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The Helpline Chapter : 6

Prodigal

By Kendo Kawabata

A lion stood in front of the square pond, standing in just a long tan robe that seemed somewhat too big for him, the edges reaching the grass at his feet. He had his eyes closed, his black mane cascading down his neck and across his grey shoulders. He seemed to be waiting for something as he stood there in the light of the setting sun.

"Sir, the request was made" said the voice of a black horse who stepped out of the open front door of the manor. He was wearing clothing made of pure white that were covered in various religious symbols. A high back collar reached up to his jawline. He was jet black black with a white stripe down the front of his face, his dark coloured mane curled over one side of his face, covering the right side of his head.

He held his white hands in front of him, almost in a praying position, black nails standing out against the white fur. The only eye that was visible was his left eye, and it shone in a rather otherworldy way.

"Shall we honour it Sir?" Carrie asked as she stepped up beside the rhino, her hands clasped in front of her as they both waited for the lion to respond. The lion said nothing for a moment before he opened his eyes. They were a deep sapphire blue and seemed to sparkle in the light.

"Connor. Carrie. The request shall be granted" the lion said without turning around. They both bowed their heads in response to him. "Mother, if you may" he said as he held his arms outstretched.

"Yes, Mentu-Hotep." An elderly and rather rotund lioness walked up, her hair greying and pulled back into a severe bun. She was grey like the lion, their age difference prominent. She was dressed head to toe in the black and white outfit of a Victorian maid. She gave the lion a scathing and deadly glare from behind as she took his robe in her hands and pulled them off his slender body.

He was revealed to be naked, his smooth grey and white fur covering his whole body as he calmed stepped onto the edge of the pond and began to walk forward. His feet touched the waters surface and it rippled softly, but he didn't sink into the water. Calmly, he walked forward towards the circular platform the tea setting now removed.

The water in the pond began to rippled and swirl toward the platform as it slowly flowed upwards like a river. The water poured upwards and started to climb up the lions body. He closed his eyes as the water swirled around him and completely covered him from head to toe. The water continued to flow around as it gradually took shape, forming a sphere of swirling water around him. And then, it slowly began to rise up into the air.

Carrie suddenly began to glow a bright red as her skin began to blister and boil. It was literally burned off her body as her skin flowed like a glowing magma. Her hair burst into fire and flowed around her neck as her clothes burned into ashes that fell to the ground, a figure of living fire.

Connor began to crack apart as his skin bulged and wormed around his body before it broke like an eggshell. His skin and clothes cracked away to reveal a figure made entirely of white hands that clung to one another, fingers and thumbs making out every detail of his body.

The water sphere suddenly shattered like ice, fractured pieces hanging in the air as the area around Mentu shimmered like oil on water. Images of sand and deserts, palm trees and ancient temples flew past as Mentu slowly lowered to the ground. It was as if millennia passed around him for a brief moment as he landed on his feet.

He wore a wrapped corded blue belt around his waist that covered his lower torso, long strands of cloth made in red and gold flowed around his legs. A pair of golden sandals covered his feet, and ornate golden bands were wrapped around his biceps. A large ornate golden collar was wrapped around his neck and covered half of his chest.

Atop his head lay a golden headdress in the shape of a cobra, the head raised up with a ruby forked tongue poking out in an eternal hiss. Gilded chains hung from the headpiece and lay across his cheeks.

He turned to face Connor and Carrie, a long golden staff in his hand. Atop the staff was a large golden Ankh, the Egyptian cross with an oval on the top.

"It's time to grant a wish" he said with a smile as he tapped the base of his staff on the podium, an unearthly gonging suddenly sounding that reverberated through their souls. He smiled to them both, and it was not a good smile.

Do you see this book I have in my hand? This book happens to be the worlds most popular and most hated book you can ever find. Hard to believe that this book is capable of such revere and such revulsion at the same time. It's been around forever, sold in infinite numbers and has been rewritten countless times.

Did you also know, that back when it was first conceived, the books contents and stories within were hand-picked from various other texts and scriptures? That's right, it is the biggest cherry picked book where everything was chosen deliberately to be the way that it is.

It's called the Bible. Everything within this book was chosen specifically to make its religion as controlling as possible. Don't believe me? Look at how many rules you have to follow. According to this thing, everything is a sin. Technically you're not even allowed to go to the bathroom.

And it is the biggest contradiction in the world. This thing can't even keep true to itself when it comes down to following its own advice. It is the worlds biggest self picked book of lies you will ever come across.

Of course, I'm not saying that it's a total lie. I'm not saying that God doesn't exist or anything like that. I'll let you find out for yourself. But, we can all agree that God is not the kindest creator you will ever meet. For someone that promotes love and oneness with each other, he has a lot of blood on his hands.

There is a story in here I would like to tell you, from this books very own pages. It's a very popular story, one that's told a hundred times over to children in order to keep them in line. Or to reassure them that being bad doesn't mean they're damned.

I've hated this story ever since I first heard it. I had so many questions to ask about it, and no-one ever really took the time to actually answer them in a way that I was satisfied about them. This is one of those questions that you just don't get to argue against, no matter how annoyed you might be about its message.

You can argue against this story all you like, but just like the rest of the bible, you either are with it, or you are against it. You can't be on the fence about its meaning. However, we'll get to the meaning about it later, when I have finished telling you about this story.

It's the story about the prodigal son.

You might want to get comfortable, because this is going to take a while. And I hope you're going to pay attention as I tell you this story. Because I'm going to ask you a question at the end of it. It will be about whether the message of this story is true, or whether its a lie.

And I want you to think very carefully about this story, and what I've told you. Because how you answer is going to change how this will all work out. Now, are you comfortable? Let's get started then, in the only way possible.

Once upon a time, there was a man and a woman. Lets say they were cougars. A male and female cougar. And they were very much in love. High school sweethearts. True love this was. They married literally out of high-school the first chance they had.

