The Multiverse and Hash browns

Slouched in his leather sofa, sucking on an ice block, Jimbo Timbo had to break it to his family that he was needed on an inter dimensional, multiverse quest to save reality. They didn’t take it very well. 

Simon, Jimbo's dad, folded his thick arms while Becky, Jimbo's mum, scratched Jimbo's back with concern. It was all a drag, they always made a fuss about everything.

Jimbo had one ear phone in and rocked his head softly to some Guns N’ Roses. His family sat awkwardly on a sofa opposite Jimbo that barely managed to fit the four of them. Sarah, the little demon, swayed her legs against the sofa making thuds. Tony listened leaning forward, his hands giddy with energy. Jimbo could smell the hashbrowns crisping in the oven and licked his lips.

‘Jimmy.’ Dad said, red faced. ‘You’ve lost your buttons son. All this talk about dreams and dinosaurs. The boys at the golf club are talking, words getting around about you.’ Dad was rubbing his arm hairs and twitching his ankles.

‘Dad.’ Jimbo said. ‘It’s not Jimmy. It's Jimbo.’

‘I think he’s crazy.’ Jimbo met Sarah's eyes, his evil little sister with her perfect blonde, twin ponytails and her perfect pink dress. ‘Lets send him to a mental institute.’ Sarah said, giggling.

‘Sarah please.’ Mother said, waving her down. She turned back to Jimbo, still rubbing his back, like it was a scratchy. But there was no money coming from Jimbo, didn’t have a job for two years now, they were boring. Why didn’t anyone tell him jobs would be that boring?

‘Jimbo, please explain to us what you’re trying to say?’ Her fingers crossed and her eyes teared up. Jimbo rested a hand on her shoulder.

‘Mum, it's exactly what I said. An astronaut magpie, a dinosaur warrior and a guy named Cleveland came to me in my dream and told me I had to cut ties with you all.’ Jimbo tried to give his mum a reassuring smile, he was high so it might’ve just come across as weird.

‘But why Jimbo?’ Mum said, her lips quivering.

‘I told you Mum, I gotta save the multiverse.’ Jimbo shrugged and leaned back into the sofa. ‘Apparently it makes it easier if I cut ties.’ Jimbo said. His father scoffed and wrung his hands, he said something in arabic. Jimbo never bothered to learn arabic but he knew the language of love, at least his third grade girlfriend for a week said that. He smiled about the quick romance.

Tony jumped up beside Jimbo and squeezed beside him. He sat comfortably in Jimbos lap and looked up at him with curious eyes.

‘I think it's awesome.’ Tony said with a broad smile, he tugged on Jimbo's cotton jacket. ‘Can I meet the dinosaur!’ He squeezed Jimbo's collar.

‘Yeah you can, they’ll be here soon actually.’ Jimbo said, lifting up Tony and setting him down beside his packed gym bags. Socks hung out of the zippers and his toothbrush was tucked away safely in the side pouch.

‘This is ridiculous’ Dad said. ‘This is my house, so long as you live in my house you do as I say!’ His finger pointed at the timber floorboards of the house dramatically. ‘And I say you are not going anywhere.’

‘Well, Dad.’ Jimbo said, shouldering his gym bags. ‘I am leaving this house. So chill your socks, I’ll be out of your skirt before you know it. Once I step foot out the front door, you can’t tell me what to do, by your own logic.’ They all gave him strange looks.

‘That was… smart.’ Sarah choked out. ‘You never say, anything smart.’

That's what they were gawking about? Jimbo could be smart when he wanted to, sometimes, it just took a lot of concentration, and he learned at a young age concentration was just hard work.

‘Where are they then?’ Dad said, craning his neck to look out the window onto the front lawn. ‘Where's your dinosaur and astronaut?’

‘And Cleveland, you forgot Cleveland.’ Jimbo made sure Dad hadn’t forgotten Cleveland. Dad clenched his pockets and snarled his nose.

‘Oh yes,’ Dad said, with a sinister whisper. ‘Cleveland, how could I have forgotten Cleveland.’ Jimbo shook his head in dismay, how could he have forgotten Cleveland?

He sniffed the air.

‘Are those hashbrowns ready mum? I might need it for my adventure.’

