Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ Teen Titans High School Musical Christmas special ❯ What it's like being alone ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Author's notes:
 
I'm going to admit it, I'm using the Mysterious Theater and stuff from SESAME STREET, because it's s perfect for something like this, but I don't claim ownership… I was just inspired.
 
 
CHAPTER FIVE
 
Eagar to figure out what was on the tape; Vic invited the whole gang back to his garage where they could all watch it, away from prying-eyes. Kori even made some popcorn. “What do you think's on the tape…?” she asked.
 
“Well… we're about to find out.” Dick said. “There's so many things I'd like to know…”
 
He popped the tape into the machine…
 
The first thing everyone saw was a painting of the angels in the heavens, but ominous, haunting music was playing in the background as well as wolves howling and mortified screams of women, “That… that music!” cried Kato.
 
“It can't be…!” added Raven…
 
Suddenly, BOOM! Lighting and thunder flashed and struck, and the panting had changed to a perfect view of those haunted grounds with Garfield's house in the center and blood-red letters showing the title of, “Mysterious Theater”
 
The friends all gasped, and then watched as the spiked-steel gates opened with a loud “CA-CHUNG” and the camera seemed to zoom into a dark window of the house. More howling, screaming, and even cat's meowing as the shot blacked-out…
 
Then, there was Garfield, sitting in an armchair in the dark, with a fire crackling and candles were lit. Garfield himself was wearing a red bathrobe, old-style silk pajamas underneath, and a black bowtie. He gazed out the window as more thunder struck, the winds were still howling, and the music was playing more somber like, and darker now as he gazed to the front of the camera…
 
A chill ran up Terra's spine…
 
“I am your host, Vincent Twice! Vincent Twice!” he said deeply yet softly, “Welcome to “Mysterious Theater” The place that brings you stories of misery with many broken hearts and surprise endings.”
 
“Tonight, for your viewing pleasure, we shall present to you a story that I have kept to myself for far too long.”
 
Thunder struck outside…
 
“This story begins when I was just five years old, and I made this record of my life to show everyone, and the title of this story. “What it's like... being Alone!”
 
More thunder struck, and the music finally ceased. “Let's… begin… now.” and the screen blacked out to begin the story.
 
 
The first images shown were an old preschool, one that Terra recognized all too well. “Dude…!” she exclaimed. It was the preschool she and Garfield went to as little kids. To make it even more astonishing, that was the day they met.
 
Garfield Logan was just an ordinary five year-old kid, eating his lunch with his new friends, then he gazed over and saw a young girl with blonde hair sitting all by herself. She looked so cute and lonely there… Garfield couldn't stop staring at her.
 
Terra remembered it all. She was just a shy, teething little girl, who hardly knew anyone, but when she looked up at Garfield-- it was as if something magical was happening…
 
(Music cue)
 
(Garfield)
 
(Sounds like Kevin Clash/ Anything Muppet)
 
Some enchanted lunchtime. You may see a stranger.
Someone you don't know yet dinking her juice alone.
And you'll say “Hello”, and give her smile.
And ask her to sit with your friends awhile.
 
“Would you like to join us…?”
 
(Terra)
 
(Sounds like Louise Gold/ Anything Muppet)
 
Some enchanted lunchtime. You may be a stranger.
Someone no one knows yet, and they're all having fun.
You finish your juice. You're eating a snack.
But he'll say “Hello” and you'll say it back
 
“I'd love to join you.”
 
(Garfield)
 
Once you have met her, you have made a friend.
 
(Terra)
 
Once you have met him… you have made a friend…
 
Some enchanted lunchtime. (Some enchanted lunchtime)
When you meet a stranger. (When you meet a stranger)
Someone you don't know yet. (Someone you don't know…)
 
(Both)
 
You might be feeling shy.
But sometimes it's true, their feeling shy too.
And if you are friendly they'll sit… with you.
 
(Garfield)
 
Once you have met her, you have made a friend.
 
(Terra)
 
Once you have met him…
 
(Both)
 
You… have… made… a… Friend!
 
 
Vic couldn't help but wipe a tear form his eye. “Aw, man… that is so cute!” he cried.
 
Terra smiled warmly, and she felt all squishy inside. It became obvious to everyone that's when her crush first started. “Love at first sight.” when they were only five.
 
Garfield and Terra became fast little friends, and Garfield was so sweet and kind to her. Always sharing his cookies, protecting her from bullies, and always lending a hand when she needed it.
 
They we so cute together, but then after the Christmas holidays, he stopped coming to school. When Terra asked where he was, the teachers all denied there ever being any Garfield Logan at the school, and urged her to tone it out of her mind.
 
Terra refused to believe that, but she wondered what had happened to Garfield…
 
 
That's when the tape began to show a side of Garfield's life no one had never seen before…
 
A few days before Christmas, Garfield was on holiday with him mother and father, but there was an accident, which resulted in the Logan's losing their lives, and only Garfield survived.
 
He lost his parents just a few days before Christmas. He would have gone to live with his Foster Mother, Rita Dayton, whom he loved very deeply like a second mother, and she loved him too…
 
But the day he was to do that, she was assassinated. Murdered before his very eyes, and Garfield was then kidnapped by thieves, who forced him to steal and to their evil biddings. Disobeying was not optional, for he got lashed, and beaten badly.
 
The thieves would never feed him decent food, and made him sleep on the floor, and embezzled his inheritance funding for their greedy boss, Nicholas Galtry.
 