For now, we'll call them Husband and Wife.

Husband came from a family run business. Well, it was more like a business empire. A leading technological company that spanned back generations and had spread itself across the country and halfway across the globe. Many of the products that you enjoy today, came from his empire, the best of the best.

Husband was poised to take over the family business once he was married, and he could afford to give Wife everything she ever dreamed off. And trust me, she was spoilt. She received the best of everything from him, but, being treated like a queen did not spoil her. They were nothing like the spoilt couples that Kimye set the standard for.

Husband and Wife were very humble people, for people from such a wealthy life. Husband ran his business to the letter of the law, a tough but fair boss who was enjoyed by his workers. And Wife was a woman of the people. She was always out and about, helping those that needed it and giving her time to people who valued it.

But, they were also lonely. The american dream is a standard one. A house with a white picket fence. A Husband who cooked on the barbecue. A Wife who greets him with a martini in her hand. A family dog who plays with the two-point-five children.

How the fuck do you get two-point-five children anyway? Are there families out there that have half a child? Seriously! It should be two-to-three children, not two children and half a child. But I'm getting off topic.

Husband and Wife wanted children of their own, to grow their family even further. A Daughter, a Son. Either way, a child would be loved by both of them and want for nothing. But having a child is not always guaranteed and slowly the years passed as they waited for that child to be born. And they were patient in their waiting, knowing that time would come when it did.

And one day, when they were not even thinking about it, Wife discovered that she was pregnant. And when it was confirmed by the family doctor, it was more then a joyous occasion. This was a child of their own, not one to put on the shelf for display purposes only.

Husband made sure that his wife received the best of care, from the finest doctors to the best attendants to look after her. And her pregnancy did well. Wife looked radiant and more beautiful every day, which made both her and Husband happy.

Then one day, they received even better news. The news was, that she was pregnant with twins. And the doctor was sure that she was carrying twin sons. Twin cougar boys. As if the news couldn't get better.

Wife would watch on in amusement with a smile on her face as Husband dashed around, creating a new room for his soon to be sons. Blue walls, blue carpet, blue sheets in the cribs. Baseballs and basketballs, teddy bears and picture books. A baby crazy father who wanted to be the best father he could be from the start. And it just made her love him even more, to see how happy he was.

After nine months of a pregnancy full of joy and happiness, Wife went into labour. She did not go to hospital, but rather wanted to give birth in the family home, as Husband and his father and his father had done in the past. With a doctor and a nurse on hand to help deliver, Father waited outside the bedroom door, practically hopping on his feet as he couldn't wait to hold his children at long last.

But with each passing second and each passing scream of her labour made him more anxious. Although screaming was normal when in childbirth, usually involving multiple cuss words which were usually aimed at the father, these were not normal screams.

Something about it did not seem right. And he was not allowed to go inside and see. The nurses warning that they couldn't be interrupted did not sit well with him. He knew that a labour would take hours to complete, but it seemed to take forever, well into the realms that he was sweating and almost pulling his hair out of his head with worry.

After everything being so well with the two of them, could something be going wrong? At one of the most joyous moments in his life, could it be tainted?

Then his wife stopped screaming.

When the door finally opened and the nurse allowed him to come inside, it was a scene that he had never prepared for, nor one that he had even remotely considered happening to him. For why would he ever picture a scenario like this, when nothing in the world had given him cause to think of it?

The doctor stood by the bed, and gave Husband a sad look and a shake of his head to him. His wife lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, no longer able to see it.

She had died in childbirth. For all her health and all the care taken for her, the strain of twins had taken their toll on her and her heart had given out. Her last moments were spent in pain, giving her life so that her children may live, children she would never get to name, or even get to see.

For Husband, this was a blow from which he would never fully recover. The birth of his sons were tainted by the death of his wife. He knew that he would never be able to look into their faces and be unable to forget that she was gone forever. He would always see a part of her in their faces, be it their smile or their eyes, or even their laugh. He would see them, and forever see her.

Husband became Father, and swore that he would love his sons no matter what they did. They were all that he had left. And he would do all that he could, to see that they were always within their life, and that there would be nothing they could do that would make him stop loving them.

He named his sons, of course. But for now, we shall call them, Paragon and Renegade. And it's kind of obvious why I would give them such labels. They could not have been more different from one another even if they had tried. I guess you could call them mirror opposites, as it was hard to compare them to anything besides each other.

They definitely lived up to their namesakes, as they each took their respective paths in life and didn't turn back. As if they wished to never be mistaken for the other, although that was very hard to do, all things considering.

Paragon was a good boy as he grew up. A smiling, friendly and happy child. His nose was always in a book, studying his time away. Hungry for knowledge and a thirst to prove himself. His grades reflected his devotion to his studies, achieving top marks no matter the subject. Mathetmatics, science, english, history. He devoted his time to making his grades the highest that they could and being the best that he could be.

However, he did have to suffer through scorn from his teachers, and indeed his father on occasion, for being too good. He didn't have many friends, preffering the friends that he made in his books and his stories. Which drew concern from teachers who thought there was something wrong with him, and advised his father for him to get 'special' help.

And the absence of sporting achievements, and even with the abundance of academic prowess, Father could not help but admit that the lack of sports was something to be ashamed of. For even though Paragon was bright and clever in many ways, there was something lacking that prevented his father from being fully proud of him.

Poor Paragon, isn't that what your thinking? Well, I hope that's what your thinking. A young child who can't be proud of the achievements that he had under his belt, because they were the wrong ones to be proud of. Now, his brother on the other hand...

Renegade, was indeed the opposite of his brother. Smiling yes, but it was the smile of a little trickster who knew he could get away with his mischief. And indeed he did. He had many friends, old and young alike, there was no-one that he couldn't charm with his wily ways. Who needed smarts or know-how when you had a small army of followers and could get away with whatever you desired?

