Outcast ✧ Phan

Two

fear
noun
an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.

Dan climbed into the back of his mum's car, a small smile plastered to his face. Its been two years since his first day of kindergarten, and so far, he loved every bit of school. He and Lousie stayed friends, and he hopes they do forever. Today had been another good day, he learned some new math problems, about the rainforest, and about Christopher Colombus. He also got to colour, the pictures he made folded neatly in his bookbag. He decided earlier he would give them to his mum.

"How was your day, sweetheart?" His mum asked from the front seat as Dan closed the door and buckled up. He was so excited to spill out every detail of his day that he didn't even notice how her voice cracked, and how red her eyes were. She didn't mind, though, she just kept smiling.

"-and here I am now, in the car with you." He finished after a minute of non stop chattering, breathing in.

"It sounds like you really enjoyed yourself. I'm glad." She said quietly, silence soon blanketing the car as Dan happily stared out the window, watching the houses and trees blur by.

Then he remembered the pictures he made for her, and jumped up, reaching for his bag. His mum's cellphone went off, though, and he stopped. He knew from experience that it wouldn't be smart to mess with her when she was on the phone. So, instead, being the nosy child he was, he tried to listen along.

"Frank? I told you earlier--" she spoke out, voice cold. Dan froze, tense at her tone. Frank was his father's name. "No I'm not!" She hissed into the receiver, the muffled voice on the other line talking over her. "God dammit Frank, Dan is in the fucking car with me." She paused, listening to what he was saying. "Can this not wait until later?--no, I--" She spat. "Would you let me fucking speak? No, Im-- god dammit!" She snapped, pressing the end button and throwing the phone to the floor board.

Dan stared out the window again, only this time less cheerfully. His parents never fought like that, mind the occasional couple's quarrel, it'd all been a quite happy relationship between his the two. Mum had never thrown her phone--or any object for that matter--or spoken with that kind of tone before. Honestly, it scared Dan a little. He hoped this fight would end soon, and they'd go back to the normal perfect family.

Nobody spoke for the rest of the ride.

-

Dan jumped out of the car, sludging forward to the door. He didn't want to go inside, because he knew his dad would be there, and he knew that whenever mum got in, too, things would get heated.

Dan did go inside though, but mum did not. At first, when he walked in and she wasn't right behind him, he thought she forgot something in the car. Except, when he turned to look, there was no car, and no mum.

Dan, extremely confused, just stood in the doorway, staring out, as if he really concentrated, they would poof right back.

She didn't leave, did she? He thought, She didn't even say goodbye.

He didn't notice his dad coming up behind him until his big hand had grasped his shoulder, a little too tightly. He jumped, inside and away from his grip.

"Where's your mother?" Dad asked, eyeing Dan coldly, shutting the front door behind him. He felt uncomfortable under his stare, containing the same coldless that his mother had held in her voice over the phone.

"I-I don't know." He whispered.

"What do you mean you don't know?" His father roared, Dan shrinking under his voice.

Dad turned, running his fingers through his hair and exhaling. Dan just stood there, not sure what to say or do. When he was about to give up and go to his room, dad spoke back up, this time his voice a whisper. "This is all your fault." He said. Dan wasn't sure whether he was talking to himself, or about him or mum. The answer was pretty obvious when he spun around, finger directed straight at Dan. "This mess is entirely your fault, and your stupid powers!"

Confusion flooded Dan, a million questions a second. He only was able to think up three million questions before it happened; skin on skin contact, leaving a red hand imprint left on Dan's face. Dad had slapped him, hard.

Tears welled in his eyes as Dad stared at Dan, shock on the boy's face.

"Go to your room." Dad whispered, and Dan didn't move, just stood there. "I said, go to your room!" He boomed, and Dan let out a whimper, retreating immediately this time, running and slamming the door behind him.

He jumped onto his bed, shuffling back until his back was pressed with the corner, since his bed was against the walls. From across the room, he locked the door, pushing the button in with a single command in his mind; lock.

He was now thinking about the questions, tears streaming down his face as they all bombarded him.

Where's mum? Why did she leave? Why did dad say what he said? What is my fault? What powers? Why did he hit me? Why does it hurt all over, when he only hit me on my face? Will the pain go away? Will mom come back? Will dad hit me again? ...

He thought about these for a while, then decided to put them all down in a notebook. He looked through his bookbag and found a spare one, then got to work at writing them all the best he could with a second grade spelling level, trying best to not get tear drops all over the paper.