and bit his fingers.

Dave sighed and walked back to Mark’s room. He placed Mark down on the bed and smiled softly, “Come on, get some sleep kiddo. You and ‘Sar are going back to Stanley’s tomorrow. Stanley said he had something fun planned for you kids in the afternoon,”

He smiled and patted Mark’s head, he hoped that talking to him about something positive would help Mark calm down.

“What is i-it?” Mark looked at Uncle Dave, and started to tuck himself in next to Cesar.

“Said he’s going to take you kiddos to the park to play and get you guys some ice cream,” Dave smiled softly and stood up, helping Mark get tucked in.

“Ice cream!” Mark smiled, a sparkle in his eyes made Dave chuckle quietly and patted the boy’s chest.

“Yeah! Now sleep, we want you all energized for tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay, Uncle Dave.”

“Love you kiddo,”

“Love you too, Uncle.”

Dave kissed Mark’s forehead and smiled. He walked out of Mark’s bedroom and looked back from the door frame. Mark waved at him, and he waved back before heading back to his room, leaving the hallway lights on.

“-and I just don’t get it right. Like, he seems like a good kid but I just don’t know man, I want to help him and understand what the hell is going on but I'm just confused and a part of me wants to think that Ms. Cruz is crazy right, but I know she isn’t. She’s a mother concerned for her son, which tons of respect to her for that, like my mom was protective as hell with me when I was a kid but fuck man. I’m just-.... confused- you know?” Stanley looked at the man sitting on his bar stool chair as he cleaned his living room and kitchen.

Thatcher sighed and took a sip from his beer can, “Jesus dude-”

“I know right? Like-”

“Stanley, Stanley… please, calm down for a sec’, alright?” Thatcher cut off the smaller male and looked at him. Stanley had been ranting to him for the past twenty minutes about a worried mother and his story of discovering that one of the ‘boys’ she brought in might be an alternate. Thatcher had gotten a call from his friend and asked if he wanted to hang out with him at his place. Here Thatcher now was, sipping beer and wishing he was in bed.

Stanley sighed, “Sorry Thatch.”

“Nah dude, it’s okay, just calm down for a second…”

Stanley sat next to Thatcher on the parallel barstool and took a deep breath, “I’m tired Thatcher…”

“Then get some sleep buddy… I don’t know how you do it, working all day with kids, dealing with your own needs, cleaning, and everything else. Maybe you could use some help…” Thatcher rested his hand on Stanley’s back.

“I can’t afford to get help, Thatch.. You know I can’t…” Stanley looked at the blonde and sighed again, “But enough about me. How was your day?”

“Uh, well, those missing people files still fill my office… I can’t go in there anymore without feeling I’m going to go crazy… So I just sat at the front desk by the phone. I got a few calls, and guess what, more missing people… I was out all afternoon talking to people and filing paperwork… Maybe I should’ve become a mechanic or something I don’t know… Maybe I should’ve helped you out with your gig…” Thatcher took another drink from his beer.

Stanley smiled sadly and chuckled, “No,... I think you’re a pretty good cop…”

“Bullshit Montgomery,” Thatcher dryly laughed.

“I mean it you idiot!” Stanley playfully shoved Thatcher a bit, “Look,.. I know things have been rough since… we lost them… ,but we have to keep on pushing through…”

“Yeah… I know… Hey, I had a woman come into the station this morning, and said she found a kid named Adam just like your kid. She seemed stressed as hell. She looked like she saw a ghost when looking through the database of missing people. Didn’t say a thing when she left,” Thatcher looked at his now empty beer can.

“Really? Huh, did she have dark brown hair, wore a vest and the determination of a protective mother?” Stanley nudged Thatcher lightly, trying to keep the mood lighthearted.

Thatcher chuckled, “Yup, that sounds like her, so what’s her name? She walked out before I could get any info on her.. And I was too tired to care from my last shift-,”

“Ah,... Well, her name is Eliana Marshall, but she is using her maiden last name which is Cruz,” Stanley thought and nodded to himself.

“Mmh…. Alright, thanks dude…”

“Of course….”

“Want another beer?”

“God, yes.” END OF CHAPTER TWELVE, EYE IN THE STORM

#tmc #the mandela catalogue #the mandela catalogue au #the kiddela catalogue #mark heathcliff #cesar torres #thatcher davis #stanley m.#tw: alcohol #dave lee #FIANLLY I FUCKING POSTED IT HERE- SHIT MAN-

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hoperoiselover · 1 year

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WOOOO NEW KIDDELA CATALOGUE CHAPTER FINALLY!! READ CHAPTER TEN ON AO3 HERE! TW: implied death, religious themes, implied child abuse, mental breakdown(s), Mervin :middle_finger: CHAPTER TEN, FOREVER MEANS NOTHING

The bike sped past the cookie-cutter houses and slowed to make a turn towards a shopping center. The center was small and run down, but in the middle of all the gloomy, closed businesses was a colorful flower shop.

