Father had woken ten minutes late and roasted his alarm clock because of it. As he threw on his fuzzy pink robe, he notices a giant rip in the seams, as well as a stain from a now emptied tub of rocky road ice cream. In a small fit of rage from this, as well as a creepy nightmare starring his quiet Constance as a mass murderer, he scorched his beloved robe. Seconds later, he is angrier since it is his favorite. He grudgingly walks to the kitchen and pauses to count heads. David is pouring cereal for an awaiting Lenny and Ashley. Bruce is already at the table, eating.
"Where's your sister?" He demands, anger and impatience clearly written in his voice.
The cereal keeps pouring as all four shoot their eyes to Father in surprise. After a small bout of awkward silence, they point their hands toward their shared bathroom.
"Her uniform split, Father." The unison reply.
David then realizes the box is empty and there are flakes on the floor. Lenny brushes off half his bowl to Ashley's. Father makes a move to find Constance but calls over his shoulder.
"That kitchen better be spotless when I get back."
Father had found Constance struggling to mend her outfit in a rush. He quirks an eyebrow, watching her work. Soon enough, he makes his presence known. She nearly jumps a mile in the air.
"How did your uniform rip?"
"I, err." She stumbles as she is speaking as an individual. "Combat."
Father lightly cringes then uses some of his fire to carefully mend the fringes. Constance involuntarily twitches against the heat, allowing it to burn a small portion beneath her neck. Father relents and Constance trembles as she faces Father.
"That burned." She mumbles quietly.
"Let that be a warning." He answers icily.
Father and Constance walk back through the house. The kitchen has been throughouly cleaned and the children are waiting at the front door. Constance joins them and the children leave for school. While the children are gone, Father and Monty receive a visit from their father. This only irritates Father more. Even worse, Grandfather starts taunting him, and calling him Li'l Benny. Father explodes in a mountain of fire, clutching the front of his own father's silhouette and shouting venomous curses to the demon. Monty flinches and Grandfather recoils, slightly impressed but more nervous.
Father seethes until Grandfather disappears. As the flames die down and Father returns to his regular size and frame, Monty begins to speak. Father does not want to hear it. He more or less carefully threatens to castrate his brother before stalking away. Father still has flames following his movements, as he is still very much livid. He attempts to cook a few things to calm his nerves, but he accidentally blows up his kitchen. He sets several rooms in the mansion on fire, eventually dousing them when he grew weary.
Three o'clock finally rolls around. His children should be getting home. Three-fifteen and no sign of them. Father's blood begins to boil. Three-thirty. Nada. He is tempted to snap his pipe in half, march to the school and wring a few necks. It is three-forty-five and the front door finally opens. The group of five are exhausted, with dirt and grime on their faces and uniforms.
"Where the hell have you five been?"
The kids jump at his voice. They hate it when Father curses, especially toward them. They are supposed to be his favorites, the only children he can stand. because they are delightful. A collective sigh escapes their lips.
"We had a plan. but the kids next dorks. defeated us."
They hang their heads in disappointment.
"Who?" He demands coldly. "Which individual of you had the plan? Who thought of it first?"
The kids slowly back away from Father, whose flames are eagerly enveloping the room - surrounding themselves and Father. They gulp shyly but fail to speak. David and Ashley look elsewhere. Lenny and Bruce discreetly look at Constance, who is finding fascination on the floor. As Father locks his sights on Constance, the flames grow higher and hotter.
"You." He speaks with icy disgust. "You tear your uniform, then create some moronic plan and execute it on a whim?"
"I'm-I'm sorry, Father. I, I won't-"
"Do it again? Damn straight." He answers angrily, advancing on them.
"Father?" Lenny shyly asks. "Have you been drinking?"
"Why the hell would you ask me that?" He snarls. "Yes, I have. It makes the fire so much more. deserving, don't you think?"
The five children nods in agreement, though shock and fear is evident on their faces. As it should be. "Y-y-y-yes, Father."
Father suddenly grabs one of Constance's pigtails, yanking her to his eye level. Tears form in her eyes. Her siblings struggle to say something but their words die on their lips. Father tosses her down in disgrace.
"You've ripped your uniform again. What good have you ever done for me?"
"I, I'm the top stu-student of the school. and I-I-I'm really good at hand-handling your robots." She trembles at the question and tone of his voice.
"Real good."
He answers with thick sarcasm before wrenching the girl's arm, yanking her back. He starts to inflame now, sending scorching pain across Constance's arm. It is severely burning and Constance is wailing. Her siblings are now shouting at Father but can't seem to move. Father growls.
"All of you, shut up."
Constance bites her tongue as Father releases and she falls to the floor. He remains in flames as he swiftly kicks his child, in her throat and her stomach. Constance rolls rover and coughs up a little blood. Lenny is the first to break formation. He scrambles to his knees to comfort his sister. Father merely walks up to his second tallest child and harshly yanks off the helmet. It causes some discomfort.
"Next of you to fall out of formation or enter my office to comfort Constance." He throws Lenny out the door and shoves the others along, as he walks out and locks the door. "There will be severe consequences."
To prove his point, he lights Lenny's helmet on fire and strikes said boy in the side of his head. He drops the headgear beside his child. It had scratched a bit below the surface and some blood was now cut from Lenny's head and dribbling on his helmet. The children are shocked from absolute terrified fear. Father allows more flames to surround him as he leans eerily into his other children's faces.
"Do I make myself clear!?"
"Yes, Father."
Um. review?