Stepbrothers

Chapter two

Warning: Mention and description of abuse in this chapter. Do not read further if you're someone uncomfortable with these types of scenes. Thank you.=)

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I sat in the corner of my room, staring out of the window as I tried to ignore what happened a few hours ago. I mean, I was no longer hurt really, just disappointed that she would side with him over me; I was her son and I had at least hoped that she would consider that I wouldn't be like that. But what was she going to think? She barely knew me and it wouldn't be far fetched to believe I had grown up like that man who called himself a father.

I pick at my nails as I continue staring, entranced by the sight of sunlight filtering serenely through the green leaves. A bird sat calmly perched upon a sturdy tree branch, wings open and ready to fly away at any moment. It could fly away whenever it wanted, a privilege I didn't have but envied.

At that thought, memories began to swirl through my mind and I try my best to push them to the back of it. I tear my eyes away from the peaceful scenery outside and shake my head hard, as if that was somehow the solution to stop the invading horrors now attempting to plague my mind's currently weakened state.

I bite my lip hard enough to break the skin as I felt the images begin to flutter into my mind, not ceasing their advance no matter how many times I smack my head with my hands to snap myself out of it. Although it was futile, I whisper out one last thing before I was taken under by the hurricane of childhood traumas.

"No, please no. I don't want to see them. I don't want to see it!"

The piercing sound of glass shattering echoes throughout the destroyed room, stains and broken frames being the only form of decoration for the ugly walls of the living room. My father roars in drunken anger as I push myself further back into the space behind the ratty couch, ignoring the foul stench that bites at my nose.

"You fucking bastard! Get you're arse out here before I *hick* drag you out!" The harsh crash that followed drove more fear into my thundering heart as heavy footsteps stomped closer to my pitiful hiding spot. 

I cover my mouth with both hands in a desperate attempt to at least quieten my erratic breathing, but the sharp tug of my hair and painful throb from my head told me of my failure. He drags me out and throws me across the dirty floor, glass and splinters along with pieces I could not identify becoming embedded into my bruised skin.

"You stupid shit! You think such a pussy attempt would keep you from me?! Huh?! You think I'm Fucking Dumb?!" He shouts after another swig of his beer before smashing it down onto my shaking arms. The burning pain and the sight of blood dripping from my own limb brought tears of fear and pain to my eyes as I fruitlessly attempt to escape.

"Oh? And where do you think you're going, boy?! Piss your pants already?" He grips my ankle in a vice like grip as he roughly yanks me towards him, tugging a pained cry from my throat as he swings me into the wooden coffee table with a resounding crack. He begins a mad cackle as a crazed glint enters his eyes, hands reaching towards me as if I were the rarest of toys presented before him, simply awaiting to entertain his darkest fantasies. The absolute terror overwhelmed me and I did the one thing I should have never done.

"MOMMY! HELP ME!" The rage that flares up into his eyes could rival any demon's as a cruel glint flickers in the depth of his haunting gaze. With a blank face he raises his fist and slams it into my body over and over again, until I was nothing but a bloodied and whimpering mess of a boy.

"I think it's time for some discipline now, don't you think?" He says in an eerily calm voice, horror filling my whole being as I start screaming and begging for him to stop. To leave me alone, that I was sorry, to not hurt me. I pleaded until I couldn't any longer, promising to be a good boy but he just smiles his creepy smile as he grabbed his knife and dragged me to the basement kicking and screaming.

"Down to the basement we go."

I was snapped out of my dark memory by a set of sharp knocks on my door, the sun's setting rays filtering through my now darkening room. Shaking my head to rid my mind of the images that had been practically burned into my brain, I stretch out my stiff muscles that had tensed after sitting in the same position for too long and moved to stand with the intention of opening my door. The person on the other side of the door was oddly quiet and patient, which made me furrow my brows in confusion before opening the door.

Peter stood under the dull hallway light with a soft smile resting on his handsome yet aging face. He stares at me quietly for a few moments, a look of concern evident in his features before he heaves a tired sigh.

"I just wanted to check up on you, see how you were feeling and ask if you were hungry since dinner's ready." He states softly as he stares at me as if I was just another one of his children. I shake my head softly while ignoring the confusion swirling through my mind on why he was acting so kind towards me.

"Thanks Peter, but I'm good thank you. And I'm fine just tired. I'm just going to play with my toys." I tell him softly as I catch the glint of worry at my refusal to eat. Although it was a lie that I had toys to play with, I was tired and wanted to at least try to sleep. Plus, instilled fear that caused me to tremble and cower around men was starting to kick in and I wanted to hide in my room as soon as possible.

With a reluctant nod, Peter left me to my own devices as I returned to my room and plopped onto my bed. The soft mattress beneath me was much different to the old broken stiff ones I had usually claimed and I wasted to time sinking beneath the covers.

I close my eyes as I thought about how horribly my first day went. Honestly, I knew it wouldn't get any better, but I stupidly hoped that even I, someone incredibly tainted for someone their age, would be able to receive some semblance of peace and happiness instead of violence and pain. 

I curl in on myself as I can fell the familiar sensation of pain in my heart, my fingers tracing delicately over the ugly scars painted across my frail body, as if portraying its own house of horrors. They were reminders of how tainted and dark I had become since my times as I pure and innocent child. It was weird and sad to not be able to comfortably refer to myself as a child because, well, what sort of child lives their lives with fear, suspicion and trauma instead of joy, purity and warmth? No child should live like I have.

I just want to be happy and forget about everything but the present and the future. I want to make mum happy and peter proud. I want to get along with my new family, no matter how much I disliked the idea of it. I didn't want to be ruled by fear and anxiety, to be weak and fragile.

I already know that what I wanted and what I got, though, were two completely different things. The truth being that my step brothers already hate or at least don't like me, mum has already come across the conclusion that I was like that man, and Peter...well I wasn't sure about him besides the facts that his size absolutely terrified me.

"This...is going to be a long road, isn't it?" I whisper to myself with a defeated voice, doubtful of anything going right but still determined for everything to work out. At the moment, my priority is rebuilding mums trust in me, I guess. That way she will be able to be even happier than she is currently and won't have to worry about me. Even if things fall through on my side, I want her to still be able to live out a happy life, without someone like me causing bothers and unnecessary worry.

Closing my eyes, I hum the soft lullaby that an old lady across the street had once sang when I was home alone. The tune was comforting yet sad, but helped me sleep.

As the now quieting tunes coaxed me into a deep slumber, I heard the door creak open slightly before pausing. After a few moments it pushes open some more, allowing whoever it was to enter my room silently, my eyelids now too heavy to properly make them out. I desperately try to stay awake as they stalk closer to the bed, now regretting the song that brought me into a heavy sleep, the panic no longer registering to my body as the figure looms over my vulnerable state.

A soft, slightly malicious chuckle fills the quiet room as the sensation of being lifted into a painful grip makes me internally whimper. I was too tired and weak to even think of struggling. As they began to move my body won the fight over my will power and I was forced into the grasp of my mind. However just before I drifted off into a sea of night terrors, they whisper a sentence that made my stomach drop.

"Your gonna' regret ever living here, Brandy~"