Flower Amongst Thorns [Boy x Boy]

Chapter 8

TRIGGER WARNING: Graphic content, blood

"Mommy?" The small eight-year-old called out, taking in his surroundings with dread, "MOM?!"

It was the first time Artios had gone out to get the groceries by himself, and he was super proud of how quickly he had finished the job considering the fact that he had never done it before.

The young boy had cheerfully skipped back home, imagining how happy and proud his parents would be when they found out that he completed a chore all by himself.

However his eyes widened in horror, achievement completely forgotten, when he was met with a blinding flame that had completely engulfed the place he had called home his entire life from all sides, while screams of terror filled the surroundings.

Yellow-orange tendrils consumed everything within sight, spreading from one plank to another like a deadly virus that infected everything in it's way.

"Artios?!" The child felt two chubby hands grab his shoulders desperately, snapping him out of his initial shock and disbelief.

Startled by the unexpected gesture, he shrieked loudly and tried to shrug himself out of the tight hold, panicking even more when he failed to do so.

"It's me sweetie, it's mom!" The familiar voice reassured.

That made the boy calm down slightly and get a proper look at the person kneeling in front of him. He didn't waste a second before instantly melting into the touch when he realized that he recognized the face.

"M-mommy, mommy what's happening?!" Artios asked, expecting his mother to give him a kiss on the cheek and tell him that everything was going to be okay like she always did.

"Honey, listen to me carefully okay?! You have to get out of here. You have to get out and run as far away as you can." The woman explained quickly, ash and blood from her palms staining the boy's brand new shirt.

"But mommy, I wanna stay here! With you and dad!" Artios shook his head, scared and confused.

His mom was supposed to fix everything! She was supposed to tell him not to worry, that she and dad would always protect him!

What was happening?!

He didn't want this. He wanted to go home and help daddy make his special birthday dinner tonight!

"Cupcake, it's not safe here anymore okay? Just like you got those groceries all by yourself, I want you to be my brave boy again and run a long, long way from here. You can do it sweetheart. Mommy believes in you." Tears were streaming down hers face as she pulled her son into a bone-crushing hug, "Mommy and daddy love you so much. We love you so, so much Artios."

"What's happeni-" The boy stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed Uncle Winmore, their house guest who had been staying with them for over a few months, from between his mom's shoulder.

His face went white as a sheet when he saw how the older man was handling his dad by the collar like a rag doll, with their sharp kitchen knife pressed against his terrifyingly pale skin.

Thick red liquid was dripping down his father's neck at an abnormal rate as the large, hairy man threw him aside as though he were a sack of potatoes.