Cops' Kids

C5

"Holy shit," Tyson gasps, hands on his hips as he stands in the front doorway that opens into the living room. Elmer must have calmed down on his run over here but Tyson had never seen this much blood from one of the beatings before. He takes a couple steps forward, eyes scanning his surroundings. Colin is on the floor, back against the doorframe, his face pale and eyes purple. A gash on his forehead is being covered by a dish towel pressed against his skin by Warren, who looks up and shakes his head at his brother.

"Kept ranting about what a wild delinquent you've become," Warren has to close his mouth to hold back his tears. "All you had to do was help haul some damn boxes!" He hisses, gently slapping Colin's cheek. Colin picks his head back up, sighing deeply after the movement.

"Take him to the hospital," Tyson says quietly, fear upsetting his stomach before rage takes over. They all know how much this competition meant to him, how it starts paving his path to varsity which means a scholarship which means he can get the hell away from Elmer. Tyson thought a beating was okay if it meant he got out but he never thought it'd be this bad for Colin.

"Tyson..." he spins around at his moms voice. Her perfectly styled hair is frayed and loose, the blush on her cheeks and wide eyes making her seem harried. She has a cleaning bucket and rags in her hands. They all know the drill by now. Whoever can takes care of whoever is hurt while Serena cleans up the mess. Elmer doesn't like messes, even the ones he creates. He's a selfish, lazy bastard.

"Take him, Warren," Serena repeats what Tyson said. Warren glares at Tyson one more time before scooping the fourteen year old in his arms and hurrying out the door. Colin might be semi-conscious but his fingers still have a tight grip on that purple rosary.

"Jir?" Tyson asks quietly. He scans the living room and hallway, looking for his violent stepfather. Jir is their code name for Jeremiah, Isaiah and Ross. When shit hits the fan, meaning when Elmer blows a gasket, it's Ross's job to try and hide Isaiah and Jeremiah somewhere and then himself. Isaiah and Jeremiah hate being separated but Ross's job also entails that because if Elmer finds them, at least it's only one.

"Safe," Tyson's mom whispers back. Tyson nods as his mother starts taking the couch cushion lining off. She'll need to soak it and wash it to keep the blood off. After years of abuse, she knows the best tricks to keep everything blood stain free.

"Elmer?" Tyson says, his voice hard. Serena's shoulders deflate and she shakes her head at her stubborn son.

"He's done. Just leave it be." But her eyes glance in the direction of the garage door.

"He's not done and you know it." Tyson replies, walking to the door with what seems like weights weighing him down. Colin got the worst of it but Elmer's anger will be ignited when he sees Tyson because Tyson is the one who disobeyed his command, disrespected him and that is a big injustice to the manipulative man that is his stepfather.

"Where the hell were you?" Elmer shouts, dropping a wrench on his work bench. Tyson is thankful he didn't forget it in his hand. Being hit with a tool is worse than being shoved into the wall, he knows from experience. Tyson can see Benjamin's feet peeking out from under the hood of Elmer's meticulously kept Ford F-250.

"You forget I had that weight lifting competition today?" Tyson smirks, twisting the lock on the inside garage door before closing it. Elmer could easily barge through but it'd slow him down and hopefully warn the boys and the woman in the house.

"Don't you get smart with me, boy," Elmer wags his finger at his rebellious stepson. "I told you to be somewhere and you weren't."

"You signed the permission slip for the tournament," Tyson smirks again, egging the violent man on. "Seems like telling me to be somewhere." Elmer sucks in a breath, eyes narrowing on the boy. Benjamin rolls out from under the truck, cautiously looking at his father.

"I need an extra hand," he says, wincing when Elmer shoots him a look to man up and grow some muscle. When Elmer returns his mean glare on Tyson, Benjamin makes a 'get your shit together' look toward him.

"Go help your brother," Elmer grins cynically. Tyson doesn't notice he is close to the athletic equipment, his fingers wrapped around a golf club.

"You could fix your own damn truck," Tyson mutters under his breath but obeys his stepfather. He's surprised Elmer hasn't hit him yet. That's his last free thought before Elmer swings the golf club, hitting Tyson's back. Tyson is thrown forward from the force and smacks into the hood of the truck before crumpling to the ground, breathless. The next strike hits his sprained ribs and everyone hears the crack. Elmer kicks him over so he can lean over Tyson.

"You gonna pull this stunt next time?" Elmer asks, nodding in approval when Tyson tries to inhale oxygen. Defeated, Tyson shakes his head, no. But the rage still burns in his eyes, unrelenting.