The Quiet Boy

Chapter 15

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Tears poured from his eyes at the immense stinging and burning pain on his back. His hands covered his mouth to keep any cries or sobs from escaping past his lips.

"P-plea-ease," he begged, voice coming out muffled. "I-it hurts-ts to mu-much."

"Well, that's too bad. Maybe you should've listened to me!"

Another crack noise rang through the hallway but was covered by the blasting sound of the TV. His back arched as the wire made contact with his skin causing another bright red slash mark to appear over the previous ones.

The older male harshly gripped a large amount of the younger boy's hair, pulling his head back. "My patience for you has grown to be nonexistent," he said with exasperation. He threw his hand back making the young boy hit the ground.

A soft cry of pain had slipped past his lips as his back arched in pain. He quickly covered his mouth and rolled onto his side. "I'm s-so-so-sorry."

"Like I'd believe your bullshit." he spat and threw a harsh kick to the other's back.

He gave a silent gasp as more tears spilled out of his eyes.

"You're not sorry." he crouched down. "If you really were, you wouldn't have disobeyed me so much-" he rolled the younger onto his back and gripped his neck pulling him up. "Now would you?" his grip tightened cutting off the young boy's air circulation.

His mouth opened as he tried to gasp for air and his fingers wrapped around the other male's wrist, trying to pry his hand off of his neck.

"What made you want to disobey me?" his grip tightened, hurting the boy. "You even dared to try and rebel against me. I am your father and you disrespected me! Why would you ever think of going against me, huh? To go and break my rules repeatedly and think you'll get away with it. With you, under my roof, you will follow my rules whether you want to or not! Understood?"

He rapidly nodded his head.

"I'd let you off but you didn't listen to me once again." He stood up letting go of the young boy's neck.

A loud gasp emitted from the boy. He broke into a coughing fit from the large amount of oxygen that hastily filled his lungs.

"And apparently your punishments before weren't enough. Guess I gotta do things the way I did them when you were younger." He gripped the other's arm and roughly pulled him up to his feet not waiting for him to finish his coughing fit. He dragged him towards a door that sat at the end of the hall.

The boy's eyes widened in fear. He knew where his father was taking him.

Not that place. Anything but that place.

"No, no please." he tried to tug his arm out of his father's grip. "I don't wanna go in there." his breathing began to quicken the closer they got. The overwhelming fear of that place caused him to completely forget about the unbearable burning sensation on his back and the harsh aching pain of his body. "Daddy, I'm begging you please." he began to cry. "Anything but that place."

"You disrespected me and disobeyed what I said. You don't get to choose." he opened the door and pushed the young boy inside causing him to tumble down the few steps that were there.

The young boy hissed in pain as his arms scraped against the cement floor.

He hated the basement. It was so dark and cold in there. Every little noise that echoed through the cement room scared the life out of him. He couldn't handle a place like that. He's too sensitive.

"Hopefully after this, you'll learn your lesson." he slammed the door.

He quickly got up and ran up the steps. "No, Please," he begged as loudly as he could but his voice failing to come out any louder than he can usually manage. "Let me out." he tried turning the doorknob but his father had already locked it. "Daddy, please. I'm sorry." he began to sob. "Opened the door. I won't do it again, I promise." he began to bang on the door. "Come back. Let me out. I'm begging you."

His breathing became excessively short and he began to shake. Not again!

"Don't leave me in here." he put his hand against his chest as the pain grew. "Daddy-please I'll-listen to you," he said in between pants. "I'm sorry-i was bad."

"Daddy," he called but his voice came out as a whisper due to him being out of breath. "Please-for-forgive m-me." he crouched down his hands balled into a tight fist against his chest, his knees bent up against his arms and his eyes tightly shut.

He took big breaths but he couldn't calm himself. It was too hard to do it in a place like this. It wouldn't go away.

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Jeongguk walked down the same route he did every morning but today was different. He made it to the park but the bench Taehyung was always at was empty.

This was unusual for the other. Even though Jeongguk had only known him for a few months he knew from what Taehyung had been through with the bullies, he still showed up to school even though he clearly should have stayed home.

He had a bad feeling in his gut. He didn't know what to do but to continue on his way to school.

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The whole day Jeongguk felt uneasy. He couldn't focus on his classes cause his head kept drifting off towards Taehyung. Something is wrong and he could feel it. He hoped that he was just overreacting.

"Gguk, what's wrong?" Jimin asked.

"Nothing. I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You're bouncing your leg." he pointed.

"Okay, and?" he furrowed his brows in confusion.

"It's your left leg. You always bounce your left leg when something is bothering you," he stated. "So obviously something is bothering you. What is it?"

Jeongguk sighed before speaking, "It's Taehyung." he told him.

"What about him?"

"I feel like something is wrong," he admitted. "He never misses school. It was obvious that he didn't considering he was in terrible shape those few weeks. You saw it."

"Maybe his family had something important to do."

"I don't know, Jimin. It's just I have this weird feeling in my stomach but if it's right I don't know what to do or should do to help." he sighed again. He was clearly frustrated and worried.

"Don't worry, Gguk." he patted his back. "I'm sure he'll be here tomorrow."

"I hope so." he ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't want something to happen to him."

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