Splitted Chains

DISCLAIMER: This story contains sensitive content, particularly mental health, sex, and physical violence.

“So, who, between the two of you, killed Miss Brentley?”

“I didn’t! Andrew’s the one who did it!”

“What the fuck? No! I can’t even talk straight, let alone kill a woman! We all know it’s Arthur. You know it, Arnold! He’s a liar and aggressive and manipulative who has had a motherfucking anger management issue ever since he was six!”

“The fuck you talkin’ about, Andrew? Who’s the mad silent creep who followed his crush in high school and jerked off in her yard by just watching her remove her motherfucking sock. A motherfucking sock!”

“But…But it doesn’t prove that I killed Miss Brentley! It's not even... it's not even related at all!”

“You’re a loser and a maniac and a fucking stalker underneath that shy, pathetic face of yours, Andrew. Admit it!”

“Fuck you!”

“Enough! Enough, the two of you.”

“Arthur started it.”

“You want me to make you mute forever, Drew? Give me a knife, Arnold.”

“I said enough! Both of you shut the fuck up.” “Okay, let’s go back from the start. How did the two of you meet Miss Brentley?

“Oh, she was a flirt. She was hitting on me when I was at the gym, and of course, who am I to ignore such a blessing, right? So, we fucked. She was so fucking hot dude. She got this huge, heavy br-”

“Enough. You, Andrew?”

“I…uhm…well we…uh…met in the grocery store one morning. She…uh…she suddenly called me and then asked me if I could help her with her bags, so I did. She was living on the fifth floor so I helped her get her bags to her unit…”

“Then?”

“And then…uh…she…uhh…suddenly kissed me and pushed me to the door and then we…we made out.”

“You motherfucker. I fucking knew it. You stole her from me!”

“I didn’t steal her from you, Arthur! She’s not even yours, to begin with!”

“I fucked her first, motherfucker!”

“See, Arnold? See how he’s reacting to this? It gives all the more evidence that Arthur did it! He killed Miss Brentley because he can’t stand that his girl is fucking with his fucking roommate!”

“I’m gonna kill you, Andrew.”

“Did you hear that, Arnold? See that?”

“Shut up, Andrew. Did you really kill her, Arthur?” 

“I said no! No matter how many times you ask me, and even though I was so fucking mad about her, I won’t kill her. I ain’t even hit a woman ever!”

“He’s lying, Arnold. A body like that? A mind like that? He’s a perfect fit for a serial killer look.”

“Damn you, Andrew!”

“Enough! Stop taunting him, Andrew!” “So, Arthur, you’re saying that you didn’t know that Andrew was fucking your girl behind? And you just realized this now?”

“Yes! Exactly!”

“So, you didn’t kill her because of that?”

“Yes!…No! I didn’t kill her at all! No matter the reason, I didn’t kill her!”

“Freudian slip, Arnold. Freudian slip.”

“What about you, Andrew? You didn’t know that the one you fucked was also fucking with Arthur?”

“Yes! I also didn’t know! And can you please stop saying ‘fucked her’? You’re making it sound as if she’s some kind of sex toy. She’s not an object, man. She’s not…She’s not like that. She’s still a woman, you know.”

“So, you had some sort of romantic relationship with her, then, Andrew? The way you describe her makes it sound like you like her.”

“No! Well…I don’t know…maybe?”

“You really fucking stole her from me!”

“So, you guys go out a lot? Aside from sex?”

“I don’t know…I guess? I mean, every morning I always see her taking her breakfast in the restaurant on the ground floor of our condo, and she always nudges me to come to sit with her there. So…yeah…we always eat our breakfast together and we talk a lot about a lot of things and…yeah”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah? I mean, yes, technically. Well, sometimes we like to stroll around for a couple of minutes more. Just talking about nonsense about the world — life, politics, people, and even a fucking poo — and basically, nothing, in particular, every day while we…while we hold hands. And then… and then, sometimes we go to the mall or the park or somewhere nowhere until we go eat together at lunch again. Then, we’ll go back to the condo…”

“And then?”

“And then…and then…we make out…”

“Fuck you! Fuck you! FUCK YOU! I loved her, Andrew! I loved her! I’m really gonna fucking kill you after this. I’ll haunt you in your dreams and you’ll never show up again!”

“You loved her, Arthur? So, you’re saying you also had a romantic relationship with Miss Brentley like Andrew?”

“Yes! Of course! We always go out a lot when she was still…when she was still here.”

“How many times is that 'a lot'?”

“Pretty much several times. We go out in the evenings, usually. I’m not really a morning person.”

“Where do you go most of the time?”

“Oh, Arnold, we always loved to drink. She would always go to my bar and then I’ll make her drinks until she can’t anymore. We’ll always waste our nights away drinking casket after casket of alcohol and then I’ll carry her back to her unit and then we’ll fuck again, non-stop. Oh, I loved my fucking life, man. I loved her.”

