CABEZA AMBIGUITY by ILEE COLEMAN (rooftoppers .txt) 📕

As the green blip on the heart monitor screen

slowly moved from left to right, the people huddled over

the body attached to it were holding their breath with

ensuing anticipation. The patient below them lay deathly

still in a coma. He has just been wheeled in from the

intensive care unit and the doctors have estimated a fifty

percent chance of survival at best.


Through free flowing tears, prayers and blame the family

tries to make sense of it all. Why was this young man

laying on his death bed with such a slim chance of recovery

when he has so much more life to live? Why would someone so

talented, so gifted and so beloved cut multiple slits in

his wrist and feet then climb into a warm bath? Was it a

legitimate cry for help or was foul play involved?

The authorities began investigating.


After questioning many of the present loved ones the

detectives decided to solicit character witnesses. They

soon learned that Ralph Brimley, a well known psychiatrist,

was helping the patient and his brother cope with issues

stemming from childhood trauma. They began to question

Brimley and learned the following: Richard and Randy

Skullen were identical twins born at the exact same time.

They did everything together as children. Whether it was

sports related, scholastic or just plain fun, whenever you

seen one you saw the other. They were inseparable. They

both shared an emotional bond as well. When one would hurt

the other would feel it.


The “dynamic du-overs” which is what they became known

around town as because each time one would fail to reach a

certain goal the other would self sabotage so that they

could experience the joy of each success together.


As much as they were a like there were differences in

their personalities. Richard was the bully and Randy was

the peace-maker. Randy craved knowledge had a way with

words and would often spew sarcastic remarks towards

Richard. Richard, the more athletically gifted of the two,

truly didn’t comprehend the satire but knew through his

brother’s vocal tones that he was being made fun of.

Whenever Randy found himself in a challenging position he

would try to talk his way through it and Richard would be

disgusted. He thought Randy was too soft and gullible. He

often pointed out to his brother “You need to

fix the coward in you Randy. Everyone thinks you are a punk

and I’m tired of always having to defend you. Until you

knock someone out cold and get some respect you will always

be a mark!

”


Randy would always reply “Just because

I choose to fight my battles with brains rather than braun

doesn’t make me a coward Richard. It makes me a scholar and

it makes you a…DICK

”. Dick IS short

for Richard isn’t it?

”


As the brothers entered high school their differences

became more and more prevalent. Randy became known as the

David Banner of the neighborhood and Richard assumed the

role of The Hulk. The bond which was once impenetrable

began to show signs of

deterioration. "This is when I

became acquainted with them

" said Brimley. The

school guidance counselor referred them to my office after

one too many altercations with other students. I’m sitting

in my chair on a rainy Tuesday afternoon and suddenly

trouble came walking in. Standing 6’5” and weighing 200

plus pounds, I felt like a munchkin whenever I was around

em.


Reluctant to talk at first, I later learned that Richard

and Randy both wanted the same thing. They were just going

about it differently. Both were lacking love and affection

from home. See, both parents, Sheila and Steve, were drug

abusers. Sheila was addicted to prescription pain pills and

Steve would drown himself in alcohol. Rarely would both be

coherent simultaneously and when juiced up Steve would

verbally and physically abuse his family. In those fits of

rage, Sheila would cower and cry then wait until Steve was

sleeping and cut small slits in his skin with a razorblade.

She would then coerce young Randy to help with the clean up.


Originally, Randy was more susceptible to the effects of

this horrific behavior than Richard. He could hear the

swearing occurring in the adjacent room while Richard would

sleep right through it. As they got older, Richard would

eventually awaken from his sleep to run in and defend his

mother. Richard also felt as though his parents favored

Randy more because he was such a “mama’s boy”.


One night, Richard decided that he and Randy must stop

Steve in his tracks before he did something to permanently

injure their mother. He shared his plan with Randy but was

immediately turned down. Randy couldn’t cause harm to a

flea. He assured Richard that killing Steve was NOT the

answer.

Maybe they should tell someone.


Richard became irate with Randy. “I’m

sick and tired of being sick and tired. I don’t want to

live in fear anymore! I don’t want to hear the screams

anymore! And I certainly don’t want to be associated with a

coward such as you anymore!

”


Randy could tell that Richard was serious! He could feel

his blood boiling and his heart racing. He knew that it was

only a matter of time before Richard would follow through

with his plan. He didn’t want to expose Richard because he

loved his brother. He couldn’t tell Steve for fear of

retaliation on the whole family and he didn’t dare leak

anything to his mother because she would eventually let it

out in one of her euphoric binges.


THINK! WHAT ELSE COULD HE DO?

In his mind there is only one thing he could do……………

KILL RICHARD.

But could he?

Would he?

And how would he do it?


“Here, take this

!” Brimley

handed the detectives a prayer note written by Randy which

read: “Oh GOD please forgive me of my

sins and the dastardly deeds that have impregnated my mind.

We all have a right to choose so long as we are not

jeopardizing the well being of our fellow man. My choices

have come down to kill or be killed and I have chosen to

commit the highest form of treason to the human race. I

pray for your forgiveness, your love and your guidance. I

answer to you and you only as judgment passed upon me is

solely your assessment of how I conducted my life here on

earth and if I am worthy of everlasting life in your

kingdom

.”


The detective looked puzzled as Brimley continued on.


Sheila and Steve would regularly play cards at their

neighbor’s home once a week. They would leave about seven

and return about midnight. Randy was aware of this weekly

ritual and when they said goodnight to him he hugged them

tight, whispered goodbye and then closed the front door

behind them. He sprung into action before Richard would

come home.


He went into Sheila’s pill box and grabbed a handful of

Vicodin. He crushed them up and put them in Richard’s water

jug. He knew that Richard usually drinks from his water jug…

especially when he is stealing a sip of Steve’s rum punch

which was chilling in the refrigerator.

“Ah

! said the detective. Vicodin

mixed with alcohol can cause severe drowsiness.”

"EXACTLY

!" Whispered Brimley.


As time passed, Randy went upstairs and waited for

Richard with Sheila’s razor. He paced back and forth each

time passing by the large mirror in their room. As the

clock reached ten he paused in front of the mirror with his

head tilted toward the floor. As he began to slowly raise

his head he could hear Richard’s voice. Slowly he gathers

himself, raises his head and looked into the large mirror

one more time. But suddenly the face looking back at him

wasn’t Randy Skullen anymore. It was…


RICHARD

!


“How dare you go against me Randy!

Slashing our wrists and feet are the actions of a coward!

You should have learned long ago that whatever happens to

me happens to you. What did you put in our drink? Why am I

so drowsy?

”


"Richard was Randy and Randy was

Richard

?" Asked the detective.


”Yes

” said Brimley.


The Skullens only had one child and his name is Randall

Ricardo Skullen. He was my patient suffering from multiple

personality disorder stemming from the trauma he

experienced as a child. The people hovered over him are

members from our psychiatric ward and they came to love the

gentle little boy like family.


“So what happened to Sheila and

Steve

?” asked the detective.


Brimley gravely replied “My guess is

they ARE home. Have you dug the backyard yet? Whenever

Randy wanted to hide something he valued from Richard, he

would hide it underground.

”