Bono Malum Superate: 1
The screaming and clashing of weapons echoed throughout the house. Just stay under the bed. Stay under the bed and you’re golden. It kept getting worse and worse until it was made up of nothing but sheer agony and anger. Finny wasn’t under the bed. He knew this would be the end of the road for this torturous adventure he had been on for four years of his life.
It had started out a normal evening, Finny’s parents went out and left him in the care of a babysitter. As it got late and Cristiano tucked him into bed, and returned downstairs to watch the news. Little did he know tiny Finnegan Archer was peering around the corner, reading the the ‘Breaking News: Arch Enemies Strike Again’.
The Archers -otherwise known as Finny’s parents- had become the dynamic duo of crimes recently. His mother was a murderer, and his father was an expert robber. Together they murdered many, and stole anything of value from their victims. As Finny saw all the panic on the screen, his stomach sunk. There was DNA left at the scene. They would be rushing home bloodied, and changing towns again.
The locks turned on the front door quicker than ever before. Mr. Archer saw Finny and he ordered, “Get upstairs NOW! Stay under the bed and out of the way. Be ready to move soon.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Archer, what are you doing here so early, and...bloody...” Cristiano asked slowly backing away, further into the house. “Oh God...please don’t tell me it was y-”
“Finny,” his mother’s voice rang through the house, “just stay under the bed. Stay under there and you’re golden. We’ll be up and ready to go soon honey.” She turned to the babysitter, her face complete with a toxic smile, “And you dearie, are right. It was us and you’ll be our final victim in this town.”
“Not if I can help that.” Cristiano reached to pull up his glasses with his middle finger, his demeanor changing to one braver than seconds before, “Bono malum superate.” He reached for his bag, which held a replica of the Latin sword Gladius. It was both of the adult Archers with knives verses the Cristiano with his sword. The fight raging on, all three parties taking fatal blows. “Finnegan, I know you’re behind me, little buddy. Call the cops, I’ll try to hold them off long enough-ouff!”
Finny ran off, though it had only been three weeks of staying in this town, his new babysitter and he had bonded. Cristiano had taught and had given him a scene of right and wrong, and now that he knew his parents were doing wrong, he knew he had to take a stand. ‘Bono Malum Superate’ was something often said by Cristiano, meaning ‘good will overcome evil’.
The clanging of weapons lessened, but the shouting grew more violent. Sirens and flashing lights were easing in on the Archer residence, and Finny took a breath of relief laced with worry. It was almost over, but what would become of him when it was? He would have no parents, nobody would be there for him anymore.
Bono Malum Superate: 2
Ten years flashed by his eyes and Finny was now in highschool, adopted by the lovely James and Karie Adams. He now went by Finn, leaving behind his childhood nickname. Finn was grateful for the family who had adopted him, he was at peace at home for once in his life. It was now school where the issue was.
It started off in the first semester of his freshman year. People started treating him differently. Old friends started to avoid him and facility started to being harder on him. Everyday it got worse, there were more frightened or judgemental and stern stares. Most of the days were spent with Finn deep in his own thoughts.
“Mr. Archer? Mr. Archer, what is the answer to number 8?” The teacher impatiently called out for the third time.
With all eyes on him, Finn snapped out of it, “I believe the answer was ninety- wait! Where did you hear that name? Why are you calling me by that name? I’m an Adams.” Finn’s demanded, his heart racing and stomach sinking.
Mr. Glendorf’s face went red, “You must be hearing things, Finnegan, I said Archer. No! Adam, I said Adams.”
“Mr. Glendorf,” Finn’s breathing went haywire, nobody could know about them. They were monsters, he wanted nothing to do with them. “I need to go to the nurse, I’m not feeling so well.”
Snickering began as Finn left the classroom. He heard one kid, Charles sneer, “I bet ten dollars that the nurse gets killed and all of her narcotics go missing.”
From then on, Finn’s school days consisted of people, especially Charles, making snide remarks about the Archers and their unfortunate pastimes. Finnegan lost hope, he frequently cut school, staying at home under his covers, thinking of the days where he was under the care of his biological family. His days all blended together, and he had no will whatsoever to participate in any of the family nights Karie and James planned.
His soul grew darker, and he started to wonder if maybe the kids were right. Maybe he was like his parents, maybe all it would take would be one push and he would go berserk. He didn’t want that to happen, he would rather die than be like those monsters. Death. He wasn’t opposed to that idea. It sounded like a safe haven, something in the darkness that just waited patiently to embrace him into its arms.
It certainly wasn’t a pleasant day when James came hope from work to see blood in the hallway. James had faith that Finnegan was nothing like the Archers, and he hoped that he was right. He opened the bedroom door to see a sight that no parent would wish to see. Finn was lying on the ground, with a knife in his abdomen. He wasn’t unconscious, but he had lost a lot of blood. “Finny! Sweetie!” James’s voice was laced with heartbreak as he quickly dialed his phone for an ambulance.
“I bet you’re glad I missed the basic anatomy section of Biology,” Finn tried to crack a joke, giving out nothing but a weak chuckle.
“Finny...you said you weren’t bothered by it. You know you can tell us anything. We would have put you in a different school in a heartbeat”
“I didn’t want to cause you guys more problems. I’m already a pretty big problem. I didn’t want you to get rid of me.”
“We,” James let out a sob, “would never get rid of you.” He noticed Finn beginning to lose consciousness, “remember what you always say when Karie or I am feeling down? Boney calum suberate? That good will overcome evil? It’s the truest saying I’ve ever heard.”
Finn tried to laugh, “Dad, it’s bono malum superate not boney calum suberate!”
The paramedics came, rushing Finn to the hospital. Finn was right, they were very lucky that he missed the anatomy section. He hadn’t caused too much physical damage, but he was under supervision for at least a week and enrolled in counseling.
Bono Malum Superate: 3
“You mean to tell us you want to be a police officer?” Karie asked her son, both with worry and pride. Finnegan was 20 now, with high aspirations.
“Yeah, well I’m shooting for the FBI, but you have to start somewhere. Pun intended,” Finn was smiling ear to ear while telling his parents what his plans for the future were. He had been training for weeks and kept insisting it was a secret.
James sighed, “For the love of God, Finn, stop it with the puns,” he couldn’t help but smile at his son’s excitement. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I’m proud of me too,” Finn chuckled, “They’re placing me with some police guy, a chief I think. His name is Gregory Matfield. I’ve heard he’s just as cringey as me, pun wise.”
“Oh no,” James thought out loud, knowing that a tsunami of jokes would be coming soon in the future. “But in all honesty, Finnegan Anton Adams sounds like a detective name.”
“Oh yes.” Finn’s voice changed to a more serious tone, “Well it does sound pretty cool. But I was think something more along the lines of Finnegan A. Archer.” He liked to think using that named reminded him to be strong, no matter how hard thinks got for him.