“Was she having fun with you?” 

“I think so. She won’t moan that loud if she weren’t having fun, was she?”

“What about you, Andrew? Did you also love Miss Brentley?”

“I don’t know. Maybe? I like her and I…and I always wanna be with her. She’s so fun to be with, Arnold. She talks a lot and laughs so loud as if she was possessed. And then, she was also so good at —”

“How long were you going out, Arthur?”

“Maybe 6 months? It wasn’t that long.”

“You, Andrew?”

“Uh…5 months?”

“And you two immediately loved her in that short time around?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“What made you say that you love her? How can you love a woman that fast? Was she also in love with the two of you? Why did you love her? What did she have to make you two fall in love with her?”

“Woah, you got a lot of questions there, Arnold. Ease up. And yes, I think she was in love with me.”

“With me as well.”

“Shut the fuck up, Andrew.”

“What? Are you her? Did you know who’s inside her heart? Huh?”

“Shut up, you two. Alright, here’s the question: To what extent are you two willing to show your love to her?”

“I’ll do anything. I’ll kill Andrew if she asked me to. I’ll go live with her if she asked me to. I’ll marry her if she wants me to. We’ll make a family if she wants me to.”

“You, Andrew?”

“I’ll give her…I’ll give her my life.”

“Even if that means leaving me?”

“Y-yes…”

“And you too, Arthur?”

“Uh…yeah…I think so…”

“Hmm…You still don’t get it, huh? Let’s go back before you met her. What were you doing most of the time? You first, Andrew.”

“I…uh…I work with you…at our…at our small company. We were catering to a lot of clients, doing loads of work, and I’m specifically working as a designer and sometimes I help you with the marketing kinds of stuff.”

“Good times, eh? Did you love what you were doing?”

“Yeah…I mean I could never see myself doing anything else than designing. So, I guess…yeah… I love being there.”

“More than you love Miss Brentley?”

“I…uh…I don’t know. Maybe…maybe I love her more…”

“Even after all those times?”

“Even after all those times.”

“You’re disappointing but I’m not surprised.”

“I’m sorry, Arnold.”

“You Arthur? What were you doing before all of this?”

“Oh, I run a bar downtown. It’s a pretty popular bar there, actually. Lots of people go there, so I make good money.”

“Which were all made possible because of whom?”

“With…with you. Of course... I owe it all to you, Arnold. We’re best buds, right?”

“Hmm...Yet you’re willing to leave everything for her, am I right?”

“Uh…yeah? You could…you could say that…”

“Even after all those times?”

“Even after all those times, Arnold.”

“Hmm. You two really share the same brain, huh? It’s pretty amazing and crazy, isn’t it? One moment you were all having fun with your lives and then when a woman shows her butt in front of you, you’re all willing to do anything to get a taste. Amazing, amazing.”

“You should try it too, Arnold.”

“And then what? Go head over heels for a fucking woman, then leave everything behind like what the two of you did? Really disappointing…but again, I’m not surprised.”

“Are you…are you mad, Arnold?”

“Oh, no, Andrew, dear. I’m happy, can’t you see? Who wouldn’t be happy if two of his brothers found more love from something — or someone — when they were already in a place full of love? Too bad she died, eh?”

“You do seem happy, Arnold. I can see.”

“Right, Arthur? So, tell me, what did you two feel when she died? Mad? Regret? Confused? Disappointed? Or relieved?”

“I was sad, of course, and feeling…regretful. I wish we could’ve spent more time together. Doing things together. Having more fun together. I even wondered if I was able to at least make her life happier before she died because if not, I would fucking kill myself if she died unsatisfied and sad and disappointed.”

“I didn’t know you’d become this soft, Arthur. What a change. And you, Andrew?”

“I…uh…I was also sad. You know, I was even planning to take her to our office the next morning, but then…things happened. I was devastated and I felt empty for the first time in my life as if some vital part of me had just gone missing, instantly and silently. And, I couldn’t do nothing about it.”

“You’re disgusting. How dare you talk about her like that? You fucking killed her, Andrew!”

“No, I didn’t! How many times do I have to fucking squeeze that into that small head of yours?”

“Yeah, fucker, you did! You left your motherfucking sweater on her couch!”

“What?”

“Yes. Your favorite red, knitted sweater your grandma gave you was in. her. fucking. couch, you killer.”

“Huh? H-how? How could that happen? Is this true, Arnold?”

“Apparently, yes.”

“See? You son of a bitch. I’m gonna fucking smack your head off of a wall so hard your nose would be so damn broken that they won’t have any fucking choice but to cut your nose off like Voldermort.”

“But, I didn’t! I didn’t kill her! Believe me, Arnold. I never even went to her unit in the evenings! I only go there every morning because I always sleep early at night. Maybe…maybe you’re the one who did it, Arthur! Because Portia was killed in the middle of the night. In the middle of the night, Arthur. And, who between the two of us is always awake at night? Isn’t it you? Maybe you wore my sweater and killed her that night, and you purposely left it there so you’ll put all the blame on me! You’re really a motherfucking liar!”

