Not Having Fun

013

Chris ^

"Max? Alright mate, it's time to wake up,"

Mum gently smooths down my hair as I flutter my eyes open. "M-Mum?"

"Hi sweetie, you're alright. Let's sit up," she helps me rise slowly to a sitting position. She rubs my back. "You didn't need an ambulance, don't worry. But you have a bad cut on your head,"

I look over at Dad, who's standing with Mr and Mrs Johnson. They're talking and they all look serious.

"Max?"

I snap back to Mum. "Yeah...?"

"You need to tell us if you feel anything, okay? A headache, dizzy, if you can't see right - anything," Mum orders me, sounding serious too. I nod.

"Can we go home?" I want my bed. And my stuffed animal. And my train. And-

After hugging Jemima goodbye, Mum lets me lie down in the car on the way home.

Once we get home, Mum helps me change into my jammies.

"Aw, did wittle Maxie get a ouch?" Chris snickers from my doorway.

"Go back to your room," Dad snaps at him. "Your brother got really hurt and we don't need you making it worse,"

Once he leaves, Dad looks at me. "I'm sorry about him Max. I'll get him to say sorry to you,"

"N-No thanks, I'm good," I look down and play with my hands. "I just want to read," I pick up my copy of Horrid Henry. I've really been getting into Horrid Henry. Apparently other parents hate it but mine don't care.

Dad goes off to Chris' room. I climb out of bed and listen in at the other wall, the one that connects to his room!

"Get out of my room, Dad!" I hear Chris throw something. Then he crashes down on his bed.

"Listen to me, the way you treat your brother has to stop," his voice echoes through the wall.

"Why? He's a bloody crybaby, all he does is cry and act like a little prick,"

"That's it, I've tried grounding and washing your mouth out and it's not working," I hear the jingle of a belt buckle.

"What?! Dad, you can't do this, I didn't even do anything!"

"You treat your brother like shit, even when he's hurt. This has to stop Chris,"

After some fumbling, I hear Dad finally wrestle Chris down onto the bed. He yanks his trousers down.

SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK

The smacks stop. "Are you going to keep tormenting your brother?"

"No!" Chris makes out through his cries.

SMACK

Dad finishes giving him eleven with the belt. "And I'm turning the WiFi off tonight,"

Chris' door slams.

I go back to my bed and back to my book, but I can't help but overhear Chris' loud crying. It's so annoying.

I get out of bed and go to his room, knocking gently on the frame.

"Chris?" His face is bright red and buried in his bedsheets.

"Fuck off,"

I sit down beside him on his bed. "Why don't you like me?"

"Max leave me alone or I don't care what Dad does, I'll tan your arse,"