Traumatized Wings

1

A 5 year old child once sat in this room pondering what his life would be like. He knew his mother didn't like him much, hence the reason he had no bed, old clothes, and hardly any meat on his bones. Even though he was so young, he understood a lot more than he let on.

On his fifth birthday, a week before his pondering started, his mother had shaved off his snow colored locks. She told him that he was a sin, but he'd already known that. His imaginary people kept reminding him he was a bad boy. All he wanted to be was a good boy.

On this particular day, his mother especially hated him. She had a wild look in her eyes, as did her husband. He felt each fist as it hit his chest and back, and each kick that landed upon his stomach, but he didn't cry or tell them to stop. He knew he was a bad boy.

Hardly an hour later, he was curled up in his corner as if it were just like every other day. He never asked to be born, but he knew he was a bad boy for not dying. However, the voices of his imaginary people cried tears of joy when his mom and her husband hurt him.

The next day he awoke to his mother's overjoyed scream. She was pregnant, but this time her child wouldn't be a mutant. Phail was happy for his mother; he was happy she was finally getting the child she deserved.

Two months passed, and Phail was used to the spontaneous beatings. He knew it was just her mood swings, but last night's beating revealed the sex of his unborn half sibling. He was going to have a brother. He just hoped she treated him like a son, but if she didn't Phail would protect his brother.

At the end of his days in kindergarten, his mother gave birth to Kai Michael Rivers. Kai had his father's mud colored hair, and ocean-like eyes. Phail, being as he wanted to be a good boy, willingly gave up his room for his new brother. He took the hall closet as his bedroom.

During those three days he'd waited, Phail had been fed a gracious amount for doing something good without being told. He felt like his mother's view of him would finally change, but he knew better than to hope for such a thing.

The first month of his summer was spent staying in his closet, only allowed out to be beaten or fed. The next month was spent keeping his baby brother happy during the night so his mom could get a good night's sleep. He soon learned that Kai loved having his presence around, so when their mother and her husband went to bed Phail stayed just outside Kai's bedroom door to keep him quiet until the sun began to rise.

At the four month mark, Kai could finally sleep through the night without Phail's presence. That fact alone made the child with black and blue bruises quite happy. He'd made another soul's life easier.