“Why would I fucking do that? I was also asleep the night she died! I never went out!”

“Why would we believe you? You’re a fucking liar and manipulative. You killed her, Arthur. You killed Portia.”

“What was my motive to kill her then? Because she’s fucking hot? You’re fucking kidding me. Don’t believe him, Arnold.”

“Maybe she’s had enough of you and she doesn’t want to have sex with you anymore, and knowing your anger management issue, maybe you cannot accept the fact that she doesn’t want you anymore!”

“Don’t fucking say that. Portia will never get tired of me. She loves me, I…I know it.”

“Not sure now, eh?”

“Fuck you! May I remind you who’s the reason why we’re all here? Why we’re in this fucking interrogation room when I did nothing at all? It’s you, Andrew! Your sweater is enough proof to prove that you killed her!”

“I DIDN’T!”

“Oh, yeah? Maybe she realized how weird and pathetic you were that she was already trying to avoid you, and when you invited her to your office, she turned you down because she can’t fucking get herself to the fact that you’re a fucking weird geek!”

“No! She won’t think of me that way! She loves me! I…I know it!”

“Not sure now, are you?”

“Ugh, I really love it when the two of you are here with me again. Good thing she’s now gone.”

“W-what?”

“What are you talking about, Arnold?”

“You two are really dumb, are you? Why do you think have I been trying to remind you of our days — our days when we’re just the three of us? The trio! The ‘Arthur, Andrew, and me show!’ Why do you think have I been trying to drill it into you two that what you’re feeling about her is not love — it’s just an illusional escape! Why do you think am I so disappointed that no matter what I did, you still seemed to be in love with her even in death!”

“No way, Arnold”

“Yes way, Andrew. It’s the girl’s fault for stealing you two from me. From me. You two are mine just as I am to yours. You didn’t find love there, Andrew. You two didn’t love Portia. You’re already in love with me here, with just the three of us. No one will escape our bond, eh?”

“You’re mad, bro. You’re extremely mad. I am in no way yours. I never was.”

“Oh, Arthur. I thought you loved the time when you were with me? All those times, right? The memories we’ve made? The promises we’ve shared? The futures we’ve planned? I’m here, Arthur. I’m always right beside you. You don’t need another one to make promises to. You don’t need a Portia to make a future with. You’re already fine with me — so I had to kill her off.”

“FUCK YOU!!!”

“It was her fucking fault! I had to fucking make your heads straight again! You’ve all lost your focus! Can’t you all see? When she came, you two immediately left the life you knew — left me alone — to experience something unreal and stupid as love! Where are those times when we all promised that we’ll never leave each other behind? Where are those times when you all said that you’re contented and happy with just the three of us? Where do I now stand in your life? I love the two of you, Arthur and Andrew. There’s no way I’ll let you leave me for some stupid, slutty, disgusting girl. You’ll be fine with me.”

“Then why do you have to leave my sweater in her room the night you killed her, Arnold? Isn’t it enough that you killed her?”

“Oh, I did it on purpose, Andrew. Too bad the cops didn’t see Arthur’s hair in the kitchen sink lol.”

“What? Why the fuck did you do that?”

“Oh, so we could all rot in jail here. So, we’re all gonna be alone together again. This time, I made sure that you will really no longer leave me behind.”

“FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!”

~

“He’s really gone mad, Chief. What are we gonna do?”

“Put him down.”

“FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!”

“Hahaha! You’re all gonna live with me! We’re all gonna rot in jail together! No one’s leaving anyone behind!”

“FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!”

“Alright, alright. Stop there now, Mr. Brown. Pin him down!”

“He’s too aggressive, Chief!”

“Tie him to the chair!”

“FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!”

“We’re all in this together! Once we know, that we are, we’re all stars, and we see that WE’RE FUCKING ALL IN THIS TOGETHER! Hahahaha!”

“I tied him down, Chief. He’s really gone mad.”

“Mr. Brown? Mr. Brown? Can you hear me, Mr. Brown?”

“FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!”

“Alright, for the sake of formality, and even though you can’t hear me, let me just say this: You are expected to go on a trial for the death of Miss Brentley tomorrow. All of what you said were recorded and will be held against you. You have the right to call for an attorney —”

“BUT I DID NOT KILL HIM! ARNOLD’S THE ONE WHO KILLED HIM!”

“YEAH, IT WAS ARNOLD! PUT HIM IN JAIL! PUT HIM IN JAIL! I’M NOT GUILTY! I DON’T WANT TO GO TO PRISON! I DON’T WANT TO BE WITH HIM! HELP ME!”

"KILL ARNOLD OFF!"

“I’m sorry, Mr. Brown. But, there’s no one here but you.”