“Oh! Look! It’s still open!” Cesar said, pointing to the shop.

Mark nodded and stopped pedaling. He used his foot to stop the bike from tipping over. Cesar hated this part, sometimes he’d fall off or lose balance, but luckily he was able to hop off the bike without hurting himself.

The two smiled at each other, and Mark got off the bike, now walking with it. He then left his bike outside of the store. He motioned to Cesar that they could go inside the flower shop now. Cesar nodded and followed Mark as he entered the little store.

The ring of a bell filled the store, overlapping the soft music being played through speakers around the business. There were shelves filled with gardening equipment, fertilizer, pots, seeds, and bouquets. Cesar inhaled the smell of the flowers and smiled.

“Just a second!” A short lady with brown blondish hair and light brown eyes made her way over to the two, she smiled softly at the two boys.

“Hi Mrs. Martinez!” Mark smiled up at the woman, her fingers covered with wet dirt.

“Hi there boys! How can I help you today?” Mrs. Martinez smiled. She wiped the dirt off with some paper towels that were on the cluttered counter.

“Queríamos comprar algunas flores para mi papá y la familia de Mark, Por favor, Señora Martinez,” Cesar smiled at the middle aged woman.

Mark looked at Cesar with confusion. He never understood the Spanish language, but he had tried before.

“Ah, you’re going to see your families today?” She smiled softly, yet sadly at the boys.

“Mhm, we brought money this time, so we can pay for it,” Mark nodded and pulled out the dollars and coins from his pocket.

“Aye chico, don’t bother! You can have them for free,” Martinez grinned at the two and grabbed two flower bouquets. One had orange, white, and yellow flowers while the other had pink, purple, and white flowers.

“Really?!” Both boys said, smiling at the woman.

“Of course! You two come here every few weeks and are just so polite, along with how much you still care for your loved ones. I wish you two many blessings,” Mrs. Martinez handed the flowers to both boys and smiled.

“Thank you so much Ma’am!” Mark smelled the flower’s sweet aroma.

“Of course! You two are always welcome here!”

“Gracias!” Cesar smiled and held his bouquets close to his chest.

She nodded at the two boys and watched them leave the store, the little store bell ringing again.

“Betty, were Mark and Cesar the ones who just left? I recognized their voices,” A taller, strawberry blond woman walked in the room. Her cane hit the side of the front desk and she smiled.

“Yes it was my love,” Betty Martinez looked at her wife and smiled softly as she placed her hand on Gigi’s green gardening gloves.

“Oh, those two are the sweetest boys I've ever did met! Did they stop to get flowers for their parents?” Gigi smiled and moved her hand up Betty’s arm, looking in the direction she believed Betty was in.

“Yes dear, they did,” Betty smiled softly at her wife and placed her free hand on Gigi’s.

“Awh, I wish I could’ve talked to ‘em! Cesar loves our flowers, and Mark is just the kindest soul!” Gigi flicked her hand and giggled, her southern accent was very prominent when she spoke.

“I know Gigi, I know…”

The sound of the store’s front door bell ringing could be heard.

“Oh, just on second love,” Betty smiled and got out from behind the counter, and made her way to the new customer, “Hello sir how can I… sir?”

“I forgot how many graves there were….” Mark mumbled clutching the bundle of orange, yellow, and white flowers.

“Y-yeah…. This place still scares me,” Cesar looked around. The gravesite was packed with headstones, some older than his mother. The cemetery was always a dark and gloomy place, even with how many times the two had come here they couldn’t help but feel unsafe.

Cesar shivered, the dead trees made a shrill noise as they rubbed their branches together and the sound of dirt and dead grass crunching under their shoes made him hold his breath. Mark held Cesar’s hand as they walked.

“Can we hurry before it gets dark?” Mark looked at Cesar. His green eyes full of anxiety. Cesar nodded and started to walk faster. The two jumped at every sudden noise, they didn’t want to be here anymore, but they had to give their parents the flowers, the only colors that seem to make their experience less terrifying.

“Oh! Look! I see Mom and Dad over there!” Mark smiled and pointed at a cross headstone, there was a rosary with red beads and a yellow cross hanging from it.

Cesar nodded and started to run for the grave. Mark followed in pursuit.

OPHELIA AND JASON HEATHCLIFF, EVEN THROUGH THE WORSE, THEY MADE THE BEST. 19XX-1998 19XX-1998

Mark suddenly felt his stomach drop as they approached the tomb of his parents. It still hurts to know they haven’t come back, yet Uncle Dave said they will some day, just maybe not for a long time. Mark stared at the engraved words, dirt and grime making it hard to read. Hopefully someday Uncle Dave, Sarah, and himself could clean it up really nice, maybe they’d come back then.

