Saving Grace (editing)

02: elliot // Lock & Key

t w o

It's a bit of a struggle at first.

After a bit of time however, Elliot manages to get the door open anyhow.

He has to lean on the wall to steady himself as he takes a step outside into the chilly, wintery weather.

It is the early morning. The grey sky overhead is patched with whisps of clouds, the air chilly from the snowy atmosphere that envelopes the entire neighbourhood.

Rubbing his sleeves over his hands in an effort to create some sort of friction, he trudges his feet through the blanketed ground, his breath escaping in slow clouds.

He reaches the frosted mailbox, and retrieves the contents within; various bills, more envelopes, and the morning paper.

It's a wonder to him that the postman still operates in such weather.

Slowly forcing his feet through the thick layer of snow, he makes his way back to the house.

He reaches to turn the frosted door knob. Much to his luck, however, it refuses to even budge.

Great.

He mutters under his breath, letting slip a tired profanity.

It is way too early in the day to deal with, well anything let alone being locked outside.

His father would be back from his night shift soon at least.

All Elliot can really do is just sit down and well, wait.

He awkwardly attempts to lower himself down onto the wooden porch, trying his best to mantain his balance.

He shifts in his position, attempting to somewhat settle himself on the ice solid surface in a somewhat comfortable position.

Somewhat.

It isn't the first time that this had happened to him either: being locked out of his own house that is.

With the costly expenses of his mother's treatment, his dad had to work even longer shifts to support the household.

It left Elliot mainly responsible for the house duties and whatnot, also having the responsibility to care his five year old sister.

This meant making sure she always had her shoes on the correct sides and got to school on time, that she ate her three square meals a day with greens included, brushed her teeth accordingly, as well as participating in her escapades to Wonderland and ensuring that by the end of the day, she was tucked into bed all snug.

For majority of the day during school hours, the house was empty but when it was occupied in the early hours or afternoon, it was just him and little Susie.

Despite this, he still had the habit of forgetting the house keys whenever he stepped foot out of the house.

And there was not much he could do about it, the child in her room oblivious to her older brother freezing outside.

Okay he is exagerrating.

But you'd think he'd learn by now.

He hasn't.

He watches the very few cars that drive past in the early hours of Sunday morning, including a pair of joggers that pass by without sparing him a second glance.

It is quite ridiculous jogging out in this weather, he thinks, but it's dedication nonetheless.

He hoped little Susie was sleeping alright inside... in the warm house... in her soft sheets... of her comfy bed...

With the heater on.

He sighs in exasperation and slouches his back forward, continuing to watch the snowy surroundings of his quiet street.

As time crawls by, naturally he is restless. So with nothing else to do, he unfolds the newpaper that is sitting beside him alongside the rest of the mail he had retrieved and went outside to get in the first place.

That's right, it is the mail's fault.

Stupid mail.

He has nothing better to do so his logic is to at least do something productive to occupy his time. Time flies and all that... as the saying probably goes.

His English teacher Mrs Korling would be giving him a thumbs up right now.

Flicking through the first few pages, nothing much catches his eye.

Some A-lister was pregnant again, a civilian had stopped a bank robbery, a humble uni student was on the brink  of discovering a new drug.

His eyes scan past headlines, pieces of words and sentences grabbing his attention for only a split second.

Another jogger runs past. Crazy fitness junkies in the neighbourhood he thinks.

But then again he's probably quite the peculiar sight to be sitting on what is practically ice wearing only pyjama pants and robe.

Oh whatever.

And then he comes across two words that were so very familar to him, making his breath catch in his throat and his gaze stop on them.

Petalerny Hospital.

It was the hospital his mum was staying.

It was an illness that was genetic and they had only just found out about it, even though the disease had already started taking its toll on her body for almost a year.

A year.

And she hadn't been home since the middle of spring.

He would trade anything in the world to have her healthy and happy again.

Elliot missed her smile. He just wanted for her to be okay.

Going back to the article, the title read:

Girl in bizzare 'coma of depression', staying at Petalerny Hospital.

Before Elliot was able to read piece, the sound of an old car engine approaching the driveway causes him to look up to see a familiar blue vehicle that belonged to his father.

He watches on as his father pushes himself out of the car, locking the car doors with a click behind him.

Muttering something about the weather, the man strides across the snowed yard until he realises the boy's presence.

"Ah, what're doing here? Locked out again, son?" His father has one hand in his pant pocket and the other occupied with fiddling the house keys.

Elliot only responds with an embarrassed nod.

Opening the door, the two quickly stepp indoors, swiftly closing the wooden door behind them.

Elliot sighs a breath in, inhaling the warmth and musky scent from one of Mum's candle that had been lit just earlier.

He removes his damp shoes and hastily shifts in front of their beat-up heater.

"Remember the keys next time won't you." A voice interupts his thoughts and Elliot doesn't look up.

He keeps his gaze transfixed to metal machine and simply nods before hearing footsteps clamber towards Susie's room.

Despire circumstances and even little Susie to tend to, he and his dad lived almost separate lives that only manuerved around each others'.

He didn't want to admit it but everything was looking just bleak.

But he had to keep his chin up just for Susie.

For Susie.

And who knew, maybe soon, things would be different.

Maybe soon.

[a/n: this chapter has been rewritten/edited as of 17/01/17]