Rise of Ruin: Tempered Revelation/Story

On an adumbral and boisterous night the child sits in the bathtub. All the lights are out. He stares through the window listening for the bursts of lightning. He is denied because tonight the carousal will contain the coruscation of thunder. The rain leaks into the roof tapping into the empty tub.

The desolation of the house intensifies the experience. Now the storm is for him. No food or other excitement can pry him from this. Before him is a vista with thrills and excitements, without the mundane, clear, sunny, sky. He likes it this way. It always makes him feel alive, as it shatters bland moments.

A door opens in the living room. Laughter kills the mood and adds new spirit. No excitement should pry him from this. Hushed voices whisper sweetly to one another. Quietly he cracks the door, watching.

"This house is nice."

"Thank you." The women replies.

The man slams the door closed with his foot. "You know what I want." His lips slop against her neck. Hands rub on her body.

"More." Her chirps of approval giddy.

The bathroom door opens with a loud thump. The man continues with hot discomfort in his pants. The woman seeing the child pushes him away roughly. Her smile spreads thin. The smell of alcohol is all over them.

"Hiya sport." The man says with a scratch of his head.

"Mother who is this?"

The flashes outside create insidious shapes with drawn shadows. "This is your father."

"No he is n--"

A rough hand bashes across his face. Her finger scolds. "Yes he is."

His lip quivers. "No he is not."

The man wraps his hands around her hips and pulls her to him. "Kid I am the best you got." His laughter is intense, callous.

His ears ring. Some dark unburden impulse beats in his veins. It rises as his mother joins the laughter. Rage starts to clot his vision. It nags at him, pulling and pulling until he ruptures. Finally the lightning comes in one loud burst.

His teeth sinks into the man's arm. His screams of pain are shrill and unforgettable. "Get off of me you bastard!"

The mother throws him out the door. "I hate you. Get out and stay out!"

The man takes over the frame. "You demon. I will be fucking your mother tonight." The door slams and is locked.

"I hate you! I hate you!!" His eyes brim with tears. "I hate you!"

He sits against a tree. The lump in his throat is tough and sharp. The sounds of sex rise above the gentle tapping of the rain. His hands clamp over his ears. Thunder and sobs make short work of the noise. Anger and passion boil inside his soul.

"I hate you both."

Hours later he can still here the sounds of sex. It is long gone, now trapped in his head. It brings about a very noticable twitch. The child does not sleep that night. Darkness wraps his mind until daylight some time passed twilight.

"Hey. Hey!" THe mother shouts to him.

It takes him more than a moment for him to register a voice. When he does it makes no difference. She opens the door for him to come inside. I would like to say that he ran away. I would like to say he screamed until his face was blue. I would like to say many things but he shuffled inside and the door shut behind him.