Five siblings, catapulted into chaos.
Striving hard to create a grounded foundation amidst a cruel world, hoping that building walls will protect them against the hungry hands trying to tear them into pieces. They only ever wanted to love and be lo...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Tristan put the car in park as he pulled up at a rundown house. The door of the front gate barely hung on its hinges at an odd angle. There was a pile of wood neglected at the side of the overgrown front yard. The paint was weathered and peeling off in spots. A light breeze made the shutters of the upstairs windows tap against the frame.
Ashton was looking at his childhood home - with the sun low in the sky, illuminating the rooms downstairs, it made the two windows facing him look like hollow eyes and the front door a gaping maw. Snippets of old memories popped up in front of him. He saw a nine year old version of himself perched on the front steps, locked outside with nothing but a thin shirt to protect himself against the cold night air. He swore he could see that same boy sitting right there, looking at him with disappointment as if to say 'What are you still doing here? You promised we'd leave.'
Tristan glanced at his brother. "You're gonna be okay?"
Ashton nodded stiffly.
"Listen I'm sorry I can't stick around, I have to get to work in twenty minutes. We can go out tomorrow night or whenever you want."
"Sure."
"Ash." Tristan dropped his hand on the back of his brother's neck, trying to coax him to look at him. "You sure you don't wanna stay at our place?"
Ashton eyed his father's bike. He was home. "I don't think that's gonna sit well with him."
"Just for a few days," Tristan suggested.
He chuckled bitterly. "He's been trying to get a hold of me for the past few weeks. If he finds out I'm staying with you guys, which he will, he'll try to kill me and probably succeed this time."
"Right." Tristan gave his brother one last squeeze, hoping it would offer him the courage he needed to face the monster that called himself a fucking father. "Call me if there's anything. And I mean anything. Ashton, do you hear me?"
"Relax, Tris." Ashton reached behind him to fetch his backpack from the backseat. "Thanks for the ride."
Tristan was reluctant and it showed on his face.
"You still work at that bar? Fix me a fake ID, they confiscated mine at juvie." Ashton slapped his chest to lighten up the situation. "I need to get laid."
"Don't worry, I got you covered." Tristan allowed a little smile to tug at his lips. He put the car back in drive. "Stay out of trouble."
Ashton stepped out of the car and looked around him. He pointed at himself and grinned. "Oh, you're talking to me? I don't know what you've heard, but I never get into trouble."
"Smartass," Tristan muttered under his breath before revving up the car.
Ashton saluted him and turned to face his fate. He shouldered his backpack and took a deep breath. His feet were moving on their own accord as he mounted the uneven steps, aware of the different heights between each step, the way the third one was broken with a crack in the middle and the last one was slightly wobbly and bended to the left.