Renegade was a star on his lacross team, able to hurl the ball any direction he wanted and score any goal from almost any point on the grounds. And he could leap and catch any kind of shot that was aimed at him. The teachers praised his physical performance, and his father never missed a game when his star spangled son was playing.

So, what about his grades, you might be thinking? They suffered. His tests were handed in with the basest of answers, his essays all less then a page. Of course, there were the few nerd children who he could bully into doing his homework for him, but the teachers never seemed to catch on that it wasn't him doing the work.

Now, where was the concern for Renegades academic performance, since they were so obviously worried about Paragons sporting performance? It didn't exist. After all, isn't it universally known that sporting stars on the field can get away with failing grades as long as they bring home the win to their school? It's never really the sports stars fault he has to concentrate on matches and practices, as Father would often say.

This happened throughout their early years in life and moved on into their teenage years. As the class levels went higher and the boys grew older, their paths did not stray. Paragon stuck to his books and outshone the rest of the class with his cleverness, while Renegade sat back and revelled in the adulation he received from his many little fans. Although you can probably guess who was treated more favourably.

Father did indeed love both of his boys, there was no question about it. But there was no question that he was starting to choose sides. Perhaps it wasn't deliberate and it just simply happened. Or perhaps he drifted towards one son over the other. But whatever the reason, he granted his favour to Renegade over Paragon. And while the process was slow, it became apparent all to obviously.

Whenever the semesters ended and the report cards were handed out, Paragon would hand his father his marks, swelling with pride as they were always above the rest of the class by a good margin. A+ out of ever subject, the highest of marks on his rankings. Top of the class in every subject, and all too ahead on his school work. This was something that Paragon should have been proud of, and indeed his father too.

But with every card that was handed, his pride slowly swelled less and less as his heart sank, because over the years, his marks never changed, but neither did the response from Father. He was almost set in his ways by then, and Paragon sometimes simply wanted to give up and expect nothing. Although he was sure that he would still be disappointed if he did.

Father would give a glance at the report and simply hand it back to his son, with a rather dismissive wave of his hand followed by a 'That's nice' in a bored sounding voice. Paragon tried hard to never show his disappointment to his fathers reaction, but it got harder with each time. He would take his report card back to his room, and lock it away in a folder to never be seen again by anyone but himself.

Renegade though wouldn't even bother handing in his report card. Because he never brought it home. His marks were so dismal he was border lining getting his ass thrown out. His report would actually be filled with comments from his teachers, indicating a 'no interest attitude' and 'needs vast improvement'. The only thing that was saving him was his star performance on the sports field, but even that had its limits on how far it could protected him.

Yet his father never saw these remarks. Because Paragon never showed his father his report cards or notes from his teachers.

When confronted by his father about his card, Renegade would learn with practice on how to get away with his abysmal performances. He would stand before his father with his shoulders slumped, his eyes downcast and he would give a rather sad apology, always deferring the blame upon someone else.

It was never his fault, it was his teachers for not filling it out on time. He had it on his desk, but someone else must have picked it up. Perhaps it fell out of his bag when he got on the bus. Or he just simply couldn't find it. And he would stand there, looking so dejected and upset and on the verge of tears that his father would simply believe him out of pure pity.

And if his father ever did manage to gain a note from the teachers talking about the boys noted troubles, a signed check donated to the school would be issued out and the problems wouldn't be brought up again.

Of course, this was noted by the boys, as Paragon would lie on his bed at night wondering just how high he had to reach before his Father would actually smile at him. And Renegade would lie on his bed rehearsing his lines and his charms to excuse away his little mistakes. Renegade would hold himself and cry, feeling that nothing he did would work, while Renegade would smile and enjoy how he was in control.

Fathers business took up much of his time, but he always tried to at least spend time with his sons. At least, that was the aim. But with the boys so different in their social times and spare moments, perhaps it was just easier to favour one over the other in that circumstance? After all, if he had to cancel a meeting to take Paragon into town to get a new book, or cancel his meeting to go see Renegade win his next match, which was the more obvious choice?

You can probably guess the amount of times Paragon was favoured in that situation, and you wouldn't need more then one try.

Paragon didn't have that many friends, well, those that weren't available outside the norm. In his spare time Paragon liked to study. Most of his studies revolved around subjects included in his fathers business practices, as it was rather obvious that the younger boy hoped to follow in a certain males footsteps. Of course, some of the typical nerdy things he did enjoy, like tabletop roleplay games and discussing the believability of television shows. But only a select group of friends was readily available for such things.

In lieu of trophies and shiny medals on string, his walls were covered in certificates of achievement and expensive leather bound books. His room was immaculate, everything organised and in its place. His desk would always be covered in a project he was working on, hoping to submit it and gain a little more extra in his experiences.

Renegade though, had many friends. The kind of friends that went out and about, always doing something with their time for the sole purpose of doing something. Lively, active and usually up to something, Renegade never seemed to really have a life plan in pursuing anything. Trips into town, football games and scoring with chicks, that was what was on his mind for fun.

His room was lined with trophies, some from his sports teams at schools that included flags and team phots. While others were prizes won from the local arcade where he'd vanquish the majority of his allowance for a few tickets that would win him something he could have easily bought himself.

After a long day at the office where his time was filled with board meetings that made him bored and listening to presentations that were just as effective as counting sheep, Father would have a small window of time before he had to retire for the night to spend time with his sons. Well, son rather.

The last thing a full time house cleaner wants to do at the end of the day, is clean their own house. The last thing a full time chef wants to do at the end of the day, is cook their own meal. The last thing a tradesman wants to do at the end of the day, is fix things in his house. So, what does a business man want to do at the end of the day? It's certainly nothing to do with more work.