Garfield was a mess by the time he was seven. Dusty old clothes, an empty stomach. No money. Not even a proper education. All he ever had were Black Christmas' filled with pain both, physically from his abuse, and emotionally from his aching heart for all his loved ones.
 
Poor little Garfield would wander the streets of Jump City, and never receive any help from anyone. People loathed and despised him just because he was dirty, and poor, and didn't care if he lived or died. He was also told by his keepers never to go to the police or they would kill him. Not to mention, Garfield couldn't prove anything either.
 
(Another music cue)
 
(Garfield's thoughts)
 
How many times have a said and said.
How many times have I said in my hear--
What am I doing here…?
 
Why am I the slave of these stingy old crocks?
And I say how I wish I could turn back the clocks.
And have the fine future I had once before,
And again be an innocent boy once more.
 
With a sweet home, and with love and care.
And some friends I could hold to my dear heart, so fare.
What am I doing here?
 
It doesn't matter much, how.
If I'd only see this coming.
Christmas I fear… has no meaning for me now.
 
 
By the time he was ten…
 
The thieves made a huge slip up while in town, with Nicholas. Garfield had decided he had taken enough of their abuse, and had created a disturbance in the town square which lead to everyone recognizing the thieves and Nicholas, the police had arrested them.
 
Garfield also secretly revealed to the police where the crooks had hidden all the loot they had stolen over the years, but he did not dare reveal himself as the one responsible for their capture and eligible for a reward…
 
Over the years he had never received help, or care from anyone, Garfield wasn't sure if he could trust people anymore, and decided to remain hidden. However, one person did lend him help that very day…
 
Bob… the manager of Mega-Meaty-Meat. Unlike other people, he had a soft spot for poor kids and wanted to help. So he gave him a job which helped Garfield earn some money for food, and decent clothes, and for being Employee of the month, and pretty much the only guy to ever work for Bob… Garfield got his Tidwell-3000 Moped, even though he didn't have his licence yet.
 
Garfield also too his leisure time to head to local libraries and study things by hand. He never went to grade school, and needed a proper education. So he taught himself everything he knew, and began to become a super brain.
 
He ever took his licence test when he was twelve, and was able to pass despite the fact he was not sixteen. His IQ had impressed the people, and by the time he was fourteen, and his IQ near two-hundred… he earned a scholarship, financed by Bob, at Murakami High.
 
But Garfield's life had not turned around in the slightest. Even with his job with Bob, he was still very poor, and just barley managing to make his way through each week on tips. That's why he wore a nylon cape instead of a jacket. It was the best he could afford without putting himself in danger…
 
The students were no better than the people of the city. Seeing him as a loser, or a weirdo just because he was different; preferring to focus on his studies and stuff…
 
Garfield didn't trust anyone, and he couldn't. He wasn't willing to risk anything more going wrong with him, and he couldn't expose people to his home… “Mysterious Meadows”
 
It was where the thieves had brought Garfield, an abandoned, secluded area miles from any place. Storms, dangers, and hardly any technology to survive with, but at least it was cheap and easy, and Garfield had lived there ever since…
 
It wasn't easy living in a place where it was always as dark as night, and thundering but never rain. The storm cloud had been overhead as long as anyone could remember, and never lit up, and it was too warm to rain.
 
Anyone who ever saw Mysterious Meadows would want to suggest Garfield go someplace else, but he would point out, “We are geographically, and metaphysically in the middle of nowhere-- surrounded by hostile environments.”
 
Such environments included an abandoned tower… a graveyard… Murky Lake… the Hapless Forest, which was home to a pack of man-eating wolves and other creatures… and vast fields of endless misery…! Still… he had very little money, and not much of a choice.
 
Since there was no gas, electricity, or plumbing. Garfield had to do things the hard way. Fetch water from a well behind the house. Collect firewood from the forest while avoiding the wolves. He's wash his clothes like they did in the 1900s, with boards and presses, and he's make more candles from leftover melted wax to keep them in good supply.
 
He could barley use what little money he made from work to buy food he would eat, and spare parts for his moped, since he couldn't risk it conking out and being so far away from the city.
 
He was a really hard working who hardly ever had time to rest, no more than six hours of rest a day; hence the bags under his eyes. Even if he could get to bed, the noises outside made it hard for him to sleep, so sometimes he got less sleep…
 
As for the Mysterious Theater stories… and his penname, Vincent Twice. He decided that in his spare time he would make stories, and volunteer to record read them at his own home with borrowed equipment. The stories were a huge hit, but it was volunteer work, which meant he made no money…
 
That very well covered it….
 
Garfield Logan was a young-man motivated by grief, regret, harsh work, and loneliness… and it all started before Christmas when he was only five. Garfield never learned to trust anyone again, and wasn't sure that he could expose them to the dangers he faced every day…
 
So for the present and future, he was planning to go though his life at it was until he could find away to take charge of the cold cruel world that drove him to this and regain a normal life.
 
The lasts shots showed Garfield lying in his dark bed, with a tear leaking through his eye, and there before his face flashed, “THE END”
 
 
That's when it blacked out and went back to Garfield in his house. “And so ends the story of how I came to be here.” he said, “I am what I am… and there's nothing I can do to change that.”
 
Wolves howled outside, and that haunted music started up again…
 
“Tune in next time for more tragic tales of deep despair from a world where hearts are never healed, and souls are lost forever. Until then… I'm you're host, Vincent Twice-Vincent Twice. Bidding you, farewell… from Mysterious theater!”
 
Thunder stuck outside again. Garfield slowly turned to look out the window as she scooted into his chair, and he nodded his head softly as the lightning faded.