Mum lit up at the mention of it and darted into the kitchen. Little Tony tugged on his trousers.

‘Are they real Jimbo?’ Tony asked, unsure of himself. Jimbo leaned down beside him.

‘Do dreams lie little bro?’ Jimbo said.

‘No?’ Tony replied, tugging on his lip.

‘I think you need to be lobotomised.’ Sarah said, skipping up to him, then immediately blocking her nose at the stench of the socks. Jimbo washed them two weeks ago, they were good for sure.

‘Sarah I'm not going to a laboratory.’ Jimbo said dismissively. Sarah slapped him across his leg.

‘It's got nothing to do with a laboratory you idiot.’ She said, readying a kick if Jimbo retaliated. He thought about it.

‘It means to cut your brain up through your nose.’

Jimbo planted a hand to his face.

‘Why would I want to do that Sarah?’ Jimbo said, bewildered at how dumb Sarah could be sometimes. Sarah squirmed and pulled at her eyelids.

Mum came rushing through with steaming hashbrowns on a tray. The smell touched at Jimbos soul, he loved hash brownies more than anything, even an episode of the good housewife.

His hand burned to the touch, he cupped them in a napkin and ate them. Yes they burned, but he’d mastered the art of breathing while eating. He could cool the hash and dampen it enough with spit to make the hash cold enough to chew and swallow when necessary. A delicate skill he perfected.

Mum pressed her oven mitt hands to her sides.

‘Well Jimbo?’ She said. ‘You can’t get hash browns like that just anywhere.’

She was right of course, mum oven cooked the best frozen hash browns Jimbo had ever tasted. It gave him pause, but it was something he’d prepared for, gone over in his head countless times.

‘Sorry mum.’ Jimbo said, ‘But I'm sure they got hash browns on other universes too.’ She hung her head down. Dad just stared out the window, rubbing his arm hairs, like he was trying to start a fire.

A loud screech of energy exploded from outside. Dad fell backwards, pointing out the window. 

‘O-o-outside, D-d-dino - dinosaur.’ Dad stuttered, his face pale as a ghost.

Mum bolted over to Dad. ‘What's the matter with you Simon?’ Mum said, helping Dad to his feet.

‘Well.’ Jimbo said. ‘Looks like my rides here.’ He patted Tony on the shoulder and opened the front door.

A swirling, green portal was open before Jimbo. Standing just outside the portal were three inter dimensional heroes that appeared to Jimbo in his dream.

Arnold, the magpie astronaut. Delinda, the dinosaur warrior. And Cleveland, the friendly neighbour.

Arnold came forward first, his magpie head turning to the side to look Jimbo up and down through his bulbous astronaut helmet with his beady eyes.

‘Hello Jimbo.’ Arnold said with his squawky voice. He gave a flap of his wings inside the bulbous head that made the astronaut suit give a salute. ‘We salute you Jimbo. The fate of the multiverse depends on you.’

‘You are brave warrior.’ Delinda the dinosaur warrior said. She was as tall as an elephant and had a booming voice that reverberated against Jimbo's chest. She wore shoulder guards and tough gauntlets with spikes, a long sword draped her back.

‘Ooh, is that hash brownies I smell?’ Cleveland the friendly neighbour said, biting his lip eagerly. He wore a simple button up and blue jeans with nice brown business shoes. Weird fella, Jimbo would keep an eye on him.

Jimbo's family was peeking outside from the door frame, assessing the situation.

‘I don’t believe it.’ Sarah said. Dad was on the floor, holding his head down while Tony came trotting up behind Jimbo and clung to his leg, eyeing the dinosaur warrior.

A couple neighbours peaked through curtains, Jeffrey the old war vet stopped mowing his lawn to get a good look at the situation taking place on the Timbos front lawn. He swore under his breath and continued cutting grass, the grumpy old fart he was.

‘So then, fellas, what’s the plan?’ Jimbo said, stretching his legs. 

Arnold flapped his wings. ‘The prophecy predicts now that you come with us, SQWAK.’ He chirped.

‘You will not take my son.’ Dad said, stepping forward and breathing heavy.

‘Multiverse go boom without him.’ Delinda roared. Dad had to crane his neck to meet Delindas gaze. Dad took a big gulp of spit and slowly retreated.

