Bottom Liam Short Stories

Not Alone: Part 1 (Ziam)

     The little boy clinged to his stuffed puppy, whimpering from the loud storm. He was in his carseat, as the car rushed forward faster than it should have. He hoped his mother would slow down but she kept driving, scaring the three-year-old child.

- Mommy, I'm scawed. - he murmured and pressed his face to the fake yet soft fur of his toy.

     Karen couldn't hear his voice through the heavy rain and her own guilt. She wanted to believe that it wasn't her fault, that she was simply too young to face it all, but how could she deceive herself? She wanted to blame it on her parents that didn't accept their pregnant daughter. She wanted to blame it on her boyfriend, Geoff, who promised he would stay with her. It was going alright for the first three years until he decided he wanted to enjoy his youth instead of looking after a baby. And still, she also blamed herself for giving up. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, blurring her vision, as she kept driving further away from their poor apartment.

     They stopped in front of an old massive building and Karen hurried out of the car. She picked up her son and ran to the door under the horrible rain. She set the child on his tiny feet and put a letter inside his coat pocket. Liam was trembling from the cold wind, as his small body was soaking wet. He looked up at the woman and lifted his short arms, thinking that she was going to hold him and take him home. But Karen didn't move. She brushed away her tears and knocked on the door.

- Promise me to be a good boy, Liam. I'm so sorry but I have to do this. It's for the best. - she cried and ran to the car, leaving Liam alone in front of the orphanage.

     Liam called after her, scared from the loud voices caused by the weather. He held his puppy close to him in order to stay warm but it was nothing like his mother's embrace. The door opened and a young man appeared, looking around and frowning when he couldn't find anyone. He seemed kind and cuddly, like a soft teddy bear. The whimpers leaving the boy's mouth made him look down and smile.

- Hey there. What are you doing here, little one? - he asked gently and picked up the small child.

     Liam was crying and squirming in the stranger's arms but in a few minutes his freezing body gave up and he snuggled closer to the warmth.

- Corden, who is it? - someone asked and approached them.

     The man didn't answer as he didn't know anything yet. He put the boy on a bad and took off his coat, so he wouldn't catch cold. He shoved it aside but the letter caught his eyes. His friend bent down near them, trying to calm down the child, as the man opened the letter. His eyes roamed over it and he was shocked to find a short paragraph claiming that the parents were not able to take care of their son and had to give him away.

- I can't believe that someone could do this. - he whisper-yelled angrily and handed the letter to his friend.

     The other one shook his head in disbelief and headed to the office to fill the needed information. Meanwhile, the kind stranger kneeled in front of the boy and changed his wet clothes to comfortable pajamas.

- I'm sorry for what happened but you will stay here with us, okay? We'll take care of everything, Liam. - he assured the boy, who was looking at him with his teary big brown eyes. - And I'm James. I'm sure we can become friends.

     Liam nodded hesitantly, feeling slightly safer in James' company. And from that day he grew up in the orphanage. Every day he walked outside and sat down on the stairs, waiting for his mother to take him home. But that day never came and soon Liam forgot what she looked like. The only memory of his past was the stuffed puppy that was always in his hands. Sometimes James joined him and engaged him in long and silly conversations, enjoying the little boy's laughter.