Poor Paragon, the young lion would eagerly sit at the dinner table waiting for his father, and hoping to show him whichever project or report he had been working on, and despite how happy he was to get Father involved, he couldn't help but wonder why Father would look like he was getting a headache the moment the boy would start talking.

He would be brushed aside almost immediately and Father would spend the evening meal with his sons talking mostly to Renegade, the two of them looking happy to discuss his sons athletics or the general teenage mischief that he and his friends would end up getting into. After a long day at work, Father would laugh and smile as if he hadn't done it in ages when talking to Renegade and their relationship would blossom with each night together.

While Paragon learned, eventually, not to even bring up his studies or his projects at the dinner table. In fact, he learned to simply not talk at all. Even if he asked Father the simple 'How was your day?', his father would brush him off and talk to the more interesting son. And if he really wanted proof, his father didn't even notice the few times that Paragon didn't even show up at the table.

But that did not deter the slightly younger sibling. That is right, Renegade was the first born, born only minutes ahead of his younger twin. You would think that this tiny little age difference would have compelled the older brother to set a better example and look out for his brother, but by now you should be getting the impression that Renegade only cared about himself.

As I said, it did not deter the younger brother. Paragon continued with his studies and his academics. Perhaps the only good thing out of it was with his father showing such little interest in his son, that the cougar had more time to actually study without interruption. His grades were the highest of the class, and his college applications were very eagerly accepted with scholarships abound. He had so many grants and scholarships lined up, college was well and truly paid for before he even got there.

Renegade though, with all his trouble making and mischief, didn't seem phased to even enter college. His marks were poor, but his athletics were what was taking him ahead. The more sports orientated colleges sent out scholarship offers to get him on their teams, but they remained unopened and uncared about under a stack of empty bottles of smuggled beer.

However, the two boys did eventually make their way to college. Seperate colleges, of course. Renegade went to his, fully paid for all on his own, a full ride he had truly earned. There was even enough money left over for him to buy his own car so he could head that way on his own.

So what would you think, when your father waves you goodbye without much of a goodbye, and instead informs your brother, within hearing range, that not only has he paid for his college, but bought a car that wasn't second hand? I don't think you'd be happy getting kicked in the balls like that, that your full ride goes unappreciated while college education is handed to your sibling on a silver platter.

While at their respective colleges, Paragon rose through the ranks. After all his studying and his hard work, the tough college professors and their equally torturous classes were far too easy for him, and he breezed through rather happily and easily. Everything came easily to him and his professors were impressed by this incredibly scholarly but humble child.

After all, who else hates the 'I'm smarter then you so therefore i'm entitled and know everything' type that you just want to punch in the face?

Paragon made his friends of course and had something assembling a life, what with dorm life being the way that it is. However, he never called home. He preferred to actually mail his father with updates on what was going on. There was an ulterior motive to this. Any phone calls made or emails sent, were never received or replied too. At least with the letters, there was some hope that they were read.

Renegade though, rose through the ranks as well, although through popularity. He joined a fraternity with his athletic friends and their parties were as legendary as their achievements on the field. Many a girl hung from the arms of the sports hero, ready to be bent over and bred at a moments notice. And those girls were picked up and dumped anytime he chose to have them turned away or picked up.

The parties were just as legendary, with an almost endless supply of booze filtering into the house thanks to his rather healthy allowance. Boys and girls alike joined the parties that were held almost nightly, and many classes and sports practices were filled with hungover students wishing they hadn't been there the previous night. Only to repeat themselves again that night.

Showing up to class when he actually showed up, hung over or sleeping with his face plated on his desk, only to drink harder and longer, the only saving grace was that his reputation on the field wasn't affected. Plus, there were those rumors going around that he slept with many of his female teachers in an effort to keep his grades steady. With only his ability in sports to keep him afloat and little else helping him, the actual teachers had little hope he'd even make it to graduation.

After quite the lengthy time until graduation had finally finished and it was actually time to graduate, Paragon was listed as the Valedictorian, with the highest score in the campus' history, and the highest of honors. He had managed to be the most elite student that the school had ever seen in quite some time. He delivered his speech without flaw, making those in attendance applaud when he finished.

To walk onstage and recieve his diploma from the Dean to a round of applause from everyone, from jock and nerd alike to the teachers who secretly hated how good he was, Paragon looked out at the audience, in search of someone. As his picture was taken by the photographer at the event, his image was forever tarnished by the look on his face at that moment. You know that look, the ''heart dropped seven feet into your stomach''.

Because his father wasn't in attendance.

The culmination of his schooling and hard worked, had all led up that moment, and that moment was ruined, because the one person that mattered, wasn't there. So, where do you think he is?

Paragon later learned, when he went looking for him, that there was another little surprise along the way. The one as to why his brother hadn't graduated. Yes, that is right. His brother, had ended up not graduating, due to the fact that even the most high level elite sportsmen can't graduate without the right grades. Of which his brother had none.

Both Father and Renegade were in the councilors office, getting the bad news that Renegade had not graduated and, because of his rather appalling behavior, that the college would drop him and not give him a second chance. However, that was only part of the surprise that Paragon found out.

The constant allowances that Father had founded Renegade with had also extended to the school, 'gifting' the school with donations here and there for various new shiney things. All sorts of new shiney things that helped to keep a certain son in school whenever he was threatened with being dropped out. But even money can't buy everything, as both Father and sons found out.

Of course, when Paragon asked, as politely as he could, about the fact that his father had missed his big moment, he was immediately corrected.

"At least you graduated" Father snapped at him as they left the office. "Think of your brother, who didn't even get that chance. After everything that I did for this school, you would think they would allow both of you to graduate with each other."

"But Dad, I was top of the class and Valedictorian. I gave out the speech. Couldn't you have at least seen that first?"

"Oh sure, rub it in" Renegade snapped back as both he and Father walked to the car, leaving Paragon behind as they often seemed to do. Poor Paragons long time achievements were almost swept under the rug at once, as his brothers failures seemed to take center stage in everything.