‘Well,’ Dad said meekly, ‘That's no excuse to take my son. I think.’

Jimbo shook his head. ‘Dad, that's the perfect excuse.’

Mum started balling her eyes out.

'Why does Jimbo have to cut ties with his mummy?’ She said, wiping tears. The three inter dimensional soldiers looked at each other.

Arnold cleared his magpie throat. ‘Well it's the prophecy you see.’ He said it like it was enough, but mum didn’t know jack about the prophecy. He continued, ‘The prophecy predicts the hero to save the multiverse would be an only member of his family. We deliberated amongst ourselves on whether we should kill you all to fulfil the prophecy or just make him disown you.’

The family's mouths hung open.

‘I voted to do it.’ Cleveland said. ‘For the record that is.’ He began to chuckle to a silent audience.

‘Well, luckily,’ Arnold said, trying to cover the awkwardness. ‘He was outvoted. So this will have to do.’

Delinda lowered her head to Jimbos level. ‘You get our dream message?.’

‘Yup.’ Jimbo said. ‘Sure did, thought I was tripping for a minute. An astronaut magpie? A warrior dinosaur? It's probably in my top ten weirdest dreams. When you guys mentioned that I would be the saviour of the multiverse I won’t lie, it took me by surprise. But I thought about it for a bit, as I do. And I realised, it felt right. I always kinda knew the fate of the multiverse would rest in my hands. Just had to put the pizza slice down and get it done.’

‘Were glad to hear it Jimbo, SQWAK.’ Arnold said. ‘You have a long journey ahead of you, pray to the nest in the sky your wings will take you where you need be.’

Jimbo waved his hand to silence him. ‘Keep your nest my friend, I have Jesus.’

Arnold nodded to himself, repeating the name.

‘The intergalactic demons come Jimbo.’ Delinda said, watching the skies. ‘They track us, thanks to Vangort the Black Knight. The Inter-spatial task force waits for you now. We go.’ Delinda entered the swirling green portal and vanished, Cleveland with hash browns he’d definitely stolen, followed, munching happily. Arnold waited behind. ‘Say your goodbye Jimbo. This may be the last time you see your family.’

Jimbo tugged on his sleeve and twisted in his shoes. His family swarmed him and gave him a group hug, he managed to grab Sarah by the hair and give her a satisfying tug.

‘I’m gonna miss you all.’ He said, feeling, sad? For his family?

Jimbo had never really felt much outside of joy when he bought a pack of string cheese. String cheese would be good right about now but he had to focus. His mum cupped his cheeks.

‘You be careful now Jimbo against the ‘Vangort the Black knight.’ Tears streamed down her cheeks.

‘I will mum.’ Jimbo said, sighing. ‘Mum you’re embarrassing me in front of the astronaut magpie.’

‘Please try to make some friends Jimbo.’ She said.

His Dad took him by the wrist and pressed a sweaty fifty dollar bill into his palm.

‘In case you get hungry and they have McDonalds in this 'alternate reality'.’ Dad said, holding back tears. Jimbo embraced him and held up his fifty with a teary eye.

‘Thanks Dad.’ Jimbo said. ‘I’ll get an inter dimensional big Mac on you.’

Sarah had her face all scrunched up, she ripped her hands free and gave Jimbo a waist high hug.

‘Just dont die you stupid, idiot, moron.’ She pulled away as fast as she hugged him. Jimbo had never hugged Sarah before, not since he accidentally mistook her for a possum.

Tony was last. Jimbo knelt beside him and gave him a warm hug.

‘You’ll keep things together when I go Tony?’ Jimbo said. ‘You’re the man of the house now. Keep an eye on Dad, I think he's sleeping with Mum.’

‘I will Jimbo.’ Tony said, puffing out his chest. ‘But promise me you’ll get a picture with the dinosaur for me?’

Jimbo laughed and scuffed Tony's hair. ‘I will Tony, I will.’

He turned to enter the portal, he took one last look at his family.

Arnold beat his wings inside the helmet. ‘If Jimbo does not return in exactly one hour,’ Arnold belched. ‘Then expect the multiverse to be destroyed and all reality to collapse. You would all be dead anyway. But, if he succeeds and wins the multiverse war, then he will return a hero.’