Mark placed the flowers in front of the cross and got on his knees. He clasped his hands together and closed his eyes, his head looking down. Cesar patiently watched behind Mark. He would always say a little prayer for his parents, the three used to do that together before they ate their food and before bedtime. Mark mumbled under his breath and finished his prayer. He looked up at the cross.

“Please listen to me my lord, please. I still look up to you to answer my prayers and wishes. Please protect the ones I love and care about, thank you, amen,” Mark didn’t notice the tears streaming down his face. He prayed one day that they will return, that Sarah can get to know her Mom and Dad, that someday the alternates who have hurt his family will go away, and that his best friend could live freely without fear. Mark wanted everyone to be happy. Was that too much to ask for? Just for some happiness?

“Mar mar?... You okay?” Cesar sat down next to Mark and placed a hand on his shoulder. He rested the purple, pink, and white flowers on his lap as he tried to comfort Mark.

“M-mhm… I just…I-i miss ‘em Ces…” Mark whimpered, "I miss ‘em s-so much!” Mark sobbed, he rubbed his eyes with his hands and hiccupped through his sobs.

Cesar looked at Mark with worry and hugged him, rubbing his back, “H-hey… it’s okay…. I know… I know you miss them… I miss them too… they were very nice people…”

“I w-wan’ Mommy and D-daddy to c-come back! W-why are they t-taking so long!” Mark whined, and hit the ground with his fist. Was he being selfish?

Cesar frowned and hugged Mark slightly tighter, “I know…I’m so sorry Mar mar…”

“S-stop s-saying sorry! You w-weren't involved with their deaths! T-those s-stupid alternates killed them! I-I saw it h-happen!” Mark yelled as he took a sharp inhale of air.

Cesar winced, “I-i…. I know…b-but I still feel bad…”

Mark sniffed and rested his head on Cesar’s shoulder. The two didn’t say anything to each other for a while. Cesar continued to hug and comfort Mark to the best of his ability. He hated seeing his best friend in so much agony.

Mark’s chest slowly began to rise and fall in an even, calm matter and he wipes his tears away.

“I’m sorry Ces… we’ve been here for so long the sun is setting… you haven’t given your dad his flowers yet,” Mark frowned. He felt guilty for wasting Cesar’s time.

“I-it’s okay! We can do it another day!-” Cesar smiled and was cut off by the brunette.

“No! We’re going to see your dad today, right now!” Mark yelled with determination. He stood up and adjusted his backpack on his back, “His grave is over by the gazebo right?”

“M-mark we can do it later I don’t want you getting in trouble-”

“Shush shush! We’re going! Now it's over there right?” Mark picked up the flowers and gave them to Cesar.

“I-...Yeah… Papa is over there…” Cesar held the flowers close and stood up.

“Perfect! Come on!” Mark grabbed Cesar’s hand and started to run for the grave. Cesar yelped as Mark dragged him by the hand.

Mark ran as quickly as his legs could take him. He dogged the decaying trees and smaller headstones. He could hear Cesar’s startled yelps every time he almost hit himself against a tombstone or tree. Cesar’s footwork was as graceful as a newborn deer.

After a bit of running and Cesar almost tripping a few times, Mark saw it. The grave had some wilting flowers on it and it was quite small, not as grand as Mark’s parent’s cross was.

ROMAN TORRES, 19XX-1998

“Ces! Were..here!” Mark smiled as he panted.

Mark looked at Cesar and frowned. Cesar was holding the now bent and smashed flowers. When Mark had been dragging him along Cesar had accidentally squished the flowers trying to protect them.

“Cesar….the flowers…” Mark pointed to them as he regained his breath.

Cesar looked down, petals were missing, the stems bent, the flower bulbs mushed together, “Oh…i’m sorry…” Cesar frowned, he ruined the flowers… Suddenly, he didn’t want to be here anymore.

“Hey,... it’s okay! Look! They are still pretty,” Mark smiled as he patted Cesar’s shoulder.

Cesar sighed and went over to the simplistic grave. He picked up the wilted flowers and placed the new ones. Cesar used his hand to wipe the dirt off the tombstone. He frowned. Papa deserved a better burial, funeral, and grave… How dare his mother show disrespect to his papa even after death… Cesar couldn’t help but feel angry. His chest welled up with bottled up frustration. Cesar took a deep breath; he shouldn't be angry at his Mama, nor at his Papa. He loved them too much.