But that was nothing compared to what happened the day after they returned home from college.

The morning after both sons had returned home and spent the night in their old respective rooms again, the two were summoned to their fathers home office, the sacred study that both had been barred from even considering entering during their lives. Paragon arrived dressed ready, while Renegade showed up in dirty boxers and a hangover from his previous nights drinking.

Father failed to notice his disheveled son as he addressed both his sons together. What he had to talk about, was in fact, something neither had ever considered happening before.

Father presented each of them a check. A check for half a million dollars addressed to them both. According to their father, it was a chance for them to prove themselves to him.

"I am considering retiring in a few years" Father explained to them. "I want you two boys to take this money and impress me. If you can take this money and do something about it that will impress me enough, I shall inform the board of directors that one of you will be on the fast track to take my place."

"You gave me a million?" Renegade said in surprise and delight at the amount of dollars on his check. He had never seen that many zeros before, and chances were he had never counted anywhere near that high before.

"You gave him a million? Why do I only get half?" Paragon demanded, feeling rather insulted.

"Renegade needs all the help he can get" Father said to him. "Which is why he gets double the amount."

"But Dad" Paragon said as his brother left the room practically squealing in happiness. "He shouldn't even be considered, considering that he didn't even graduate" he protested. "He doesn't even know what you do for a living, he just thinks you put metal together and make electricity."

"I have given you boys both a chance. I'm not choosing one over the other simply because you think you're better. If you think you're so sure of yourself, this is your chance to prove it" Father snapped at him before dismissing his son. Paragon left the study, again feeling as though he had been stepped on.

I don't honestly know what Father had been expecting when he gave them both that money and sent them on his way, but he couldn't have expected Renegade to do better then Paragon. If he had, I'd like to have some of whatever it is he had been drinking at the time.

Paragon was determined to prove to his father that, even with a smaller amount of money, that he would do right by his father and prove how good he was. This was his chance to prove, once and for wall, that he was worth his fathers attention over his brother. And he would do it the same way he had done it his whole life. The smart way.

He chose to stay in the house instead of moving out, and made the first major purchase with his money to invest in his fathers company. Before the day was done, he had a small but meaningful portion of the companies stocks secured within his accounts. Then he went out and bought himself his first tailored suit, so he could look the part. The next morning, he walked into the company building and held a meeting with the head of the Human Resources department.

After less then an hour and a rather impressed handshake later, Paragon was given a low level job in the offices. He felt a swell of pride that he hadn't had in ages, not just because he had been given a job on his first try, but because it was given to him based on his academics and not because he was the head mans son.

And so Paragons journey began. It was only after a few months slaving away and pulling in long hours and even longer days, that he was offered a promotion. A slightly bigger cubicle and a small raise was only the start. Almost as quickly again he was given another promotion. And then another.

It was barely a passed year before Paragon had worked his way up to his own office, not quite the larger ones with his own secretary and company car, but it was a position big enough that he was permitted to sit at the smaller meetings and start learning the larger inner workings of the company. Paragon swallowed the information about the business like a drunk in a free liquor store, and started to impress even the long running employees.

After the second year of working to get through each and every fellow workers claims that he was only there because of his fathers position, did Paragon become a junior executive. Trust me, I was surprised too. At such a young age at such a high position, and he had earned it all himself. His hard work and determination had brought him to the level in the company that should have gotten Father to be impressed with him.

Juniour executive. An office with a view of the local park. A secretary. His own company car with a good parking spot. A high salary with increased bonus. And he was only a couple of years out of college.

The other members of the board and the various committees were all impressed by him, as he had helped introduce new ideas and policies that not only helped increase productivity, but also profits. For all that Paragon had done for the company, you would think that his father would have taken notice.

But Father hadn't had much to do with the son that had stayed. Although they worked at the same company, they never traveled in the same car. They didn't enter and exit work together. They did not sit together at lunch nor did they seem to interact with each other. In fact, Paragon would not have been surprised if Father had done this on purpose.

On the few times at home that they did end up running into each other and had the chance to make conversation, Father would always ask the same question first.

"Have you heard from Renegade lately?" And Paragon, who could only ever say ''No, I've heard nothing'', would answer him, Father would nod and shuffle away and that would be the end of that. And another lonely night in the dining with an instant meal for one would Paragon spend his nights, with his father seeming to pine away for the son that had left him.

So, what had said brother been doing since his father had given him a check for a large sum of cash? Exactly what you would have expected him to do. Renegade got on his phone and called his friends, excited at this new supply of disposable income. After chatting with them for several hours and discussing plans that got them all excited, Renegade packed a suitcase and left the house before either members of his family had time to realise he was gone.

He and his group of friends traveled across state into new territory, not even bothering to explain to Father where he was going. Family was the last thing on the boys mind as they drove into a large tourist town and proceeded to look for the perfect place to buy. Young boys, fresh from college with a shit tonne of money and no sense on how to spend it. What would they possibly be interested in? Try and guess.

Well, they found it. A happening night club that was large, expensive looking and filled with nightlife. After pushing their way through the crowd and finding the manager, it took several bottles of whiskey and a lot of money on the table before Renegade bought his first night club.

Life did not seem better for the college dropout. The club thrived under the management of himself and his entourage. No dress code allowed for any type of presentation to be accepted, so the crowd wore anything and everything. Every night a dj would blast the music loud enough to deafen the patrons and put cracks in the wall, and the lights would flash so bright and often that many should have fallen victim.

The bar was littered with expensive alcohol that flowed like water through the street. Liquored up and lacquered up down every night, the patrons would drink themselves stupid only to stumble out at the earliest hours of the morning, a complete mess of themselves. Unable to stand, with peed pants and their own underwear around their necks, they were trash, but loved every minute of it.

