FALLEN

Chapter 7

A small rumbling of footsteps and noise below sends Fallen searching down the stairs for the cause of it.

He paused on the bottom step of the stairs, his eyes taking in the movement of the rest of his family. Elbina is zipping up her jacket whilst his mother drops her shoes in front of her. His father lacing up his own shoes by the door, tightening them until his foot wouldn't move an inch inside the shoe.

Fallen's suspicions grew, catching his father's eye as he stood back up.

"What's happening? Where are you going?" He spoke, earning the attention of his mother and Elbina in the process.

For a minute, no one says anything. His father gives his mother a look, who fiddled with Elbina's jumper, her head popping out at the top with a smile on her face.

"The doctor, she's gotta have a check up."

"She does?" He says, dropping down onto the landing with the final step.

Should he believe them?

He's not sure, it seems like a normal thing to do. She's only young and they'd had a few doctor's appointments like this before.

They usually just seem to weigh her and check her height.

And even if Fallen knew that, the feeling of them taking her out of the house makes him wary. It's silly, afterall, he leaves her at home when he goes to work most days. Why would them taking her out of the house be any different then leaving her at home with them.

They would have the chance to take her away any day if they wanted to.

He knew it wouldn't happen, it's not something they would ever do.

But then, a big part of Fallen knows he can't trust them. And if he couldn't trust them, then really anything is possible.

It's probably why he's no nervous all the time, bubbling under the surface and putting him on the edge of a panic attack at any point.

And he reminded himself that what he went through, what he goes through now, it's not happening to her.

At least not yet.

"It won't take too long. An hour tops."

He grumbles his acceptance, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

"Right." He said, leaning on the edge of the wall.

What else could he do? It wasn't like an argument would end in his favour, he would prefer to save his breath on this one.

"Mow the lawn will you? It's looking very long." His mother spoke, stepping back in order to allow his dad to open the door for them. Fallen mutters a yes as she guides Elbina out of the door into the bright light outside.

He looks at them walking down the path before his father shuts the door with a heavy thud between them.

He can't help it, Fallen edges over to the window and watches them continue along the road. All the way until they're out of sight.

With that, he throws on a jacket and his boots before heading out the door.

He pulled out the lawnmower, dragging it through the gravel until it hits the grass.

Great, he thought.

After a few goes he accepts that it was running on empty.

Fallen contemplated leaving it, considering asking his parents to pick some up on the way back.