Arnold entered the green swirling mass. Jimbo followed behind.

FIFTY EIGHT MINUTES LATER

Jimbo held Vangort the Black Knights severed green head before all to see. With his omni blade and tri-tech dimensional armour glowing its vibrant hue of silvers and golds, he was able to do it. Down the thousand year stairs, made of stone and blood. The war between the inter-spatial task force, the intergalactic demons and the black sect of the dark ages was still raging forth with battles on a scale that was hard to fathom.

Jimbo was surrounded by hordes of dead bodies his omni blade had cut down. He wasn’t finished yet though, to stop the multiverse from collapsing he had one final task.

Arnold the astronaut landed beside him with his jet pack puffing flames, Cleveland had to take the long way, running up the steps. He worked up a good sweat and was bent over catching his breath.

‘Wheres Delinda?’ Jimbo demanded with his hard, tri-tech altered voice. Arnold couldn’t meet his eyes.

‘Dead, Jimbo. But there's no time to grieve. SQWAK.’ Arnold said, flailing his wings desperately. Delinda dead? Jimbo would never get that photo now for Tony. Jimbo thought back on their times together, fighting the Skull ships, learning to speak mandarin, eating string cheese together. He would still cherish those memories.

‘Jimbo, Vangorts head.’ Arnold screeched. ‘You must throw it into the God flame. Before it's too late.’

The God flame was a pure white of flowing fire. At its base was a gold stone that held the incredible flame. Jimbo approached the God flame, Vangorts dreads hung from his gauntleted grip.

If Vangorts head wasn’t used as the sacrifice to the God flame, a multiverse supernova would rip reality apart and echo throughout the multiverse, destroying everything. The prophecy foretold that Jimbo would save them, he always could. But there was something missing, the prophecy spoke of something else, at least one of the interpretations. A betrayal. 

A cold knife ripped through his tri-tech armour, blood spurt from his lips.

Cleveland was standing behind him with a dark grimace across his face and an omni knife. Arnold tackled him to the ground and held him down, he was squawking in Cleveland's face.

‘Why Cleveland, why!’ Arnold begged to know. Jimbo was mostly in shock, he fell to his knees, his legs giving out. The tri tech armour worked away, trying to heal the entry. Jimbo couldn’t stop, not now, he crawled towards the flame, he was so close.

‘Why Cleveland! Tell me why! SQWAK’

‘BECAUSE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME!’ Cleveland vomited the words out with all the breath in his lungs. Arnold dove a blade into Cleveland and stilled him. He trailed over to Jimbo.

‘I can’t carry the head and throw it into the flame.’ Arnold said. ‘But I can carry you!’ Arnold heaved Jimbo on his shoulder and took each step with as much strength as he could muster. The tri tech seemed to be weighing him down, no there was something else. Jimbo saw it, a puncture hole in Arnolds astronaut suit. Air was gushing out at an alarming rate, but Arnold pressed on, towards that great fire.

‘Arnold. Your suit.’ Jimbo said, he was so dizzy. Everything was moving so fast, the roaring wave of the flames was all that was keeping him conscious.

‘Arnold, you’re going to die.’

‘Shut up Jimbo! SQWAK. We got a prophecy to fulfil.’ Arnold was sweating bird sweat. Jimbo never knew birds could sweat. The fire was blazing and brilliant, Arnold took him right before the flame as he fell to one knee. His suit grew limp and almost completely deflated.

Now it was for Jimbo to finish the job. He crawled on all fours and heaved himself up on the golden, stone bowl that housed the flame. He raised up the severed head and stared it dead in the eye.

‘I miss my mums HASHBROWNS!’ He bellowed as he tossed the disgusting, green head into the flame. The flame vanished into silence. The bell tolled, the hour was up, and everything was still there. He could hear the cheers from the fighting below. 

He kicked at Arnolds suit.

‘We did it Arnold. We did it.’ Jimbo kept kicking but nothing came. He crawled beside Arnold and held his bulbous helmet to his chest, there in the helmet lay Arnold, dead. Tears trailed Jimbos cheeks, he hadn’t cried in a long time, some say since birth. He saved the multiverse and all of reality, but he couldn’t save a good friend.

No, not a friend.

A brother.