He lived above the club itself, a room fit for a young king filled with expensive furniture and a wardrobe filled with tailored suits. Gold and silver adorned his hands and neck every day as he dressed to show off his wealth and success. Every day a small team of maids would work hard to clean up the apartment and make it presentable. And every day their efforts would be in vain.

Well after dark Renegade and his group of friends would stumble up the stairs, a girl on each arm and all present filled with liquor and hormones. In the morning Renegade would wake up, naked and covered in sexual juices, vomit on the floor, clothing tossed around the place, naked bodies laying on the floor, the couch, the pool table, piled up in the bathtub. And he would have the biggest, happiest grin on his drunk plastered face.

And the next night, the same thing would end up repeating itself.

Renegade was living the high life alright, without a care or thought towards his brother or his father. He partied up and drank every night, sowing his seed into whatever whore would spread her legs for him. How he never once fathered a child is still surprising. Somebody must have been watching him. And it damn well wasn't me.

With his rehearsed ability to charm anyone he liked, he was able to weasel his way out of any trouble that he managed to come across. He became something of a mini celebrity in the town, going where he liked, flanked by his posse and a stream of ready to fuck girls and flashing his money where he pleased. He considered himself untouchable.

But, luck always runs out. And it happened one day, when Renegade was woken up by a rather stiffly dressed doberman in a suit at the door, saying that he had come to collect. And for the first time in his life, Renegades silver tongue failed him.

As it turned out, as owner of the club, Renegade was not a businessman designed to keep anything going. And neither were the friends that helped run the place. The club had been profitable in the beginning, but as the success went to his head, whatever profits were made were spent rather quickly. In fact, the profits were being spent so quickly that he had to end up borrowing from the bank.

He was able to charm the lonely single middle aged teller at the bank time and time again to get a loan or an extension, so the money had never been a problem. But once that lonely single teller ended up with a real boyfriend and his details were passed onto someone that wasn't interested in the thing between his legs, the bank came to collect.

As it turned it, he didn't actually own anything. His fancy cars, the apartment, the actual club. He didn't actually own any of it. He had made only the minimal amount of payments towards them so he could claim they were his, but it wasn't enough to allow him to keep them. The bank literally owned everything, and they took it all back.

Within a matter of days and unable to handle the crashing reality around him, Renegade could only watch on rather helplessly as the bank took his club, his cars, and his life. Declaring bankruptcy was the only thing he was able to do to save face, although it wasn't much face left.

His friends abandoned him. They had liked him at school for organizing trouble to keep them occupied. They had liked him at college for the parties and the teams victories. They had liked him when he had the money to keep their lives fun. But now that he had nothing that they could latch onto him with, they left him. After all, without his money he wasn't much to hang around with.

Renegade found his life falling apart around him and he ended up on the streets with only a few dollars to his name and the clothes on his back. Shattered and broken in many ways, there was only one thing that Renegade could end up doing. And that, was to buy a bus ticket and head home with his tail between his legs.

Imagine that you are Paragon for a moment. You're pulling in a long hard day at the office, delivering presentations at many meetings. You close your office for the day and you get in your car and you start the long drive home, and for the first time you see cars lined up in the driveway and around the street. The house is lit up and its obvious there's a party going on.

Something Paragon had never seen before in so long. The house was actually playing host to a party. One he hadn't been told about. And possibly, not even invited to.

Upon emerging into the house, Paragon was shocked to discover that his father was happy. And not just happy, but he looked it as well. He was smiling for the first time in months, and he was talking and laughing as if life had injected itself back into him.

And beside him, was his brother Renegade. The cougar was dressed in one of his fathers best suits, adorned with his fathers watch and jeweled rings, looking like a million dollars. Smiling and laughing alongside one another, Paragon could feel the kick to his stomach from the inside.

How do you think that Paragon would have felt upon seeing this?

"My friends, today is a joyous occasion" Father exclaimed as he addressed everyone in the room. "Today is the day that my son has returned. He went out in the world and sadly he failed. But, failure is just experience, a bump on the road of life. We do not let failure set us back, we put our heads down and move forwards. My son may have made his mistakes in this life, but my son....my son has returned home" Father exclaimed as he hugged his son in front of everyone.

Paragon knew, at that moment, he knew that he was watching his chance slip through his fingers as his Father rather publicly displayed his affection towards his favorite son. He did not want to admit it, he couldn't bring himself to admit it, but he knew that he had lost. Perhaps he had always lost, because his Father had chosen his favorite so long ago that nothing the cougar ever did would be good enough to be noticed.

However, he had to do something about it later on when his father announced to him that he would be practically handing not just a position in the company to Renegade on a silver platter, but the SAME position that Paragon had been working so hard to attain himself.

"You can't" Paragon said to his father. "You just...you just can't. You can't just give him that position because he came home a complete failure" he said.

"My son returned home" Father said to him. "He came home to me, and he needs his father. And I wouldn't be much of a father if I didn't help him how I can. This is his chance to redo his life and make it better for himself. I have to give him that chance."

"I have worked hard since you gave me that chance to prove to you I am the better choice" Paragon said. "I've worked my whole life to prove to you I want to be you. I want to make you proud, I want to build up the business you have worked so hard to create so that after you are gone it will continue to rise up. Does my work count for nothing?"

"This is my son we are talking about" Father said to him. "And he needs this chance. I cannot deny this to him. He needs the chance. You cannot blame him for one mistake that has set him back a little."

"You gave him twice as much money as you gave me" Paragon said. "He didn't just blow his chance, he set it on fire and blew the smoke in your face and gave us the middle finger. I have taken your chance and actually done something with it. I've helped build up this company while my brother has done nothing to help."

"You cannot just hand him a position like this and expect it to work. I have worked to deserve this position and he has done nothing to earn it" he practically shouted at his father. "I can't believe you would do this, that you would do this to me after everything I've done for you."