“Hola Papa….um… I… I really miss you… um… I still have your jacket!...Mark kept it safe for me… I wish you could meet him… I think you two would like each other… I-i’m sure Mama misses you too!... …Te amo Papa…i’m sorry I don’t know what else to say…” Cesar sighed, his chest ached and he felt tired. Every word that came from his mouth made his body feel heavy. He wanted to say more, but what was the point when the person he was trying to talk to could not listen.

Cesar looked down at his father’s grave, tears silently poured down the sides of his face. How he longed for those arms again. To hold him and to comfort him. Cesar grabbed his father’s jacket’s sleeve, and he winced.

“...Ces…,” Mark frowned sadly. He went over to Cesar and hugged him close.

“Will you stay?” Cesar asked Mark, continuing to look at the dirty headstone. His voice quiet and monotone.

“What?”

“Could you stay…with me… forever?....Please?”

“Ces,... I’m not going anywhere…I promise you,...I’ll stay, forever, right here, next to you…”

Cesar softly squeezed the younger, yet taller boy. He let out a shaky breath and sniffed. Cesar’s tears were making Mark’s light gray hoodie darken. Mark returned the squeeze. No matter what happens, Mark promises to never leave Cesar’s side… “I’ll never leave…you’re my best friend..” Mark smiled at the smaller boy.

“Mm..Thank you…t-thank you so much, Mark,” Cesar smiled softly and took a deep breath.

“You’re welcome…”

“Thank you Eliana for the food,” Adam held a small bowl in his hands, its rough, plastic texture made him cringe when he rubbed his fingers against it.

“What do I keep on telling you, Adds! Momma makes the best food ever!” Jonah smiled and giggled, he was bouncing up and down as he ran across the kitchen and dining room. He was helping his mother clean the kitchen.

Eliana smiled softly and chuckled, “It’s no problem chico, and thank you Jo. I appreciate it.

Jonah smiled at Eliana and smiled as she took the bowl from Adam and washed it.

“I need you two in Jonah’s room before eight o’ clock alright? I don’t want Pops to see Adam okay?” Eliana said as she finished washing the dishes, draining the water from the sink. She looked at the clock on the wall, seven forty two P.M.

“Okay, Momma!” Jonah smiled, “Oh! Adam! Do you want to continue to play what we were before?”

“Oh,...Okay!” Adam grinned, as he fixed his hair. The lamb hoodie was flattening his curls.

“Aye! Make sure to brush your teeth! I don’t need you to have a trip to the dentist this summer!” Eliana scowled playfully.

“Ughhhhh fine!” Jonah groaned and walked to the bathroom, Adam followed Jonah.

Eliana sighed to herself as she dried her hands with a kitchen towel. She had been dreading night time to arrive. Mervin should be on his way home now, unless he was out doing god knows what. Eliana growled under her breath. Fucking Mervin, ditching his job as a father and going out a getting drunk or whatever and leaving all the work to her, what an asshole.

Eliana could hear the sounds of giggling and the pitter patter of little feet running against the wood floors, followed by a door being shut closed. She smiled softly to herself before frowning. God, what was Mervin going to say when he got home. What was he going to do when he realized the money from their account had gone down. She knew she couldn’t hide it from him. Eliana knew that Mervin was a dick, but he wasn’t a dumbass, sometimes.

She took a deep breath and began to sweep the floors. Even though the floors were perfectly fine, there was something about always having something to do that Eliana found comfort with. She couldn’t sit down and just relax, there were too many things to get done, along with Mervin’s stupidly high expectations, nothing was good enough for the greedy bastard. Just thinking about Mervin made Eliana’s blood boil. Her movements when sweeping got more aggressive. She wanted to scream, tear out her hair as if that would get rid of all the problems in her life. Eliana huffed and looked at the clock again, seven forty nine P.M. To Eliana time wasn’t moving fast enough. It was like the sound of the clock ticking down to certain doom was taunting her, tick…..tock……tick ... .tock…. Eliana took another deep breath, sweat dripping down her forehead. She tapped the broom’s handle with her nail. Her heart beating rapidly and the clock’s ticking filling her brain. Tick, tock, tick, tock.

Eliana shut her eyes and snapped her neck in the direction of the clock. Her eyes full of rage and annoyance.

“Stupid fucking clock…” Eliana spat and rolled her eyes as she continued to sweep. When she finally left her guard down and calmed down a tad, the front door opened and was slammed closed.

Eliana jumped and looked at the man now standing in the kitchen.

“Eliana. You got some fucking explaining to do.” END OF CHAPTER TEN, FOREVER MEANS NOTHING.

#tmc #the mandela catalogue #the mandela catalogue au #the kiddela catalogue #adam murray #jonah marshall #cesar torres #mark heathcliff #mervin marshall #GRHHH GRHHH I HATE MERVIN MARSHALL #tw implied death #tw: religious themes #tw: implied child abuse #tw: mental breakdown

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