Chosen family bonds

Escape plans in crayon

Ren scratches out yet another failed attempt at writing but she is getting better though not as quickly as she should be, since some nights she can't move at all or her arms are cut to ribbons Nova has only come by twice, and right after her visits always accompanied by really delicious smelling tea Rens dad forces her to use her quirk until she passes out. Labels on furniture and kitchen appliances, the manufacturing information tag, faded though it is on her blanket, that's how she was learning to read and write. It's a slow process learning what various letters mean. Still, if it were easy it wouldn't be such an efficient distraction from constant nausea and near starvation, and it wouldn't block out the pain of the bruises and cuts as effectively so she's happy for the challenge. 

The door and Ren can smell the alcohol and blood on him the instant he steps in, both smell foul on their own but mixed they create a nauseating smell that almost makes Ren puke up what little food she has consumed. He stumbles through the door black-out drunk and Ren winces when his eyes lazily trail around the apartment if he sees her she knows that she would lose all use of at least one limb. She climbs into the kitchen cupboard she'd used for hide and seek a few weeks ago. It has become her safe place, she has used her shadows to expand into an almost fort and even managed to improvise a lighting source using the light from the oven it may not be ideal, but it's better than the alternatives plus her dad doesn't know about it. She makes a mark on the wall of her little room and mumbles. "That's the 8th time... He normally only does this if heroes are snooping and getting close... I should be ready and pack my things just in case."

Ren puts all of her stuff in her bag yes that means slightly less comfort but she can't lose any of her meager possessions she still has nightmares every night after losing silver sometimes they end with her dad killing her other times with her mothers screams but regardless Ren never gets a night of uninterrupted sleep.  Ren pulls out the picture, "Night mama" she mumbles quietly before tucking it back away and then turning off the oven light.

The following days were painful Ren passed out 6 times 4 from exhaustion and 2 from dehydration her dad came back more upset every day and Ren knew this pattern well, at most there's another week before they move but it's most likely less. Sure enough, he walks in the door the next day and shouts at her. "Five minutes to pack brat then we're out here!" Ren slips out of her fort, ensuring she has everything, and walks over to him.

"I'm ready to go," Ren says confidently hopefully taking less time to pack would afford her kinder treatment.

"Wow I'm impressed, alright then let's go no point collapsing the apartment it makes too much fuss so just cover us with your shadows." Just like that they're gone once again Ren makes the mistake of thinking just maybe this time she did well enough to avoid punishment, that is of course not the case.

"OW!!" Ren cries out in pain as the blades slice up her leg her father's expression is scarily calm, and his eyes have a sadistic glint in them. The brat thought I didn't notice, didn't she? this is going to be fun. Eerily his face breaks into a grin as he plucks the photo out of her bag croutching down he holds it in front of Ren's face and her eyes widen in terror what a delightful expression to cause.

"Oh you little sneaky brat," he makes a tsk noise. "You thought you could hide your smile? You fool!" He laughs as Ren desperately grasps at the photo knowing full well he had severed a muscle so she can't move her left leg below her knee. He cuts a corner off the photo and Ren uses her shadows to help in a desperate lunge, he dodges laughing with glee at the brat's pain.

"No... mama!" She cries pushing herself up and lunging again, as she does so he cuts the photo just a tiny bit more this goes on for hours until Ren is dryheaving from exhaustion and the photo is shredded to cruel confetti. He leans down smirking this is satisfying.