"You will watch your tone with me" Father said with anger in his voice. "My son has returned to me, and I will not allow you to hold what has happened to him over his head. We are going to put it all behind us and you are going to show your brother the respect that he deserves. And I am warning you now, if you do anything to screw up your brothers chance at redemption, then I will cast you out" he didn't just threatened, he promised.

That night, Paragon wept while the others drank and made merry below him in the house. For the first time in so long, he wept because he realized that nothing he would ever do, no matter how high he climbed the ladder, it was his brother who would always get his fathers eye and his fathers praise. That all the things that should have been held against his brother, all the things that should have shamed his brother, would always be held in a higher regard then anything that he himself could have done.

You see, this is why I hate that story. I hate the story of the prodigal son. It's one of those incredibly stupid bible stories that everyone tells that you can learn a lesson from. And that lesson, is that no matter how hard and large you screw things up, you will always be welcomed home for another chance.

But that's for the son who ran away. A son that should have been driven out as an embarrassment to the family and never allowed to come back, was held in a high regard and welcomed back as if he had never done anything wrong.

And the son who stayed? What did the father in the story say to him when the son who stayed, the son who stayed and worked hard and long to impress his father and gain his praise, spoke against the son that did so wrong?

"My son has returned, and it is a glorious day."

For the other son, it just proves that no matter how hard you work and no matter what you do for your father, he will always praise the one that doesn't deserve it.

And that is why we are here now, Darren.

The lion closed the book, nestled back on his solid black throne as he held the copy of the Bible in his lap, the leather bound book sitting on his silks. He looked down his nose before him, a firm and steady gaze on his face as he eyed the cougar before him.

Darren sat kneeled before the throne in the temple, polished black stone underneath him that reflected from its dark surface. He was dressed in a business suit, the clothing tailored to his dark colored body. Of course, he wasn't able to speak. His mouth was held shut by a gray hand that was clamped across his muzzle.

"See, your brother didn't just cry that night he got the news. He also called a number, when he found the flier sitting on his desk" Mentu continued as he considered the kneeling subject before him. "He came to us, quite upset at everything that had happened."

"He was very upset indeed." The female voice came from the ring of fire that was surrounding Darren on the polished stone floor. There was a face in the flames, a face resembling a doe that spoke to him whose gaze never left him.

Darren was unable to speak as he was literally held in place, more of those gray hands on his ankles and feet, pushing down on his knees as his arms were held behind his back, unable to move or even voice his objection to what was happening.

"Of course, he did accept our help right way." Mentu continued as he slowly stood up, his staff remaining standing up straight on the stone beside his throne where he had placed it. He carried the book in his hands in front of him. "See, a part of him did believe that his father would eventually see reason."

"Perhaps he would have when you wouldn't show up to work on time and spent most of your time in your office fucking your secretary" he said as he took a step down.

"Or when the meetings went unattended by you and your brother had to take up the slack. Or when you passed on your responsibilities to him because you wanted to go out for a round of golf?" he asked as he took another step down.

"Of course, perhaps your father would have realized you were in no way capable of running the business when you began to spend the companys money on hookers and drugs with your friends once they realized you could give them money again?" he asked as he took another step.

"But maybe, it would have been when the board of directors all favored your brother over you, and they all publicly voiced their firm opinion that you weren't worth anything to the company at all?" he asked as he stepped slowly across the floor, his sandals making firm steps on the stone.

"But he didn't, did he?" Mentu asked as he stopped just before the ring of fire. "Such a shame that your fathers real reason for retiring, was the cancer was spreading through his body at the time. He never told you about it, never wanted his sons to worry. But it claimed him quicker then he thought that it would.

"On his deathbed, literally, your father announced you as his successor. Because thanks to your brother, the company practically runs itself and you would have to do nothing in order to collect a check and enjoy life with no effort on your part at all."

"That was why your father set that little test. He had found out he had cancer. The kind he wouldn't survive" Mentu said to him. "So, he set that little test to prove that one of his sons could handle it. Bit pointless really, considering he chose you simply because you returned and gave him the silver tongue and got away with your mistakes yet again."

"Three days ago, your father died in his home" Mentu said as the fire parted in front of him as he stepped into the ring, the fire closing behind him. "Your brother was devastated. Utterly devastated. You went out and drank. Fucked a whore. shot up a few needles. Of course, that wasn't why your brother chose us to help him."

"It was today, when your brother asked you not to fire him" Mentu said as he narrowed his eyes. "Your brother literally got to his knees in his fathers office and begged you, practically kissing your feet at your command to stay in the business that he had given so much to. He wanted nothing from you other then the chance to keep working at the company that he himself had helped build up."

"And what did you say to him, exactly?" Mentu asked as he leant down enough that he was now eye level with the kneeling subject before him. Darren felt the hand on his muzzle move as a second one joined, the fingers interlacing with each other to form a puppetted mouth that spoke in a voice that wasn't his own.

"Father made me the boss. He never loved you enough to give a shit. Why the hell should I?"

The false mouth closed as Mentu nodded before he stood up. The fire around them both began to die out as a figure appeared, sucking the fire into itself to form a figure of a female doe created out of the flames.

The hands dropped off Darren and began to scuttle across the floor to build themselves upwards, piling ontop one another as they fit together like a perverted puzzle to create a horse, created entirely out of hands.

Darren fell back as he found his body going numb. Out of the fear, he wasn't sure, but he wasn't able to move or even to speak as he found himself staring at the lion as the Egyptian king dropped the bible onto the ground as if it was a dirty object, then held his hand out and through a burst of black smoke the staff appeared in his hand, the ankh at the top pointing at him.

"I am the morning and the evening star. I am the rightful King of Egypt. The waters of the Nile drown my enemies and the sands of the desert scorch the flesh from their bones. I command the sun and the moon to rise and fall. I am the voice of the gods, and through their law I lay judgment upon your soul.

