赤 - RED.

𝟎𝟗

vase

someone was humming. the sound of it came from the end of the corridor, where there was a light on. he walked there, being oddly cautious.

"oh, Shuji". a woman said while she was knitting. her voice was soft and she was just beautiful. her hair dark brown, long and shiny. but her eyes... her eyes seem dead.

the boy sat down next to her and she stroked his hair. "mom", the boy's voice was low as if he didn't want to be heard. "dad... he's mad at me again". 

the woman smiled at him, her hand trembling a little. "did you do something wrong, Shuji?" 

the boy desperately clenched his little hands around his mother's arm. "no, no i didn't. i've been a good boy, just how you told me, mom". 

the woman aggressively pulled his arm away of his hands, the boy gasped and his eyes filled with tears. "then why is he mad?" 

the boy's breathing became unsteady and he started to scratch his arm. "i- don't- i don't know".

the woman slapped him and he stood still, a tear slipped down his cheek. "m-mommy, are you mad at me too?" the boy's little hands trembled and he had to dig his nails in his palms to stop it to not make her mother more angry.

the woman flinched and a muffled sob came out of her throat. "oh my god, Shuji, i'm so sorry. mommy's not mad. i'm sorry". the little boy finally allowed himself to cry and little sobs came out of his mouth.

the door was suddenly opened, the smell of alcohol flooding the room. Shuji hid behind his mother, little trembling fists clutching on her shirt. the sobs stopped.

"why are you being so fucking loud?" he slapped the woman and she started crying again.

"no, papa, it was my fault. i'm sorry". the man glared at him and kicked him. then he took the woman by the hair and pulled her closer.

"didn't i tell you that i wanted to sleep, whore?" the woman trembled and cried out.

"yes, honey, i'm so sorry". he threw the woman across the room and started to hit her.

stop. Shuji thought. leave her alone, stop.

everything happened so quickly he didn't even noticed. he hit his father with a vase, and then red.

"mom?" a frightened kid asked, looking at his father on the floor.

"what is it, honey?" the woman smiled. don't. her eyes were red and she finally seemed happy.

"what are you doing?" he looked at the floor. red, red and more red.

"Shuji, don't look at that".

Shuji? what is happening? why can't he remember anything? why is his father on the floor?

"mom, what is happening?" a siren sounding far, far away.

the kid tried pulling the woman up. now there was red in his hands too. dirty.

"they are coming", the woman took something shiny, "Shuji, run".

Shuji stayed there. the woman looked away. and suddenly there was red splattered all over the wall. the woman fell. more red. dirty.

he was trembling, and even though he was scared and he didn't know what was happening he somehow felt relieved. 

he cackled, looking at his hands. red.