"And that judgment, is Guilty."

Darren heard a noise behind him. It was the sound of something very large and very heavy heading his way. He was unable to move as his heat hammered in chest and his ears as he felt the presence of something beyond dangerous behind him.

And then he heard two words that would be the last he would ever hear before his ears would be consumed by his own screams and the wails and cries of the tormented.

"Ammit. Feed."

The coffee shop along the prominade was simple and rather typical. From the coloured umbrellas outside to the posters displaying mutiple styles of coffee and cakes that were for sale, it looked like a typical everyday coffee cafe that was almost everywhere.

Underneath one of the umbrellas, sat two patrons who seemed to be sitting within the shadows cast by the umbrella itself. The three of them were dressed in clothing that seemed to be out of place in the current times, although with how far back in the shadows they seemed to be, nobody really really seemed to care much about it.

A waitress appeared, holding a tray laden with three cups of hot coffee and three plates of small slices of cake. She leant over the table as the placed the cups and plates in front of the three patrons. If she had to admit, she found the three of them weird. They had been sitting at that table for the last few hours, just staring at the corporation building that was across the street.

Of course, just because they were weird didn't mean she wasn't allowed to them, although there was just something...off about them. Like they didn't belong. She was actually happy to step back into the cafe. It felt, cold under that ubmrella, even though it was bright and warm outside.

"Ugh, I'll never get used to these mass produced cakes" Mentu said as he picked up the small spoon in his hand with apparent disdain on his face. The lion was not dressed in robes or silk threads out in the open. Instead he wore black silk pants with a white silk shirt that was open at the cuffs with a rather flabouyant collar and cuffs. They could even be called 'frilly'. His black mane was slicked back behind him, even in a relaxed state he seemed to give off a royal appearance.

"You seem to have a problem with the food anywhere we go" Carrie said to him, although with respect. Although she still wore black and white for her chosen attire, she wore a very respectful looking dress with a silk blouse. Her fiery red hair was pinned back in a rather elegant style behind her, although it seemed to almost glow softly in the shadows.

"I do like your cakes" Mentu said as he gave her a smile as he slipped the spoon into his cake. "Because they're made with love, and care. Factory made cakes, they're just....lacking" he admitted.

"Then perhaps next time we should order something else?" Connor suggested. Connor himself was dressed in all black, a well fitted black suit with a rather pristine white tie around his neck. There was a solid gold cross pinned to the collar, against either side of his tie.

"I suppose that's always an option" Mentu said as he ate his spoonfull of cake with no problem. "But then again, this was the specialty of the day. And we're hardly going to get a better view" he added.

Carrie and Connor both nodded as they sat back in their chairs, Connor starting to eat his pastry while Carrie sipped at her tea. Her fingers seemed to glow around the hot liquid as it appeared to actually boil in the teacup before she drank it.

"He's here" Mentu commented as the three of them looked up. Across the street from them, a large stylish black car had pulled up at the front of the towering company skyscraper that seemed to dwarf the other buildings around it. A footman in a bright red uniform rushed forward and opened the car door, stepping back to let the occupant out.

A young, but well dressed cougar stepped out of the car, dressed in a well tailored suit and carrying a sleek metal briefcase. He thanked the doorman, who stepped into the car and resumed driving the vehicle, taking it to the employee parking.

The cougar seemed to sigh and shake his head as he walked through the double doors of the large building, an aura of sadness seemed to emanate from around him, one that the three of them were able to feel.

"It's hit him quite hard, hasn't it?" Connor asked as they watched David walk through the doors.

"Losing your father and your brother within the same week is bound to hurt anyone" Carrie admitted as she sipped her tea before placing her cup down.

"The Prodigal Son. One of the most famous stories from the bible, and one of the most unfair stories as well" Connor admitted.

"The message seems somewhat straight forward for most people" Carrie said as she tried some of her muffin. It tasted cold, and hard. As if it hadn't been defrosted properly.

"But what is the message? That no matter how many times you screw up, you should always be forgiven and welcomed back?" Connor asked. "We all want to be forgiven, and to be given a chance to redeem ourselves."

"Should we have forgiven him then?" Mentu asked him.

"I don't mean that. What's done is done after all. But I suppose there has to be a limit as to how many chances someone can have in their lives before the line is drawn and no more can be given" Connor admitted.

"Perhaps the message is just that, that forgiveness is always there" Carrie suggested. "And yes, that is what people want. To be given the chance to forgive and forget, and to start over."

"But how many times can you forgive someone before you simply stop giving them that chance to mess it up again?" Connor asked.

"As many as it takes I suppose" Carrie said.

"The message of that story is always going to be up for debate" Mentu said as he lent forward, leaning on his elbows on the table. "As is every story in that handpicked book of religion. And while I do hate the story for favouring the bad son over the good son, what many don't seem to take into consideration, is what happened after the story ended."

"You see, the son who stayed, watched with jealousy as his father lavished all the attention on the prodigal son, who in his eyes, didn't deserve it. And he saw no reason to continue doing his jobs worth when it wasn't going to be respected.

"The father had words with his son over his failing duties, and when his son confronted him about loving his brother more then him, the father cast him out for being disobedient and ignoring his fathers law. After all, Honor thy Mother and thy Father.

"And so the son who stayed, left. Come the next morning, he had left the farm and walked away from his family. And he never looked back. To the day they died, father and son never reconciled."

"There is a reason why the son who stayed questions why the prodigal son is always welcomed home with such high praise as was given" Mentu said as he sat back in his chair. "And its for a very simple, honest to the Gods reason that almost anyone can understand and relate to."

"He just wanted his father to look at him, the same way that the father looked at his brother."

Both Carrie and Connor nodded in agreement as the waitress came back out to check on them and see if they needed anything else. But in the five steps it took her to walk up to the table, the three had already vanished, as if they were never there.